Joe Hirsch

There are few things more uncomfortable than giving and receiving feedback. Judgment, worry, disappointment, pain – when these deeply-felt emotions enter the conversation, they can complicate relationships, crimp performance, and diminish trust. To create a fearless feedback culture, we need to change its tone and trajectory – starting with a bolder mindset and message.

In this interactive and evidence-based general session, leaders and individual contributors will explore the impact of FEEDFORWARD, a fearless alternative to traditional feedback. FEEDFORWARD amplifies strengths, promotes dialogue, and focuses on future success instead of past failure – creating performance partnerships built on straight talk and genuine relationships.

Starting with the brain-based case against traditional feedback, you’ll discover why appraisal systems often underperform, how managers miss critical information, and the reason feedback often stifles growth rather than promotes it. From there, you’ll learn how FEEDFORWARD can shift legacy thinking and practices to produce robust partnerships powered by candor, clarity and connectedness.

Driven by research and practice, FEEDFORWARD paves the way for more frequent, focused conversations about learning and development – and delivers proven, practical tools for giving and receiving feedback…fearlessly.

Work has changed. With FEEDFORWARD, so can the way we talk about it.

Impact:

• Track goals with a performance snapshot and other developmental tools.
• Learn specific strategies to accept feedback with gratitude, grace and grit.
• Attract feedback through powerful questions and performance prompts.

• Coaching is the currency of leadership. In moments of change and uncertainty, the leaders who navigate best aren’t the ones with the flawless rollout plan — they’re the ones who can carry their people forward, one conversation at a time.This high-energy, evidence-based keynote gives leaders the tools to unlock individual performance, elevate feedback, and build teams that grow together. Through powerful storytelling and practical strategies, you’ll explore what it takes to create high-trust, psychologically safe relationships — the kind of culture where feedback become fearless.

  Whether it’s delivering just-in-time feedback or navigating longer-term performance goals, this keynote offers leaders rich insight and practical guidance for leading with partnership and bringing it directly to the day-to-day work of managing people. The Coaching Leader doesn’t tell others where to go. They help them find their way.

  ** This keynote also features a live, interactive demo of an AI coaching tool that helps leaders prepare for their most important conversations with clarity and confidence.

  Actionable Impact:

  • Ask more powerful questions that unlock how people think and execute.
  • Build the trust that helps people bring hard truths to the table.
  • Transform feedback into a tool that promotes agency, capacity and development.

  Ideal Audience:

  • Executives
  • Senior leaders
  • Mid-level managers

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The only way to get through change is to get through it together. And how leaders talk to their teams in turbulent times can be the difference between a setback and a bounce back.

The only way to get through change is to get through it together. And how leaders talk to their teams in turbulent times can be the difference between a setback and a bounce back.

In this evidence-based and entertaining talk, you’ll learn how to adopt a coach approach that helps teams overcome challenges, foster innovation, and win at work. Through an interactive blend of real stories and actionable strategies, this keynote will help attendees create more confidence, agency and resilience, one conversation at a time.

From delivering clear communication to sharing fearless feedback, you’ll learn how to coach for change and deal with critical issues with more candor and care. Change is a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity – and with the right approach, our words can create new opportunities for how we lead and serve.

Actionable Impact:

• Cultivate a “coach approach” to change management powered by clear communication.
• Implement high-impact communication strategies that empower others to take action, beat adversity, and deliver results.
• Develop a coaching framework that amplifies the strengths and skills of others.

Turn routine conversations into moments for growth, connection, and impact.

When they’re counted on most, the most impactful leaders know how to make every conversation count. In this interactive keynote, rising and established leaders alike will learn proven, practical strategies to level up their communication skills to overcome challenges, foster innovation, and win at work.

Whether it’s sharing feedback, coaching for growth, or just creating meaningful team connections, leaders will gain real-world strategies for advancing their relationships and careers, one talk at a time. Every conversation is an
opportunity to thrive together — and when we put people at the center, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.

** This keynote also features a live, interactive demo of an AI coaching tool that helps leaders prepare for their most important conversations with clarity and confidence.

Actionable Impact:

• Ensure that AI-generated feedback retains a human touch
• Align feedback with AI processes to match human needs and expectations
• Build systems and supports to keep human interactions at the center of your workforce

Ideal Audience:

• Executives
• Senior leaders
• Mid-level managers
• Individual contributors