Speaking and Workshops
“Wow! Our team loved John’s Big Bet Leadership presentation. The message was spot on for our digital journey. We are ordering more books now.” — Keith Nelson. Chief of Staff. Alcon
Are you prepared for the future? The future of competition; the future your customers demand; the future of AI & the Hyper-Digtal Era? Drawing from his experience as a leader at Amazon, senior technology advisor at the Gates Foundation, senior innovation advisor at T-Mobile, and over twenty years of experience in advising leaders on change, strategy and culture, John Rossman delivers lasting impact
“The Big Bet Leadership keynote and workshop delivered an unparalleled journey through strategic innovation and leadership excellence. Its profound insights and actionable strategies have invigorated our team, equipping us with the tools and models to navigate our industry with newfound clarity and velocity. This keynote didn’t just meet our expectations—it surpassed them, setting a new benchmark for leadership excellence for our entire team. John was incredible in how he prepared, interacted with our team, and left lasting skills for everyone!” – Frank Marini, CEO of Railbookers
Your keynote was incredibly insightful and effective; I found myself referencing a lot of it while working with their teams. The overall structure— the juxtaposition of principles and how they are put into practice—is great. And the depth of practical knowledge was greater than in most other speakers’ talks. As a speaker, you’re high energy and wholly credible, so I thought it was fantastic.
John went out of his way to work with us on tailoring the discussion to the particular needs of our client. After the keynote, John collaborated with a set of small teams in reviewing and applying the concepts in their business. This went extremely well and the energy was fantastic.
The keynote was engaging, interesting, and incredibly relevant to our team. Over 300 people opted to attend and stuck around till the end. Both Chat and Q&A submissions were nice and lively. The leaders received text messages, emails, etc. thanking us and complimenting the session.
We had excellent feedback about your presentation for the remainder of the week. We’ll continue to promote your services – and we may have you back again next year. There’s more than enough material for another presentation. Thanks again for being so responsive to the needs of our audience.
In planning our product organization kickoff, we looked for a speaker who could both inspire and offer practical insights on execution. We were lucky to have John Rossman present to the team. John introduced us to the key leadership principles he observed during his time at Amazon, which are also described in his excellent (and accessible) book, The Amazon Way.
John worked with us to take the principles from his book and make them relevant to our company. His presentation included first-hand accounts on everything from obsessive customer focus to how to organize and measure our teams. His presentation left me re-committed to building a high-performance culture, and left my team with valuable tools to get us there. I highly recommend John for speaking opportunities at your company!
Speaking topics
Bold Moves & Becoming a Transformation Leader -- Leadership for the Hyper-Digital Era
Bold Moves & Becoming a Transformation Leader — Leadership for the Hyper-Digital Era is a riveting keynote speech that delves into the dynamics of leadership and decision-making in the AI-driven world.
Leveraging insights from “Big Bet Leadership” the presentation illuminates the path to making audacious and calculated strategic moves that can propel organizations to new heights.
This is the playbook to become a transformative leader!
We dissect real-life examples, showcasing how Big Bet Legends have three critical habits differentiating them from the pack.
Attendees leave with a renewed sense of purpose, armed with actionable strategies and a deep understanding of how to lead boldly and win in the age of AI.
Leaving Your Audience with:
- An understanding of why over 85% of all digital transformations fail
- Why bold moves and AI are required to create durable advantages
- How to become a systematic winner in the age of AI
- Analyzing real-world applications and success stories
- Equipping leaders with actionable strategies for the AI era
Think Like Amazon™ about Strategy and Corporate Culture
Amazon is a fierce competitor, a systematic innovator, and creating a dramatic change in many industries. How does Amazon think about and create the playbook of strategy, operational excellence, and innovation? What can you learn from them and apply them into your business? In John Rossman’s signature leadership keynote, he will reveal and unpack the secrets of Amazon’s unparalleled growth and how the company’s culture has driven innovation and growth. From Think Like Amazon: 50 ½ Ideas to Become a Digital Leader, audiences are leaning forward, taking notes and inspired with strategies and tools to innovate and lead.
