Non-Negotiables
Keys to Defining, Defending, and Protecting Your Values.
A transformational keynote and book that equips students, emerging leaders, and communities to stand firmly in who they are — before the world tries to tell them who to be.
Available
What happens when no one has taught you to protect what matters most?
We live in a world that is constantly negotiating for your values — social media that redefines worth, peer pressure that demands conformity, and a culture that rewards fitting in over standing out. Most young people have never been given a framework for what they actually believe, and no tools for what to do when those beliefs are tested.
Non-Negotiables changes that. In this powerful keynote and workshop experience, Regina Coley walks audiences through the three essential practices that form the foundation of identity-driven leadership: defining your values before the world defines them for you, defending them under real pressure, and building habits that protect them long-term.
This isn't a motivational speech. It's a practical, personal, and lasting framework that your students will carry with them for decades.
Regina doesn't just inspire the room — she gives them something to do with that inspiration. Our students were still talking about the Non-Negotiables framework three months after the assembly. That's rare.
— Dr. Marcella T., Vice President of Student AffairsThree practices. One framework. Lifelong impact.
Each pillar of Non-Negotiables builds on the last — leaving audiences with a complete, actionable system they can apply the same week.
You can't defend what you haven't named. The first pillar takes audiences through a values excavation process — moving past surface-level answers to get to the beliefs that actually drive behavior.
- Distinguish between absorbed values and authentic ones
- Build a personal "Non-Negotiables" list that's pressure-tested
- Understand the difference between a value and a preference
- Create language for values that makes them easier to uphold
Clarity without courage is just awareness. The second pillar gives students real tools for the real moments — when social pressure, authority, or fear tests what they say they believe.
- Recognize the pressure patterns that erode values over time
- Practice the "pause and ground" decision-making method
- Respond to pushback without losing the relationship
- Build courage as a repeatable practice, not a personality trait
Values drift happens slowly — which makes it hard to notice until the damage is done. The third pillar builds structural protection: habits, communities, and boundaries that preserve integrity over time.
- Design a personal "values environment" that reinforces integrity
- Identify and distance from relationships that compromise growth
- Build accountability systems with peers and mentors
- Recover with intention when values have been compromised
Four ways to bring Non-Negotiables to your community
From a 45-minute assembly to a full-day workshop, Non-Negotiables is designed to meet your event's needs and budget.
Full keynote experience — story, framework, and live exercises. Best for opening or closing a conference, orientation, or all-school event.
High-energy, age-appropriate assembly for middle or high school students. Can be tailored for grades 6–8 or 9–12 specifically.
Deeper dive into the full framework with group activities, breakouts, and the Non-Negotiables workbook. Ideal for leadership cohorts, student government, or orientation programs.
Fully adapted for virtual delivery — Regina has spoken to audiences across multiple campuses simultaneously. Available for remote or hybrid events.
Real outcomes. Not just inspiration.
Non-Negotiables is built around lasting behavioral change — not a temporary emotional high. Here's what each audience leaves with.
A Personal Values Map
Students complete a guided values-clarification exercise during the talk and leave with a written, concrete list of their top Non-Negotiables — something many have never articulated before.
Language for Hard Moments
Scripts and phrases for navigating peer pressure, bullying, and social media challenges — so they know what to say (and do) when the moment comes.
A Decision Filter
A simple 3-question framework that helps students pause and evaluate any choice against their values before acting — especially useful in peer pressure scenarios.
Community Awareness
Students learn how to identify peers who share their values and build accountability relationships that reinforce identity rather than erode it.
Courage as Practice
Practical exercises that reframe courage from a personality trait to a repeatable behavior — making it accessible to every student, not just the confident ones.
A Resource to Return To
When paired with bulk book orders, every student leaves with the full Non-Negotiables framework in their hands — a reference they can return to at any stage of life.
Identity Anchoring
First-year and transfer students especially benefit from a structured framework for who they are before new environments begin to reshape them.
Ethical Decision-Making
A values-based framework for navigating the real ethical pressures of college life — academic integrity, substance use, relationship dynamics, digital behavior.
Leadership Foundation
Student leaders (SGA, Greek life, athletes, RAs) gain a personal integrity framework that strengthens their leadership presence and institutional trust.
Belonging Without Compromise
Tools for building genuine community connections without sacrificing identity — addressing the #1 driver of disengagement and dropout among underrepresented students.
Career-Ready Character
The Non-Negotiables framework translates directly into professional settings — students leave with language around personal brand, workplace boundaries, and principled leadership.
A Values Practice, Not a One-Time Talk
Structures and habits students can implement immediately — journaling prompts, accountability check-ins, and book resources — so the impact extends far beyond the event day.
