Lisa Bodell

Lisa Bodell helps organizations simplify what’s broken, cut through complexity, and unlock performance, innovation, and engagement.

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“Lisa Bodell was the absolute perfect closing keynote for my company’s annual conference which was being hosted virtually for the first time in its 30+ year history. She is a natural on-camera, which is super challenging to pull off in a virtual environment. Lisa did a great job delivering an interactive program that kept the audience engaged from start to finish. Her content resonates with executives of all levels because everyone is busier than ever and work seems more complex. She gave practical tips on various ways to simplify our day-to-day tasks and highlighted where employees and leaders get off-track, costing the company valuable time and money. Attendee feedback on Lisa’s keynote was overwhelmingly positive with everyone agreeing that it was one of the most valuable speeches they had heard in years, especially during these tough times dealing with the aftermath of COVID. Lisa was a joy to work throughout the planning process, especially since she’s so technically savvy. She learned our virtual platform in a matter of minutes, making it easy for her to navigate to where she needed to be and how things worked. Overall, Lisa did an incredible job and I would recommend her to all meeting planners who are still looking for the perfect speaker – Lisa Bodell is IT!”

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Why book Lisa Bodell for your next event

Lisa delivers practical tools to remove unnecessary complexity, helping teams reclaim time, energy, and focus while improving engagement and retention.
With deep experience across global organizations, she inspires leaders to challenge outdated rules and make small changes with outsized impact.
Her sessions combine sharp insight, humor, and action, equipping leaders to simplify work and strengthen innovation at every level.

Non-binding request for Lisa Bodell

Simplification expert, futurist, and bestselling author helping leaders redesign work that works

When organizations struggle to perform, the problem is rarely talent – it is the work itself. Lisa Bodell is one of the most prominent voices on simplification and innovation, helping leaders and organizations rethink how work gets done. As CEO and founder of FutureThink, she works with organizations worldwide to replace complexity with clarity, enabling better performance, stronger collaboration, and healthier workplaces. Lisa’s ideas challenge leaders to question assumptions, eliminate unproductive rules, and create space for creativity and progress. With energy, credibility, and sharp humor, she leaves audiences inspired and equipped to make meaningful change that lasts.

Lisa Bodell – Simplifying Work to Drive Results

Lisa Bodell is a globally recognized expert on simplification, collaboration, and innovation. Her work centers on a powerful idea: when organizations are not performing at their best, it is not the people who need fixing, but the work. By helping leaders rethink processes, priorities, and behaviors, Lisa enables organizations to unlock creativity, improve performance, and strengthen employee well-being. Her approach replaces unnecessary complexity with simplicity, giving teams the clarity and confidence to focus on what truly matters.

Founder and CEO of FutureThink

Lisa is the founder and CEO of FutureThink, established in 2003 and now one of the world’s largest sources of simplification and innovation research, tools, and training. Through FutureThink, she partners with leading global brands to help them reimagine how work gets done. The result is measurable improvement in engagement, morale, and retention, alongside stronger innovation and competitive performance. Her work has influenced organizations across industries, helping leaders create cultures where smart ideas move faster and people feel empowered to lead change.

Bestselling Author and Thought Leader

Lisa is the author of two bestselling and widely praised books, Why Simple Wins and Kill the Company. These books challenge conventional thinking and provide practical frameworks for removing barriers to progress. Her ideas have become essential reading for leaders seeking to modernize their organizations and adapt to constant change. She is also a monthly contributor to Forbes and has shared her expertise through Fast Company, WIRED, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, CNN, and other respected media outlets.

From Strategy to Simplification

After earning her business degree from the University of Michigan, Lisa began her career at Leo Burnett in Chicago, where she developed a strong ability to combine strategic thinking with forward-looking ideas. She went on to build two successful businesses before relocating to New York and focusing fully on the simplification and innovation space. This entrepreneurial background gives her a pragmatic edge, grounding big ideas in real-world execution that leaders can immediately apply.

Trusted Advisor to Leaders Worldwide

Lisa’s message has inspired executives and teams at top-ranked organizations including Google, SAP, Citigroup, and the Department of National Intelligence. She is consistently ranked among the world’s top speakers and is known for captivating audiences with insight, clarity, and humor. Her work encourages leaders to challenge the status quo, eliminate unproductive rules, and empower their people to innovate with confidence.

Educator, Speaker, and Advisor

Beyond the stage, Lisa has taught innovation at American University and Fordham University and delivered a popular TED talk on simplification. She serves on advisory boards for several influential organizations, including the Global Agenda Council for the World Economic Forum, the United States National Security Agency, the Association of Professional Futurists, and Novartis. She has also been featured in major books such as A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger, Originals by Adam Grant, and AfterShock, honoring futurist Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock.

