“I DIDN’T EXPECT TO LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT THINGS I ASSUMED I ALREADY UNDERSTOOD.”
PARTNER, AMLAW 50 LAW FIRM
“I DIDN’T EXPECT TO LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT THINGS I ASSUMED I ALREADY UNDERSTOOD.”
PARTNER, AMLAW 50 LAW FIRM
SPEAKING
THE RESEARCH CAME FIRST.
James didn’t develop ideas to become a speaker. He became a speaker because nearly thirty years of research gave him something worth talking about. His presentations are compelling because the work is compelling, not the other way around.
A highlight reel can show you that James can hold a room. It can’t show you what happens when he has one. His clients, stages, testimonials, and the people he’s shared them with provide a better record of that.
Bloomberg New Economy Forum
°
SXSW
°
Aspen Ideas Conference
°
Festival of Dangerous Ideas
°
Chicago Ideas Week
°
Bloomberg New Economy Forum ° SXSW ° Aspen Ideas Conference ° Festival of Dangerous Ideas ° Chicago Ideas Week °
KEYNOTE
ONLY
One hour. A single idea, built to stand on its own.
60 MIN · STICKY KEYNOTE
The three drivers behind every connection that endures — and why organizations that chase "easier" first put everything else at risk.
Safer. Easier. Better
Explore this idea on the Relationships page →
60 MIN · STICKY KEYNOTE
The Blue Frog Problem
People become what their environment requires of them, often without realizing it. To change what people become, change the conditions they’re adapting to.
Explore this idea on the Culture page →
60 MIN · STUCK KEYNOTE
Why stuck is the default — for people, organizations, and civilizations — and the three questions that reliably move a room out of it.
Unstuck
Explore this idea on the Change page →
60 MIN · STUCK KEYNOTE
Age of Ignorance: The Other AI
What comes after the Information Age, and why our greatest advantage will shift from knowing more to discovering what no one knows yet.
Explore this idea on the Possibility page →
60 MIN · STUCK KEYNOTE
Gamemakers
What seven principles of game design reveal about how the best teams stay curious, engaged, and hard to beat.
(For leaders and managers)
Explore this idea on the Possibilities page →
The idea, then the room puts it to work together.
KEYNOTE
+ WORKSHOP
60 MIN · KEYNOTE + 90 MINUTE BREAKOUT
Safer. Easier. Better + Sticky by Design
The three drivers behind every connection that endures — and why organizations that chase "easier" first put everything else at risk.
See the full breakdown on the People page →
60 MIN · KEYNOTE + 90 MINUTE BREAKOUT
Unstuck + Black Cat Challenge
Why stuck is the default — for people, organizations, and civilizations — and the three questions that reliably move a room out of it.
See the full breakdown on the Change page →
60 MIN · KEYNOTE + 60 MINUTE BREAKOUT
Age of Ignorance + Gamemakers
Why stuck is the default — for people, organizations, and civilizations — and the three questions that reliably move a room out of it.
See the full breakdown on the Change page →
MULTI-DAY
& RETREATS
For leadership teams who want to build something, not just hear something.
2-DAY RETREAT
Sticky & Stuck: Building the Conditions
A working retreat that moves from diagnosis to construction — teams leave with real mechanisms for safety, time, and support, not just a framework.
Inquire about this format →
PROOF
What rooms actually say afterward.
“From the content to the structure to the design and the delivery, this was, by far, the best presentation I've ever seen.”
— Public Relations Society of America
"Prepare for a TedTalk on Steroids"
— Aspen Ideas Conference
“When a speaker is so good you are transfixed and unable to look away.”
— Silicon Valley Community Foundation
"I've never seen a speaker make complex ideas feel this simple and actionable."
— SR. Event Planner, L'ORÃEAL
Not sure which format fits your event?
A short conversation is faster than guessing from a page.