Inspirational speeches and workshops for large audiences
Bio
Over 20 years of experience
Experienced business speaker, so far invited to over 1000 events for audiences of several dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people.
Follower of the latest trends
A long-standing and active member of international business associations, with direct access to the most recent research.
Extraordinary reviews
Voted the best speaker at many congresses in Poland, Europe and the USA; winner of independent rankings and lists of the best conference business speakers.
Presence in media
Authored over 60 articles, gave ca. 40 interviews, invited as an expert by business TV channels.
Author of five business bestsellers
“The Leader’s Journey” (on leadership), “The Business Rollercoaster” (on openness, change, and innovation), “OK, I buy it!” (on sales and customer service), “SISU—Boost Your Grit and Resilience” (on coping with obstacles and challenges) and “Grow Up!” (on mature attitudes and healthy teams).
Business education
A graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics with two fields of studies, each completed with distinction.
Forms
Power speech
Direct event (face to face)
Duration: up to 90 minutes
Group size: unlimited
Power webinar
Online event
Duration: up to 75 minutes
Group size: unlimited
Turboworkshops
Direct event (face to face)
Duration: 180-240 minutes
Group size: up to 120 people
Elite online workshops
Online event
Duration: 180 minutes
Group size: up to 10 managers
Content
The past few years have brought a great deal of confusion and uncertainty. In addition to dramatic changes in the economic, social and technological environment, companies are changing their business models, often at lightning speed. Szymon helps to calm the frayed nerves and provides teams with balm for their souls, while at the same time giving them a strong impulse to embrace ambiguity constructively – and to become even more future-ready. Using memorable examples, surprising research, and energizing experiments, Szymon will help audiences stay open-minded, adapt to changes beyond our control, reinforce optimism, and increase their ability to act with a cool head in today’s turbulent world.
Perfect for: Teams struggling with ambitious transitions, reorganizations, optimizations, mergers or strategic shifts.
- LET YOUR GUARD DOWN: How to respond to changes without resistance? Increase your tolerance for trends and decisions that are out of your control, or you’ll burn yourself out. Instead of rushing to judgment, ask questions and stay gossip-proof. Don’t cling to one linear vision: apply thinking in multiple scenarios.
- LOOK FORWARD, NOT BACK: How to create a new reality? Don’t demonize the future, don’t glorify the past. Human body is designed to have eyes in the front. Well, at the back we have a different part of the body…
- CREATE A POSITIVE COMMANDO: How to ensure mutual support? When our energy resources become depleted, we need to be positive chargers in each other’s lives. Each challenge hurts less, when we face it together. Follow the golden rule of “zero tolerance for whiners”, who sap energy from others.
The acronym VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) was coined nearly 40 years ago. Regardless of the pandemic, wars and geopolitical tensions, we all have been living in a world of fast change and information overload; technology changes the world at a lightning pace. Competition is fierce; mergers, automatation and transformations have become the bread and butter of each company. Leaders try to convert dispersed, indifferent employees into cohesive teams. Meanwhile, when people experience shocks, their levels of tension vary a lot. Some are virtually paralyzed by fear, others feel a constructive anxiety, while the rest ignore the reality and pretend nothing happens. That is why leaders need to redefine their roles, help their teams regain their sense of power and come out of this mess even stronger.
Perfect for: experienced leaders managing teams in a dynamic, ever-changing environment.
- Make them AWARE: Help your team face the reality. Be brief and specific about the facts without escalating the tension.
- Make them UNFREEZE: Replace destructive fears and panic with a constructive will to act within one’s control zone („What does depend on us?”).
- Make them FOCUS: Establish a simple, crystal-clear compass in a chaotic environment.
- Make them FLEXIBLE: Prepare your team to embrace all possible future events; apply multiscenario approach instead of clinging to one linear plan.
- Make them STRIVE: Instead of special treatment, set specific expectations and fair consequences.
- Make them UNITED: Turn your team into a supportive, coordinated commando, resistant to turbulence.
- Make them FOLLOW: Set a crystal-clear example; leader’s actions speak louder than words.
Each of us only gets to ride the rollercoaster of life once, so let’s maximize the potential of each day of our careers and life in general. We often play the right game, but we don’t play it right. Learn about the results of unique studies such as the Harvard Study of Adult Development (spanning 80 years!) and the World Regret Survey (with nearly 30,000 respondents in over 100 countries). Translate the conclusions of these studies into a meaningful life; learn what really matters in the end – and change the way you approach challenges in your professional and personal life every day.
