Rebecca McKeown – Speaker
Evidence-based talks for leaders and professionals working in complex, high-stakes, and security-critical environments.
Most organisations invest heavily in technical capability. Far fewer invest in how people think when things start to unravel.
I am invited to speak when leaders want their audience to understand why performance degrades under pressure - and what actually helps people perform better because of it.
My work draws on applied psychology research and experience across defence, cybersecurity, and other high-risk operational environments. My talks unpack how stress, uncertainty, and time pressure distort judgement and strain communication - even in highly capable teams - with a focus on insight people can apply immediately in the real world.
Audiences leave better equipped to regulate pressure, make sound decisions, and lead with clarity when the stakes are real.
Core Themes
My talks explore how pressure shapes performance at three interconnected levels - individual, team, and organisational - particularly in environments where operational risk is high and decisions carry real consequences.
Individual performance
How cognitive load, stress, and fatigue narrow attention, distort judgement, and make it harder for capable professionals to think clearly under pressure.
Team performance
How pressure disrupts coordination, communication, and shared understanding, leading to misalignment and weakened decision-making in fast-moving situations.
Organisational performance
How systems, leadership, and shifting priorities influence decision quality, readiness, and risk in complex, high-tempo environments.
Together, these themes explain why performance breaks down under pressure - and where organisations can intervene.
Where I Speak
I speak at industry summits, executive forums, and professional development events across cybersecurity, defence, and other high-risk operational sectors.
Selected engagements (most recent first):
i-4 Forum, San Diego (2025): Building Resilient Leaders in Cybersecurity Environments – The Critical Need for Agile People Skills in a VUCA World
Mind the Gap Series, London (2024–2025)
Uncovering Decision Bias in Cybersecurity - featured at Securing the Public Sector, Securing the Law Firm, Securing the Education Sector, and Securing CNI events
KPMG i-4 Forum, Prague (2024)
Developing Cognitive Readiness: Building Human Resilience in Cybersecurity Environments
BSides, Leeds (2024)
Decoding Crisis: Unravelling the Human Brain’s Role in Crisis Response
The Future of Cyber Security, Manchester (2023)
Burnout, Cyber Risk, and Resilience
SASIG, Online (2022)
Cyber Thinking Skills
Maritime Cyber Security (2021): Cyber Decision Resilience for the Maritime Space
Whether it’s a conference stage, an executive roundtable, or a live crisis leadership forum, the goal is the same -
to help people think clearly, act decisively, and perform at their best when the pressure is on.