
INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER
Dr. Brad Johnson is one of the most sought-after speakers in education, recognized as one of the Global Gurus Top 30 in Education for the past three years. With years of expertise, he inspires, affirms, and engages audiences worldwide.
What sets Dr. Johnson apart is his ability to connect with educators. He tailors his presentations to address their unique challenges, using relatable anecdotes and transformational strategies that can be immediately applied in the classroom. His engaging style, infused with humor, alleviates stress while keeping audiences captivated.
Speaking Services
Keynote Presentations
Powerful and engaging presentations designed to inspire and empower educators and leaders.
Kick-Off the Year Inspirational
Start the school year with an uplifting and motivational keynote that energizes and sets the tone.
End-of-Year Celebrations
Celebrate accomplishments and boost morale with a reflective and encouraging closing session.
Professional Development (PD)
Tailored workshops for staff and leaders to maximize strengths and implement transformational strategies.
Planning Period Sessions
Flexible, impactful sessions available during normal school days to meet with staff during their planning periods or with school and district leaders.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Relational Intelligence: The People Skills Every School Leader Needs to Drive Engagement and Transformation

School leaders, what is the secret to getting your staff 6 times more engaged?
The answer lies in how you value, support, and empower your team. Research shows that teachers who feel appreciated and supported are six times more engaged and committed to their work—leading to better instruction, improved student outcomes, and a thriving school environment. Yet, 70% of educators report feeling undervalued, contributing to burnout, turnover, and lower performance.
This keynote equips school leaders with a powerful six-strategy framework to strengthen relationships, boost morale, and cultivate a culture of trust and collaboration. By mastering Relational Intelligence, you’ll learn how to inspire and engage your staff through intentional leadership, authentic connection, and strategic support.
The Six Drivers of Teacher Engagement:
✅ Emotional Intelligence: Lead with empathy, resilience, and self-awareness to build trust and navigate challenges.
✅ Relational Intelligence: Foster meaningful connections that make staff feel seen, heard, and valued.
✅ Recognition & Celebration: Show appreciation through consistent, thoughtful recognition and purposeful celebrations.
✅ Growth & Leadership: Invest in your staff’s strengths by providing growth opportunities and leadership pathways.
✅ Support in Action: Offer mentorship, constructive feedback, and resources to help your team thrive.
✅ Autonomy & Ownership: Empower teachers by fostering innovation, trust, and ownership of their classrooms.
What You’ll Gain:
⭐ Higher Engagement & Retention: Keep your best teachers motivated, committed, and loyal.
⭐ Stronger Relationships: Build a culture of trust, collaboration, and respect.
⭐ Resilient Classrooms: Create an environment where both students and staff thrive.
⭐ Transformational Leadership: Lead with confidence, clarity, and meaningful connections.
⭐ A Culture of Value & Appreciation: Ensure every educator feels recognized and empowered.
Relational Intelligence is the foundation of exceptional school leadership. Walk away with the tools to build a connected, engaged, and high-performing team—and create a school where teachers and students achieve their best together.
This is your moment to lead with impact.
Rewired for Success: Transforming Teacher Mindset to Maximize Impact and Achievement

Did you know our brains are wired for survival, not success?
In teaching, this instinct often keeps educators in survival mode—reactive, stressed, and burned out. While teaching is deeply rewarding, the daily challenges can drain energy, creativity, and passion. Add to that the challenges of self-talk, imposter syndrome, and the fear of conflict, and it’s no wonder educators struggle to break free from the survival cycle.
This keynote empowers educators to overcome these barriers, rewire their thinking for success, and create classrooms where both teachers and students thrive. Through mindset shifts and actionable strategies, teachers can reignite their passion, strengthen their impact, and unlock their full potential.
From Survival to Success: Key Shifts
- Focus on Opportunities: Shift from fixating on problems to celebrating wins and seeking growth.
- Embrace Change: See change as a chance for improvement, not a risk.
- Think Long-Term: Build sustainable strategies and a positive school culture.
- Lead Proactively: Address challenges calmly and focus on root causes, not surface-level symptoms.
- Empower Autonomy: Trust and support both teachers and students to lead and grow confidently.
Transformative Takeaways
- Mindset Rewiring: Replace negative self-talk with empowering beliefs and a growth-oriented perspective.
- Overcome Imposter Syndrome: Recognize your value and trust in your expertise and contributions.
- Tackle the Fear of Conflict: Learn strategies to address disagreements constructively and create solutions.
- Boundary Setting: Manage workloads effectively to prevent burnout and maintain balance.
- Strength-Based Engagement: Leverage your unique strengths for greater satisfaction and impact.
- Emotional Resilience: Strengthen relationships and navigate challenges with confidence and clarity.
- Vision and Goal Setting: Align daily actions with purpose and long-term aspirations to achieve meaningful progress.
The Impact
- Reignite Passion: Rediscover joy and fulfillment in teaching, even during tough days.
- Elevate Classrooms: Build supportive, engaging environments where students and teachers thrive.
- Achieve Fulfillment: Transform exhaustion into purpose and enjoy daily growth.
- Empower Resilience: Turn obstacles into opportunities with confidence and strength.
- Leave a Legacy: Create lasting, meaningful change for students, colleagues, and the entire school community.
Move beyond survival and unlock a legacy of excellence. This is your moment to become your best.
Resilient Students: Turning Behavioral Challenges Into Strengths