Perfect for: Organizations that want to ensure a sense of happiness, fulfillment and fun among their employees.
- SENIORS’ WISDOM. What can we learn from older people who reflect on the most important events in their lives? If they could live their lives over again, what would they do differently? What would the seniors interviewed tell their younger selves?
- THE GOAL: MAXIMIZE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE. Why does investing time and money in experiences make us happier than spending money on things? How can you ensure that events in your life pay a memory dividend for many years to come?
- INCREASE YOUR BALANCE. How can you live (and work) better and healthier? How can you control and constantly fund your five accounts: relationship, health, moral, time and financial?
- AVOID CUTTING CORNERS. What non-obvious traps are serious threats to happiness and fulfillment? In what situations do we mismanage our time, health, and finances? What is the dopamine trap and the illusion of a peaceful future?
- FOLLOW YOUR COMPASS. How do you want to remember this very moment in your life and career 50 years from now? How can we make the most of the fact that we have a solid foundation, are surrounded by inspiring people, doing interesting things, and have the chance to live in a really cool place in the universe?
Sisu is a unique Finnish word that means resilience, inner strength, and tenacity in the face of adversity. In the volatile, uncertain business environment, sisu grows into a key competence of the 21st century. “Sisu” is also the title of Szymon’s fourth best-selling book. Learn how your sisu is determined by your personal hardware (genes and personality), software (beliefs and attitudes), and helpdesk (people around you). Increase your ability to cope with unexpected difficulties in business and private life. Regain a sense of agency and hope for a better tomorrow.
Perfect for: everyone facing challenges and unforeseen difficulties, that is, 99% of people on the globe.
- Your HARDWARE (genes and personality): Why are some people driven by crises and adversities to act, while others feel completely paralyzed? Why do some wallow in misery, while others just do their things?
- Your OPERATING SYSTEM (beliefs and attitudes): How can you permanently shift your mindset in such a way as to boost optimism, proactiveness, and self-esteem?
- Your APPS (ad-hoc “software” that you use in a moment of trial): How can you keep “mental diarrhea” under control and maintain a healthy distance? Why (and when) can a storm be a real blessing in disguise?
- Your HELPDESK (impact of people around you): Is sisu (or the lack of it) contagious? How can you obtain support from others? Sometimes, why does everyone need not only cuddles but also a hit right between the eyes delivered by a sympathetic friend?
Teamwork is one of the most overused and misinterpreted words in business. It’s time to take a down-to-earth look at healthy partnership and cooperation. Let’s debunk some of the myths about teamwork and put it into practice. The scenario of the speech is based on the “dysfunction / antidote” scheme and will be customized to the challenges in your organization. Szymon introduces funny labels for the most common patterns and provides best practices from high-performing teams in sports and in business. It’s time to bring some skeletons out of the closet, ease tensions between units, have fun together, and remember how strong we are – as a team.
Perfect for: Employees representing different functions and perspectives, yet working on joint goals and projects.
- FIND A LARGER SQUARE: Go beyond your narrow expertise or function; focus on the ultimate common goal.
- THE POWER OF „AND”: Most tensions and tradeoffs in organizations are NOT either/or choices; they are complementary, not contradictory.
- THE TOTAL BUSINESS: Similar to “the total football” concept, we should all feel accoutable for defence and attack – and have each other’s back.
- ZERO FINGERPOINTING: Beware of blame games. For every finger that you point at someone, there are three fingers pointing back at you.
- CALL A SPADE A SPADE (IN A FRIENDLY MANNER). Don’t sweep difficult issues under the rug.
- PICK UP THE PHONE AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM: Don’t send emails; don’t escalate.
- GOSSIP-PROOF CAPE. Learn to separate facts from unproven and emotional workplace gossip.
- MUTUAL LOYALTY: Make everyone feel safe. Dare to confront immature behaviors, dishonesty, and stereotypes.
While most of us yearn for a meaningful and simple life, we easily get distracted and make things even more complicated. Complex business environments can overwhelm teams and evoke a permanent feeling of chaos. How can we smoothly face an overly complicated reality? How to focus on things which really matter? How to reduce or even get rid of things that are redundant? How to simplify communication and collaboration? We should all remember that often less is more, that a good business is a simple business, and that you don’t need to simplify everything obsessively because simplicity and complexity complement each other.
