"The most effective leaders create environments where authenticity and evolution coexist. In these spaces, trust becomes the foundation for innovation, collaboration becomes the vehicle for execution, and purpose becomes the catalyst for sustainable results."

Meet Shaun Mader

Shaun Mader is a leadership strategist who helps executives and organizations build cultures where trust, innovation, and human potential flourish. Drawing from his diverse background spanning media production, international humanitarian work, and transformational leadership, Shaun brings a unique perspective to organizational challenges that sits at the intersection of strategic thinking and human development.

As President of Trusted Leadership, he has guided Fortune 500 companies, innovative startups, and mission-driven organizations through periods of significant change, helping them create environments where breakthrough performance becomes sustainable. His methodology integrates cutting-edge research with practical application, delivered through a storyteller's lens that makes complex concepts accessible and actionable.

Shaun has led transformational programs for over 1,000 professionals, trained more than 100 coaches and leaders, and developed frameworks that are being implemented across diverse industries. His approach is informed by 25 years of mindfulness practice, global perspective gained through extensive work in India and other international contexts, and a deep commitment to creating organizational cultures where people can bring their full humanity to work.

  • Trust as Competitive Advantage

    For executive teams, boards, and leadership summits

    In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, trust isn't just a cultural nicety—it's a quantifiable business asset that directly impacts innovation, retention, and financial performance. Drawing from research and real-world case studies, Shaun reveals how organizations that systematically build trust outperform their competitors by up to 286% in total return to shareholders.

    Audiences gain:

    A proprietary framework for measuring trust as organizational capital

    Strategies for converting trust deficits into performance gains

    Practical tools for embedding trust-building into daily leadership practices

  • Leading Through Organizational Change

    For senior leadership, change management teams, and organizations in transition

    Change initiatives fail at an alarming rate—not because of poor strategy, but because of human factors that are predictable and addressable. This talk provides leaders with a neurobiologically-informed approach to guiding teams through uncertainty, ambiguity, and transformation with minimal resistance and maximum engagement.

    Audiences gain:

    A blueprint for mapping stakeholder responses to change across the organization

    Communication frameworks that address resistance before it solidifies

    Practical methods for maintaining momentum and engagement throughout change cycles

    Techniques for using trust as a change accelerator rather than a change inhibitor

  • Mindsets for AI Adoption and Integration

    For leadership teams, technology functions, and cross-functional implementation groups

    As AI transforms organizational landscapes, success depends less on the technology itself and more on the leadership mindsets that guide its implementation. This talk explores the critical cognitive shifts required to effectively harness AI as a complementary capability rather than a threatening disruption.

    Audiences learn:

    The five critical leadership mindsets that distinguish successful AI integrations from failed ones

    Frameworks for identifying where human intelligence and artificial intelligence should interface

    Approaches for cultivating team attitudes that embrace technological augmentation

    Strategies for maintaining trust and psychological safety during technological transformation

  • Creating High-Performing Teams

    For management teams, project leaders, and organizational effectiveness groups

    High-performance teams don't happen by accident—they are systematically built through intentional leadership practices that align purpose, process, and people. This session reveals the hidden dynamics that either accelerate or undermine team performance and provides leaders with tools to create sustainable excellence.

    Audiences discover:

    The four dimensions of team alignment that must be addressed sequentially

    Methods for establishing psychological safety while maintaining high accountability

    Diagnostic tools for identifying and addressing team performance barriers

    Strategies for helping teams navigate conflict productively rather than destructively

  • Media & Creative Direction

    Shaun's fifteen years in media spanned the industry's most significant technological revolution. As a film producer and photographer, he collaborated with leading directors and talent while developing methodologies to bridge analog craftsmanship with digital possibilities.

    His work as a celebrity photographer taught him the delicate art of creating trust quickly with high-profile individuals—a skill that translates directly to his executive coaching practice. Meanwhile, his documentary work in challenging environments, particularly in India's red light districts, developed his capacity to connect authentically across cultural and socioeconomic boundaries.

  • The Trust-Innovation Connection

    For innovation conferences, R&D teams, and creative leadership

    True innovation requires psychological safety—the confidence to take risks without fear of negative consequences. This talk illuminates the critical connection between trust, psychological safety, and breakthrough thinking, giving leaders actionable approaches to create environments where disruptive ideas flourish.

    Audiences discover:

    How trust barriers silently undermine innovation initiatives

    Techniques for facilitating "trust-based ideation" that surfaces breakthrough concepts

    Methods for building innovation cultures that balance creative freedom with accountability

ENGAGEMENT FORMATS

Executive Intensives (Half-Day or Full-Day)

Immersive, customized experiences designed for leadership teams focusing on specific organizational challenges. These sessions combine strategic frameworks, facilitated dialogue, and practical application to create immediate traction on key initiatives.

Conference Keynotes (30-60 Minutes)

Dynamic, insight-rich presentations that challenge conventional thinking and provide immediately applicable frameworks. Shaun's keynotes blend research-backed content with compelling storytelling and interactive elements to create memorable learning experiences.

Leadership Workshops (2-3 Hours)

Interactive sessions designed to transform abstract concepts into practical leadership tools. These workshops engage participants in experiential learning that creates both individual insights and collective alignment around key leadership principles.

SPEAKING APPROACH

Shaun's background in visual storytelling, combined with his extensive leadership experience, creates speaking engagements that are visually compelling, intellectually stimulating, and practically applicable.

Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, Shaun collaborates with event organizers to understand the specific challenges, cultural context, and desired outcomes unique to each audience. This tailored approach ensures that participants receive insights directly relevant to their circumstances and actionable within their organizational reality.

Drawing from his work with diverse leaders—from startup founders to Fortune 500 executives, from creative directors to operational leaders—Shaun bridges the gap between aspirational leadership concepts and pragmatic application.