Sociologist | Confidence Researcher | TEDx Speaker | Author
Book this speaker: Professor Maja
About This Speaker: Professor Maja
Professor Maja is the leading expert on gendered confidence killers. A sociologist, she is known for her charismatic storytelling on the everyday obstacles women face in building confidence. As an authority on confidence and apologetic communication, she addresses the personal and professional barriers women encounter globally. Professor Maja believes confidence is a muscle that strengthens with use and a skill that can be built. Action comes first, and confidence follows.
Her passion for women’s confidence began 12 years ago at a conference, where she heard women downplaying their achievements and speaking apologetically. She observed similar tendencies in her undergraduate students during her ten years in academia. This led her to leave academia and focus on independent research full-time.
In 2019, Professor Maja launched the largest global qualitative study on women’s confidence, which is still ongoing. With over 425 women interviewed across 26 countries and over 2,000 hours of interview data, she engages women from various industries and cultures about the factors influencing their confidence and communication habits.
Professor Maja authored Hey Ladies, Stop Apologizing…and Other Career Mistakes Women Make, along with an accompanying workbook. Her audiobook is a compilation of her books and TV appearances.
In 2019, Professor Maja gave her first TEDx talk, “How Apologies Kill Our Confidence.” Soon after, TED IDEAS interviewed her and published the most-read article of 2019, “Sorry to Bother You, But Do You Say ‘Sorry’ Too Much?”
Professor Maja’s talks, whether in television, conferences, or private companies, are both inspiring and practical. They are filled with “a-ha” moments, leaving audiences empowered and energized. Her compelling stage presence blends sociology with sequins for a unique, non-traditional experience.
Known for being a little extra—like her personal style—Professor Maja is often described as an exclamation point, and there’s a lot of truth to that!
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