Delivering sessions that leave a lasting impact

Speaking

Jochen Menges standing on stage delivering a keynote at the SAP NOW conference.

What’s Great Leadership in a Changing World?

Jochen Menges presenting during a professional workshop, wearing a dark suit jacket and holding a pen.

Whether you are looking for an inspiring keynote, an interactive workshop, a reflective leadership retreat, a transformational leadership journey, or an engaging panel discussion, Jochen Menges creates experiences that challenge assumptions, spark meaningful conversations, and inspire lasting change.

Jochen takes you on a research-backed journey from the time-tested knowledge of what makes an effective leader to the latest trends that require modern leaders to adapt to tackle the opportunities of the future of work while coping with uncertainty and complexity.

Every engagement is tailored to the audience and designed to help leaders and organizations navigate complexity, unlock potential, and achieve extraordinary results.

Signature Speaking Topics

How leaders can thrive in an age of disruption, uncertainty, and transformation.
Technology is advancing faster than organizations can adapt. Expectations are shifting. Entire industries are being reshaped. What does it take to lead successfully in such a world? Drawing on the latest research and practical insights, Professor Menges shows how leaders can navigate uncertainty, accelerate adaptation, and build organizations that are ready for what comes next.
Why emotions—not algorithms—will determine success in the future of work.
As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful, the uniquely human side of leadership becomes more important than ever. This keynote reveals why emotional intelligence is emerging as the defining leadership capability of our time—and how leaders can harness emotions to drive engagement, innovation, trust, and performance.
The surprising science behind feeling the right emotions at work.
Most leaders ask how people are performing. Few ask how people want to feel. Yet the answer may hold the key to unlocking motivation, well-being, and high performance. In this groundbreaking keynote, Professor Menges introduces the concept of Emotional Fit and explains how leaders can create environments where people flourish and organizations thrive.
Why the best leaders never choose between people and results.
Many leaders believe they face a trade-off between delivering performance and caring for their people. The evidence suggests otherwise. This keynote challenges one of the most persistent myths in management and shows how great leaders create cultures that combine high standards, strong relationships, and exceptional results.
Why trust is the foundation of every high-performing culture.
Trust is declining around the world, yet it remains the invisible force behind exceptional leadership, strong teams, and sustained performance. In this keynote, Professor Menges reveals what creates trust, what destroys it, and what leaders can do to earn it. Combining rigorous research with practical tools, he shows how trust fuels collaboration, innovation, commitment, and results—and why organizations that get trust right gain a lasting competitive advantage.
How leaders inspire belief, shape emotions, and move people to action.
Why do some leaders command attention, inspire commitment, and bring out the best in others? And why do charismatic leaders sometimes fail spectacularly? Combining more than a century of leadership research with cutting-edge insights on influence and emotion, Professor Menges reveals what makes leaders truly impactful—and how anyone can become more influential.
Tailored to your organization, your leaders, and your challenges and opportunities.
Every engagement is customized. Whether delivering a keynote, facilitating a workshop, or leading an executive retreat, Professor Menges works closely with clients to address their most pressing leadership and organizational challenges. Sessions are tailored to the audience, grounded in the latest research, and designed to deliver insights that inspire action and create lasting impact.

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Watch Jochen Speak

TEDx Talk: Awestruck: Surprising facts about why we fall for charismatic leaders

TEDxUHasselt

Why do some leaders captivate us, inspire us, and move us to action? In this TEDx talk, Jochen explores the hidden psychology of charismatic leadership. Drawing on groundbreaking research, he reveals how charismatic leaders create powerful emotional experiences, why people are drawn to them, and where charisma can become a force for both extraordinary success and significant risk.

TEDx Talk: Stop overworking yourself

TEDxCambridgeUniversity

Why are we working harder than ever—and feeling increasingly exhausted in the process? In this TEDxCambridgeUniversity talk, Jochen explores the hidden costs of constant acceleration and the pressure to do more, faster. Drawing on research and practical insights, he shows how leaders and organizations can break free from the cycle of busyness, restore energy, and create the conditions for sustainable high performance.

Keynote: The role of people in the future of work

Tamil Nadu Advanced Manufacturing Hub at the World Economic Forum in Davos

What does it take to build an advanced manufacturing ecosystem for sustainable growth? In his keynote at the Tamil Nadu Advanced Manufacturing Hub during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Jochen discussed how both technical and socioemotional skills matter profoundly for the future of work and encouraged leaders to invest in people innovation in order to build emotionally intelligent organizations.

Panel Moderation: Top trends in the future of work

Academy of Management

In this Academy of Management expert panel, Jochen moderates a discussion with leading scholars on the future of work amid economic uncertainty, workplace transformation, and shifting employee expectations. Together, they explored how organizations can balance performance, profitability, and employee well-being while navigating challenges such as hybrid work, talent retention, and ethical leadership. The conversation offers research-based insights for building better workplaces.

Interview: The Acceleration Trap

Cyprus Institute of Marketing Summit

As organizations race to adapt, innovate, and grow, many leaders find themselves trapped in a cycle of busyness that leaves people exhausted and organizations vulnerable. In this interview, Jochen draws on cutting-edge research to reveal how leaders can break free from the acceleration trap and build cultures that sustain both performance and well-being.

Interactive Keynote: Leading with emotional intelligence (In German)

Fraktalwerk

In this interactive keynote, Jochen reveals why emotions shape virtually everything that matters at work—from motivation and collaboration to innovation and performance. Participants learn what emotionally intelligent leaders do differently and gain practical tools to better understand, manage, and harness emotions for leadership success.

Fireside Chat: How to win over managers for strategic workforce planning? (In German)

Human HMN GmbH

In this panel discussion with executives, Jochen steps into the role of the moderator, guiding a thoughtful conversation about strategic workforce planning and the future of work. With his clarity and insight, he steers the discussion, drawing out perspectives and sparking reflections that make complex ideas accessible and compelling for the audience.

TV Show: The power of emotional intelligence (In German)

SRF Einstein

Why do some people navigate conflict, inspire others, and thrive under pressure while others struggle? In this Swiss television feature, Jochen explores the science of emotional intelligence and its growing importance in the workplace. From leadership and innovation to well-being and performance, the discussion reveals why emotions are becoming one of the most valuable resources in the future of work.