Book Lisa Bodell for your event to give leaders and teams the tools to simplify work, reclaim authority, and create lasting impact through smarter, more human ways of working.

Customer Reviews

P&I

“From our very first, introductory conversation with Lisa, she expressed her willingness (and desire) to create meaningful content specific to our event and audience. She continued to engage with our team throughout the process, not only ensuring that her content remained aligned with our theme and goals, but also ensuring success in terms of technical (virtual) rehearsals and delivery quality. Lisa's talk itself was thought-provoking, challenging, and inspiring. The power of her insights came through in their accessibility, as she has the uncanny ability to relate high-level, dense subject matter to the everyday. Lisa's ability to deliver a dynamic talk within a virtual format is testament to her ability to connect with a variety of audiences, no matter the venue. I look forward to working with Lisa again.”

Chief of Staff BeautyCounter

“Lisa is a class act! Even virtually, she delivers her message with passion, humor, and more importantly, simplicity. Her expertise on simplification and execution minimalism in the workplace was very evident, especially as it pertained to optimizing the overall employer-employee experience. Engaging and highly effective.”

CEO EmpiRx

“Lisa truly made an impact on our Online Bootcamp and the participants attending. Her practical tools and exercises make it easy to implement the learnings in your own company, and allows our participants to - not only be inspired - but also develop their businesses through simple steps. The great feedback on her session proves this. On a personal level I have become a big fan of her work and I hope to work more with Lisa and her team in the future!”

Executive Producer Nordic Business Forum

“Your cooperation and intuitive insights throughout the journey were extremely enriching and informative. We really enjoyed co-creating this journey of discovery and imagination as to how organizations and businesses can leverage experience at the core of their business strategies to rethink employee experience for recovery, growth, and success in an uncertain world. Seeing speakers, participants, and service providers joining in to create an ecosystem of learning, rebooting employee experience, and tuning up for outcomes on one single platform with a prolific engagement has truly enlivened the conference theme of the Power of EX in an Uncertain World. It was truly a fantastic feeling for every one of us.”

Event Lead Go People Matters

“Lisa was chosen to open our virtual summit to 460ppl across regions and levels. We loved how she set the tone for the next two days; one of curiosity, re-imagination and giving ppl some ready-to-go, actionable tools to start applying then and there. She was a great speaker choice for our needs!”

Anglo American

“I am a fan of simplification, and now have a playbook to help our team take it to a new level.”

VP Dominion Energy Southeastern Electrical Exchange

“It was a pleasure to watch you drive this conversation on simplifying (and understanding more about) our day to day, to hear all of your unique insights and perspectives, and to hear more about the work you are driving at organizations across the board. Even better, to be able to look around the room and see all of my colleagues actively engaged in the moment and taking (a lot of) notes! Further, I wanted to let you know - I can't even count how many folks during our Day Two sessions were able to call back to some of your comments - and that is what we like to see!”

Director of Events Kyruus, Inc, ATLAS

“So many ideas! Loved that she used menti.com to deliver her content. Very practical. Inspiring! Glad there was a female presenting today.”

Training Industry

Lisa's presentation was thought provoking and inspiring. She got our blood pumping (in a good way) as she challenged us to think of “what could be,” if we took steps to start reducing complexity today. Her presentation style kept our virtual audience engaged and left us with next steps that we could action immediately.”

Marketing Development 3M

“Lisa invigorated our dealers to think in new ways! Lisa’s practical and easy to use tools are already being implemented in our stores! Lisa exceeded all expectations.”

CEO Bond Brand Loyalty

“Lisa was impactful in helping our leaders understand how simplicity applies not only within their own spheres of control but to the broader firm. She also reinforced the importance of having time to ‘think.’ Lisa was energetic and did a fantastic job laying the foundation for these concepts and how we can apply to our business.”

Chief of Staff to CEO Barings

“We have engaged Lisa multiple times at AbbVie. She does her research and quickly aligns content and messaging to the company and specific audience. Lisa is an excellent presenter and provides value every time.”

Global Talent Development Abbvie

“We anticipated such a great experience for the team and well, it was just much better than that!”

President Samsung

“Lisa’s messages on simplification were so powerful and left everyone excited to take action!”

Director Organizational Transformation, Imperial Tobacco Canada

“Lisa did a great job. She presented with good energy and landed her points well. I believe she helped to inspire the audience and made a favorable impression. I’m sitting here looking through our session ratings and I’m happy to share that Lisa was the most rated and highest rated external speaker at Empower.”

