Speaking & workshops
Inspiring ideas for your team workshop, CEO forum, conference or company offsite
Featured Topics
Richard regularly runs interactive workshops and gives keynote presentations for CEO/entrepreneur groups and executive teams globally. Here are four of the most common themes.
Making TIME For Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful
Unlock your strategic potential and reclaim your time.
If you're like most leaders, you’re pulled into far too many operational issues, leaving you stuck in the weeds and unable to focus on the bigger picture. Imagine walking away with the tools to free yourself from the operational prison you’ve built—creating an extra 10 hours per week for deep strategic thinking.
In this insightful session, based on proven frameworks used by the world’s top CEOs and Richard's book of the same title, you'll:
- Learn the two ways leaders manage their time—and why the most popular approach keeps you permanently overloaded.
- Discover the 4 powerful shifts that will help you focus on what truly matters and operate more strategically.
- Walk away with 3 immediate actions to increase momentum on your most strategic projects.
This is your opportunity to finally break free from busyness and focus on the work that really matters to your business—and your legacy.
The 10X Dilemma: Craft your greatest chapter without repeating the sacrifices of the past
Make your next chapter your most impactful yet — and the most enjoyable
You know you’ve got untapped potential, but you're concerned that taking your leadership to the next level might come with too many sacrifices—whether that's your health, family, or enjoyment of life itself.
In this inspiring session, we’ll:
- Guide you through the 10X Mindset checklist and identify which of the 5 high-achiever traps are keeping you playing small.
- Introduce you to the six ‘10X assets’—customised for your unique situation—that will allow you to operate at a higher level, even when uncertainty strikes.
- Equip you with practical tools to step into your 10X future, so you can achieve breakthrough results while keeping life fun and fulfilling.
Imagine transforming your business, multiplying its impact, and doing it in a way that makes life more exciting than ever. This is your chance to break out of incremental progress and into your greatest chapter yet.
The Lazy CEO: Counterintuitive leadership strategies that are more effective with less effort
Be the CEO who achieves more by doing less.
Let’s challenge the lie that more success requires more grind. Top leaders often get trapped in a cycle of hyper-productivity that no longer serves them, but the truth is, you don’t need to hustle harder to succeed. Imagine achieving record-breaking results while having time for a weekend off.
In this light-hearted but impactful workshop, you'll:
- Measure yourself against the “Grindometer”—a fun tool to reveal the habits and mindsets that are keeping you locked in busy mode.
- Discover the “Lazy CEO’s Charter”—counterintuitive insights that will make you more effective with less effort, and prove to yourself that these principles work.
- Create your own personal “Lazy CEO Playbook” that allows you to implement these game-changing ideas straight away.
If you’re tired of grinding and ready for a more effortless—and far more effective—way of leading, this workshop will help you make that leap.
Your Dream Executive Team: How to take it from good to great
Elevate your executive team to the next level and free yourself for greater things.
Your executive team should be your greatest asset—but chances are, they’re bogged down in operations and not performing at the level you need them to. Imagine what would be possible if your senior leadership team were aligned, firing on all cylinders, and pushing your business forward while you focus on what only you can do.
In this powerful session, based on proven success with CEOs from start-ups to billion-dollar companies, we’ll:
- Use our Team Dynamics model to identify your team’s unique ‘stagnation loop’ and quickly move past it.
- Explore the 4 phase approach that prevents your progress from stalling, and create a roadmap for sustainable success over the next six months.
- Build your first Dream Team Scorecard to track progress and agree on the immediate next steps that will drive your team forward.
If you’re ready to turn your senior team into your greatest lever for success, this will show you the way forward.
Let's discuss your needs
Contact us to discuss your requirements and find out how Richard can help.
