Keynotes for leaders who make the hard call
Topics span leadership, decision-making, communicating decisions under pressure, and 'wicked' problems: the kind with no clean answer. Available individually or as a series for boards, executive teams and senior leadership events.
Keynote 01
You're not here to be popular
Legitimacy and decision-making
How contested calls are made to hold. Drawing on a career making irreversible decisions under public scrutiny, this keynote examines the mechanics of legitimate decision-making: why being right is not enough, how procedural fairness shapes whether people accept an outcome they disagree with, and what leaders can do to make hard calls stick without losing the room permanently.
Who it is for
Boards, executive teams and organisations navigating significant change, contested strategy, or high-stakes transitions.
Keynote 02
The Calmest Person in the Room
Calmness as a skill, not a personality trait
How a leader's state shapes the room. Under pressure, leaders broadcast. Their composure, or the absence of it, sets the emotional temperature for every person watching. This keynote examines the science and practice of deliberate calmness: not the suppression of pressure, but the cultivation of a state that allows clear thinking and decisive action when the stakes are highest.
Who it is for
Leadership teams, boards, high-performance organisations and anyone responsible for managing performance under scrutiny.
Keynote 03
When the Rules Run Out
Making the call when there's no right answer to problems that don't stand still
Most strategy failures are failures of diagnosis: leaders treat a 'wicked', adaptive problem as a complex, technical one, and reach for a bigger spreadsheet or a bigger consultancy to manufacture a certainty that does not exist. Wicked problems have no right answer, only better or worse, and the job is to choose a defensible path rather than to keep hunting for proof.
Who it is for
Boards, executive teams and organisations navigating significant change, contested strategy, or high-stakes transitions.
Formats
Keynote address
45 to 60 minutes, with optional Q&A
Half-day workshop
Immersive session for leadership teams, up to 20 people
Bespoke keynote
A tailored address built around your organisation's specific decision-making challenges, leadership context or strategic moment
Panel Q&A
Moderated or open-floor panel discussions on leadership, decision-making and performance under pressure
Fireside chat
Informal, in-conversation format exploring the ideas and experiences behind the work
Podcasts and media
Available for podcast appearances, broadcast interviews and editorial contributions on leadership and high-stakes decision-making
What people say
Tom doesn't give the answers, he gives food for thought. It made me sit up and think.
No jargon, no fluff just open and honest – relatable from start to finish
An honest approach to how to tackle complex decision-making, it made me sit up and listen
Tom has a remarkable talent for weaving humour and storytelling into his presentation creating an atmosphere that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.
His charismatic presence and polished delivery ensure that attendees are not only entertained but also inspired and motivated.
Enquire about speaking
All enquiries are handled personally. Please include the event date, format and audience size.
Enquire about speaking