Thomas Kolditz
Transform leadership in high-stakes environments with Thomas Kolditz, speaker and crisis leadership expert. Thomas equips organizations with in extremis leadership strategies and executive coaching, recognized as a Global Gurus Top 30 Coach and Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coach.
Missouri, United States
Enquire Now
Send us your event details
.svg){kind=icon}
Tom is a social psychologist focused on developing leaders. He currently serves as the managing member of Saxon Castle LLC, a consultancy specialising in coaching and leader development. He founded and directed the Ann and John Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University for seven years. Before his tenure at Rice, he was a professor at the Yale School of Management, where he established the Leadership Development Program.
As a retired Brigadier General, Tom led the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at West Point for 12 years and was named Professor Emeritus upon retirement. He spent two years as a leadership and human resources policy analyst at the Pentagon and one year as a concept developer at the Center for Army Leadership. He received the Distinguished Service Medal, the Army’s highest award for service, and in 2017, he was honoured with the Warren Bennis Award for Excellence in Leadership, joining the ranks of notable recipients such as Doris Kearns Goodwin and Howard Schultz.
From 2018 to 2023, he was ranked in various coaching categories by Global Gurus, most recently placing 12th in Start-up Coaching in 2023. In November 2019, he was named the top university coach in the world by Thinkers50 MG100 in London.
Tom has authored over 75 publications, including books, chapters, and articles in academic and leadership journals. He developed the concept of in extremis leadership, a crisis leadership model, during his service in Iraq. His book on this topic, "In Extremis Leadership: Leading as if Your Life Depended On It," is used to train leaders in more than eight service academies across the US, UK, China, Israel, and Japan.
His second book, "Leadership Reckoning: Can Higher Education Develop the Leaders We Need," initiated a national movement aimed at enhancing leader development in higher education.
Topics, Sessions And Talks
Thomas Kolditz, with 25 years of experience teaching leadership and having led numerous organisations across four continents, emphasises the importance of specific techniques for effective leadership. In his presentation, he distils eight proven strategies that he regularly employs to achieve success. Attendees will gain practical insights that can be immediately applied to enhance their professional and personal lives.
In his engaging talk, Thomas Kolditz explores how leaders can proactively prepare their organisations to avoid crises. He shares specific processes and techniques that empower leadership to anticipate potential issues, fostering a more effective workforce. Attendees will learn valuable strategies to enhance crisis management and create a resilient organisational culture, ensuring they are better equipped to handle challenges before they arise.
Thomas Kolditz emphasises that a leader's most significant legacy lies in nurturing future leaders. His evidence-based approach demonstrates how every leader can directly enhance employee performance and retention. Drawing on leadership principles from West Point and the Yale School of Management, Tom provides a practical framework for leaders to maximise their impact. Attendees will learn effective strategies to develop their teams and foster a culture of growth and potential.
In a world marked by volatility and uncertainty, Tom Kolditz, author of "In Extremis Leadership: Leading as if Your Life Depended on It', explores how extreme situations can teach invaluable leadership lessons. His research demonstrates that the skills and principles honed in life-and-death scenarios are equally relevant in business and daily life. Attendees will learn how to apply these insights to enhance their leadership effectiveness in both personal and professional contexts.
In his keynote, Thomas Kolditz explores the concept of servant leadership, which contrasts with traditional leadership by prioritising the needs of others and sharing power. He highlights key servant-leader approaches and demonstrates how leaders can adopt these behaviours to enhance the growth and well-being of their teams and organisations. Attendees will learn practical strategies to implement servant leadership and foster a more collaborative and effective work environment.
Thomas Kolditz, the founding executive director of the Ann & John Doerr Institute for New Leaders and a successful entrepreneur with four start-ups, emphasises the importance of measurement in achieving results. He shares effective techniques for fostering innovation and tracking outcomes, demonstrating how management by OKRs (objectives and key results) can invigorate both start-ups and established organisations. Attendees will learn practical strategies to implement these methods and drive meaningful change within their own teams.
.svg)
Book
.svg)
.svg)
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about booking an expert speaker, facilitator, host or entertainment for your event.
- If you'd like to book one of our expert speakers, email us at hello@peptalk.com, send us a chat message or give us a call, and we’ll help you out.
- We’ll take your event details — topic, audience, budget, date, and location — and create a custom speaker proposal for you within 48 hours.
- If you already have someone in mind, that’s okay too; just let us know their name! Even if they aren't listed publicly on our website, we have a huge network and work with almost everyone.
- Once you've reviewed our speaker propsal and have selected and expert shortlist, we'll double check availability and fees with your chosen expert.
- You're welcome to have a chemistry call with the speaker before making the final decision, too.
- Next, we'll send out contracts to confirm the booking. One of our experienced event producers will liase with both you and the talent on the finer details, and arrange travel if necessary, taking the stress off your plate.
Not necessarily. While the speakers listed on our website may not have worked with PepTalk in the past, they are recognized professionals in the industry and known to engage in similar events and engagements. We work with a wide variety of speaker agents and talent agencies to ensure we have the best selection of speakers, hosts, comedians and entertainers available.
We do not accommodate requests for birthday messages or any other personal, non-commercial contact with the speakers, comedians or entertainers.
We work with speakers across a variety of fee ranges, giving you the flexibility to choose someone who fits your event's needs. Virtual keynote fees in the UK and Europe typically start at £2,000, while in-person top-tier speakers can reach £25,000. In the US, virtual in-person fees range from $5,000 to over $100,000, depending on the speaker and format, such as after-dinner talks, conference keynotes, Q&As, or podcasts. Comedians generally start at £1,500 or $2,000 for a 20-minute set.
Our goal is to help you find the speaker who best matches your event’s goals and budget. We take the time to understand your event, objectives, and audience to recommend the right fit. The most expensive option isn’t always the best one, and our priority is finding the ideal speaker or expert for your needs; not the highest-priced one.
Reach out for personalised recommendations and detailed information on specific speaker fees. We’re here to offer a tailored service and are always happy to discuss your unique requirements!
There’s no additional cost for our services beyond the speaker fee — simply contact us to find the right speaker for your next business or team event. We can also work with your corporate procurement team to negotiate favourable long-term rates, simply email hello@getapeptalk.com for more information.
Partnering with PepTalk means elevating your events with our curated roster of top motivational speakers, industry experts, delivering punchy keynotes that leave a lasting impact. From talent selection, to contracts and logistics, we handle it all. We have global expert network, with over 3000 speakers from over 33 countries on our line-up.
We also provide a full range of talent, from event hosts and moderators to interviewers and corporate entertainment, ensuring your event’s success from start to finish.
PepTalk workshops are interactive learning experiences for leaders at all levels, blending theory with practical insights from industry experts. These programs, led by experienced facilitators, are designed to drive real mindset changes and equip participants with actionable skills. Workshops can be customised to meet your organisation's specific needs. Explore our workshop examples and contact us today to learn how your team can benefit.
If you notice something that needs attention or have any queries regarding an expert speaker profile, feel free to email us at experts@getapeptalk.com, and we’ll be happy to assist.