We've been featured on some of the world's top podcasts
- Problem Solvers - Entrepreneur
- Extract Yourself From the Weeds and Lead More Strategically
- Awesome at Your Job Podcast (Pete Mockaitis)
- How to Build Exceptional Influence in a Noisy Digital Age
- Leaders of Transformation Podcast
- Multiplying Your Impact As A Leader
- Corporate Thought Podcast - Marc Marling
- "I Have a Saying"
- The Effective Founder Podcast
- How to Build Commitment in Your Remote Team
- The B2B Revenue Podcast
- How to Take Your Team/company to the Next Level
- A Geek Leader
- Strategic Leadership
- Total Picture Podcast
- How To Free Yourself Up from Low-Value Tasks and Be More Strategic
- Grow CFO Show
- The CFO/CEO Relationship
- The Commercial Landscaper Podcast
- Extracting Yourself From Operations To Lead More Strategically
- Human Capital Innovations Podcast
- Marrying the Disciplines of Strategy and Leadership in the Service of Our Clients
- On The Brink, with Andi Simon
- How to Amplify Your Story to Achieve Great Results
- The Fast Leader Show, with Jim Rembach
- 4 Shifts You Need to Make In Order to Break Through the Ceiling of Complexity
- InnovaBuzz, with Dr Jürgen Strauss
- How to Accelerate and Multiply Your Impact
- The Remote CEO Show, with Deniero Bartolini
- Strategic Leadership
- The Roots of Leadership Podcast
- Think like a CEO
- Rockstar CMO
- The CEO/CMO Relationship
- Good Morning, HR
- Strategy, Leadership, Purpose
- I Am CEO Podcast
- CEO Coaches Leaders to Create a Strategy with Purpose
- Unlabeled Leadership By Gary DePaul, Anchor.fm
- Shift from Incremental to Exponential
- The Leadership Hacker Podcast, Spotify
- The Productivity Paradigm
- The Institute of Directors
- Keeping Employees Motivated as the Effects of Covid Wear on
- Exhausted to Extraordinary
- How to Free Yourself Up for Strategic Activity
- Integrate & Ignite
- The Learning Mindset
- Startup Republic
- Extracting Yourself from Operations to Lead More Strategically
- Rockstar CMO
- How Rockstar CMOs make time for strategy
- Good Morning, HR
- HR Resolutions: Making Time For Strategy
- Breakfast Leadership Show
- Interview with Richard Medcalf
- Out of the Comfort Zone
- Making Time for Strategy with Richard Medcalf
- I Am CEO with Gresh Harkless
- Author and Coach Helps His Clients Achieve Strategic Results
- The Remote CEO Show with Deniero B
- Making Time for Strategy with Richard Medcalf
- Conscious Millionaire Podcast Network
- Richard Medcalf: Making Time for Strategy
- On The Brink, with Andi Simon
- Why Is Strategy So Challenging When Running Your Business? Shouldn't It Be The Best Part?
- The Evolving Leader
- Making TIME for Strategy with Richard Medcalf
- Let's Grow Leaders
- Making TIME for Strategy with Richard Medcalf
- Productivityist
- Richard Medcalf talks about XQuadrant
- Awesome at Your Job Podcast (Pete Mockaitis)
- How to Stop Being Busy and Start Being Strategic with Richard Medcalf
- Shareable Podcast
- T.I.M.E and Strategy Masterclass w/ Richard Medcalf
- Doing the Opposite: Business Disruptors
- How to combine opportunity, inspiration and empathy into a positive lasting legacy
- Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast
- Make Time for Strategy with Richard Medcalf
Appreciation from past participants
Best presentation
Richard delivered simply the best presentation of the day.
ALEX D.
DIRECTOR
A quick exercise break for your CEO brain
A quick exercise break for your CEO brain. I came away with one specific new angle that I’m actively looking into.
Christopher Traggio
CEO
Rich & memorable session
The workshop brought together interesting fellow CEOs in a convivial atmosphere to address a fresh topic. It was a rich and memorable session.
Mark Griffiths
Managing Director
CEOs at the top of their game
The event came at a very busy time so it was quite a commitment for me, but I am glad to have joined. I genuinely enjoyed meeting strangers who were obviously at the top of their game. It felt safe enough to be open about business challenges and to share useful insights.
John Argent
Founder and CEO
Sharp and insightful - a really good use of time
I find the sessions that Richard runs to be very benenficial in that they allow you to get perspective on your own thinking and approach through discussions with a group of your peers. I enjoyed the exercises and the quick insights from others with great experience. The sessions are sharp and insightful - a really good use of time.
