Carolien Van Den Bosch is an international keynote speaker and author revealing how everyday human behavior truly shapes leadership, culture and performance.
5.00 of 5
Top rated!5 of 5
“The best we've had so far – I got that feedback multiple times. And even from people who rarely or never read a book, I heard: ‘I really want to read this book.’ Thank you!”
Frank Kimpe, Managing Director
Volvo Trucks Benelux
Carolien Van Den Bosch explores the human side of leadership, culture and performance the part that quietly determines whether organizations thrive or stall. With a career that began in corporate banking, she understands decision-making, pressure and change from the inside. That experience sparked her fascination with why people sometimes rise above themselves and, at other times, get stuck in patterns that limit progress. Today, Carolien brings behavioral science to life on stage and in the boardroom, helping leaders recognize how everyday behavior shapes culture far more than strategies or values on paper. Her keynotes are energetic, honest and deeply relatable, offering audiences new perspectives on themselves, their teams and the organizations they are part of.
Carolien Van Den Bosch is an international keynote speaker and author who focuses on how people think, decide and behave at work. Her work centers on a simple but often overlooked truth: organizations are shaped by daily human behavior, not by frameworks or slogans. Leaders may define strategy and values, yet culture is formed in meetings, conversations and decisions made under pressure. Carolien helps leaders see those invisible dynamics and understand their own role within them.
Her fascination with human behavior was shaped early in her career. Coming from a background in corporate banking, she experienced firsthand what it means to work in environments where stakes are high, change is constant and leadership is tested daily. These experiences gave her deep insight into organizational life and sparked lasting questions about performance, responsibility and decision-making in complex systems.
After years in the financial sector, Carolien shifted her focus to understanding behavior at work more deeply. She immersed herself in behavioral science and began connecting theory with what actually happens inside organizations. This unique combination of academic insight and business experience defines her work today.
Carolien has delivered keynotes and workshops for more than 200 organizations across industries and countries. Her client list includes global names such as Swissport, Euroclear, AB InBev, Microsoft, Unilever and Volvo. She speaks to senior leaders, leadership teams and large conference audiences, always tailoring her message to the reality her audience faces.
Carolien’s flagship keynote, C-Suite Mindset, focuses on the essential human skills leaders and professionals need in complex organizations. The keynote addresses how leaders can navigate uncertainty, make better decisions under pressure and create lasting impact in environments where clear answers are rare.
Within her sessions, Carolien explores themes such as:
What sets Carolien apart is her ability to translate complex behavioral science into clear, actionable insights. Her keynotes are sharp and energetic, grounded in research yet shaped by lived experience. Audiences recognize themselves in her stories because they reflect real situations: meetings that derail, decisions that feel rushed and cultures that evolve without intention.
Carolien’s storytelling style makes her sessions feel real and approachable. She invites reflection without judgment and action without prescription. Always with a touch of humor, she creates space for honest conversations about leadership and behavior.
Carolien is the author of two internationally published books and is currently writing her third book, expected in November 2026. Her writing expands on the same themes she brings to the stage, offering deeper reflection on leadership, culture and human behavior in organizations.
Whether speaking at a large conference or facilitating an interactive workshop, Carolien’s work stays with people. Her insights resonate because they focus on what actually happens at work the decisions people make, the habits they repeat and the behaviors they often overlook.
Book Carolien Van Den Bosch for your event if you want a keynote that feels grounded, relevant and impactful. Her sessions help leaders and professionals better understand themselves, the dynamics around them and the cultures they help create every day. Carolien leaves audiences with clarity, perspective and practical insight they can apply immediately long after the applause has faded.
5 of 5
“The best we've had so far – I got that feedback multiple times. And even from people who rarely or never read a book, I heard: ‘I really want to read this book.’ Thank you!”
Frank Kimpe, Managing Director Volvo Trucks Benelux
5 of 5
“The feedback on your sessions was overwhelmingly positive. It was the first time we'd organized this new format, so I'm very happy to see that so many colleagues enjoyed it.”
Joke Bernaerts, Business Excellence Engie
5 of 5
“Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us yesterday. I personally enjoyed the session immensely and have received a lot of positive feedback from others. I look forward to reading your book and hope we get the chance to do this again sometime.”
Christoph Seitz, Director Operations Microsoft
5 of 5
“I've received nothing but positive feedback, which is great news! Thank you so much for the wonderful presentation, Carolien!”
Marie-Astrid Wille, HR Business Partner Unilever
5 of 5
“Carolien is an exceptional speaker! She effortlessly connects scientific insights with relatable, everyday situations and keeps her audience captivated from beginning to end. My colleagues were incredibly enthusiastic!”
