From “average” to global expert – Tom Flatau rewires belief to unlock leadership performance.
5.00 of 5
Top rated!5 of 5
"It has been transformational for the whole organisation. It’s the best team training I have ever done and I now have the best team I have ever worked with"
Principle, Ruth Sanderson
The British School of Amsterdam
At 11 years old, Tom Flatau failed a major entrance exam and was labelled “average.” A teacher told him, “You’re good with your hands, but your brother is the intelligent one.” Those words could have shaped his future. Instead, they became the starting point of a lifelong journey into belief, performance and the brain. Today, Tom Flatau is a global keynote speaker, neuroscience leadership expert and CEO of Teamworking International. For more than two decades, he has helped Fortune 500 executives rewire limiting beliefs, strengthen leadership impact and deliver measurable business results.
Tom Flatau’s story begins with a label. After failing a key entrance exam at 11, he was described as “average.” A defining comment compared him unfavourably to his brother and could easily have set the ceiling for his ambition.
Instead, Tom became fascinated by one powerful question: What if belief is not fixed? What if the brain can change?
That question shaped his career. Today, Tom stands on global stages showing leaders how the same neuroscience that helped him rewire his own limiting beliefs can transform executive performance, team engagement and bottom-line results. His journey gives him credibility. His expertise gives him authority.
As CEO of Teamworking International, Tom has spent over twenty years translating complex brain science into practical leadership strategies. His work bridges neuroscience and business in a way that feels accessible, relevant and immediately useful.
Global organisations including HSBC, Atkins, Emirates, Siemens, Louis Vuitton, Unilever and the BBC have experienced measurable breakthroughs through Tom’s work. Executives report sharper decision-making, stronger team alignment and renewed engagement. Teams shift from hesitation to ownership. Leaders move from doubt to clarity.
Tom’s key message is simple: small shifts in thinking create exponential improvements in performance. When leaders understand how belief systems are formed and how they can be reshaped—they unlock potential that was always there.
Event planners and senior leaders book Tom Flatau because he delivers more than inspiration. He delivers transformation grounded in science and experience.
When you book Tom Flatau for your event, your audience will:
Understand how limiting beliefs are formed in the brain and how to rewire them
Gain practical tools they can apply immediately in leadership and teamwork
Experience interactive moments that create insight and emotional connection
Leave with renewed confidence and a clear path to higher performance
Participants often implement changes within hours of his keynote. Conversations shift. Behaviour changes. Results follow.
Tom’s warmth and authenticity stem from lived experience. He knows what it feels like to be underestimated. That honesty creates trust in the room. Even sceptical audiences lean in because they recognise themselves in his story.
His signature style combines evidence-based insights, engaging storytelling and interactive experiences. He creates a safe environment where people feel understood rather than judged. This atmosphere allows leaders to confront limiting assumptions without defensiveness.
Audiences do not sit back and listen passively. They reflect. They participate. They experience the science in action. That engagement makes the learning stick.
Tom’s approach focuses on practical application. He avoids theory for theory’s sake. Every concept connects directly to leadership behaviour, team dynamics and measurable business outcomes.
He demonstrates how:
Beliefs influence perception and decision-making
Small cognitive shifts change team culture
Leadership language reshapes performance
Psychological safety fuels engagement and innovation
The result is immediate impact. Leaders leave with tools they can use in conversations, strategy sessions and performance reviews the very next day. Over time, those small shifts compound into significant gains in productivity, engagement and results.
Tom Flatau is a sought-after global keynote speaker for conferences, leadership summits and corporate events. His sessions resonate with senior executives, emerging leaders and cross-functional teams alike.
Whether the focus is leadership transformation, high-performance teams or unlocking potential through neuroscience, Tom delivers clarity, energy and practical value.
From being labelled “average” to advising global powerhouses, Tom Flatau embodies the power of rewiring belief. When organisations are ready to challenge assumptions and elevate performance, his keynotes provide the catalyst.
