"My favorite keynote speaker I've ever heard. (And I've heard a lot!)"

AI is the closest thing we’ve built to Archimedes’ infinite lever—a tool so powerful it can move mountains of work with barely a push. For technologists, that’s intoxicating and dangerous in equal measure. When the model writes the first draft of the code, the architecture, the spec, and you simply review and approve, whose work is it? And what happens to your team’s craft when the struggle that builds expertise gets automated away?

Todd introduces the VERVE framework for using AI as an ally without surrendering agency, drawing a sharp line between “support work” you should offload and “soul work” you must fiercely protect. Ideal for AI summits, engineering all-hands, and product leadership offsites.

Key takeaways:

• The crucial distinction between support work and soul work—and why confusing them makes your team replaceable
• How over-reliance on AI quietly atrophies problem-finding skills and normalizes mediocrity
• A practical test for deciding when to reach for AI and when to resist
• Five principles for amplifying output while preserving the judgment that makes your work irreplaceable

Assembling brilliant engineers and product minds is the easy part. Leading them—protecting their focus, balancing autonomy with alignment, and keeping them motivated through reorgs and roadmap churn—is where most technical leaders struggle. Based on Todd’s best-selling Herding Tigers, this keynote gives newly promoted and seasoned leaders alike the tools to unleash a talented team without micromanaging it into the ground.

Key takeaways: what actually motivates high-performers, how to shield deep work from organizational noise, and how to lead people who are smarter than you in their domain.

Based on Todd’s best-selling book, Herding Tigers.

Sprint after sprint, on-call after on-call, the demand to produce brilliant work on command leaves even elite technical talent depleted. Based on The Accidental Creative, this keynote delivers five practices of creative rhythm that help teams stay sharp, defeat the “assassins” of focus, and avoid the burnout that drives your best people out the door.

Based on Todd’s best-selling book, The Accidental Creative.

Innovation requires betting on directions before the data is conclusive—killing a beloved feature, sunsetting a product, committing to a hard architectural rewrite. Based on The Brave Habit, this keynote shows how leaders and teams build the daily habit of decisive, courageous action that drives real innovation instead of consensus-driven mediocrity.

Based on Todd’s latest book, The Brave Habit.

THE BIG IDEA
Even the most talented, ambitious creative pros get stuck. Simply working harder doesn’t guarantee results. Understanding how to identify and overcome the seven most common pitfalls that lead to stagnation will help you rediscover your passion and ignite your drive to product brilliant work.

KEYNOTE DESCRIPTION
Creative problem solving can be a grind. Even the most talented leaders and creative pros can find themselves stuck, working hard but not achieving the results they desire. This unexpected stagnation and loss of passion is frustrating and demoralizing, impacting individual and organizational success.

Through practical strategies and thought-provoking insights, keynote speaker and best-selling author Todd Henry reveals how to overcome the seven “deadly sins” that lead to personal and organizational plateaus. You’ll learn how to break free from these common traps, challenge assumptions, and rediscover your passion for producing brilliant work.

By the end of this keynote, you’ll be equipped with the tools to overcome fear, foster collaboration, navigate the natural phases of personal and career growth, and overcome the fear of failure—and success. Discover ways to reignite your drive and achieve breakthrough results, no matter the challenges.

Based on Todd’s best-selling book, Die Empty.