Speaking

A talk your managers will still be using next month.

I give practical, story-driven talks for audiences of managers and leaders, drawing on thirty years of frontline operational management: the UK's youngest pub licensee at 21, McDonald's from the floor into management, Pizza Hut delivery units and restaurants, and thirteen years at Greggs running operations across more than fifty shops. No motivational theatre. Real stories, real patterns, and tools people use the following morning.

The talk: Map of the World

Why do capable, well-intentioned people keep misunderstanding each other at work? This talk unpacks the single most useful idea I've found in three decades of management: everyone is operating from a different map of reality, built by filters they don't know they have. Audiences leave with a genuinely different way of reading their next difficult conversation, and one practical technique to use in it. Works as a 20-minute keynote, a 45-minute session with Q&A, or a lunch-and-learn. Adaptable for leadership programmes, member events and away days.

Who I speak for.

Professional bodies and member organisations (CMI, CIPD, Chambers of Commerce, FSB), NHS and public sector leadership forums, and in-house L&D teams who want a session their middle managers will actually thank them for.

Practical details.

Based in the North East of England, happy to travel across the UK, and available for remote sessions. Every talk can include a free follow-up resource for attendees, so the value doesn't end when the session does.

Speaker & Business Enquires

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this only for middle managers?

It's written for middle leaders, anyone with pressure from above and people below. That includes team leaders, heads of department, deputy heads, ward managers and operations managers. If the pain points fit, the tools fit.

What is NLP, in plain English?

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a set of practical techniques for managing your own state and communicating more effectively. Think of it as the "how" that makes emotional intelligence usable in a tense Tuesday meeting rather than just a nice idea.

What's a Personal Energy Strategy?

It's an understanding of how you're naturally wired to work, make decisions and lead. Some people are built for steady, sustainable output, others for bursts. When you work with your wiring instead of against it, the exhaustion drops. No prior knowledge of anything is needed.

Is the Facebook group free?

Yes. The Difficult Conversations Club is free and open to any corporate leader who wants to get better at the conversations that matter. (The Empowered Leader's Circle, our members' community where the book handouts and course materials live, comes with any purchase.)