Keynote Speaker on Leadership, Motivation & Change
“As an event organiser, I’ve seen a lot of keynote speakers... Dr Fox is the absolute best.” — Tobias Prestel, CEO of Prestel & Partner, London
You found my “semi-illustrious professional speaker” aspect—well done. I’m Dr. Fox: wizard-philosopher, complexity practitioner, and global keynote speaker. I work with clever teams and questing leaders seeking new value and future relevance.
Voilà! Credentials done. Now, to the magic.
We are living in a time betwixt worlds—society, technology, climate, work itself: all is in flux. Most respond by doubling down on the established ways. But here’s the wondrous thing: times like these are precisely when whole new value becomes possible—if we are willing to venture beyond the default. This is precisely why events are so important.
The mystic James Lee Byars said it well:
“To arrive at the edge of the world’s knowledge, seek out the most complex and sophisticated minds, put them in a room together, and have them ask each other the questions they are asking themselves.”
Nothing comes close to the generative potential of live events. Events enable us to deepen connections, open minds, and have the conversations that just can’t happen in our day-to-day. When we get the alchemy right, we create the conditions that catalyse emergence. Moments in which you can feel the shift within the room; the physiological quickening that precedes epiphany.
Events are magic. That’s what we’re creating together.
What I bring
I’ve contributed to hundreds of events. I’ve also produced and hosted dozens of events myself; found and paid for speakers, managed logistics, and carried the risk. I know first-hand what makes a speaker easy to work with, and what makes for extraordinary value.
And so a question I always ask is:
“What do you want your audience to think, feel, and do differently as a result of your event?”
Everything I bring is in service to this.
I work particularly well with smart and sceptical audiences who’ve “seen it all before.” But you needn’t take my word for it:
“Once every 2 years we run a very important event that brings together our most senior leaders from 23 different countries. These guys are all very switched on, and have seen a lot of the conventional ‘change leadership’ stuff before—but Jason provided something that was incredibly fresh, clever and practical...” – Steve Wilson, Director of Talent, PepsiCo
“[...] Having worked with a number of ‘speakers’ for similar events over the years, we found Jason to be a consummate professional. We placed immense trust in him to assist in delivering some differentiated messages and experiences for this event—he did this and more. Throughout the design, planning and preparation in the lead up to the event, to the intuitive support, shrewd thinking and adaptable ‘can do’ attitude he demonstrated throughout, Jason became a trusted advisor amongst the team. I warmly and enthusiastically recommend him.” – Isabelle Allen, Head of Global Clients & Markets, KPMG International
Keynote Topics
No two contributions are the same—there are no “off-the-shelf” presentations to purchase and hit play on. Every audience and context is unique, and I adapt accordingly. Having said that, here are some serving suggestions to get the conversation started.
i) A Quest Beckons
Venture—Beyond the Default
My signature keynote: warm, witted, illuminating—and very effective at having your audience awaken to the deeper opportunities awakened by your event.
This keynote moves audiences from default thinking toward emergent possibility, via one key distinction every leader must know: Meaningful Progress (that which brings us closer to real value and future relevance) versus The Delusion of Progress (wherein default thinking gets in the way of meaningful progress).
Your audience will learn:
- How to distinguish meaningful progress from the delusion of progress
- How defaults shape our thinking, motivation and behaviour—and how to venture beyond them
- How to attune to glimmers, weak signals and the magic of emergence
- How to use quest-augmented strategy to cultivate optionality and antifragility
- How qualitative sense-making orients us toward enduring relevance
#curiosity #emergence #strategy #story #progress
“I wanted us to venture beyond the default—and Jason Fox leading our quest worked a treat... His impact in the room was tangible, and any default thinking that emerged was quickly exposed!” – Peter Bailey, CEO & Chair, Arup Australasia
ii) Into the Storm
Leading amidst Complexity and Change
Most wait for a clear path to follow. For the storm to pass, and the dust to settle.
Others lead.
This is a keynote for such. We find ourselves in the midst of Great Change. Society, ecology, technology—the old paradigms aren’t holding. A storm is coming—it’s already here.
All is in flux. Our world is increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous and full of doubt. Many think that the way to handle this is to artificially impose stability, certainty, simplicity, clarity and conviction. But this is the domestication of leadership; something that only serves in stable, unchanging domains. If at all.