Why Non-Negotiables is one of the highest-ROI investments your institution can make
When decision-makers ask "what do we get for this?", here's the full picture — for both K–12 and higher education contexts.
✅ What Schools Gain
- ✓SEL Standards Alignment. Non-Negotiables directly addresses CASEL competencies — self-awareness, responsible decision-making, and relationship skills — supporting your existing SEL curriculum goals.
- ✓Schoolwide culture shift. A shared values framework creates common language across grade levels, faculty, and administration — reinforcing the culture you're already building.
- ✓Behavioral impact. Schools report fewer peer pressure-related incidents and improved conflict resolution conversations in the weeks following the assembly.
- ✓Faculty toolkit. Regina provides a post-event discussion guide your teachers can use in advisory, homeroom, or class to extend the conversation.
- ✓Parent engagement option. An evening or add-on session for parents is available to bring the Non-Negotiables framework into the home environment.
❌ The Cost of NOT Investing
- ✗Reactive counseling is expensive. The average cost of one student behavioral intervention is $500–$2,000 in staff time. One values-focused assembly prevents multiples.
- ✗Peer pressure has real academic costs. Students who feel identity pressure report lower academic engagement — and chronic disengagement costs districts an average of $11,000 per student annually.
- ✗Character education programs are costlier. Full semester SEL curriculum programs average $12,000–$18,000 per school. Non-Negotiables delivers comparable foundation-building at a fraction of the investment.
- ✗Missed belonging opportunity. Students who don't feel grounded in their identity are more vulnerable to bullying, exclusion, and mental health challenges — all of which carry institutional costs.
💰 How Does Non-Negotiables Compare to Other Character & Leadership Investments?
The Math for a School of 500 Students
For the cost of a school lunch, every student in your building receives a research-backed values framework that directly addresses peer pressure, identity confusion, and decision-making under stress — delivered by one of the most dynamic youth speakers in the country. Add bulk books at $12–$15/copy for a complete, lasting experience.
✅ What Universities Gain
- ✓First-year retention support. Students who leave college most often cite belonging and identity issues as key factors. Non-Negotiables directly addresses the root cause, not the symptom.
- ✓Leadership program alignment. Perfect for Student Government, Greek Life, Orientation Leaders, RAs, athletics, and honor societies — cohorts where values clarity drives team cohesion.
- ✓Mental health initiative support. Non-Negotiables complements counseling center programming by building proactive identity resilience rather than reactive crisis response.
- ✓Title IX & ethics alignment. A values-based decision-making framework reduces risky behavior by giving students an internal compass — supporting campus safety goals.
- ✓Inclusive excellence. The framework resonates powerfully with first-generation, transfer, and underrepresented students — populations often most at risk for identity compromise and disengagement.
📊 The Retention Equation
- 📌1 student retained = $30,000–$60,000 in tuition revenue preserved (4-year institution average). Non-Negotiables targets the #1 driver of first-year departure: identity displacement and lack of belonging.
- 📌60%+ of college students report clinically significant anxiety. The Non-Negotiables framework is a scalable, proactive mental health investment that reaches hundreds in a single event.
- 📌Campus counseling wait times average 3–5 weeks at most institutions. A values-based keynote builds the internal infrastructure students need while they wait — or before they ever need to go.
- 📌Employers report that character, integrity, and values-alignment are among the top 5 attributes they look for in new graduates — making this a career-readiness investment too.
💰 How Does Non-Negotiables Fit in Your Programming Budget?
If This Talk Helps Retain Just One Student
The numbers make this easy. But beyond the financial math — this is about giving your students something money can't put a number on: a framework for who they are that travels with them far beyond graduation. That's what makes Non-Negotiables one of the most requested talks at universities across the country.
Regina "Gigi" Coley
Regina Coley is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and CEO of MotivatHER Inc. — an organization dedicated to empowering women and girls to lead boldly, live authentically, and leave a legacy that matters. Her work sits at the intersection of identity, character, and leadership development.
Regina brings a combination of lived experience, research-grounded frameworks, and an undeniable stage presence that moves rooms to action. She has spoken to students, educators, executives, and community leaders across the country — and she brings the same energy to an assembly of 200 sixth graders as she does to a conference of 2,000 women leaders.
Non-Negotiables is the distillation of a decade of conversations with young people who were never given permission — or a framework — to protect who they are.
Let’s bring Non-Negotiables to your students.
Whether you’re planning an orientation event, an all-school assembly, a leadership summit, or a campus keynote — we’d love to make it happen. Fill out the inquiry form and someone from Regina’s team will be in touch within 2 business days.
Prefer to reach us directly? concierge@motivather.com · Based in Nashville, TN · Available Nationwide
motivather
