Hi, I’m Suzanne C. Johnson!
In times of uncertainty and pressure, performance depends less on external conditions and more on internal steadiness. I speak about how self-assurance helps leaders, professionals, and students stay in the challenge zone so they can think clearly, act decisively, and perform at their best when it matters most. My work draws on performance psychology, positive psychology, and research on threat vs. challenge responses, as well as the psychology of shyness and performance anxiety.
These insights help people keep more of their cognitive power under pressure — whether they are making important leadership decisions, presenting ideas, competing, interviewing, or taking high-stakes exams. After 16 years in senior leadership at a Fortune 500 company, I now share these insights through keynotes, workshops, and coaching.
I help organizations, professionals, and students build the self-assurance needed to navigate uncertainty, perform under pressure, and turn challenges into opportunities for growth. Keynotes and workshops on self-assurance, performance under pressure, and thriving in times of uncertainty.
Overcoming Shyness
Even after 30 years in the flavor industry, I was the person in the back of the room hoping nobody would call on me. I had a Ph.D. and a VP title but that still wasn't enough.
When I was asked to serve as President of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association, I knew something had to change. When I figured it out using positive psychology I knew I had to go back to school to understand the science behind my own transformation, and more importantly, to begin to share what I had learned.
I did exactly that, earning a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2025.
My research focused on shyness and character strengths, and revealed that shy individuals systematically underuse their own strengths. With the right focus, self-assurance can be cultivated to create its own self-fulfilling prophecy allowing us to excel in the moments that matter.
In March 2026 I walked away from a thirty-year career to do this work full time because I believe self-assurance is the foundational human capability that determines everything else, and that the science to build it exists and is not reaching the people who need it most.
I speak to leaders, professionals, and students. The science is the same for all of them. So is the conviction.