5 of 5
"It has been transformational for the whole organisation. It’s the best team training I have ever done and I now have the best team I have ever worked with"
Principle, Ruth Sanderson The British School of Amsterdam
5 of 5
"Tom injects energy, inspiration and professionalism into his work. Delegates acquire new tools and insights to bring to their work and ultimately deliver business benefit"
IT architecture director, Vic Hansen Unilever
5 of 5
"The thought of change can paralyse people. Tom showed us how to make change and bring the team with us and we’ve had a lot of success"
Andy Givens, HSBC Head of international credit cards
5 of 5
"We have seen substantial improvements in morale, engagement and performance”
Senior VP of learning & development, Brendan Noonan Emirates Airline
5 of 5
"Hugely insightful and relevant – the most exciting learning experience I've had in years"
Senior L&D manager, Jane Palmer-Williams Louis Vuitton
Keynote by Tom Flatau:
In a world defined by uncertainty, complexity, and constant change, leadership is no longer about authority it is about influence. This keynote reveals the neuroscience behind trust, motivation, and high performance cultures, showing leaders how to activate the brain states that drive engagement, resilience, and ownership.
Tom breaks down the brain’s threat and reward systems and explains how everyday leadership behaviours either trigger defensiveness or unlock collaboration. Through practical examples and science backed tools, leaders learn how to regulate their own state, communicate with clarity, and create psychological safety that enables bold thinking and aligned execution.
This session equips leaders with the neural tools to strengthen presence, inspire action, and guide teams through complexity with confidence and calm authority.
Audience Takeaways
Understand how the brain responds to leadership behaviours threat versus reward states
Practical tools to build trust and psychological safety instantly
Techniques to regulate emotion and increase executive presence under pressure
Communication frameworks that drive clarity, alignment, and buy in
Strategies to inspire intrinsic motivation rather than compliance
Keynote by Tom Flatau:
High performing cultures are not built on pressure they are built on progress. This keynote explores the neuroscience of growth mindset and explains why many organisations unintentionally reinforce fear based performance patterns that limit innovation and accountability.
Tom reveals how habits, feedback loops, and leadership language physically shape neural pathways. When leaders understand how the brain learns, adapts, and responds to setbacks, they can deliberately design environments that encourage experimentation, ownership, and continuous improvement.
Participants will leave with actionable strategies to rewire their team’s relationship with failure, challenge, and performance transforming compliance driven cultures into innovation driven ecosystems.
Audience Takeaways
The neuroscience behind growth versus fixed mindset
How to give feedback that strengthens resilience and learning
Tools to reduce fear based behaviours and unlock creative thinking
Methods to build accountability without triggering defensiveness
Practical steps to embed a sustainable high performance culture
Keynote by Tom Flatau:
Negotiation is not about pressure it is about perception, psychology, and positioning. In this dynamic keynote, Tom shares his battle tested Five Step Negotiation Funnel used by Fortune 500 executives to secure stronger deals while strengthening long term relationships.
Blending neuroscience, behavioural psychology, and real world negotiation experience, Tom demonstrates how to read micro signals, manage emotional triggers, and guide conversations toward mutually beneficial outcomes. Participants learn how to control the frame, ask high leverage questions, and uncover hidden motivations that influence decision making.
Whether negotiating contracts, budgets, partnerships, or internal priorities, this keynote provides a structured, repeatable approach that increases confidence and results.
Audience Takeaways
The Five Step Negotiation Funnel framework
How to read behavioural cues and emotional shifts in real time
Techniques to manage difficult personalities and high stakes conversations
Questioning strategies that uncover true interests and leverage
Tools to close deals while strengthening trust and relationships
Workshop by Tom Flatau:
For organisations ready to move from inspiration to implementation, Tom offers immersive workshops and masterclasses designed to embed behavioural change at every level of leadership.
These highly interactive sessions allow leadership teams to apply neuroscience frameworks directly to their current challenges from culture transformation and negotiation strategy to communication alignment and performance optimisation. Through facilitated exercises, real case simulations, and peer feedback, participants translate insight into action.
Workshops are tailored to organisational goals and designed to create measurable behavioural shifts that last long after the session ends.
Audience Takeaways
Customised action plans aligned to organisational objectives
Practical implementation of neuroscience tools in real scenarios
Increased leadership alignment and shared behavioural language
Clear accountability structures for sustained change
Measurable next steps for embedding transformation across teams
Watch Tom Flatau in action!
Watch Tom Flatau in action!
Watch Tom Flatau in action!