Winning with Big Bet Leadership
“Winning with Big Bet Leadership” is a captivating and insightful keynote presentation designed for leaders and change-makers who aim to navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape with boldness and strategic acumen. Delivered by John Rossman, a seasoned leader and author known for his expertise in driving transformative change, this keynote demystifies the principles of making and managing Big Bets—strategic initiatives with the potential to significantly alter an organization’s trajectory toward unprecedented success.
In this engaging session, Rossman draws upon his rich experience and the critical habits outlined in his book, “Big Bet Leadership,” to illuminate how leaders can create clarity, maintain velocity, and prioritize risk and value to foster a culture of innovation and achievement. Attendees will be empowered with a proven framework for thinking big while managing the intricacies of execution that can deter even the most visionary leaders.
“Winning with Big Bet Leadership” not only shares the successes but also the setbacks, offering a realistic view of the challenges faced during high-stake transformations and how they can be overcome. Rossman’s actionable strategies and real-world examples provide a roadmap for leaders to inspire their teams, align their resources efficiently, and make decisions that propel their organizations forward.
Key takeaways include:
– Mastering the art of identifying and capitalizing on Big Bet opportunities to drive significant growth.
– Understanding how to apply the “Thinking in Outcomes” approach for clear, measurable objectives.
– Navigating the balance between innovation and risk, ensuring that ambitious projects achieve their full potential.
– Implementing a culture of accountability, agility, and continuous improvement to support Big Bets.
– Learning from other leaders’ experiences with practical insights and adaptable strategies for diverse industries.
Perfect for executives, entrepreneurs, and anyone responsible for steering their organization towards growth and innovation, “Winning with Big Bet Leadership” promises to be a transformative experience that equips attendees with the tools, confidence, and inspiration needed to make and manage Big Bets successfully.
Think Like Amazon™ about The Future of Your Industry
What is the future of your industry? It is a question that leaders must ask themselves often. But what are the right questions to ask, what metrics should be used, how is our industry going to be disrupted? All of these questions will be answered by former Amazon Executive John Rossman. John launched and scaled their third-party platform which today accounts for over 50% of Amazon’s business. By leveraging many of the ideas from Think Like Amazon, Rossman will propose several aspects of your industry that will likely change and leave audiences with strategies, tools, and questions to help create this future.
Leadership & Culture for Growth & Innovation -- The Amazon Way
Leadership is a skill. Culture is the default standard defining how we work together. How can you build on your leadership and culture to drive systematic growth & innovation?
Based on the best-selling The Amazon Way: Amazon’s Leadership Principles, Rossman outlines a set of strategies and tactics, giving a playbook for any industry or situation to make small changes resulting in significant impact.
Customer centricity, metrics and operational excellence, a system for innovation, Amazon’s “working backwards” methodology, disagree but commit, and deliver hard results are just some of the leadership playbook with habits to reinforce and create change.
Leaving the audience with tangible takeaways and inspiration:
- A series of actionable lessons on leadership for driving improvements and innovation
- Confidence in how to work together to achieve hard results despite setbacks
- Motivation for a customer-centric mindset leading to business improvements and agile development for growth
Leadership and Strategies for Post-Pandemic Business Leaders – The Amazon Way
How do we adjust and change our playbook for a post-pandemic era? The future has accelerated – how do leaders and strategies need to change along with it? Leveraging the Amazon leadership principles, hear from former Amazon executive and business strategist John Rossman the tangible principles and techniques behind the principles to compete in the post-pandemic era.
Connect with us for your speaking request
John offers both virtual and in-person presentations.
Key Media Interviews
Books written by john rossman
Big Bet Leadership
John Rossman
The amazon way
John Rossman
The amazon way on IoT
John Rossman
Think Like Amazon
John Rossman