Discipline Isn’t About Control; It’s About Growth: Reaching the Most Challenging Students
Discipline must go beyond accountability and consequences—it’s about guiding students toward growth, resilience, and meaningful change. Despite decades of educational innovation, behavioral challenges persist, often concentrated among a small group of students. The solution isn’t overhauling systems—it’s transforming behaviors into strengths and fostering resilience.
Discipline Redefined: A Tool for Growth
Discipline in education is often misunderstood as enforcing rules, but its true power lies in equipping students with emotional intelligence, resilience, and life skills. Instead of asking, “How do we fix this behavior?” ask, “How can this behavior become a strength?”
Reframing Behaviors: Challenges as Untapped Potential
Disruptive behaviors, such as arguing, stubbornness, or questioning authority, are often misinterpreted. These traits are not weaknesses but untapped strengths. By reframing behaviors:
- Arguing → Critical Thinking: Teach constructive debate.
- Questioning Authority → Innovation & Leadership: Channel curiosity into leadership roles.
- Stubbornness → Perseverance & Resilience: Set goals to harness persistence positively.
The Growth Formula
Behavior challenges can be transformed into strengths with targeted strategies:
- Impulsivity → Creativity & Adaptability: Provide outlets for quick thinking and creativity.
- Focus on Problems → Focus on Strengths: Celebrate wins and opportunities for growth.
High Expectations Unlock Potential
The Pygmalion Effect demonstrates that seeing potential rather than problems empowers students to exceed expectations.
Educere in Practice: Drawing Out Strengths
“Educere”—to draw out—reminds us that our role as educators is to uncover and nurture students’ resilience and talents. Confidence grows through success, motivating students to embrace challenges and develop a cycle of growth.
Transformative Takeaways
This keynote equips educators with actionable strategies to redefine discipline as a tool for growth. You’ll learn to:
- Turn Disruption into Drive: Transform behaviors into strengths like critical thinking and creativity.
- Reframe Challenges: Recognize traits as potential rather than problems.
- Build Confidence Through Success: Use small wins to fuel growth and motivation.
- Foster Trust and Individuality: Create relationships that honor students’ uniqueness.
- Cultivate a Growth Culture: Focus on empowerment over compliance.
The Impact
Discipline, reimagined, unlocks potential. With these tools, you’ll:
- Empower Lifelong Learners: Equip students with resilience and emotional intelligence.
- Create Thriving Classrooms: Foster individuality and innovation.
- Inspire Meaningful Change: Help students transform challenges into growth opportunities.
Discipline isn’t about control; it’s about unlocking the potential within every student.
Dear Teacher

Dear Teacher: Embracing Your Strengths, Reigniting Your Passion, Empowering Your Impact.
Teaching is not just a job—it’s a profound opportunity to shape lives and leave a lasting legacy. Yet, in a world of mounting challenges and ever-changing demands, even the most devoted educators can feel overwhelmed and disconnected from the passion that first brought them to the classroom. In this uplifting and heartfelt keynote, Dr. Brad Johnson affirms the immeasurable value of teachers and the transformative power of their work. Focusing on encouragement, affirmation, and reigniting the joy of teaching, this presentation will: Celebrate Strengths: Help teachers recognize their unique talents and build on the skills that make them irreplaceable. Highlight Impact: Showcase the lasting and profound ways teachers shape students’ lives, reinforcing their vital role in education. Reignite Passion: Inspire educators to reconnect with their “why” and rediscover the joy and fulfillment that teaching brings. Foster Resilience: Share actionable strategies to overcome challenges, prioritize self-care, and maintain a positive, growth-oriented mindset. Transformative Takeaways: A renewed sense of purpose and passion for teaching. Practical strategies to embrace and enhance individual strengths. Tools for building meaningful connections with students and colleagues. Motivation to view challenges as opportunities for growth and transformation. Teachers are the heartbeat of every classroom, their influence extending far beyond what they can see. This keynote will leave them feeling inspired, affirmed, and empowered to continue making a difference with courage, purpose, and passion.ragraph
FINDING YOUR LEADERSHIP EDGE

