Geoff's Other Talks

Based on Geoff's book Surviving The Stakeholder Safari this talk is a practical, entertaining and deeply honest exploration of what it really takes to navigate difficult personalities at work — without losing your integrity, your energy or your impact.

Every organisation has them:

• The SEAGULL who Swoops in Expressing Authority, Generates Urgency then Leaves a "Load"
• The LION who Loudly Insists on Now
• The GOAT who manages to obstruct and block everything you try to do without causing a scene.
• The SPIDER who is Silent, Patient then Itervenes Decisively and Executing Ruthlessly
• The CAMEL — carries far too much, far too quietly, until the collapse surprises everyone.

And if we’re honest… sometimes we’ve been one.

Geoff will introduce you to a memorable cast of “safari animals” — archetypes that represent the behaviours we encounter in complex organisations. But this is not about labelling people. It’s about understanding behaviour, recognising patterns, and responding with skill instead of frustration.

Through stories, psychology, and practical tools, this talk helps you stop fighting personalities and start navigating them — strategically, calmly and effectively.

You’ll leave with a new lens for understanding power, politics and personality — and the confidence to handle even the trickiest stakeholder without becoming one yourself.

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You will learn:

• How to recognise the hidden patterns behind difficult stakeholder behaviour
• Why most stakeholder conflict is driven by fear, incentives and misalignment — not malice
• A practical framework for mapping your stakeholder “safari”
• How to respond strategically instead of react emotionally
• How to stay calm, values-driven and effective in politically complex environments