Perfect for: Organizations and teams overloaded with tasks, projects and priorities.
- SIMPLE DIRECTION: Build a crystal-clear compass for the months to come – and stick to it.
- SIMPLE PROJECT: If you put multiple threads into one initiative, you will not simplify anything.
- SIMPLE INNOVATION: Why is a wheeled suitcase better than a robotic lunar rover?
- SIMPLE IMPLEMENTATION: Less is more, so identify just one good lever to start with.
- SIMPLE WORDS: How to turn a long story into a memorable message.
- SIMPLE LIVING IS A GOOD LIVING: Get rid of useless stuff from your wardrobe, your attic and your life.
- TOLERANCE TO COMPLEXITY: Some things should not be – or cannot be simplified.
Time to translate innovation, which is one of the most worn-out, overused and misinterpreted business slogans, into day-to-day practice. The practical, hands-on approach allows us to break away from the paradigm of rocket-science and breakthrough innovation, in favor of a constant search for small “tweaks” in our everyday work. However, creativity is only one piece of the puzzle. Energetic experiments and simulations will prove how important it is to stay curious, take responsibility for the laborious implementation of fresh ideas, and support solutions initiated by others, in such a way that the organization becomes more agile and new ideas turn into spectacular business results.
Perfect for: teams stuck with old habits, ignoring changes in their environment.
- CURIOSITY: There is no creativity without openness, so we must face the brutal facts and changing reality. Why do we need to overcome our elevated egos, resulting from past successes?
- SMART WAYS: How can we find inspiration in solutions introduced in other organizations and industries? How can we adapt these insights to our environment? What workable ideas could add value outside the core of our business?
- EFFECTIVE COALITION: The power of innovation depends not on the innovator, but the followers. Why should we support a lonely freak who wants to do something meaningful for their team and company?
- EXECUTION: Each innovation is only as good as its implementation. How can we find a fulcrum and a lever for complex changes and projects? What should we do to heat the whole process by one degree each day?
We perform in a world full of tensions, disruptors, fake news, social media bubbles, information overload and, first and foremost, digital revolution. As the pace of change continues to accelerate, the skills we need to thrive in the workplace are shifting, as well. What skills will be in demand by employers in the next ten years? How can we prepare our kids for the jobs that don’t exist yet (but will soon)? Discover metaanalysis of surveys and research conducted by such organizations as OECD or World Economic Forum. Listen to advice by world-renowned experts on education and future trends. It only depends on us if the forthcoming years will be a professional threat, or an exciting adventure. Help yourself, your teammates and your children to get ready for the future, which has already begun.
Perfect for: Teams and employees worried about their jobs and overwhelmed with scope of changes and ambiguity.
- CRITICAL THINKING. Analyze issues based on evidence rather than hearsay, personal opinions, or biases.
- ANALYTICAL THINKING. Detect patterns, interpret data, integrate new information and make decisions based on multiple factors.
- MULTI-SCENARIO APPROACH. Increase operational flexibility; get ready for different possible futures.
- RECONCILING TENSIONS AND DILEMMAS. Find a balance between competing, contradictory or incompatible demands.
- DIGITAL LITERACY. Learn, work and navigate everyday life in the digital world with confidence.
- RESILIENCE. Boost your stress tolerance and adhere to your efforts despite failures and obstacles.
- SELF-MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. Stay calm and do what depends on you.
For many employees, development is all about formal training. They expect someone to provide them with a crystal-clear career path and adequate learning opportunities. Meanwhile, each of us plays different roles, has different skills and aspirations, and eventually different learning preferences. That is why, in this case, everyone should paddle their own canoe: create the future concept for themselves and actively seek opportunities to develop. The speech is based on four non-obvious dilemmas that allow each participant to understand themselves better, define their own development compass and take over the helms and responsibility for their future success.
Perfect for: Employees who are too passive, skeptical or exhibit a narrow approach towards development opportunities.
- Dilemma 1: STRUCTURE vs. NATURE. When should you take advantage of long-term, structured education, and when is it better to just switch to individual bite-sized learning along the way?
- Dilemma 2: SPECIFIC TRAINING vs. GENERAL TRAINING. To what extent should you focus on specific skills that are needed here and now, and to what degree should you consider general competences of the future, in order to make your professional career injury-proof?
- Dilemma 3: GAPS vs. STRENGTHS. When (and why) should you focus on your talents and make your strengths more robust? When do you really need to bridge the gaps?