Effective leadership is not about choosing between assertiveness and compassion, but learning how to skillfully balance both qualities. By doing so, you can create an environment of trust, respect, and growth that inspires your team while maintaining a supportive atmosphere where everyone feels valued and empowered.
Assertiveness in leadership involves establishing clarity and direction. It means making confident decisions, communicating expectations clearly, and setting boundaries to ensure that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. Assertive leaders provide their team with a sense of purpose and structure, which builds trust and encourages accountability.
On the other hand, compassion in leadership is about understanding, empathy, and care. Compassionate leaders listen actively, show genuine concern for their team’s well-being, and provide emotional support when needed. They create a work environment where people feel safe to share their challenges and successes, which strengthens relationships and fosters trust.
The key to becoming a highly effective leader is integrating both assertiveness and compassion. A balanced approach encourages high performance, fosters emotional well-being, and creates a positive, inclusive culture. For example, an assertive leader might set high standards and expectations, but they do so with compassion by explaining the reasoning behind those expectations, offering support, and being open to feedback. In moments of conflict, an assertive leader will take charge and make decisions but will do so with empathy, considering the emotional impact on the team.
Balanced leadership practices help drive results while building a resilient, motivated, and engaged team. Leaders who balance assertiveness and compassion are seen as fair, trustworthy, and effective—qualities that inspire confidence and loyalty from their team.
Here’s a practical guide to balancing assertiveness and compassion:
Trait | Characteristics | Benefits for Leadership | Practical Actions |
---|---|---|---|
Assertiveness | Clear communication, confidence in decision-making, setting boundaries, direct approach, taking responsibility for actions | Builds trust and clarity, promotes accountability, provides direction, establishes authority | Set clear expectations, provide constructive feedback, be decisive while listening to concerns |
Compassion | Active listening, empathy and understanding, emotional support, patience and tolerance, genuine concern for well-being | Builds strong relationships, enhances collaboration, reduces stress, fosters a supportive environment | Offer encouragement, recognize contributions, provide emotional support during challenges |
Balanced Leadership | Combine clarity with empathy, make decisions with the team’s well-being in mind, be firm but fair, lead with a sense of care and responsibility | Creates a positive culture, encourages performance and trust, promotes emotional well-being | Communicate expectations clearly, listen with empathy, be firm on standards but flexible in support |
By mastering the balance between assertiveness and compassion, you can lead with confidence and create an environment where your team thrives. This approach not only drives results but also builds strong, lasting relationships that encourage growth, innovation, and success within your school or organization. With these key takeaways:
- Build Trust Capital: Foster meaningful connections with staff and stakeholders by prioritizing authenticity and reliability.
- Master Assertiveness: Cultivate the ability to set boundaries, communicate effectively, and make confident decisions.
- Lead with Compassion: Infuse empathy into your leadership style to create a supportive and collaborative culture.
- Transform Leadership Practices: Shift from transactional approaches to authentic, relationship-centered leadership.
- Harness Emotional Intelligence: Strengthen self-awareness, social awareness, and relational skills to enhance your leadership impact.
- Navigate Conflicts Strategically: Resolve challenges effectively by balancing directness with empathy.
- Motivate and Empower Staff: Recognize and inspire your team through autonomy, appreciation, and shared vision.
- Commit to Growth and Reflection: Identify strengths, seek mentorship, join networks, and engage in continual self-improvement.
This session provides practical strategies and insights to help you refine your leadership approach, transforming your school community and leaving a lasting legacy.
HAVE DR. JOHNSON SPEAK AT YOUR EVENT
DR. BRAD JOHNSON
INSPIRE. EMPOWER. ELEVATE.