WHAT MAKES SOMEONE TURN BACK?
LEADERSHIP UNDER PRESSURE KEYNOTE
Under fire, one comrade chose not to leave Maria behind.
A shared doughnut became a lesson in trust.
That moment in Basra inspired The Doughnut Principle™ | The Trust Loop, a practical model for earning trust before pressure rises, protecting it through disruption and rebuilding it when confidence has been damaged.
In this Leadership Under Pressure keynote, Maria draws on her experience inside a national newspaper during 9/11, military operations in Iraq and more than 20 years leading people, culture and transformation to show how trust is strengthened or damaged when leaders cannot rely on a script.
"Pressure does not define leadership. It exposes it."
WHAT LEADERS SAY ABOUT WORKING WITH MARIA Maria has a real skill in making the complex simple. She weaves culture narratives into a clear, compelling story about what the organisation stands for, from grassroots employees right through to senior leadership.
DELOITTE UK | HEAD OF LEADERSHIP & PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
WHAT AUDIENCES TAKE AWAY
Leaders learn how to:
- Recognise how ego and self-protection can shape judgement under pressure
- Communicate difficult decisions clearly and consistently
- Make challenge safer and rebuild trust when confidence has been damaged
DELIVERY
- Available as a 30, 45 or 60-minute keynote
- Delivered in person or virtually
- Tailored to the organisation’s current pressures and priorities
“If people don’t feel safe or seen around you, you're not leading. You’re just in charge.” - Maria James