Jason Reid | Leadership Keynote Speaker on Trust & Performance
The moments leaders avoid are the ones that build the most trust
Jason Reid helps leaders recognize the hidden patterns that keep teams from dealing with the issues that matter most. Through his Awkward Leadership™ framework, he shows how uncomfortable leadership moments can build trust, improve communication, and strengthen performance.
Why Awkward Leadership Builds High-Trust Teams
The difference between an average team and a great one is discretionary effort. It’s the extra energy, creativity, and commitment people give when they feel trusted and supported.
Leaders don’t command this effort. They earn it through trust. And trust is often built in the moments that feel uncomfortable.
Lead the Moments Others Avoid.
1. Trust begins when leaders say what others avoid.
People don’t respond to corporate jargon and slide decks. They respond to clarity, honesty, and emotional truth. That’s why great leadership communication goes beyond sharing information. It creates connection – and that builds trust.
2. Trust unlocks ideas and initiative.
When people feel trusted, they speak up sooner, share ideas more freely, and collaborate more effectively.
That shift often starts when leaders are willing to ask honest questions, admit uncertainty, or address issues directly—moments many would otherwise avoid.
3. Trust creates future leaders.
When you lead with empathy, clarity, and trust, you set a standard others want to follow. You create space for people to step up, take initiative, and lead in ways that drive real results.
Read more about Jason’s Awkward Leadership™ framework here.
Jason Reid is a leadership keynote speaker serving organizations across Canada and the United States.
Jason has been trusted by leading organizations and agencies across the globe.
The Awkward Leadership Moment That Changed Everything
Jason took over a busy newsroom where productivity had been declining for months. Then he made a leadership decision most managers avoid: he talked about his own challenges. What happened next surprised him. Half his team opened up about their own issues and together they removed the barriers holding them back. Within one year, productivity doubled. It wasn’t pressure that changed the team. It was trust.
“Resonated on a deep level. Jason really made me really reflect on my leadership style.”
Laura Crawford, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment
“The event we did with Jason was such a success, our entire company is now putting more emphasis on how to address these types of people issues in the workplace. It’s being tied into our values and goals moving forward.”
Rebecca Mole, Tek Resources
“I could listen to Jason for hours. His stories are human, engaging, and deeply relatable.””
Charmainne King, Kellanova
Programs that build high-performing teams
What Audiences Learn:
After Jason Reid’s keynotes, audiences walk away with practical ideas they can use immediately:
- How to build trust faster—especially in the moments that feel uncomfortable
- How to step into the leadership conversations most managers avoid
- How to communicate in ways that create real connection and influence
- How to unlock discretionary effort and initiative inside teams
- How to lead more effectively through change and uncertainty
Looking for Jason’s programs on invisible disability and neurodiversity in the workplace? Go here.
Why Organizations Book Jason
- A clear, memorable leadership idea: the moments leaders avoid are often the ones that matter most
- Real stories of leadership in a dynamic industry.
- A balance of insight, humor, and practical application
- Content that resonates across different roles, industries, and experience levels
- A collaborative, low-maintenance approach—no drama, no surprises
- Strong virtual and in-person delivery backed by broadcast experience
Looking for a keynote that will get you to lead the moment others avoid?