great business speakers

Every leader knows how important culture is. LISA BODELL approaches creating a high-performance culture from a different angle. “If organizations get the work right – they get the culture right,” she says. Leadership, culture, innovation, mental health, profitability – they’re all connected by how we spend our days.

A few years ago, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world conducted their annual employee engagement surveys, eager to gauge the pulse of their workforce. The results revealed something odd: while employees ranked "Being an Innovative Company" as one of the highest aspects, there was a glaring contradiction. They also ranked "Ability to Get Things Done" as one of the lowest. How could a company be considered innovative while simultaneously lacking the ability to execute?

AN EVENT PLANNER’S BIGGEST FEAR What’s your worst speaker nightmare? Mine is that the speaker doesn’t show up for the event. The only two things that can really derail a speaker’s appearance is bad weather/mechanical problems or ill health. You can’t avoid a health issue but travel can be guarded against. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that before we ever even accept an offer, we scope out travel to make sure there are sufficient backups in case of weather or mechanical issues. One more booking is not worth putting an event in jeopardy. In spite of careful planning, the unexpected can happen. That is my segue to talk about our speaker MIKE ABRASHOFF and his travel heroics last week.

In a world over-saturated with content and driven by algorithms, businesses are scrambling for the holy grail of “engagement.” Yet, despite the flashy ad campaigns and aggressive marketing strategies, many find themselves hitting a wall. Why? Because what's often missing is a genuine connection with their audience. Authenticity. In an era where the default mode is to curate, filter, and present polished facades, those who present their genuine selves break through the noise. Authenticity is more than a personal quality; it's the heartbeat of a company's culture, guiding the way to genuine connections and meaningful interactions. So, what’s the secret to weaving authenticity into the fabric of our digital presence? Enter Mariana Atencio. She just joined D’Amelio Network and is an expert on authenticity.

IT NEARLY HAPPENED! The basketball legend was forced to change careers after a seemingly endless string of stress fractures in his foot during the late 70’s and early 80’s. He was told by doctors to stop playing basketball and, if things didn’t turn in the right direction soon, amputation of his foot was the most likely next step. A PIVOT TO LAW Embarking on a new and sedentary life, BILL WALTON entered Stanford Law School, in the fall of 1981. He went full-time for the first year. He played in no sports of any kind. He was just a student for the first time since fourth grade.

Every leader and company agrees that people are the most valuable asset. How companies take care of that asset has evolved, and employees’ expectations have shifted, driving the need to address new workplace challenges. Staying informed about the latest trends and insights is crucial for any professional seeking to drive organizational success. The work landscape continually evolves, and various topics have emerged as critical focal points for every organizational leader. These themes include talent acquisition and retention, career development, inclusion, mental fitness, office culture, and the future of work. Organizations turn to speakers who can provide valuable expertise, inspiration, and actionable strategies to address these important themes and foster a thriving work environment. By leveraging the knowledge and perspectives of these experts highlighted below, leaders can drive positive change, foster innovation, and create workplaces that attract and retain top talent in today’s ever-evolving business landscape.

ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION

It’s about time! That’s what fans of basketball legend BILL WALTON said when they heard the news that ESPN honored him with a 30 for 30 documentary about his incredible life and career. But unlike most subjects covered in the 30 for 30 series, director Steven James, who directed Hoop Dreams, among other films, said that once he got into the project, he realized the story was bigger than he could have imagined. In the end, Bill’s documentary covered four episodes – not just a single hour – because Bill’s life can’t be distilled to 60 minutes without leaving out much of what’s so inspiring about the man.

The Power Code, the new book from KATTY KAY and Claire Shipman, offers a groundbreaking, provocative take on women and their relationship with power. Their conclusion: power today is not working, for women, men, or the world. For years, the narrative about women and power was simply that women needed more experience, more ambition, more something, and then, finally, they’d be ready for power. The problem, more or less, was with women. But looking to answer the maddening question of why women still don’t have anything close to an equal share of the world’s power, despite the fact that multiple studies show all organizations are better off with more women running things, they’ve unearthed some radical things about power itself. It turns out we don’t need to remake women; we need to remake power. Katty Kay explained in a recent conversation.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO BE MEMORABLE? “How do you want to be talked about and what are you doing to make that happen?,” asks KEN SCHMIDT, who knows a thing or two about creating strategies for cutting through the noise and getting noticed from his storied career during the turnaround of Harley-Davidson. Ken reminds people that we are a story-telling species and getting noticed by customers or even in your own organization is about being memorable.