Columbia University professor and bestselling author helping leaders build stronger teams, trust, and performance in uncertain times.
5.00 of 5
Top rated!5 of 5
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.
Martha Avery
Phinia
David Burkus is one of the world's most respected business thinkers, helping organizations rethink leadership, teamwork, and collaboration for a rapidly changing world. As an organizational psychologist, professor at Columbia University, and bestselling author, he combines cutting-edge research with practical strategies leaders can put into action right away. His engaging keynote presentations equip audiences to build stronger teams, foster trust, navigate uncertainty, and create cultures where people perform at their best.
David Burkus is an organizational psychologist, professor at Columbia University, bestselling author, and internationally recognized keynote speaker on leadership, teamwork, and organizational performance. His evidence-based approach has made him one of the most influential voices in modern business, helping leaders understand how organizations can thrive in environments defined by constant change and uncertainty.
Through engaging stories, original research, and practical frameworks, David equips leaders with ideas they can immediately apply within their teams and organizations. His presentations are designed to inspire action while providing concrete tools that improve communication, collaboration, trust, and long-term performance.
His work resonates with leaders across industries because it combines academic rigor with real-world experience, making complex organizational challenges understandable and actionable.
The challenges facing leaders continue to evolve. While organizations have spent years preparing for change, today's leaders increasingly face a different question: how do you lead when the future itself feels uncertain?
David's keynote presentations address this reality head-on. He helps leaders develop the confidence to make decisions without perfect information while creating clarity for their teams during periods of ambiguity.
Audiences learn how to:
These practical insights help organizations remain adaptable without losing momentum or engagement.
Teamwork has always been one of David Burkus' most requested topics—and for good reason. His research explores what truly separates exceptional teams from average ones, moving beyond conventional advice to reveal the habits, behaviors, and leadership practices that consistently drive performance.
Rather than focusing solely on individual talent, David demonstrates how organizations can create environments where collaboration becomes a competitive advantage. Leaders gain practical methods for improving communication, increasing engagement, encouraging knowledge sharing, and helping teams perform at a higher level.
Whether teams work in person, remotely, or in hybrid environments, David provides actionable strategies that strengthen collaboration and improve results across the organization.
Strong organizations are built on trust. As leaders navigate increasing complexity, they also need teams that communicate openly, challenge ideas constructively, and remain committed to shared goals.
David helps organizations understand how trust develops, why psychological safety matters, and how accountability and honesty can coexist. His sessions provide leaders with practical approaches for creating cultures where people speak up, collaborate effectively, and take ownership of their work.
These ideas help organizations improve decision-making, strengthen relationships across departments, and create healthier, higher-performing workplace cultures.
Artificial intelligence is changing how organizations operate, but successful implementation depends on people just as much as technology.
David explores how leaders can embrace AI while strengthening collaboration rather than replacing it. His presentations examine how technology and human teamwork complement one another, helping organizations develop cultures where innovation, learning, and adaptability flourish together.
By focusing on leadership, communication, and collaboration alongside technological change, David helps organizations prepare for a future where human capabilities remain central to business success.
David Burkus is the bestselling author of five books on business and leadership. His books have received multiple awards and have been translated into dozens of languages, reaching readers around the world.
Since 2017, he has repeatedly been recognized among the world's top business thought leaders. His insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and CBS Mornings, further establishing him as a trusted authority on leadership and teamwork.
Organizations including PepsiCo, Fidelity, Adobe, and NASA have invited David to help their leaders navigate change, strengthen collaboration, and improve organizational performance.
When you book David Burkus for your event, your audience receives far more than an inspiring keynote. They gain evidence-based insights, practical leadership tools, and actionable strategies that help leaders build trust, strengthen teams, communicate with clarity, and lead confidently through uncertainty.
5 of 5
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.
Martha Avery Phinia
5 of 5
It was such a pleasure to work with David. We got fantastic ratings for your session.
Shonzia Thompson National Association of Manufacturers
5 of 5
I couldn’t have asked for a better keynote speaker for our leadership conference.
Sharon Goodwine Synovus Bank
5 of 5
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.
Monika Byrd Phi Theta Kappa
5 of 5
David was awesome and extremely engaged with our group. We really enjoyed his time spent with us on stage and off the stage.
Joshua McGhee NRECA
5 of 5
We loved David’s presentation and delivery. He’s a genius. He paid attention to everything and incorporated it into his presentation.
Sulema Peterson SACRS
5 of 5
Besides being a professional in this domain, David is a great partner to work with. He<br>listens to our needs, working in collaboration, responsive and always looking for a way<br>to bring value. The materials and session that David delivered were engaging, fun and<br>meaningful. He is able to create connection with the learners even in remote sessions,<br>which we all know is a big challenge.
Lior Kuperman Amdocs
5 of 5
The team and I appreciated all David did to understand our challenges and tailor his<br>talk to meet the needs of our workforce. David provided us with tips and practices we<br>can easily implement.
Jane Datta NASA
Keynote by speaker Dr. David Burkus:
Keynote by speaker Dr. David Burkus:
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 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 clearand 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.
Keynote by David Burkus:
AI isn’t coming—it’s already here. And for most leaders, that’s as exciting as it is overwhelming. The landscape is changing rapidly, and just keeping pace with the tools can feel like a full-time job. But beyond the hype and headlines, one question matters most: How will AI and teamwork evolve together in the new world of work?
Because even as the technology evolves, the fundamentals of high-performing teams haven’t changed. People still need clarity, connection, and trust. What’s changed is the context—and the opportunity.
Too many organizations treat AI like a software rollout—another platform, another dashboard, another wave of training. But that narrow approach misses the real opportunity. The best teams aren’t just using AI—they’re working with it as a teammate. They’re rethinking how they work, re-establishing collaboration, and adapting how they lead. AI won’t replace your team—but teams that don’t learn how to partner with AI will be outmaneuvered by those that do. In this fast-paced and insightful keynote, bestselling author and renowned teamwork expert Dr. David Burkus reveals how the most effective teams are adapting in response to AI—not by abandoning what makes them great, but by refining it.
You’ll explore how AI can free your people to focus on innovation, strategy, and collaboration. You’ll see how new tools are reshaping team communication—clarifying messages, reducing misunderstandings, and enhancing transparency. You’ll discover how to cultivate trust in both the tools and the teams using them. And you’ll gain insight into what adaptive leadership looks like in an AI-enabled workplace—how to lead through uncertainty, foster resilience, and support continuous learning.
The future of work isn’t about choosing between people or machines—it’s about leveraging both to empower high-performing teams.
Are you ready to make your best team even smarter?
Watch Dr. David Burkus in action
Watch Dr. David Burkus in action
