Richard Gerver

Richard Gerver began his career in education, most notably as headmaster of the failing Grange Primary School. It took him just two years to turn the school into one of the most acclaimed learning environments in the world, a feat celebrated by UNESCO and the UK Government.

Since then Richard has used his trademark humour and natural style to deliver passionate, provocative and authentic speeches. Drawing upon his firsthand experiences and unique insights garnered from front line education Richard explores the links between great leadership, human potential, change and innovation. His ability to connect experiences across many seemingly different environments enables people to expand their thinking and perception of potential.

Richard's philosophy has three core principles, which are communication, empowerment and impact. He argues that great leadership is first and foremost about serving the needs of the people who work for you. His mantra: systems and structures change nothing; people do.

His first book, Creating Tomorrow’s Schools Today, has become a seminal text around the world for those engaged in the transformation of education. His other books are explorations of human potential, leadership and success.

In uncertain times, Richard Gerver’s keynote presentations on Change and how to embrace it have resonated even more profoundly with those who hear him speak. Mental Toughness has never been more important as organisations realise just how necessary Resilience is to overcome challenges now and in the future.

Richard continues to share his Manifesto for Change in education to a wide audience globally. Below you'll find more detail on these and other subjects on which he speaks.

Mental Toughness
First developed in the 1980s to help elite athletes perform better under pressure and duress by developing high levels of belief and focus. Richard Gerver shares the insights and strategies he has learned, developed and applied, working across a wide range of contexts, to help organisations grow a culture of mental toughness in staff and teams so that they can collaborate better to contextualise, plan and overcome challenges both current and future.

Simple Thinking
Renowned for his highly accessible and common sense take on complex issues surrounding change and human leadership, Richard Gerver brings his pragmatic, insightful and people-centric approach to success; what it is and how we can achieve it.
​
He offers strategies that will lead to success and the tools individuals need to succeed both individually and as part of an organisation. Based on the research in his book, Simple Thinking, Richard will give participants the mindsets, behaviours and attributes needed to aim higher and achieve more.

Change
Why do we resist change as we grow older and how can we nurture and develop an organisational culture which embraces change and encourages collaboration? In this session, Richard examines why change has become increasingly challenging and how risk aversion can stifle individuals and organisations. He explores how to harness the power of creativity, curiosity and confidence in uncertain times and why we must shift the paradigm to understand that change is not a program or a strategy but an ever-present organic part of the 21st Century.
​
Education: A Manifesto for Change
Education is the most important factor determining the future of our children, our economy, our society and ultimately our planet. Richard uses his experience-driven insights to clarify the vision, thinking and processes we must adopt if we are to develop a system that prepares our young people for the future.

Bringing together his career as a former award-winning teacher, globally renowned principal, school and university board member and government policy advisor, Richard Gerver speaks with clarity and precision, explaining exactly what skills, behaviours and attributes our children need to achieve success in the modern world.

Purpose
What do people and organisations that have enjoyed sustained success have in common? A sense of purpose. One driven by a collective mission, a set of values and passion.
​
In this session, Richard shares his insights and experiences, exploring how communication, skills development, leadership and empowerment must be developed and nurtured to encourage a genuine sense of purpose that can have a dynamic and long-lasting impact on you, your team and your organisation.

Lasting Legacy: Developing Future Leaders
Success cannot be measured in the short-term; real success requires a long-term strategy and must be resilient enough to survive and thrive in challenging and changing times.

Richard’s mantra is that systems and structures change nothing, people do. In this session, Richard explores how to identify and nurture great leaders for tomorrow. He urges people to remember that leadership is about developing a sense of corporate responsibility and boosting higher levels of confidence, loyalty and a dynamic sense of legacy.

Resilience
Richard Gerver has worked with some of the world’s most successful sports and business organisations. Richard uses his unique insights into human development and success to help audiences understand what holds people back and how to unlock their full potential.

He has translated his work and experience from schools to high performing corporate environments where the ability to risk, learn and develop are vital. Richard argues that it is often the most naturally gifted individuals who struggle with resilience and that having the confidence to fail and overcome adversity is critical if we are to get the best out of ourselves and our people.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Clients often ask about purchasing books for giveaways and delegate packs. Below you’ll find a selection of products by Richard Gerver. Click the images to view on Amazon's website. For bulk orders, please speak with your Booking Agent.