Guide, Don't Drive™
How to build performance that doesn't depend on you.
Based on Steve's TEDx talk. Guide, Don't Drive™ principles for Human Performance.
Best fit
Choose this when...
Leadership conferences, executive teams, management retreats, supervisor development programs.
Worth comparing
An alternate fit
If the brief is primarily personal resilience rather than leadership behavior, Rising Stronger may be the better fit.
Start With Practice
A concrete question to carry into the room
Try one question before the event. Bring it into your next conversation.
Reflect
When does helping become taking over?
When you step in, what makes it necessary? Is the outcome clear, does the person have room to decide, and what support would help them own the next move?
Practice
One responsible next move
Before the next rescue, name the outcome, clear expectation, and what the person can decide. Ask them to state the next move and what evidence will show progress, then agree on a check-in instead of taking the work back.
Takeaways
What Your Audience Can Begin Practicing
GDD principles underpin most of Steve’s talks, with each keynote focused on its audience and topic. The keynote introduces ideas and practical applications; the complete GDD system requires installation beyond the event.
Define the outcome and what must stay protected while pursuing it
Use the Performance Engine to locate where performance is actually breaking
Describe what good performance looks like through observable behavior and evidence
Check for a clear expectation, room to decide, and support before assigning accountability
Recognize observable behavior that supports the outcome or protects what matters
Use a getting-back-on-track conversation when an expectation is missed
Guide without isolating people or rescuing every decision
Practice returning ownership while protecting the result and the conditions around it
The Experience
You want people to succeed. When the pressure rises, stepping in can feel like the responsible thing to do. But if the same decisions keep coming back to you, what needs to change: the expectation, the authority, the support—or how you respond? This keynote introduces principles from Guide, Don't Drive™ for Human Performance and challenges you to examine what your help is making possible. The aim is performance that can hold with stronger judgment and clearer ownership, not leaving people to struggle alone. Bring a recurring situation from your team and consider what the person could own next, with the right conditions in place.
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Session Flow
60-Minute Flow
Why stepping in works today and trains people to wait tomorrow
The two engines every organization runs on: the Structural Engine that defines how work is supposed to operate, and the Behavioral Engine that determines how people actually operate
The six-step Performance Engine: outcome, identity, behavior, tolerance, expectations, and performance
How tolerated patterns become accepted, repeated, and eventually mistaken for culture
Getting back on track when an expectation is missed and returning ownership without abandoning people
Customization
Leadership scenarios are adapted to your organization's structure and current challenges.
Add-On Option
Optional workshop: Stop Over-Functioning. Practical tools for delegation, standards, and accountability.
Get Started
Check Availability for This Keynote
15 minutes on the calendar. You’ll leave with a clear answer on fit, availability, and what this keynote looks like built for your audience.
Social Proof
What Leaders Are Saying
Feedback from people who have worked with Steve. Experiences vary by audience and follow-through.
Their ability to connect leadership principles to real-world teamwork resonated with every level of our organization. Our employees left with practical tools they can apply immediately, and the positive impact extended well beyond the session.
Ray Biggs
President and CEO, West Shore Bank