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Marcus Buckingham          

Peak Performance Expert, Best-Selling Author, Researcher & Strengths Revolutionist

Marcus Buckingham is a global researcher and New York Times best-selling author focused on unlocking strengths, increasing performance, and pioneering the future of how people work.

He is the author of two of the best-selling business books of all time, "First, Break All the Rules," and "Now, Discover Your Strengths," and he has the #1 New Release on Amazon with his tenth book, "Love + Work," which is being heralded by Forbes as one of the ten must-reads for career and leadership in 2022.

Buckingham’s 2019 Harvard Business Review cover article, "The Feedback Fallacy," was selected by HBR as one of the most influential articles of the last 100 years, and Buckingham’s strengths assessments have been taken by over 10 million people worldwide.

Building on two decades of experience as a Senior Researcher at The Gallup Organization, Buckingham leveraged his data-based discoveries to build a $100 million tech company focused on helping people find and contribute their strengths at work. He currently guides the research agenda of the ADP Research Institute as Head of People + Performance.

Speech Topics


Lead From Strength - STRONG LEADER: Build confidence in your followers

As people struggle to make sense of a new and uncertain world, the need for strong leaders is more important than ever. Learn to build clarity and confidence during these extraordinary times an define a new, intelligent, strong way forward.

For all leaders of teams, and teams of teams

What the most effective senior leaders do to build clarity and confidence during these dynamic and confusing times.

Marcus shares:

  • The most effective way leaders turn anxiety into confidence

  • How to use StandOut to pinpoint precisely what about you others follow

  • The three rituals to build resilience across your organization

Before: Each attendee takes the StandOut assessment (15 mins)

During: 45-minute virtual keynote

After: Optional Add-ons

  • Strong Leader Series One 45-minute session per week for 3 weeks (this series can be customized per client’s request)

  • Strong Leader Q+A with Marcus Buckingham Marcus will conduct a virtual Q&A with all attendees once a month for four months following the Strong You virtual keynote

  • 1:1 strengths coaching with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to deepen an individual’s understanding of their unique contribution to the team

  • Virtual deep dive extension sessions with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to expand and reinforce the learning

What is the StandOut® Strengths Assessment?

REVEAL YOUR TOP 2 STRENGTH ROLES

  • In 2011, Marcus Buckingham created the StandOut® strengths assessment – an online situational judgment test that measures you against 9 “Strength Roles” and reveals your Top 2. These Roles describe your personal edge – those ingrained traits and tendencies that give you a natural advantage. The 14-page detailed report will help you learn your greatest sources of strength and contribution.

  • To date it has been completed by more than 800,000 people and used as the centerpiece for the Talent practices of many thousands of organizations, both in the US and internationally.

  • Marcus used his two decades of research expertise, and learnings from his leading role in the creation of StrengthsFinder, to develop the next-gen strengths assessment StandOut® · In 2015 Harvard Business Review published StandOut 2.0, a book which helps you learn more about your unique strengths profile.

Lead From Strength - STRONG TEAMS: Create connection across your team

84% of employees do most of their work on teams, and 75% of them say they work on more than one team. High-performing, engaged teams are critical to companies successfully making it through challenging times. With more and more teams becoming virtual, mastering a strengths-based approach to teaming will be the ultimate game-changer. Reveal the unique, most powerful parts of each team member, and watch connections deepen and performance soar.

For all team leaders and team members

How to build resilient, high-performing teams using the StandOut strengths assessment.

Marcus shares:

  • The three rituals of the best team leaders

  • What StandOut can reveal about you and each team member

  • How to build resilience, engagement and collaboration across the team

Before: Each attendee takes the StandOut assessment (15 mins)

During: 45-minute virtual keynote

After: Optional Add-ons

  • Strong Teams Series One 45-minute session per week for 3 weeks (this series can be customized per client’s request)

  • Strong Teams Q+A with Marcus Buckingham Marcus will conduct a virtual Q&A with all attendees once a month for four months following the Strong You virtual keynote

  • 1:1 strengths coaching with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to deepen an individual’s understanding of their unique contribution to the team

  • Strong Teams Activity facilitated by an-MB certified coach/facilitator

  • Virtual deep dive extension sessions with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to expand and reinforce the learning

What is the StandOut® Strengths Assessment?

REVEAL YOUR TOP 2 STRENGTH ROLES

  • In 2011, Marcus Buckingham created the StandOut® strengths assessment – an online situational judgment test that measures you against 9 “Strength Roles” and reveals your Top 2. These Roles describe your personal edge – those ingrained traits and tendencies that give you a natural advantage. The 14-page detailed report will help you learn your greatest sources of strength and contribution.

  • To date it has been completed by more than 800,000 people and used as the centerpiece for the Talent practices of many thousands of organizations, both in the US and internationally.

  • Marcus used his two decades of research expertise, and learnings from his leading role in the creation of StrengthsFinder, to develop the next-gen strengths assessment StandOut® · In 2015 Harvard Business Review published StandOut 2.0, a book which helps you learn more about your unique strengths profile.

Lead From Strength - STRONG YOU: Discover Your Unique Power

When we lose our rituals, our sense of self can vanish. We begin to fear our weaknesses more than we cherish our strengths. And yet for the sake of all those who rely on us, we need to stay precisely focused on the areas we feel strong. We need to find ways to re-anchor who we are, to re0define,what we bring to the world around us. Learn how to find this confidence within you by rediscovering your greatest strength.