- Dilemma 4: CLEAR GOAL vs. SPONTANEOUS JOURNEY. In a volatile environment, should you have a clear concept for yourself combined with a thorough development plan (and stick to it), or should you stay open to unexpected opportunities?
Let’s break some myths about motivation – in a constructive way. Recent provocative research proves that catch phrases such as “do what you love, love what you do and you will never have to work again” are far from corporate realities. People look for passion where there is none and tend to believe that they should feel the flow 24/7, while the multitude of mundane tasks makes them frustrated, raising even more questions about the meaning of work. Forget the slogans and discover five energy resources for yourself; regain balance and optimism – and recharge your batteries to get ahead of the challenges around the corner.
Perfect for: Teams overwhelmed with the burden of day-to-day work or dealing with the Groundhog Day Syndrome.
- Energy from THE CONTENT OF WORK. A delusion of continuous flow: most of the tasks we perform are (and will be) repetitive and monotonous; so let’s find the 10% that makes a special meaning.
- Energy from ACHIEVEMENTS. The magic of small victories: when the feeling of progress and ticking off things from your checklist galvanizes you for the upcoming challenges.
- Energy from WILLPOWER. Willpower is often more important than pure motivation based on wants and needs as long as you don’t deplete your “energy bucket” too soon and regularly refill it.
- Energy from SHOCKS. The Phoenix Effect: launching a constructive fury and bouncing back after a huge crisis.
- Energy from OTHER PEOPLE. Whom do you surround yourself with? The impact of positive warriors and destructive naysayers on your personal energy level.
Other popular speeches:
Credentials
Szymon has an enormous level of energy and charisma. He easily grabs people’s attention. His speeches are interesting, energetic, funny, and full of important insights. We invited Szymon twice to inspire our managers. The first time went so well that our team asked us to invite him again, saying: “I love the way he talks; he gives power and brings positive emotions.” What surprises me the most is his flexibility and deep understanding of the business environment. He is able to smoothly adjust the content with our corporate culture and business challenges, blending in with the employees.
Henri Viswat
CEO
Randstad Poland
Szymon attracts and maintains the full attention of an audience of any size, no matter if it is 10 or 500 people. His speeches are free of gibberish and pomposity. Thanks to this, everyone feels they have participated in a dialog with someone they have known for years. Szymon quotes real-life examples that make his message even more credible and comprehensible. Finally, his speeches not only offer many aha moments but also encourage people to act.
Anna Roszewska
HR Director
Canal Plus
Szymon is not just a speaker, he is THE PERSONALITY. We had several opportunities to work together in different corporations and for various teams. Szymon is far from an off-the-shelf approach; he listens carefully. Moreover, he talks about difficult—and sometimes uncomfortable—things with ease, in a light, vivid and witty manner. The result always exceeds our expectations. His message resonates for a long time, fostering optimistic mindsets and innovation. I recommend cooperation with Szymon, since he can help people become open-minded and curious, and prompts them to step out of their comfort zone. Without such an attitude, it is nearly impossible to move ahead!
Renata Prys
Director, Poland People Leader
McDonald’s Polska
Every time we invited Szymon, it was not an expense, but an investment that literally paid off before my eyes. Szymon effortlessly reaches the hearts and minds of large audiences of varying ages and expectations. How? Firstly, his speeches are dynamic, interactive and full of energy and hope. Secondly, the issues tackled by Szymon are very timely and often very serious, while his style of communication is light and witty. Thirdly, every employee takes something specific and fitting for themselves, because Szymon refers not only to business examples but also to compelling stories from everyday life. We have been working with Szymon for 12 years, but my co-workers can’t get enough. Each time, they say that they were inspired by something fresh again, and they can describe precisely what it was.
Tomasz Aramowicz
Sales Executive Director
Rockwool CEE
We have invited Szymon for both face-to-face and online events. He is full of energy, and he quotes real-life examples, uses simple language, and maintains the attention of the audience throughout the entire speech. After Szymon’s lectures, people are not only empowered, but they also remember the particular topics discussed by Szymon for a long time! Some of the examples and slogans used by Szymon became a part of our corporate language, including “flies and bees” and “it’s your ship”.
Agnieszka Barańska
Managing Marketing & Communication Director
ALDI
Szymon is a common-sense guy. He reaches out to everyone by using simple words, which everybody understands. He talks about things that might seem obvious, but they are vital, yet often ignored or forgotten. Szymon has an open personality, he does not create any distance between the speaker and the audience. He makes people want to listen to him and remember what he says. You can count on the real return on investment from his speeches!
