Keynote Speaker | Leadership Coach
Closing the Trust Gap
Andy Rolston
A speaker who has coached rugby in three countries, rebuilt trust from scratch, and spent 15 years helping leaders stop chasing every ball and start leading with purpose.
“Leadership is not about being in the middle of the swarm. It is about stepping outside it, so your team can find their space, trust the plan, and play their part.”
— Closing The Trust Gap
Signature keynote
The talk that changes how teams perform
Closing The Trust Gap
Clarity, Consistency & Connection
- Why your team is busy but not moving forward
- The three things that open the trust gap
- Surviving vs performing
- Three actions before they leave the room
Swarm – Surviving
Silence · Waiting · Assumptions · Reluctance · Momentum lost
Swarm – Performing
Speak up · Willing · Aligned · Responsible · Momentum builds
Best suited for
Leadership conferences · Management team days · HR and L&D events · Corporate retreats · Association keynotes
Format and length
45 min keynote · 90 min workshop version · Half-day deep dive available
Available in
New Zealand · Australia · United Kingdom · Canada · Asia-Pacific · Online and hybrid
About Andy
A coach who has been in the swarm himself
Andy Rolston has spent over 15 years at the intersection of sport and leadership – coaching rugby in New Zealand, England, and Toronto, and working with executives, managers, and teams across multiple industries.
“In 2002 I arrived in Toronto with my family, 10 suitcases, and a one-way ticket. The job, the car, and the housing the club promised? None of it was there. That was my moment – when leadership stopped being theory.”
That experience – rebuilding trust from nothing, leading a family through uncertainty, eventually coaching a semi-professional rugby team – is the foundation of everything Andy teaches. It is not textbook. It is earned.
Maxwell Leadership Certified
Certified coach, trainer, and speaker through the John C. Maxwell organisation — one of the world’s leading leadership development programmes.
Rugby coach NZ, England & Canada
Coached across three countries at youth, community, and semi-professional levels. The team dynamics are different. The leadership principles are the same
15+ years in leadership development
Working with executives, emerging managers, and teams across SMEs and enterprise organisations globally.
Also available
More topics Andy speaks on
The Athlete’s Mindset
What sport teaches us about performance, resilience, and being in the zone – and how to bring that into the workplace.
The Expert Trap
Why the best leaders stop chasing every ball – and how to make the shift from doer to leader before it is too late.
Leading Through Uncertainty
What a one-way ticket to Toronto taught Andy about leading when you do not have all the answers – and what your team needs from you in those moments.
Book Andy
Ready to bring this to your event?
Whether you are planning a conference, a leadership day, or a team event – Andy tailors every talk to your audience and leaves people with tools they use straight away.