Prepare better conversations.
Use AI to develop coaching questions, consider another perspective, and challenge an assumption before a difficult conversation. Verify the context with the person.
Frontline AI Leadership · Keynotes by Jon Harmeling
AI keynote speaker for frontline leaders.
Jon Harmeling helps leaders use AI to understand their people better, prepare thoughtful conversations, and follow through on employee development. He brings the perspective of an operator who leads a frontline team.
For hospitality, retail, restaurant, and franchise audiences.
Chick-fil-A Operator · Army veteran · Former West Point systems engineering instructor
What your audience takes away
Three ways to invest in your people the next day.
The framework is Machines do. Managers decide. Leaders develop. Your audience applies it to the conversations and commitments that shape another person's experience of leadership.
Make recognition personal.
Look for specific contributions that deserve attention. Check what happened and decide how to acknowledge it in a way that matters to that person.
Follow through on growth.
Turn a shared goal into a next conversation and an agreed commitment. Build a 30-day plan to support one person and revisit the progress together.
Leadership in practice
Remember what matters to your people. Follow through.
Jon uses AI to keep individual goals in view and notice people who may be overlooked. His leadership approach turns that context into preparation for coaching, recognition, and development conversations. The leader listens, checks assumptions, and takes responsibility for the next step.
Explore the goals and coaching practiceEmployee goals, progress, and accomplishments are tracked in Jon's internal goals database.
What leaders can apply
Prepare to understand.
Start with what a person has shared. Use AI to suggest questions and surface assumptions worth checking.
Recognize with evidence.
Look for a specific contribution. Verify the context and deliver the recognition personally.
Follow through.
Keep an agreed development goal and your own next commitment in view. Return to the conversation.
Built around your audience
Connect the keynote to the work your leaders do.
Jon's firsthand operating experience comes from running a restaurant. During the preparation call, you select applications relevant to your audience's industry, AI experience, and leadership priorities. The examples below describe potential session applications.
AI keynote for hospitality leaders
Hotel, restaurant, and guest-service leaders develop people through everyday interactions. The keynote helps them use AI to prepare for those moments and keep individual aspirations in view across busy shifts.
- Use verified guest feedback to prepare questions for a coaching conversation.
- Notice a quiet contribution to the team and recognize it personally.
- Revisit a team member's development goal and agree on the support they need.
Leave with a conversation to prepare, a contribution to recognize, and a commitment to follow through on.
AI keynote for retail leaders
Store managers and district leaders need to know the people behind each location's results. The keynote connects AI to associate coaching, thoughtful feedback, and the development of future store leaders.
- Prepare a coaching conversation using a goal the associate has shared.
- Challenge an assumption before giving difficult feedback.
- Plan a development opportunity and a follow-up conversation with an aspiring leader.
Leave with questions for one associate and a concrete next step in that person's development.
AI keynote for franchise and multiunit leaders
Franchise and multiunit leaders develop the operators and managers who set the tone in each location. Jon draws on firsthand restaurant experience to connect AI preparation with personal attention and local judgment.
- Prepare a coaching conversation around an operator's stated development goal.
- Identify whose contributions may be missing from the usual recognition.
- Make an area leader's support commitment and next check-in explicit.
Leave with a practical coaching and follow-through plan for a leader in one of your locations.
Why Jon
Shaped by the work of running a frontline business.
Jon Harmeling is a current Chick-fil-A Operator in Miami Shores, Florida, an Army veteran, a West Point graduate, and a former West Point systems engineering instructor. He applies AI in his own business and brings the decisions, lessons, and limits of that experience to the stage.
Use AI to prepare. Bring your own judgment, attention, and care.
Featured conversation · iWork4Him
iWork4Him Ep. 2163 (Sep 9, 2026): Jon on AI and frontline leadership
Episode 2163 ·
In this faith-and-work conversation, Jon discusses caring for employees as individuals and using AI to notice who needs encouragement and support personal goals. He explains why the conversations and follow-through still depend on the leader.
Listen on iWork4HimPlan your session
- Format: Up to 60 minutes total, including Q&A as agreed, with a 90-minute leadership team session or half-day workshop available for deeper application.
- Preparation: Discuss the audience, desired outcomes, and experience with AI.
- Fees: $15,000 plus travel in person; $7,500 virtual. View formats and fees.
- Next step: Share your event date and audience to discuss fit, availability, and a proposal.
Is this the right AI keynote for your event?
The session is designed for leaders responsible for frontline teams, including audiences with little experience using AI. It focuses on coaching, recognition, difficult conversations, and practical employee development, with human judgment at the center.
Start the conversation
Tell me what you have in mind.
Ask about a keynote, books for your team, or another opportunity. Share what you know and I'll respond within one business day. Only your name and email are required.
Email: jon@jonharmeling.com
Phone / SMS: (954) 298-6045
Based in: Miami, FL
LinkedIn: /in/jonharmeling