For all employees

How to build your personal resilience and connection with others using the StandOut strengths assessment.

Marcus shares:

  • The three sources of personal resilience

  • How to use StandOut to rediscover and reorient you around your strengths

  • How to use StandOut to strengthen your connection with those you care about

Before: Each attendee takes the StandOut assessment (15 mins) During: 45-minute virtual keynote

After: Optional Add-ons

  • Strong You Series One 45-minute session per week for 3 weeks (this series can be customized per client’s request)

  • Strong You Q+A with Marcus Buckingham Marcus will conduct a virtual Q&A with all attendees once a month for four months following the Strong You virtual keynote

  • 1:1 strengths coaching with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to deepen an individual’s understanding of their unique contribution to the team

  • Strong You Resilience Activity facilitated by an-MB certified coach/facilitator

  • Virtual deep dive extension sessions with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to expand and reinforce the learning

What is the StandOut® Strengths Assessment?

REVEAL YOUR TOP 2 STRENGTH ROLES

  • In 2011, Marcus Buckingham created the StandOut® strengths assessment – an online situational judgment test that measures you against 9 “Strength Roles” and reveals your Top 2. These Roles describe your personal edge – those ingrained traits and tendencies that give you a natural advantage. The 14-page detailed report will help you learn your greatest sources of strength and contribution.

  • To date it has been completed by more than 800,000 people and used as the centerpiece for the Talent practices of many thousands of organizations, both in the US and internationally.

  • Marcus used his two decades of research expertise, and learnings from his leading role in the creation of StrengthsFinder, to develop the next-gen strengths assessment StandOut® · In 2015 Harvard Business Review published StandOut 2.0, a book which helps you learn more about your unique strengths profile.

Lead from Strength: Virtual Experiences for Leaders, Teams + Individuals

During this unprecedented time, Marcus Buckingham is focusing his virtual presentations on how to use your strengths to build resilience in yourself, connection across your team, and confidence in your followers.

For the first time ever, and in partnership with Harvard Business Review, Marcus is giving away the StandOut 2.0 Strengths Assessment which will be included in each of the following virtual experiences:

  1. Strong LEADER- for all leaders of teams, and teams of teams

In this 45-minute virtual keynote, Marcus shares what the most effective senior leaders do to build clarity during these dynamic and confusing times. He shares:

  • The most effective way leaders turn anxiety into confidence

  • How to use StandOut to pinpoint precisely what about you others follow

  • The three rituals to build resilience across your organization

Optional Add-ons for this topic include:

  • Strong Leader Series One 45-minute session per week for 3 weeks (this series can be customized per client’s request)

  • Strong Leader Q+A with Marcus Buckingham Marcus will conduct a virtual Q&A with all attendees once a month for four months following the Strong Leader virtual keynote

  • 1:1 strengths coaching with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to deepen a leader’s understanding of her/his unique and distinct power

  • Virtual deep dive extension sessions with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to expand and reinforce the learning

  • Strong TEAMS - for all team leaders and team members

In this 45-minute virtual keynote, Marcus shares how to build resilient, high-performing teams using the StandOut strengths assessment.

Marcus shares:

  • The three rituals of the best team leaders

  • What StandOut can reveal about you and each team member

  • How to build resilience, engagement and collaboration across the team

Optional Add-ons for this topic include:

  • Strong Teams Series One 45-minute session per week for 3 weeks (this series can be customized per client’s request)

  • Strong Teams Q+A with Marcus Buckingham Marcus will conduct a virtual Q&A with all attendees once a month for four months following the Strong Teams virtual keynote

  • 1:1 strengths coaching with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to deepen a team member’s understanding of her/his unique contribution to the team

  • Strong Teams Activity facilitated by an MB-certified coach/facilitator

  • Virtual deep dive extension sessions with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to expand and reinforce the learning

  • Strong YOU - for all employees

In this 45-minute virtual keynote, Marcus shares how to build your personal resilience and connection with others using the StandOut strengths assessment.

Marcus shares:

  • The three sources of personal resilience

  • How to use StandOut to rediscover and reorient you around your strengths

  • How to use StandOut to strengthen your connection with those you care about

Optional Add-ons for this topic include:

  • Strong Teams Series One 45-minute session per week for 3 weeks (this series can be customized per client’s request)

  • Strong Teams Q+A with Marcus Buckingham Marcus will conduct a virtual Q&A with all attendees once a month for four months following the Strong Teams virtual keynote

  • 1:1 strengths coaching with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to deepen a team member’s understanding of her/his unique contribution to the team

  • Strong YOU Resilience Activity facilitated by an-MB certified coach/facilitator

  • Virtual deep dive extension sessions with an MB-certified coach/facilitator to expand and reinforce the learning

Nine Lies About Work

What the research reveals about the real world of work

  • Examine the 9 lies that are pervasive in our organizations

  • Learn the truths behind them, backed by data and research.

  • Discover how you can become a Freethinking Leader.

High-Performance Leadership

How to build a culture of performance

  • Learn the one thing that sets great leaders apart.

  • Explore the 4 levers that leaders use to create a high-performing culture.

  • Get clear about your organization’s core strengths.

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Find Your Edge, Win at Work

How to drive personal performance

  • Discover the approach that characterizes the most successful people in the world.

  • Pinpoint your competitive advantage.

  • Learn how to apply your competitive advantage at work.

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