Joe Elmendorf

Ten years teaching people to draw ugly and think clearly

Get Your Idea Across When Words Fail

See why a rough, wrong-looking sketch can unstick a conversation that polished words and slides couldn't.

Rough beats polished

The two moves that make it work: a visual that disarms, and a posture that invites correction over agreement.

Disarm, don't declare

Build the habit in low-stakes moments, so reaching for a pen is muscle memory when it counts, not summoned courage.

Practice before you need it

Stop over-explaining and start guiding decisions. You'll become the professional who walks into senior rooms and walks out with a yes.

Cohort 5

24-Year Banker -> Presentation Expert

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Commerzbank

Royal Bank

Mary Beth Hazeldine

24 years at JPMorgan, PwC, RBS. Now training executives to win decisions.

Cohort 4

You've done the work. You know the material. You've prepared the slides.And yet the decision stalls.Polite nods. Reasonable questions. Then: "Let's take this offline." "We'll circle back." "Good discussion."Translation: No decision today.If this keeps happening, it's not because you lack expertise or presentation skills. It's because the way you're structuring your message doesn't match how senior people decide.Here's what nobody tells you: executives make their decision in the first few minutes, then spend the rest of the time looking for reasons to trust that instinct—or doubt it. When you lead with context, build to your recommendation, and back it up with extensive data, you're triggering doubt, not confidence.The unspoken question in their mind: "If they need this much explanation, is the recommendation actually solid?"This course gives you a different approach—a system built on how decisions actually happen in senior rooms. You'll learn to structure your message so that "yes" feels like the obvious, low-risk choice.Not through tips you'll forget under pressure. Through a repeatable system that works even when you're tired, rushed, or facing pushback.

Executives decide before your presentation ends. Structure accordingly

Structure presentations that win decisions

Remove the anxiety before you even start

Build credibility without over-explaining

Choose proof that reassures, not proof that defends

Handle pushback without becoming defensive

Use AI tools without sounding generic or losing authority

<code>You present to executives, boards, or steering committees—and need decisions, not "good discussions." Your credibility is on the line.</code>

You pitch to clients and present recommendations for a living. Stalled decisions cost you deals, revenue, and repeat business.

You're in relationship management, business development, or sales—presenting to win deals, budgets, or strategic alignment.

The Audience in Your Head Is Quietly Writing Your Strategy

Decision Researcher, Speaker, Founder

University of Bath

Dr Shah

Decision Strategist | Speaker | Founder-Educator

Cohort 1

Smart leaders rarely think they are performing. They think they are adapting. Reading the room. Being diplomatic. Choosing the version of themselves the situation calls for. Each adjustment feels professional. Each one is also a quiet decision about who you will be when watched.That is exactly the problem.The recommendation you softened in the board deck because you were not sure how it would land. The disagreement you swallowed in the meeting because the senior person seemed invested. The opinion you kept to yourself because the room was already aligned. The version of you that shows up when the right people are watching is not the version that built your reputation in the first place. The performance is starting to cost you the authority you were trying to protect.This workshop is for founders, executives, and senior professionals who have noticed they are managing how they are seen more than what they are deciding. You will learn to recognise when fear of judgement has shaped a decision, see what you are quietly performing for and what it is costing you, and walk away with the protocols to decide without the room in your head writing the strategy for you.

Students learn to spot when fear of judgement shapes decisions, intercept the performance, and decide without the room in their head

You will spot when fear of judgement is shaping a decision you are making

You will map the audience your decisions have been performing for 

You will see the six stages where performance hijacks a decision

You will master the protocols that intercept performance before it decides

You will make one decision without the room in your head in fourteen days

You will carry a system that catches the performance in future decisions

The Founder Performing for the Room

The Senior Executive Managing How They Are Seen

The Senior Professional Holding Back What They Think

Strengthen inner confidence, inspire others, and sharpen leadership skills through hands-on exercises and real-world tools