True leadership lives in the wild, and thrives amidst the unknown.
Your audience will learn:
- Why leadership development has become domesticated—and how you can set it free
- How to cultivate more-than-rational sensibilities so as to make better decisions amidst uncertainty
- Why we must rise to the complexity of our times (rather than dumb things down)
- How to ‘keep your wits about you’ in a world of disinformation and distraction
- How to find new vitality, value, purpose and progress amidst change
#leadership #development #complexity #wisdom #change
“Jason maintained a buoyant and practically optimistic tone throughout the day... exactly the pragmatic yet strategic perspective our people needed to move forward. I recommend Dr Jason Fox for any organisation wanting to progress important strategy in challenging times.” – Professor Keith McLean, Director of Manufacturing, CSIRO
iii) Change the Game
Shift Behaviour, Shape Change
The true measure of your event isn’t how people feel in the moment—it’s what happens in the weeks, months and years that follow. This keynote is motivation mastery for anyone pursuing complex goals, drawing from psychology, game design, and the wit of a wizard-philosopher.
Your audience will learn:
- How to translate event-inspiration into enduring behaviour change
- How to recognise where defaults help—and where they hold us back
- How to surpass ‘immunity to change’ and unfurl into a bold new chapter
- How to maintain subtly-disruptive rituals that ensure meaningful progress
- How to bring the best of role-playing games into the infinite game of Life
#motivation #culture #progress #rituals #purpose
“The proof is in the pudding—a month down the track and the ‘rituals’ we committed to are still confidently on track. If the outcomes continue long after the day itself, you know it is a great investment.” – Jenefer Stewart, COO Business & Private Bank, ANZ
iv) Unlock Mythic Mode
This Isn’t Even Your Final Form
Most people persist in Machine Mode—finding new ways to optimise themselves so as to be more productive. And most eventually become trapped within the efficient patterns they forge; circling through the same motions, achieving the same successes, and wondering: surely there’s more to Life than this?
There is. So much more. This keynote blends developmental and mythopoetic sensibilities to awaken and enliven the greater character within us all.
Your audience will learn:
- The difference between ambition (what you think you should want) and vocation (what’s actually calling you)
- How to attune to the narratives that serve you—and the ones that enslave you
- How to play finite games as an infinite player
- Why “do it for the plot” is good advice
- How to access mythic mode in any moment—and be enriched by a qualitative field of relational possibility
#mythopoetic #character #mythic #potential #power
“Jason is – Unusual. Considered. Unforgettable. Jason brought a rare kind of depth and magic to our gathering. The kind that doesn’t just deliver insight it stirs something. His presence invited reflection, curiosity, and (dare I say) a little enchantment - exactly what we needed to shift the room from ‘just another corporate offsite’ to something far more meaningful.” – Hayley Westoby, Founder & Director, Gambit Collective
v) How to Be A Wizard
Arcane Wisdom in The Age of Artificial Intelligence
The AI keynote. I’ve worked with strategic innovation teams in AI for over a decade—and there is much to be genuinely excited about. But amidst the exuberance, the times call for Arcane Wisdom: the discernment to wield great power well. We each now carry a black stone tablet in our pockets; we summon food, cast our voices across time, open portals to other worlds, and now: ask LLM daemons to answer our questions and do our bidding. To be a wizard is to be wise with such magic.
Your audience will learn:
- How to use Arcane Intelligence to work effectively with Artificially Intelligent entities
- How to avoid the cognitive atrophy that comes with instant answers
- How to ensure your imagination doesn’t become domesticated by convenience
- How to keep your wits about you in an age of ubiquitous surveillance and glazing
- How to co-create a world more curious and kind (and a future less grim)
#AI #wisdom #imagination #magic #power
“It seems there are many people who now speak on Artificial Intelligence—but we wanted someone who could bring insight beyond the obvious. That’s why we hired Dr. Jason Fox. [...] With much-needed scepticism, humour and warmth, Dr. Fox encouraged our audience to ‘keep their wits’ about them and ‘become connoisseurs of quality thinking’ as we attempt to find meaningful progress in this exponential age. Many have said that this was the most impactful session from the whole event.” – Jenny Katrivesis, Conference Director, Chilli IQ
What I Know
Knowledge of living systems, complexity, emergence, development and change run through everything I do. Themes of power, myth and magic also wend through much of my work. I also literally have a PhD in motivation science.
