Keynotes
Lessons from 400+ conversations with the world’s elite performers, delivered live and shaped around your business
Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes bring the stories, research and insights from the High Performance podcast to your stage.
An Exclusive Preview of Our Keynotes…
Find the right keynote for your organisation
Each keynote tackles a specific business challenge. Open one to see what your audience will take away, who it suits and how long it runs.
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The standards your best people never drop, and how to make them your team’s.
Problem solved
Values on the wall that nobody lives on Monday morning.
Takeaways
How elite performers define their “trademark behaviours”
A test for which behaviours deserve to be non-negotiable
How to make standards visible across a team
Why consistency beats intensity
Runtime: 45–60 min
Best for: Leadership conferences, partner events
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Take smart risks, be a positive presence, and get through adversity.
Problem solved
Leaders playing safe in a changing market.
Takeaways:
How elite performers frame risk and failure
Being a positive presence under strain
Navigating setbacks without losing momentum
Stories from our podcast archive, featuring Gordon Ramsay, Christian Horner and Jimmy Carr.
Runtime: 45 min
Best for: partner and executive events, change programmes
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What the best teams in sport and business do on purpose, not by accident.
Problem solved:
Strong individuals, but a team that underperforms.
Takeaways:
Why culture is built from daily behaviours, not mission statements
How leaders set the tone, and what breaks it
Insights and stories from leading coaches and entrepreneurs, including Patrick Mouratoglou, Richard Branson and Jonathan Warburton.
A first culture step to take the following week
Runtime: 45–60 min
Best for: all-hands, offsites, senior leadership
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A corporate edition of the podcast: Jake and Damian interview your leaders, and a recognisable elite performer, live on stage.
Problem solved
Leadership messages that get a polite nod, then are forgotten by Monday.
Takeaways:
How to draw out real stories from leaders and guests, not rehearsed speeches
What your people learn when senior voices talk openly about pressure, setbacks and standards
How the High Performance Blueprint (mindset, behaviour, team) applies to your business
Practical lessons from the podcast’s 400+ elite performers, woven into the conversation
A conversation your teams will keep talking about afterwards
Runtime: 45-60 min, Q&A included
Best for: All-hands meetings, leadership conferences, company kick-offs
Optional pre-event briefing with your speakers, so the conversation is shaped around your business.
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Own your situation and manage your emotions when the stakes are highest.
Problem solved
Stress, blame and burnout in high-pressure teams.
Takeaways:
Moving from excuses to ownership Managing emotion rather than suppressing it
What top athletes do before big moments
Simple techniques that research shows work
Runtime: 45 min
Best for: sales kick-offs, wellbeing events, client conferences
The Framework
The High Performance Blueprint
Three layers, eight lessons, drawn from the podcast. Each keynote is built around one layer, giving you a clear framework to choose the right talk for your audience and objectives.
1. Mindset
Take responsibility
Get motivated
Manage your emotions
Performing Under Pressure
2. Behaviour
Play to your strengths
Get flexible
Find your non-negotiables
Find Your Non-Negotiables
The Courage to Perform and High Performance Live draw on all three layers.
3. Team
Lead the team
Craft a culture
Craft a High Performance Culture
Want to make a full day of it?
Go beyond the keynote with a tailored Away Day designed to bring your team together, challenge thinking and turn fresh perspectives into practical action.
Combining keynote sessions, interactive workshops and a live podcast recorded with your leadership team, each experience is built around your organisation's goals and the conversations that matter most.
Meet our hosts
Jake Humphrey
Jake Humphrey is a prominent presenter, entrepreneur, and investor, co-founding one of the UK's largest independent production companies, Whisper, with over 300 staff.
Jake has extensively covered major global sporting events such as the Olympics, World Cups, Euros, and Commonwealth Games. For ten years, he led BT Sports' Premier League coverage, before founding High Performance.
Damian Hughes
Damian Hughes is a renowned professor, speaker, and sports performance expert known for his contributions to academic research and practical applications in sports and organisational development.
A Sunday Times best-selling author of eight books, Damian’s innovative and exciting approach has been praised by Sir Richard Branson, Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Jonny Wilkinson and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Previous Keynotes events include…
Reed Smith - USA
In April 2024, High Performance traveled to the USA to speak at Reed Smith's prestigious inaugural conference.
Jake and Damian addressed an audience of approximately 600 prominent legal professionals, sharing insightful stories from their podcast guests.
E&Y Barcelona
Jake was invited to kick off the E&Y EMEA Partner event in the beautiful city of Barcelona.
His talk inspired and challenged E&Y's leaders, encouraging them to take strategic risks, be a positive presence, and navigate adversity effectively.
“A fantastic session on High Performance.”
Omar Ali
Ernst & Young, Managing Partner EMEA Financial Services
Make Your Next Event Count
Bring fresh thinking, new perspectives and practical insights to your audience. Tell us about your event, objectives and preferred keynote, and we'll help you find the right fit.
We'll confirm availability within two working days and recommend the best format for your audience.