JP Pawliw-Fry

Organizations today need to adapt quickly, make critical decisions under pressure, and deliver results. However, many teams struggle with slow decision-making and avoiding difficult conversations that are essential for driving success.

High performance starts with culture, but there’s a common misunderstanding among leaders. Many think culture exists across the entire organization; in reality, it lives within teams. Leaders often assume that building culture is solely the responsibility of the CEO or CHRO, which leads to neglect and a lack of direction. When culture is left to develop on its own, good talent leaves, and organizational goals are missed.

This dynamic keynote—available virtually or in person—equips teams with insights from a study of 7,500 leaders, showing that managers and people leaders play a pivotal role in shaping culture. Attendees will learn actionable tools to take ownership of their team’s culture, especially during the critical moments known as the Last 8%. These are the tough conversations and decisions many avoid, yet they are the foundation of a thriving, high-performance culture. By empowering leaders with the skills to tackle challenges directly, organizations can foster an environment where teams consistently excel.

Key Takeaways from the Program:

- Understanding the two pillars of a high-performing culture: High Connection (psychological safety) and High Courage (the skill to face challenges effectively).
- Learning the proprietary "Model & Own" approach to build and sustain team culture.
- Gaining practical tools to connect with and coach team members to perform at their best during Last 8% situations.
- Discovering strategies to engage and influence team members at a distance, creating an environment that retains top talent and ensures long-term success.

This program inspires leaders to take charge of their team’s culture and transform tough moments into powerful opportunities for growth and achievement.

In today’s challenging landscape, your team faces unprecedented demands, but relying solely on IQ and technical skills isn’t enough. Success requires adaptability, collaboration, and resilience under pressure.

This powerful keynote equips your team with tools drawn from working with high performers in the NFL, NBA, Olympic teams, Navy SEALs, and top companies like Goldman Sachs and Intel. Attendees will learn how to manage their minds, build emotional intelligence, and lead effectively under pressure.

Key Takeaways:

- Proven strategies to increase adaptability, resilience, and collaboration under pressure.
- Tools to manage stress and maintain focus, avoiding burnout.
- The daily habit that boosts focus and reduces stress.
- Techniques to help teams perform at their best despite challenges.

This session can also be customized for sales teams, focusing on emotional intelligence to strengthen client relationships, handle setbacks, and navigate uncertainty. Based on research from the New York Times bestseller Performing Under Pressure, this program delivers actionable insights to elevate performance in any high-pressure environment.

Research shows that most individuals handle 92% of a feedback conversation effectively. However, when it comes to delivering the Last 8%—the most challenging, impactful part of the feedback—many hesitate. This is often the part that addresses critical areas for improvement and carries emotional weight. Sensing the potential impact on the other person, people tend to avoid it altogether, leaving crucial feedback unsaid.

This hesitation creates significant challenges. The recipient is left uncertain about where they stand, increasing anxiety and preventing personal or professional growth. Worse, the lack of honest communication erodes psychological safety and emotional connection, which directly impacts performance.

The objective of this program is to equip participants with the tools and insights needed to manage emotions and confidently navigate the Last 8% of any feedback conversation. Fortunately, the science of giving and receiving feedback is accessible and teachable. It begins with understanding human behavior under pressure, mastering the brain’s response, and adopting practical techniques to deliver feedback in a way that can be heard and acted upon.

Key Takeaways from the Program:

- Understanding what the Last 8% is and why it holds the greatest potential for learning, growth, and performance improvement.
- Insights into how the brain reacts under pressure and how this reaction drives avoidance during difficult feedback conversations.
- Developing self-awareness to recognize habitual reactions to receiving feedback and how those reactions signal openness to others.
- Learning how to start a Last 8% feedback conversation to overcome the anxiety and perfectionism that often delay or derail these discussions.
- Building the skills to foster psychological safety, which is critical for innovation and high-performing teams.

This program empowers participants to tackle feedback conversations with confidence, creating an environment where people feel safe, valued, and motivated to excel.

Replacing an employee costs an organization anywhere from half to two times that employee’s annual salary. For a 100-person company with an average salary of $50,000, turnover and replacement costs can reach $800,000 to $2.6 million annually. These costs, however, are avoidable.

The biggest issue? Over half (52%) of employees who leave say their departure could have been prevented. Many reported that in the months leading up to their decision, no one asked about their feelings, job satisfaction, or future aspirations. This points to a critical leadership gap—a lack of empathy. But this doesn’t have to be the case.

In this engaging keynote, delivered virtually or in person, your managers and leaders will gain the tools and insights needed to address this gap and build stronger, more connected teams.

Key Takeaways from the Program:

- Understand the single greatest cause of a lack of empathy and how leaders can take control to improve it.
- Develop Emotional Intelligence skills to proactively identify and address challenges employees face before they consider leaving.
- Learn what empathy truly means and how to cultivate it to empower innovative, effective team members and keep them engaged.
- Apply neuroscience-backed strategies to manage emotions, fostering resilience and providing a sense of calm in your organization.
- Gain practical methods for leading effectively through periods of disruptive change.

By fostering empathy and connection, leaders can reduce costly turnover, improve team performance, and create a workplace culture that retains top talent and drives success. This program empowers leaders to transform challenges into opportunities and cultivate an environment where people feel valued and supported.