VP & Strategic Account Advisor N-able Technology

“Lisa's energetic yet very honest presentation of symptoms and everyday opportunities with complexity squarely resonated with our Progressive culture. The goal of empowering our leadership to be ‘simplifiers’ was mission accomplished with Lisa's presentation and subsequent breakout sessions.”

Business Leader Simplification Progressive Insurance

“Lisa was a PRO from start to finish, even before our event started. She was great about asking questions to really understand our audience so she could ensure that her content was timely and relevant. All of that preparation paid off because her talk definitely resonated with everyone. Lisa was such a fantastic part of our event and we were grateful to have her!”

Director of Community Relations Buffini & Company

“Wonderful speaker. VERY engaging content and gave actionable options for members to take back and put into practice.”

Assistant Director Marketing and Events, FHLBank Chicago

“Lisa is so friendly and easy to work with. She is also brilliant. I was sitting in-between high-level VP's at our company and they were taking notes, shaking their head in agreement and kept looking at me saying, ‘she's great!’ I couldn't agree more.”

Program Manager Northwestern Mutual

“Lisa had the room of thousands up on their feet--literally. We really enjoyed Lisa's interactive, engaging, and educational presentation; she left us wanting to hear more.”

Director PMO, Smartsheet

“I was on the committee to select speakers for our event. We brought together 350 of the world's top financial advisors for our annual meeting. Lisa was an easy selection for us! Lisa was very well received. She was prepared and delivered a powerful presentation that will work for any industry & any business. She gave great takeaways that can be helpful to our (or any) organization.”

Financial Planner (MDRT) Chartered Financial Services

“Lisa was beyond fantastic! Our audience loved her, and her insights were invaluable.”

Senior Manager AMEX

“Lisa was a dream to work with and provided insights and tips on how to kill complexity in the workplace. Our members love takeaways they can implement upon their return to work...Lisa provided those and more!”

Vice President of Operations Dental Trade Alliance

“People loved her message of simplifying and ‘getting rid of stupid rules.’ This could be a risky message for a company like ours, but she made clear distinctions about the controls that regulated industries like ours have to maintain vs. the types of things that can be stopped. There were a number of spots where it was clear that she did her homework. She was able to deliver her message while speaking to things that were very specific to our industry or even company. On top of her ‘on stage’ performance, she was just a delight to have on site. Everyone that she engaged with, from our senior executives to the person that put her microphone on was blown away by how much energy she gave them.”

Fortune 500 client

“Amazing presentation! Extremely informative and thought provoking!”

Financial Reporting Specialist Prudential

“Such a professional! Very insightful! It was the best of all sessions!”

Pasha Holdings

“Lisa’s presentations have transformed the way our leaders think. Lisa provides a mix of practical, easy to use tools and inspiration, which has helped to create a new mindset around how to innovate in all parts of our company.

Executive Director of Enterprise Learning Merck

“Lisa made my leadership team think in new ways and helped us develop winning business ideas right in the room. My team now embraces change and innovation rather than fearing it.”

Managing Director Citi

“Over the years, I’ve tried many ‘gurus’ to educate our leaders. Lisa is the real thing – she’s inspiring, motivating, practical, and memorable. She ignites the possible with the audience. She was the top rated speaker at our executive events.”

Executive L&D AT&T

“Lisa blew us away. Inspiring and practical. People were up off their feet, laughing and thinking. Cell phones were constantly going up to take pictures of her presentation. She exceeded all expectations.”

Chief Learning Officer AXA

“Incredible. Lisa captivated the audience with insightful, well-articulated thoughts about technologies and trends that could transform our industry. In a very short time, she energized people to be more proactive about shaping our future.”

VP for Worldwide Innovation Pfizer

“Lisa’s presentation was the absolute favorite of our 3-day offsite! I now have a totally new way of looking at simplification and innovation. I would recommend her and her team to anyone planning an event in a heartbeat.”

Vice President Delta Airlines

“Lisa is one of the most outstanding presenters I have ever seen. She passionately delivers well-articulated messages that engage the audience and encourage action. Her insights will become essential elements of our culture.”

CEO NYSE Euronext

“Lisa's message around change and simplification is incredibly relevant and compelling. Her talk is thought-provoking, challenging and necessary given today's complex and ever-changing business environment.”

Global Managing Director Accenture

“Lisa is everything you look for in a keynote speaker – she’s insightful, engaging and energetic. She was the top-rated speaker at our Google events and inspired the entire audience to start a simplification revolution.”