Leadership Coach 

Ha Tran

Founder, Ex-Google, Chief of Staff, U.S Department of State Professional fellow

Cohort 3

In high-stakes moments, three things show up at once: 1. what you know is true2. what it might cost3. what you think you should do Most people try to resolve this by thinking harder or speaking better.It does not work. Because the problem is not clarity. The problem is authority. When no one is clearly leading, you: - hesitate even when you know the answer- over-explain to justify your position- say something, then walk it back- leave conversations feeling misaligned This is not a confidence issue. It is a governance issue. What changes after this workshop- You speak without over-explaining or softening your position- You make decisions faster without needing full certainty- You stop negotiating against yourself in real time- You handle pushback without collapsing or escalating- You stay aligned with your decision after the conversation ends This workshop is for you if: - You know what you want to say, but change it in the moment- You make decisions, then second-guess them after- You feel tension between what is true and what is acceptable- You are seen as capable, but do not feel fully in control under pressureMaximum 20 people/workshop to keep it intimate and practical.

You are not confused. You are running multiple leaders.

Make decisions under pressure without internal conflict

Senior leaders and managers looking to lead with conviction and assurance.

High-performing professionals who want to build stronger, more confident leadership skills.

Emerging leaders who seek to develop self-assurance, overcome self-doubt, and project confidence in high-stakes situations.

From pushback to ownership: conversations that drive real change

Executive Coach - Ex-Google, Indeed

Google

Indeed

Linda Scotti 

Executive Coach Driving Measurable Leadership Effectiveness and Behaviour

July

You know the conversation you need to have. The one you keep replaying in your head between meetings or while trying to fall asleep.You’ve tried being direct, you’ve tried being empathetic, and you've explained the "why" five different ways. Yet, you still get:<ul><li>“I can’t because…”</li><li>“It’s not my fault…”</li><li>Silence, shutdown, or a polite “Sure” followed by zero change.</li></ul>This workshop is for that moment. In 3 hours, you'll learn to hold the line on standards while lowering the defensiveness that makes accountability conversations fail.Why “brain-friendly” is the differentiator Most models assume people are calmly processing data. In reality, when someone feels threatened (status, autonomy, fairness), their nervous system shifts into protection mode. That’s when resistance and victim language take over, turning your coaching into an energy drain.The Outcome You’ll leave with a system to:<ul><li>Move people from pushback to ownership in one conversation.</li><li>Lead change without it collapsing into "this won't work here."</li><li>Create clear follow-up that actually sticks.</li></ul>No "tips." Just scripts, templates, and a practiced plan.

Turn pushback, blame, and victim mindset into clear agreements, ownership, and measurable next steps.

Reduce employee defensiveness in the first 60 seconds.

Deliver clarity that drives behavior change using SBI + N.

Turn resistance and victim language into personal ownership.

Make accountability stick with a repeatable follow-up loop.

Use AI to scale ownership and increase follow-through.

The Rescuing Manager: Exhausted from "fixing" team problems. Ready to stop being the solution machine and start building team ownership.

The Direct High-Performer: A leader who values results but feels direct feedback is triggering defensiveness rather than behavior change.

The Change Leader: Navigating team resistance to new tools and processes. Needs a system to move people from resistance to possibility.

Sensemaker Summer School with the Sensemakers Club

Agentic AI

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RAG & Search

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Everyone

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Project Managers

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Product managers who drive strategy, development, and launch of products.

Executives and senior leaders who set strategy, lead teams, and drive organizational outcomes.

Broad professional audience — content relevant across many roles and functions.

Project managers who organize and oversee execution of initiatives, timelines, and cross-functional delivery.

Executive communication — presenting to boards, writing memos, running all-hands, and high-stakes messaging.

Persuading stakeholders, presenting ideas, and getting buy-in across an organization without formal authority.

Crafting compelling narratives to inspire teams, communicate vision, and drive action.