Psychological safety—the shared belief that one won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, or mistakes—is a critical factor in team success.

This keynote explores the role of psychological safety in preventing significant organizational errors, drawing on cautionary tales from high-profile disasters like the Boeing 737 Max and Chernobyl.

Dr. Rafael Chiuzi unpacks the science behind psychological safety, presenting actionable strategies to foster a workplace culture where employees feel empowered to share, innovate, and challenge the status quo without fear.

Leaders will walk away with insights into how to build trust-based environments that encourage honest communication, accelerate problem-solving, and sustain high performance across the organization

As work environments become more dynamic and complex, leaders face the challenge of maintaining team engagement and cohesion, especially with the rise of hybrid and remote models. 

This talk introduces the principle of “Exprocity”—a blend of expectations and reciprocity— highlighting the importance of mutual commitment between teams and their leaders. Rafael distills findings from years of research on team dynamics, focusing on how aligned expectations can drive motivation, accountability, and productivity.

Attendees will gain practical tools for building deeper trust, fostering mutual respect, and creating meaningful connections among team members, regardless of where they’re working.

A successful transformation requires more than just a well-laid plan. Drawing on his experience leading large-scale change initiatives in Fortune 500 companies, Rafael presents a behavioral science approach to change management.

This keynote outlines a clear roadmap for each stage of transformation—from initial buy-in to reinforcement—and reveals strategies for overcoming common obstacles that derail change efforts. Leaders will learn how to use behavioral insights to understand resistance, cultivate support, and sustain momentum, helping teams not only adapt to change but embrace it.

Attendees will leave with a toolkit for implementing change effectively, fostering resilience, and creating an agile, future-ready organization.

Leadership is not just about authority; it’s about earning the trust and respect that allow leaders to guide others effectively. Rafael uses the concept of “leadership as archaeology” to explore how leaders build credibility and influence over time by understanding and responding to the relational “history” within their teams.

This talk invites leaders to think deeply about how their own backgrounds, experiences, and choices impact team dynamics. Drawing on examples from leaders like Satya Nadella and Jacinda Ardern, Rafael demonstrates the importance of curiosity, empathy, and transparency in cultivating an environment where leadership is granted, not assumed. 

Attendees will learn to approach leadership as an ongoing journey, focused on building lasting trust and shared purpose with their teams.

Beyond formal employment agreements, psychological contracts encompass the unspoken expectations and assumptions that shape the employee-employer relationship. These informal “contracts” play a powerful role in influencing employee morale, loyalty, and performance.

In this session, Rafael explores the dynamics of psychological contracts, providing insights on how leaders can anticipate, manage, and honor these unwritten agreements to strengthen engagement and prevent misalignment. By proactively understanding and addressing these expectations, leaders can cultivate a workplace environment characterized by trust, openness, and mutual respect, minimizing friction and enhancing team satisfaction.

Participants will gain tools to foster an organizational culture where psychological contracts are respected, ultimately supporting a more harmonious and productive workplace.