With that in mind, here are the domains of knowledge I am most known for.
Liminal Leadership ⟠ the capacity to orient collective attention toward emergent possibility, applied to the messy interlude between stable chapters. When the established ways grow untenable but the way forward is not yet clear, liminal leadership is what you need.
Emergent Strategy ⟠ “orientation towards relevance-realisation” as living conversation, with optionality and intelligence cultivated in-house (not outsourced to consulting firms). Questing is the precursor to strategy—and the source of differentiation. My book How to Lead a Quest offers the deep dive.
Mythic Mode ⟠ an elevated way of engaging with Life itself (also: the highest difficulty setting in roleplaying games, unlocked only after mastering the default game). When in Mythic Mode, you’re enlivened by challenge, enriched by relationality—alive, awake, and attuned to what matters. This is what leads to “performance beyond measure.”
Five Modes of Engagement
I’ve hosted live whisky tastings laced with poetry, facilitated on-stage D&D immersions as means to smuggle in new wisdom, led contemplative river walks through storms, woven improvisational jazz into leadership off-sites, and more. You and the team and I—we can conjure something special.
To start the conversation, here are the five main formats in which I can contribute to your event.
For deeper work beyond catalytic events, I offer consulting and guidance.
What Clients Say
Here’s a wee sample from the many wonderful folk I’ve worked with.
“I have admired Jason’s work for many years now. He is immensely intelligent and yet maintains a warm and humble curiosity that is infectious—and very appropriate for these complex times. We booked Jason to open our Annual Conference on Leadership & Leadership Development—one of the most important events we run each year. [...] His sessions were voted amongst the best we have had over our nine year period of hosting these events.” – Padraig O’Sullivan, President (Asia-Pacific), The Leadership Circle
“He scored a 100% 5-star rating from our audience of over 1,000.” – Jo Vohland, General Manager & Curator, ATC Events & Media
“We engaged Dr Jason Fox to speak at our country-wide roadshow event, which lead to an unprecedented amount of positive reception. The demand was so high that every city sold out, and we had to find larger venues to fit hundreds of participants. Such a good problem to have!
Jason offers a genuinely fresh, relevant and [meta]modern perspective to motivation and leadership. His understanding and empathy for leaders looking to change culture and drive innovation within organisations is unmatched.
It has been a privilege to share the success of this event with Jason and to bask in the glowing feedback coming from our audiences across all of Australia. And it doesn't end there—Jason and his team are a total joy to work with. We are incredibly happy!” – Dana Grgas, Content and National Programs Manager, Australian HR Institution
There are many more where these came from » read more testimonials. 🧡
Summon a Wizard
I am called to speak at many an event, and I would love to hear about yours.
Alternatively, you can use the form below. ♡
Kim will happily provide a sense of my availability, along with a general fee guide.
Note: I am often booked a year in advance, so it’s always a good idea to check availability early. Plus this gives us more time to shape your event.
If all is aligned, Kim can tee up a “discovery call” wherein we can explore how I can best contribute to your event. Is it a keynote, an immersion—or something else entirely? Let’s find out.
If we choose to work together, we will then arrange for a comprehensive briefing call. This is where I’ll ask you plenty of questions, so as to understand the strategic intent underpinning your event. From there we can finesse how I best contribute, and where I can offer additional assistance before and after your event.
Then, come your event: we shall make magic together.
“Every two years, we gather the most important people in the global travel, tourism and hospitality industry together at The World Tourism Forum in Lucerne. Our speakers and participants include Prime Ministers, Heads of Tourism, leaders of NFPs, CEOs of large enterprises, and the directors of new and impactful startups. This is a vitally important event and with such a discerning audience, it is essential we work with only the highest quality speakers. Dr Jason Fox would have to be one of the best speakers we’ve ever worked with. [...] Throughout the whole experience—from helping to set the theme of the event, through to the flow of the run sheet—Jason and his team were absolutely wonderful to work with.” – Professor Martin Barth, President & CEO, The World Tourism Forum Lucerne
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