<p>One of the world’s leading business thinkers, David’s forward-thinking ideas and bestselling books are changing how companies approach leadership, teamwork, and collaboration.</p><p>A skilled researcher and inspiring communicator, Dr. David Burkus is the bestselling author of five books about business and leadership. His books have won multiple awards and have been translated into dozens of languages. Since 2017, David has been ranked multiple times as one of the world’s top business thought leaders. His insights on leadership and teamwork have been featured in the <em>Harvard Business Review</em>, <em>The NewYork Times</em>, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and CBS Mornings.<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p>A former business school professor, David now works with leaders from organizations across all industries, including PepsiCo, Fidelity, Adobe, and NASA. David’s keynotes aren’t just entertaining and enlightening, they’re evidence-based and immensely practical–offering leaders at all levels a set of actionable takeaways they can implement immediately. </p>
Organizational Psychologist and Former Business Professor
<ul><li><strong>Best Team Ever: The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams</strong></li><li>Every leader wants to build a high-performing team, and nearly everyone wants to be on one. But most teams fail to perform at their optimal level. We try to recruit star players, improve compensation, give copious feedback, obsess over engagement surveys, and in the end, we still don’t have the results we want and often feel we're out of options. But the secret to unlocking performance isn't recruiting new teammates or designing the perfect incentive. The most effective teams became that way by building the habits and culture of the team that allows for optimal performance. </li><li>Talent doesn't make the team; the team makes the talent. That’s what building the best team ever is all about. When you focus on improving the culture of the teams you lead–or the teams you're on–you create an environment that improves the performance of everyone on it. In this entertaining and enlightening keynote, Dr. David Burkus reveals the secrets of the highest-performing teams in the world and how you can get started tomorrow applying those secrets. Leaders will leave with a clear and concise understanding of how the culture of their team affects its performance, and a simple and practical blueprint for how to build the best team ever.</li><li><strong>Click: Why Some Teams Collaborate Fast and Others Just Collapse</strong></li><li>Every leader dreams of a team that just "clicks," one that collaborates effortlessly, tackles challenges head-on, and delivers results time and time again. But not every team reaches this pinnacle of performance. Some teams struggle from the beginning, others start strong and fall apart. And many just coast along. In each case, engagement breaks down and performance suffers. Why is it that some teams break records while others just break down?</li><li>In this evidence-based, high-energy keynote, Dr. David Burkus will reveal the surprising science behind why some teams succeed while others spiral into dysfunction. You'll learn how to establish instant clarity, alignment, and accountability, even in the newest or most complex teams. And you’ll leave with research-backed insights, practical tools, and actionable strategies to elevate your team’s performance immediately.</li><li><strong>The Trust Loop: The Hidden Pattern That Builds (or Breaks) Your Team</strong></li><li>Every leader wants a team they can trust. Every teammate wants to know their trust is earned. But here’s the reality: Trust isn’t built in a moment; it's grown over time with each and every interaction.</li><li>Trust isn't given. Trust isn't earned. Trust is reciprocated.</li><li>The highest-performing teams don’t just hope for trust—they build it, reinforce it, and protect it through a powerful feedback cycle–The Trust Loop. Every time trust is extended, it needs to be met with respect to keep the cycle going.</li><li>In this dynamic and research-backed keynote, Dr. David Burkus reveals a proven framework for reinforcing trust in every interaction. You'll learn why trust erodes faster than you think—and how to prevent it from slipping away, but also how great teams recover from failures and setbacks without losing trust. And you'll leave with a practical blueprint to strengthen trust and drive results.</li><li>In this evidence-based, yet highly engaging keynote, Dr. David Burkus reveals how psychological safety is the key to leveraging all the diverse minds on our team, coming up with the best ideas, and finding the best solutions. You’ll learn how to increase trust on the teams you serve, but also how to model the respectful, collaborative behavior that keeps that trust level high—even in times of setbacks, failures, and conflict.</li><li><strong>Innovation is a Team Sport: The Science of Creative Collaboration</strong></li><li>As the challenges organizations face seem to compound, we need innovative ideas more than ever. But many teams struggle to find and implement their brightest ideas. Much of this struggle comes from a common misconception: you can’t create an innovative company teaching individuals to be more creative. Instead, research reveals that “lone creators” are historically rare and for most innovations, creativity is a team sport.</li><li>By combining insights from social science research and practical takeaways from the most innovative companies and teams, Dr. David Burkus outlines a prescription for any team or organization to work more creatively together, without silos, politics, or frustration. You'll learn how to leverage the expertise of the whole team, how to harness conflict to strengthen ideas, and how to find and implement the best solutions to the challenges your teams face. </li></ul>