Joanna Bogdańska
Head of Research and Applied Solutions
Merck Life Science
Meetings with Szymon are totally refreshing. The business world is very complex. Achieving ambitious goals demands making tough decisions and required the perfect coordination of various aspects. To that end, Szymon knows how to simplify things and inspires us with straightforward, yet highly workable and efficient ideas.
Ewald Raben
CEO
Raben Group
I have worked with Szymon for many years. He helps us to stop and reflect, by offering us touching stories and witty examples, which are appealing to the participants and eagerly quoted afterward. Some tips suggested by Szymon have been implemented and have quickly become part of our daily business. Finally, although I have listened to Szymon on many occasions, he does not repeat himself. He surprises us each time with totally fresh content.
Małgorzata Milczarek
HR Director
Sandoz (Novartis Group)
Szymon’s speeches are a real shot in the arm for Orange managers. They restore our confidence and agency. This is because Szymon narrates his thought-provoking stories simply and funnily. These stories are tailored to the reality we work in. Szymon easily identifies the context and provides accurate content in his speech. He is dynamic, natural, and credible in everything he does.
Bożena Leśniewska
Executive VP, B2B
Orange Polska
We have been cooperating with Szymon for over 10 years. His power speeches are extremely inspiring, engaging, and energizing. They make a long-lasting impression on his audience, both on employees and our business partners. We value Szymon’s individualized approach to every event. Szymon can customize the speech according to the audience and hold their attention from the first till the very last minute.
Krzysztof Kurek
Country Business Director
Bosch Power Tools
Szymon is a fantastic speaker! Meetings with him turn into energetic and inspiring shows that exceed everyone’s expectations. His excellent contact with the audience, professional background, and charisma are undoubtedly Szymon’s greatest assets.
Łukasz Radzymiński
Sales Director
Shell Polska
Szymon’s speeches perfectly embody today’s challenges in building and reinforcing organizational culture. He tackles difficult topics with a sense of humor, with the perfect blend of being direct and pragmatic. Szymon really makes a big impact and inspires change in the organization! After meetings with him, the team feels positive energy and wants to try out new concepts and solutions.
Janusz Idczak
General Manager
Jacobs Douwe Egberts
Szymon has been inspiring our managers for years. Cooperation with him brings in several “Aha!” moments. The power of the message as well as top quality is guaranteed. Szymon is always open to the client’s needs and attentive to the participants’ reactions. He perfectly combines deep knowledge with accurate and humorous storytelling, and his speeches engage, provide energy, and have a strong call to action.
Beata Janczur
Vice-President of the Management Board
Credit Agricole Bank Polska
Szymon uses words efficiently and applies various engaging tools, and his speeches are memorable and practical. Thanks to Szymon, the participants are galvanized to think and act. They begin to ask themselves questions and dissect a specific topic to take a closer look and understand it better. It’s very refreshing—and so necessary—in these uncertain times.
Patryk Herman
HR Leader, Eastern Europe
LIXIL EMENA (GROHE)
Some of Szymon’s other Clients include:
News
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
In April 2026, Szymon and his team conducted a survey on new topics for inspirational meetings, as well as the key issues currently top of mind for companies and employees. A total of 79 companies responded — a heartfelt thank you to all participants!
Leadership Re:Vision — new speech coming in May
The topic that clients expressed the strongest interest in was “Leadership Re:Vision” — 69% of respondents described it as a “must-have.” The pilot sessions and final program calibration have now been completed, and starting in May, the speech will be added to Szymon’s inspirational portfolio.
Trusted by 15 new clients
Szymon is proud to welcome new clients, who decided to trust him and invite him as a keynote speaker during last 12 months. These companies include GE Aerospace, Lipton Teas, Nestle, AstraZeneca, Allianz Trade, Auchan, McKinsey EMEA, Lazarski University in Warsaw and many more. Big, big THANK YOU to all clients and attendees!
Contact
POWERSPEECH Speaking Agency (Prokop Studio)
Sebastian Prokop
Jaśminowy Stok 19A
80-180 Gdańsk, PL
phone: +48 884 900 727
e-mail: info@prokopstudio.pl
JET Training Center
Sylwia Cepko
Kopińska 31
02-327 Warsaw, PL
phone: 22 822 25 31
e-mail: centrum@csjet.pl
or send a message:
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