Michel Robert
CEO
Spark self-reflection
I love Richard's ability to find the right angle of attack to spark self-reflection on my role as manager. He made me sit up and take action!
Bernard Lamy
Commercial Director
Fantastic & amazing
Thanks again Richard for a fantastic session which has received amazing feedback.
Dan Wells
CEO
Thought provoking and challenging
Richard pushed us beyond the here and now to a more far-reaching future. The workshop was thought provoking and challenging, and I really benefitted from the diverse experiences of the other CEOs.
Andy Morris
CEO
Openness and honesty
Clear and structured, Richard brings an openness and honesty which really engaged me and helped me to apply the key messages.
TOBIAS N.
COO
Really good material
Really good material. You helped me nail down some really practical next steps!
Delegate
Helped me be a better leader
Richard demonstrated the value of being able to think without constraints and how that takes a personal and company vision to a whole new level. An excellent exercise in the value of what I need to BE in order to become the best leader I can.
Hugo Fry
CEO
Eye-opening
Thanks for the presentation. It was an eye-opener for me. I've identified 3 actions that need my immediate attention.
Timothy Kamombo
Finance Director
Made me feel less alone in my own role
The workshop was a fantastic way to meet other CEOs and hear what they are wrestling with. It definitely made me feel less alone in my own role.
Brad Flowers
CEO
Ideal format, with proven leaders
It was a great forum with a very representative audience, expertly guided by Richard. It was exciting to exchange thoughts with such a diverse group of proven leaders, and I believe the format of the meeting was ideal.
Alex Shevchenko
CEO
Clear and impactful content
Vince Tickel
Chair
Helpful & informative
Thanks for a fascinating session that was very helpful and informative.
Delegate
Thought-provoking
Very thought-provoking, memorable and engaging.
James Atack
CTO
Insightful
Very insightful - on both a personal and team level.
IAN G.
DIVISIONAL HEAD
Enjoyed the open discussion
I enjoyed the open discussion between CEOs; it was good to hear different perspectives and also recognise common challenges and experiences.
Nick Hale
CEO
I was forced to think beyond my comfort zone
It was a very stimulating session, where I was forced to think beyond my comfort zone and discover new ideas. The format of the engagement was itself a great takeaway. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this.
Abhishek Rungta
Founder & CEO
Well structured
Really well structured with very practical examples.
MARTIN D.
COUNTRY MANAGER
Time well spent
The best hour I've spent this entire year!
Delegate
Richard really challenged us!
We had a wonderful session with Richard today where he really challenged us to articulate and embrace our best selves and highest purpose to deeply enrich our lives.
Simon Mainwaring
Founder/CEO
A total supercharge!
The workshop was wonderful. It has absolutely led to a quantum shift in my direction. An incredibly valuable session: a total supercharge. Amazing!
Davina Stanley
Founder
Richard's Bio
Richard Medcalf
Founder
Richard Medcalf describes himself as "what you get if you were to put a McKinsey consultant, a slightly unorthodox pastor and Freddie Mercury into a blender!"
Richard is the founder of Xquadrant and a trusted advisor to some of the most successful CEOs and entrepreneurs on the planet.
Richard has advised the C-Suite for 25 years. After a Masters Degree at Oxford University, where he came top in his year, he became the youngest-ever Partner at a top strategy consultancy. He spent 11 years at tech giant Cisco in an elite team to pioneer strategic projects directly for the CEO.
Richard founded Xquadrant to help the world’s top CEOs and entrepreneurs become world-changing forces for good, creating a legacy of exponential impact.
His 1:1 clients include CEOs of billion dollar companies, an Entrepreneur of the Year, an Olympic medallist, and founders of tech 'unicorns'. Richard also runs the CEO programme Rivendell and is the author of Making Time For Strategy.
Richard is bi-national English/French, lives near Paris, and is happily married and the proud father of two. He's a licensed lay minister in the Anglican Church, and has an insatiable love for spicy food and the electric guitar.
Featured Clients
Media appearances
Richard has been featured on some of the world's top podcasts. Hover to see the episode title, and click to listen