A change management keynote about keeping going when everything changes
Change programmes rarely fail on the slide deck. They fail in the middle, when the early energy has gone, the results have not arrived yet and people start quietly going back to the old way. Paris Norriss, keynote speaker on grit and mindset and CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, has built a version of The Grit Code for exactly that moment. It has been delivered for Nokia and for the Kraft Heinz MEA leadership team, and it connects personal resilience to the way organisations change.
The parallel Paris did not expect
After his session with Nokia in Dubai in October 2025, Paris wrote: "What a great session with Nokia, and such strong parallels between what I talk about with Grit, and change management." He had been invited by Rima Manna, Vice President NI Middle East and UAE Country Director at Nokia, and drilled into one principle of The Grit Code: planning meticulously, but adapting when facing unfamiliar environments. On an expedition the plan is essential, yet conditions change by the hour. In a large organisation going through change, the same tension plays out every week.
"I've had the privilege of witnessing Paris Norriss in action as a storyteller, motivator and a true catalyst for transformation."
Four lessons for teams in transition
- Commit to the plan, not the forecast. The Brothers N Oars crew left Monterey, California, on 12 June 2023 with a plan for 55 days of food. Storms, a flooded rear cabin and a near-collision with a cargo ship meant the plan was rewritten almost daily. They kept the destination fixed and let the route move.
- Name the hard middle. Every long effort has a stretch where progress is invisible. On the Pacific it was weeks of two-hour shifts with no land in sight. Paris shows teams how to recognise that stage and plan for it, rather than treat it as failure.
- Make small wins visible. In the World Marathon Challenge, seven marathons on seven continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, the only way to finish was one marathon, one flight and one meal at a time.
- Keep the "why" in front of people. Change fatigue sets in when people forget why they started. The row raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation, and that purpose carried the crew through days when nothing else did.
Leading through change at Kraft Heinz
At the Kraft Heinz MEA Leadership Convention in November 2025, which ran under the banner "Let's Lead Now", Paris spoke to a room of leaders facing a period of significant organisational change. The keynote gave them a shared language for resilience that they could take back to their own teams.
Who it is for
- Leadership teams launching a restructuring, merger or new strategy
- HR and transformation leads who need a keynote that supports a change programme
- Organisations adopting new technology and asking people to work differently
- Regional and global conventions where teams are being asked to do more with less
Formats
- Keynote (45–60 minutes) to open or close a change programme, convention or offsite.
- Grit Deconstruction workshop (90 minutes to half a day), where teams map where they are likely to break during the change and build a plan to keep going.
- Virtual keynote (30–45 minutes) for distributed teams.
Built around your programme
Paris starts with a briefing call to understand what is changing, what people are worried about and what you need them to do differently. The stories stay the same; the lessons are framed around your programme, your language and your goals.
Kraft Heinz HR, Nokia and Dulsco
Change-management audiences have included Kraft Heinz Middle East’s HR department, Nokia Middle East, Dubai Airports and Dulsco. The talk connects personal grit to how teams plan, adapt and keep going when a transformation is unfinished.
FAQ
Has Paris delivered a change management keynote before?
Yes. He delivered a grit and change management session for Nokia in Dubai in October 2025, and spoke to leaders facing organisational change at the Kraft Heinz MEA Leadership Convention in November 2025.
How does adventure relate to change management?
Expeditions depend on a meticulous plan that changes by the hour. The keynote uses that tension to show teams how to stay committed to a goal while adapting the route.
When in a change programme should we book it?
It works at the launch, to set expectations, or in the middle, when energy dips. Many organisers pair it with the Grit Deconstruction workshop.
Can it be tailored to our programme?
Yes. A briefing call before the event shapes the examples and takeaways around your change programme.
Is a virtual version available?
Yes. A 30–45 minute virtual keynote is available, delivered live in your time zone.
Who has booked Paris for change management?
Kraft Heinz Middle East’s HR department, Nokia Middle East, Dubai Airports and Dulsco, among other leadership rooms.
Bring grit to your next event
Tell us the date, the city, the audience and what you want them to walk out with. You will get a straight answer on availability and fit. Prefer to talk first? Book a call.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · Contact
See also: Nokia recap · Kraft Heinz recap · leadership keynote · The Grit Code · mindset keynote · Check availability