Think Events Google

“We valued your insights and presentation so much; it made the event a tremendous success. Feedback is rolling in from the 1000+ attendees and there are nothing but rave reviews for your session!”

HR Business Partner Eli Lilly

“The audience was thrilled with Lisa’s presentation – in fact it was our highest rated session of the conference.”

Kinaxis

“5 out of 5. Lisa was fantastic!”

Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc.

"Your Kill the Company session was a highlight of the event, and our participants frequently mentioned it and their learnings in subsequent sessions. You were great to work with in the design phase and in the delivery; we appreciate your flexibility and willingness to customize for our needs, your great partnership with our Chief Strategy Officer both on- and off-stage, and the fact that you didn’t even let a firm alarm rattle you! You showed us the power of keynote speakers who are not only gifted speakers but also exceptional facilitators. We were lucky to find you and would happily recommend you to others.”

Thomson Reuters

“Lisa’s keynote speech was truly amazing and inspiring! She shared powerful stories illustrating how embracing simplicity leads to greater happiness and fulfillment in both life and work.”

CEO Zoom

“10 out of 10. Very insightful and very prepared. She really engaged the staff during her session.”

Vizient (Virtual Event)

"Incredible. Lisa captivated the audience with insightful, well-articulated thoughts about technologies and trends that could transform our industry. In a very short time, she energized people to be more proactive about shaping our future business environment.”

Wendy Mayer Vice President for Worldwide Innovation at Pfizer

Duncan Niederauer CEO at NYSE Euronext

“Lisa message around change and simplification is incredibly relevant and compelling. Her talk is thought provoking, challenging and necessary given today's complex and ever-changing business environment.

Camille Mirshokrai Global Managing Director at Accenture

Meredith Cherwony, Think Events at Google

Keynotes

Keynote by Lisa Bodell:

Unleashing Innovation: AI-Enabled, Human-Led

In too many organizations, teams are stuck in the comfort of the status quo. We’re moving faster than ever, surrounded by powerful AI tools—but spending less time thinking than ever. That’s the real risk. AI doesn’t replace thinking; it exposes whether we’re doing any at all.

The challenge isn’t a lack of technology. It’s a lack of curiosity, courage, and clarity. Many of the processes designed to drive innovation actually suppress it, reinforcing existing behaviors instead of challenging them. When AI is layered onto these systems without intention, it simply accelerates what already exists.

This keynote is an inspiring call to rethink how we approach change. It reframes AI not as a shortcut or crutch, but as a thinking partner—one that helps humans question assumptions, explore new possibilities, and make better decisions. True innovation starts by changing how people think, not just what tools they use.

Drawing on insights from Kill the Company and Why Simple Wins, Lisa Bodell shows how to reignite the most underused human capabilities in organizations: curiosity, creative problem-solving, and judgment—and then amplify them with AI in practical, responsible, and unexpected ways.

This is not a passive keynote. Through live, interactive moments, participants transform the room into a real-time innovation lab—challenging assumptions, stress-testing ideas, and uncovering new opportunities together. Attendees leave inspired and equipped, ready to think more bravely about change, growth, and transformation.

AI doesn’t replace our thinking — it supports it. It gives us the chance to think bigger, challenge faster, and imagine more boldly than ever before.

Key Takeaways

AI’s blind spot: it amplifies thinking, it doesn’t replace it?
How to reignite curiosity and creative problem-solving at work
Using AI as a safe provocateur, not a replacement for judgment
Practical human-centered techniques to drive innovation immediately
A clearer, braver mindset for leading change in an AI-powered world

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Keynote by Lisa Bodell:

The Simplicity Solution – Reclaim Control and Thrive in Times of Upheaval

We’re no longer managing change at work – we’re coping with chaos. There’s too much – of everything. With people overwhelmed by complexity and the path forward anything but clear, the answer is to not try and control chaos, the solution is to embrace simple. In this presentation, Lisa Bodell shows organizations why simplicity is no longer a “nice to have” – it’s the strategy to eliminate noise, regain focus, and unleash the capacity to create the future.

Lisa’s passion for simplicity is personal. Raised in a home filled with instability and unpredictability, she learned early how to survive chaos. That skill propelled her corporate success – but it also led to burnout. It wasn’t until she realized she didn’t need to manage chaos – she needed to eliminate it – that everything changed.

