Teambuilding: Creating Connections & Fostering Community at Work

MASAI UJIRI | Vice-Chairman and President, Toronto Raptors; Led the Raptors to the NBA Championship

"The Raptors didn’t just win an NBA title, they delivered lessons in business management that can be applied across industries. They showed us that an also-ran could become a going concern in just a few years with the right combination of vision and managerial mettle. The most important management team member responsible for bringing glory to the franchise was team president Masai Ujiri...Ujiri managed to pull off a corporate turnaround of epic proportions."

- Marshall Egelnick, a retired partner from KRP LLP

 

ROBIN ARZÓN | Vice President of Fitness Programming and Head Instructor, Peloton; NYT Bestselling Author

"Robin was absolutely fantastic. She was so warm and easy to chat with and super inspiring. We had over 215 employees log in and they all found Robin’s energy infectious."

- SAP NS2

 

Head Coach of Super Bowl LVI Winning Los Angeles Rams SEAN MCVAY has been making history with his collaborative leadership style and unparalleled offensive strategy, becoming the youngest Head Coach in NFL history to win a playoff game, make multiple Super Bowl appearances, and win. While McVay is certainly an expert in strategy, his impact as a leader is felt in his ability to set his team up for success through open communication, humility, and compromise – and his insights are sought after by individuals and organizations seeking to improve their teamwork and achieve success.

At 28 years old, THEO EPSTEIN became the youngest General Manager in baseball history, and is credited with crafting and executing the turnaround strategy of two legendary teams with transformational leadership. He led both the Boston Red Sox to their first championship in 86 years and the Chicago Cubs to three historic World Series Championships after a 108 year drought. His lessons on purpose-driven leadership, teamwork, and transformation help managers and leaders catapult their own teams to success. 

RADHA AGRAWAL | Co-Founder, CEO, and Chief Community Architect of Daybreaker

"Radha is a force of nature. Her talks are energetic, inspiring, generative and I can’t wait to hear her speak again at our next CEO Summit!"

- Whole Foods Market

 

GLENNON DOYLE | Author, Activist, and Founder of Together Rising

"I chose Glennon to keynote because she is different from all the other corporate speakers. From the moment she stepped on stage you could feel the energy in the audience. She caused people to think and look at the world a little differently, which is exactly what we were striving for. She did a fantastic job for us."

- Microsoft Corporation

 

Happiness expert, multiple New York Times bestselling author, CBS News contributor and host of the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast, GRETCHEN RUBIN relentlessly explores human nature to understand how we can create happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative lives. She helps us understand ourselves so that we can develop and keep effective strategies and habits that lead to the lives we want. Rubin helps us apply a personalized structure around our pursuit of happiness, moving it from the abstract to the concrete.

Legendary NFL wide receiver, entrepreneur and Emmy-nominated TV personality BRANDON MARSHALL is a dedicated mental health advocate who continues to lead conversations promoting awareness, ending stigma, and sharing inspiration. He is an in-demand speaker for his insights on teamwork and developing values-based leadership within organizations and as individuals. When it comes to overcoming challenges, developing resilience, and understanding how teams can work together and buy into the same mission, Marshall’s takeaways are actionable for every audience.

MICHAEL STRAHAN | Legendary Super Bowl Champion and Hall of Fame Member; TV Personality and Co-Host, ABC's Good Morning America; Entrepreneur and Founder, MICHAEL STRAHAN; New York Times Bestselling Author, Wake Up Happy

"It was a once in a lifetime experience to have Michael Strahan speaking at our event today! We all were so thrilled at his cheerful demeanor, the charisma he brought to the room and to our panel discussion. It was a fantastic event and something that we all will remember for a long time. Thank you again!"

- Fenway Sports Group

 

BLAIR BRAVERMAN | Dogsledder and Adventurer; Author of Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube and Dogs on the Trail: A Year in the Life

"Blair’s presentation was wonderful! Everyone LOVED it. Her stories are compelling and relevant even beyond the world of dogsledding. It was inspiring, insightful, unique and, she clearly demonstrated a deep love and appreciation for her area of expertise. Her enthusiasm came across quite vividly and she did a fantastic job making connections to many important values and disciplines that relate to work and personal life."

- FDB (First Databank, Inc.)

 

Creator, screenwriter, entrepreneur and author of Black Magic: What Black Leaders Learned From Trauma and Triumph, CHAD SANDERS is an in-demand speaker, offering insights and practical takeaways for corporations looking to shift their culture, and shares how and why his career took off when he embraced, instead of trying to hide, his identity as a Black man and a creative. In revelatory keynotes and conversations, Sanders explores Black experiences in predominantly white environments, the risks of self-betrayal, and the value of being yourself.

Powerhouse journalist and New York Times #1 Bestselling Author of That's What She Said, JOANNE LIPMAN examines workplace culture as it relates to gender disparity and guides both males and females in the audience through a non-judgemental how-to toward achieving a common goal: equality. In addition to extensive research and reporting on the subject, Lipman’s personal journey to the top of a male-dominated industry brings an informed perspective to the worldwide conversation of closing the gender gap in the workplace once and for all.

Accomplished educator, leadership guru, and author DR. JACQUELINE SANDERLIN is an expert in community connection and developing a growth mindset. In a time of vitriol and division, Dr. Jackie has been outspoken about her “Why not?” message, which is to build community, unity, equity, and partnerships. Dr. Jackie shares her message of empowerment, community connection, equity, and resilience, and creates a lasting impact.

Two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year SCOTT DREW shares candid insights about overcoming failure and strategizing for institutional success based on his expertise as Baylor Head Coach, rebuilding the basketball team to win the NCAA Championship. Drew emphasizes identifying your team or organization’s growth areas, staying flexible while solving problems, and emphasizing your strengths to develop a winning mindset and persevere through any challenge.

The winningest coach in Oklahoma history, when BOB STOOPS took over as football coach in 1999, the Oklahoma Sooners were in disarray with back-to-back losing seasons. But in just two years' time, Stoops achieved the seemingly impossible: winning a national championship and returning the struggling Sooners to their powerhouse status, churning out NFL talent, Heisman Trophy winners and conference championships, bowl wins and national title runs on a regular basis. He speaks to audiences about what makes a winning team, and using resilience as a tool every day to achieve your goals.

Head Coach of University of Texas at Austin Men's Basketball, CHRIS BEARD has one of the most unconventional paths to stardom in the history of coaching. From living out of his car at the start of his coaching career to having the Texas Tech Red Raiders 12 seconds away from winning the 2019 National Championship four years later, Beard has beaten the odds at every turn to become one of the elite coaches in the profession. His remarks are a masterclass in building a career from the ground up, establishing organizational culture, perseverance, and developing the work ethic and habits that lead to unprecedented success.

 

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