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Keynote SpeakerDavid Burkus

Leadership & Teamwork Expert, Internationally Renowned Keynote Speaker, Bestselling Author

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. A skilled researcher and inspiring communicator, Dr. David Burkus is the bestselling author of five books about business and leadership, including the most recent Best Team Ever: The... Read more

Topics

Popular Talks

Best Team Ever: The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams
Innovation is a Team Sport: The Science of Creative Collaboration
Click: Why Some Teams Collaborate Fast And Others Just Collapse
The Trust Loop: The Hidden Pattern That Builds (or Breaks) Your Team

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Biography

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.

A skilled researcher and inspiring communicator, Dr. David Burkus is the bestselling author of five books about business and leadership, including the most recent Best Team Ever: The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams. 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 by Thinkers50. His insights on leadership and teamwork have been featured in the Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and CBS Mornings.

A former business school professor, David hold a doctorate in Strategic Leadership and a masters in organizational psychology. He 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.

"The team and I appreciated all David did to understand our challenges and tailor his talk to meet the needs of our workforce. David provided us with tips and practices we can easily implement." NASA

“We loved David’s presentation and delivery. He’s a genius. He paid attention to everything and incorporated it into his presentation.” SACRS

“David got rave reviews.” NOSCO

“David was awesome and extremely engaged with our group. We really enjoyed his time spent with us on stage and off the stage.” NRECA

“What I loved about his presentation was its intellectual underpinnings. That depth made his rise above the average motivational speech. And our Academy participants loved it.” Phi Theta Kappa

“David received very high ratings for providing useful and valuable information for attendees. Also his approach was well received and he was very engaging. He clearly had done his homework about the work the participants are involved in, and that allowed folks to make those direct connections to their own work.” The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

“David was fantastic!” American Chemical Society

“Besides being a professional in this domain, David is a great partner to work with. He listens to our needs, working in collaboration, responsive and always looking for a way to bring value. The materials and session that David delivered were engaging, fun and meaningful. He is able to create connection with the learners even in remote sessions, which we all know is a big challenge.” Amdocs

"I couldn’t have asked for a better keynote speaker for our leadership conference." Synovus Bank

"It was such a pleasure to work with David. We got fantastic ratings for your session." National Association of Manufacturers

“Exactly what we needed.” NixonPeabody

“If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be WOW! Everyone was completely engaged and jotting down a lot of notes. A few people that presented later even tied some of the things you talked about in their presentations.” Phinia

“A provocative and valuable session.” COO Pepsico

“David has an incredibly engaging style, and I loved the way he introduced fluidly stories, research and models in a conversational way – it was like watching art!” Senior Learning & Talent Development Manager, Stryker

Popular Talks by David Burkus

Best Team Ever: The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams
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...

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. 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.
Innovation is a Team Sport: The Science of Creative Collaboration
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,...

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. Teams bring a broader perspective and a more diverse set of solutions, but only if they know how to leverage the wisdom of everyone involved. 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.
Click: Why Some Teams Collaborate Fast And Others Just Collapse
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...

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?

Most leaders think the solution is more talent, more resources, or even more meetings. But the real key is mastering the two elements of great collaboration: clarity and empathy. When people understand not just their roles and responsibilities (clarity), but also the personalities and work preferences of their teammates (empathy), their teams operate at a higher level. When they don’t, they’re just one misunderstanding away from collapse.

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.

Ready to unlock effortless collaboration and unstoppable performance?

Let’s make your team “click.”
The Trust Loop: The Hidden Pattern That Builds (or Breaks) Your Team
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.

Trust isn’t given. Trust isn’t earned. Trust is reciprocated.

The highest-performing teams don’t just...

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.

Trust isn’t given. Trust isn’t earned. Trust is reciprocated.

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.

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.

Let’s get The Trust Loop going.