Stephen Drum

Stephen Drum is a combat-tested retired Navy SEAL Master Chief with 27 years of experience leading and developing high-performance teams. As an in-demand speaker and consultant, he helps individuals and organizations such as CDW, Horizon Pharma, and 9 Energy develop leadership and performance strategies, so they can plan, prepare, and execute at the highest levels when it matters most.

Travels from:

Chicago, USA

Speaker Fee:

Fee info*The fee ranges indicated on this page are provided as a guide. Please keep in mind that if a speaker's price is indicated as a range, such as $20,000 - $30,000, it means that their charge is usually within that range. The fees charged for speakers are subject to revision. Fees may fluctuate according to a variety of circumstances, including the speaker's availability, scarcity, the length of the speech, customisation and the location of the event. Please reach out to us with the specifics of your event and requirements, and we will gladly supply you with a quotation.

$10000 - $20000

Keynote Speaker Videos

About Keynote Speaker

Stephen Drum helps individuals and organizations develop leadership and performance strategies, so they can plan, prepare, and execute at the highest levels when it matters most. He teaches teams and organizations to thrive in their high-stakes moments and situations so they will face challenge and adversity with courage and resilience. Your workforce will learn concrete methods and take-aways that will allow for: Increased employee engagement, Stronger collaboration, High-performance under pressure, Agility, Stress management, Increased EQ, Proven preparation and rehearsal methods for important events, Proven team and individual lessons learned framework, Adaptability & Change management

Known as the “perform under pressure guy,” Stephen is a combat-tested retired Navy SEAL Master Chief with 27 years of experience leading and developing high-performance teams.

During his Navy career, Stephen has personally trained thousands of elite military soldiers and Navy SEAL candidates, helping them succeed in severe training courses and overseas combat operations.

He recently co-developed and taught “Warrior Toughness” training for The U.S. Navy. This vital program, used today throughout the Navy, fundamentally changed the culture of the Navy in how it trains and prepares young sailors and officers for the acute stress of intense combat operations.

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Keynote Speaker Topics

Perform on the X – Using the Warrior Mindset to Meet All of Life’s Challenges
Ideal Audience: Sales, Leadership, Pharma, Financial, Doctors, Law Enforcement, First Responders & anyone that must perform under pressure or face mental challenges.

In the SEAL Teams, the X refers to the most critical and dangerous point of the operation; fast roping from a helicopter onto the rooftop of an enemy building, a coordinated attack on an enemy compound, or operating deep behind enemy lines. This is the point of NO RETURN where a SEAL must be at their best.

No matter where and no matter the circumstance, it’s critical that SEALS perform at their best “on the X” in each of these moments.

While in the boardroom instead of the battlefield, it may not be life or death, but there are still critical moments where the pressure is on, and we absolutely need to bring our A-game.

When the stakes are this high, we must be focused, resilient, and well prepared.

As the Co-Creator of The U.S. Navy Warrior Toughness program, Stephen teaches how the same techniques used by the Navy & SEAL operators can be applied to leading & developing high-performance teams in businesses as well to individuals in their personal and professional lives.

In this presentation, Stephen shares the performance psychology techniques and training methods used by the SEAL Teams and shows how it can easily be applied to any high-pressure business situation or personal event.

After you learn to Perform on the X, you and your teams will not only learn to face challenge and adversity with courage and resilience, but you’ll also learn concrete methods that will allow for: Increased Employee Engagement, Stronger Collaboration, High-Performance Under Pressure, Agility, Stress Management, Increased EQ, Proven Preparation and Rehearsal Methods for Important Events, Proven Team and Individual Lessons Learned Framework, Adaptability & Change Management.

Additional Takeaways:

Learn how to develop to true resilience in the face of adversity and set-back

Face the most pressing life and business challenges head on

Execute with agility and flexibility when everything is on the line

Develop a deliberate process to study lessons learned in preparation for what’s next

Implement effective strategies for leading teams through dynamic change

Stories From the Battlefield – Powerful and Engaging Stories told with Humor and Relatability
As a retired Navy SEAL senior leader with 27-years of service, Stephen Drum has had the honor of training, leading, and serving with some of the highest performing teams on the planet. In this program the audience will receive concrete takeaways while the emphasis is on entertaining through powerful storytelling and audience engagement.
Stephen will lead the audience through a roller coaster ride that captures the intensity of SEAL training and combat deployments, the emotions of service and commitment, all while delivered with humor and relatability. During the session, Steve really enjoys providing the fun that comes from audience interaction and engagement with Q&A sessions.

Perform on the X Workshop – Customized Deep Dive Workshop (75 minutes – 4 hours)
Session outcomes:
Learn the framework process for preparing and executing in high-stakes or challenging situations which include: Commit, Prepare, Execute and Reflect
Learn critical stress management techniques for successfully responding to stressors in professional AND personal settings
Discuss goal planning and execution strategies for prioritizing and performing in a fluid and stressful environment.
Learn and perform mindfulness and performance psychology skills for increased resilience and focus during stressful periods and situations.
Sample Workshop Format:
Opening story and Commit content
– Purpose and personal philosophy
– Objectives and goals
– Obstacle forecasting
– What are some potential obstacles to our success? Daily and long-term

Story and Prepare content
– Performance Psychology skills
– Skill development practical
– Recalibrate-breathing exercise/Breathing habit training

Story and Execute content
– Situational Awareness
– Variable Focus
– Agility/Flexibility
– Scenario Discussion on above content

Story and Reflect content
– Your process for: Assess, Analyze, Reflect
– Giving and receiving feedback
– Body Scan or Progressive muscle relaxation exercise

"Your talk was much needed and truly motivating. Thank you again for sharing your story and your insights on how to stay motivated & productive. Your content was easy to follow, and the prompts in the chat helped people actively reflect."

Global Sales Training Specialist, Spotify