Keynotes
Engineering Character: Six Dials to Build Better Leaders
Keynote | 30 to 60 minutes
Why do some leaders inspire fierce loyalty while others struggle to keep talent? The difference is character, and character can be engineered. John introduces the Six Dials: Discipline, Mindset and Resilience build Determination, while Integrity, Empathy and Influence build Trust. Determination plus Trust equals Character. Drawing on 9/11, Fukushima and history's most resilient leaders, audiences leave with a practical tool to assess and develop leadership character at every level.
Ideal for leadership teams, HR and talent development leaders, and organizations focused on retention, engagement and trust.
Crisis Communications: Leading With Character When Everything Is on the Line
Keynote | also available as a breakout or workshop
When the unthinkable happens, what leaders say in the first hours shapes everything that follows. John has communicated through crisis from the inside: he survived the September 11th attacks at the foot of the tower, led a regional banking team through the Fukushima disaster in Tokyo, and built a business during COVID. He shows leaders how to communicate with clarity, candor and calm when information is incomplete and the stakes are high, and how to build trust when there are more questions than answers.
Ideal for executives responsible for crisis response, HR and communications teams, and conferences focused on risk, resilience and continuity.
Stewardship in the Age of AI: Why Character, Not Technology, Will Determine Who Thrives
Keynote | 30 minutes
For decades, organizations have debated the difference between managers and leaders. As AI takes on more of the tasks we once called work, a new distinction emerges: the difference between leaders and stewards. Leaders focus on vision, influence and results. Stewards also hold themselves accountable for the people, systems and future they are shaping. John shows why character, not technology, will determine who thrives, and gives audiences practical language to cultivate stewardship in themselves and their teams.
Ideal for senior leaders navigating AI-driven transformation, HR teams building future-ready leadership pipelines, and managers rethinking their role as automation expands.
The Three Dials of Determination: Engineering the Character to Lead Yourself First
Keynote | 15 to 20 minutes (TEDx style)
We celebrate leaders who inspire others, but we rarely talk about what comes first: the ability to lead yourself. Based on John's TEDx talk, Three Dials to Lead You, this keynote introduces the three Dials of Determination: Discipline, Mindset and Resilience. Audiences shift from waiting for motivation to engineering character, and leave with practical language to strengthen their own self-leadership when everything falls apart.
Ideal for professionals navigating uncertainty or high-pressure environments, emerging leaders, and events looking for a short, high-energy opener.