Notes from Patrick

A breath of fresh air.

Brief reflections on living, leading and becoming more fully human.

A collection drawn from Patrick’s work in front of audiences, inside organizations and alongside leaders—exploring what it means to become more human, more aware and more fully yourself.

Notice.Question.Become.
Patrick McWard smiling outdoors
Notes from Patrick

Patrick in action

Watch the room come alive.

Four glimpses of Patrick’s message, storytelling and unmistakable presence in the room.

01

The central question

Who Do You Want to Be?

A brief invitation to become more intentional about the person behind the work.

02

Storytelling in action

The Southwest Story

A memorable story about culture, choice and the human experience of work.

03

Warmth, humor and energy

Stage Highlights

A quick look at Patrick’s personality, humor and connection with an audience.

04

Extended program

UP Talent Forum México

A longer sample of Patrick helping leaders deepen self-awareness and become less of a boss and more of a leader.

Selected writing

Old questions.
Still-alive truths.

These pieces came from different moments, but the thread remains constant: authentic leadership begins with seeing ourselves and others more clearly.

Time Management Doesn’t Work—and the Similarities of Art and Business

A year spent painting, drawing and backpacking through Costa Rica taught Patrick that mastery is not about squeezing more into a day. It is about attention, practice and choosing the work that is truly yours.

Read on LinkedIn →

Authentic Expressions of Leadership

A Starbucks manager who preferred to feel like part of the team opens a larger question: how do people know they are experiencing real leadership?

Visit Patrick on LinkedIn →

What to Say Instead of “Sorry”

Language can shrink us or connect us. A practical look at replacing automatic apologies with clearer, more grounded communication.

Visit Patrick on LinkedIn →

Millennials—and What a New Generation Makes Possible

Long before generational fluency became a workplace imperative, Patrick was asking leaders to meet younger colleagues with curiosity rather than judgment.

Visit Patrick on LinkedIn →
Patrick McWard engaging an audience during a presentation
Patrick McWard speaking, photographed for Crain’s Chicago Business.

From Crain’s Chicago Business

A career built from the inside out.

Before authenticity became a leadership trend, Patrick made it the foundation of his work—and his life.

The profile traces the choices that took him from a fast-track corporate career through a life-changing sabbatical and into a speaking practice grounded in one enduring idea: success has to fit the person living it.

“Take it from a guy who tried to be somebody he wasn’t.”
Read the Story

Bring the ideas into the room

What conversation would help your people see—and lead—differently?