Kathleen Michiels, HR Manager Stihl Benelux
5 of 5
“Thank you for your incredibly inspiring workshop at MAF Day! As you probably noticed from the audience's reactions, there was a lot of enthusiasm. We really enjoyed working with you and seeing how impactful your presentation was.”
Emilie Carpentier, Patient Value Manager Johnson & Johnson
5 of 5
“The well-being of our employees is our top priority. Every year, we organize various activities to support their mental and physical health. Adding international speakers like Carolien, who was with us this year, brings incredible value. Her impact is truly remarkable!”
Epp Sillaste, Head of People KPMG Baltics
5 of 5
“The workshop was highly inspiring for the entire team. They are experienced leaders, yet they still gained a great deal from it. In the weeks that followed, I noticed that various points from the session were regularly brought up by different team members. Almost all participants spontaneously asked to receive the book as well, which confirms that the session was very well received. The brainstorming workshop was also very original and provided many insights that we are now building on. In short, a highly recommended working session combined with a brainstorm that results in team bonding, team development, and concrete, actionable outcomes. Thank you very much!”
Benjamin Van Landuyt, Sr Director Final Assembly Volvo Car Gent
5 of 5
“Thank you so much for your keynote this morning. It was a great success! During this afternoon's closing session, the feedback was unanimous: ‘Impressive, the highlight of our two day session in Madrid.’”
Dirk Goovaerts, CEO Swissport CEMEAI
Keynote by Carolien Van Den Bosch:
C-Suite Mindset equips leaders and professionals with the human skills needed to lead, decide and collaborate in times of constant change. A powerful, science-based keynote on behavior, leadership and culture — practical, interactive, and immediately applicable.
In a world defined by constant transformation, complexity and uncertainty, technical expertise alone is just not enough. Leaders and professionals who want to create real impact need a different mindset — one that strengthens human judgment, decision-making and behavior under pressure.
In this flagship keynote, Carolien Van Den Bosch introduces the seven essential C-skills for today’s and tomorrow’s leaders: curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, commitment, courage, care and continuous learning. These skills form the foundation for strong leadership, resilient teams and cultures that actually perform.
Combining behavioral science, real business experience and powerful storytelling, C-Suite Mindset offers a clear and practical framework to navigate change, challenge assumptions and make better decisions in complex environments. Participants gain insight into how their brain works under pressure, how behavior shapes culture, and how small choices create large organizational impact.
This keynote is interactive, energetic and relatable — equipping audiences with concrete perspectives they can immediately apply in their leadership, collaboration and daily work.
Available as a keynote or as an extended 3-hour interactive workshop.
Keynote by Carolien Van Den Bosch:
Innovative Thinking explores how people and organizations keep generating new ideas when complexity, pressure and constant change become the norm. Because innovation does not start with tools or processes — it starts with how people think, look and interact.
In transformation-heavy environments, thinking often narrows instead of opens up. Time pressure, fear of getting it wrong and familiar routines reduce perspective and limit possibilities. This keynote shows how individuals and teams can deliberately widen their thinking again — in themselves and in the people around them.
Drawing on behavioral science and real business experience, Innovative Thinking explains how exploratory thinking fuels better questions, stronger dialogue and more original solutions.
Participants discover why “thinking differently” rarely happens spontaneously, how mental habits shape innovation, and how small shifts in behavior can unlock new ideas.
Through sharp insights, interaction and relatable stories, this keynote helps audiences step outside habitual patterns. Participants leave with practical ways to create space for exploration, invite diverse perspectives and translate ideas into action — even in environments where certainty is scarce.
Innovative Thinking is an energetic and inspiring keynote that empowers people to think more openly, collaborate differently and move innovation forward in times of transformation.
Keynote by Carolien Van Den Bosch:
Humans at Work explores what truly drives performance, collaboration and culture inside organizations: everyday human behavior. Not what people intend to do, but what actually happens under pressure, in meetings, decisions and daily interactions.
Culture is shaped by behavior — by what gets rewarded, tolerated or ignored. In this keynote, Carolien Van Den Bosch uncovers the invisible forces that influence how people act at work, and how those patterns quietly determine whether strategy succeeds or fails.
Drawing on behavioral science and neuroscience, Humans at Work explains how our brains constantly predict, fill in gaps and create assumptions — often without us realizing it. These assumptions shape communication, trust, collaboration and decision-making, especially when information is incomplete or stakes are high.
Through sharp insights, recognizable examples and powerful storytelling, this keynote helps participants see their own behavior — and its impact on others — more clearly. Leaders and teams learn how small shifts in behavior can change dynamics, strengthen trust and create cultures that actually support performance.
Humans at Work is an energetic, interactive keynote that leaves audiences with clarity, recognition and concrete perspectives they can immediately apply in their daily work.