Backed by more than 25 years of global experience and compelling case studies from organizations like Netflix, AT&T, and Pfizer, Lisa shares the practical tools and mindset shifts that help organizations simplify how work gets done – without sacrificing results. Through humor, interactive polling technology, and unforgettable storytelling, Lisa challenges leaders to stop reacting to the chaos around them and get clear about shaping the work – and culture – they truly want.

We’re no longer managing change at work – we’re coping with chaos. The answer is to not try and control chaos, the solution is to embrace simple.

Key Takeaways:

Clear methods to prioritize simplicity and create clarity during chaotic times
Practical tools like “Kill a Stupid Rule” help people focus on what matters most
Real-world examples of how simplification drives more speed and innovation
A call to action: stop fixing people to do more work – start fixing work to better fit people
Lisa’s personal story inspires new ways to work with less stress and more engagement

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Keynote by Lisa Bodell:

Let Leaders Lead: It’s Time to Fix What’s Broken

In this talk, Lisa Bodell tackles a truth many leaders feel but seldom say out loud: Expectations have multiplied, clarity has disappeared, and leaders are being asked to do everything for everyone – at the expense of real performance.

The urgent work of transforming organizations amid unprecedented change can’t happen if leaders have to navigate systems so complex and contradictory that even the best of them are burning out. We tell them to be bold, then drown them in process. We demand fast decisions, but require consensus. We celebrate courage, only when it’s comfortable. This isn’t leadership; it’s performance art.

The pendulum swung from command and control to endless accommodation – creating an impossible situation for leaders that won’t get organizations to the future fast enough. Lisa lays out a refreshing balance for leaders – the kind that pairs support with standards, empathy with performance, and humanity with results. When leaders are empowered to lead boldly, they don’t just elevate themselves – they elevate everyone around them.

It’s time to burn down the models that no longer work – and finally let leaders lead. “The future belongs to unapologetic leaders who prioritize clarity over complexity, purpose over politics, and action over appearance,” she says.

The future belongs to unapologetic leaders who prioritize clarity over complexity, purpose over politics, and action over appearance.

Key Takeaways:

Inspires leaders to lead with clarity, boldness, and simplicity
Understand why leadership feels impossible—and how to fix it
Real-world stories of leaders who simplified, clarified, and took back control
How clarity, focus, and boundaries lead to higher performance and engagement
Practical shifts that drive productivity gains and execution speed
Tactical tools to cut through noise and lead with focus
The permission to stop performing and start actually leading

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Lisa Bodell:

Post-Keynote Breakouts

Fireside Chat with Senior Leadership
After the keynote, keep the energy and focus alive with a powerful 30-minute fireside chat featuring Lisa Bodell and a senior leader from your organization. This session creates a platform for leadership to engage in an honest discussion about what holds the organization back and what must change—culturally, behaviorally, or structurally. Lisa facilitates a provocative, no-fluff discussion that bridges keynote insights with your company’s real challenges. The second half of the session opens up to the audience for live Q&A—giving people the opportunity to ask bold questions, surface concerns, and hear candid reflections from the top. It’s equal parts inspirational and actionable—and a dynamic way to model change from the top down.

Simplification Tactics Workshop
Ready to make simplification stick? This highly engaging 45–60 minute workshop is the perfect way to activate Lisa Bodell’s keynote content with immediate, tangible next steps. Each participant receives a personal deck of 50+ simplification tactics—proven approaches that remove daily friction, streamline work, and accelerate decision-making. Lisa facilitates a rapid-fire “tactic swap” across tables, encouraging people to share favorites, discover new ideas, and commit to the first action they’ll take. After the exchange, Lisa guides a high-energy, full-room discussion to uncover the most frequently chosen tactics and clusters them into key themes—whether it’s killing unnecessary meetings, shifting approval processes, or cutting low-value reports. From there, she dives deep with real examples and activation strategies tailored to your audience. Participants leave with new ideas, a customized plan, and a renewed commitment to doing work that actually matters.

Kill a Stupid Rule Workshop
If you want to spark bold thinking and real results fast, this session delivers. Based on one of Lisa’s most iconic tools, Kill a Stupid Rule is a fast-paced, interactive workshop where teams identify and challenge the outdated rules, bloated processes, and unnecessary work holding them back. In small groups, participants brainstorm all the “stupid rules” they’d love to eliminate—then plot them by ease of elimination and potential impact. With Lisa’s expert facilitation, groups vote on the top candidates, share insights across teams, and leave with a clear path to act. The session can be customized from 45 to 75 minutes depending on group size and time available. Whether used as a breakout or full-room experience, this session generates immediate ideas, energy, and action—and gives leaders a replicable tool to drive change long after the event ends.

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