Build Your Best Team Ever^®

Every human resources leader knows the stakes: teams are the engine of an organization’s success, and building high-performing teams is critical to achieving business goals. But despite investing in talent acquisition, compensation strategies, engagement surveys, and feedback loops, too many teams still fall short of their potential. The truth is, the secret to unlocking team performance isn’t found in individual star players or redesigned incentives. It’s in building the right team habits and fostering a culture that enables success.

Talent doesn’t make the team; the team makes the talent.

That’s what creating the Best Team Ever is all about. By focusing on cultivating the culture of the teams within your organization, you can create an environment where collaboration, trust, and engagement thrive—and where every individual can perform at their best.

In this engaging and actionable keynote, Dr. David Burkus shares the science-backed secrets behind the world’s highest-performing teams and demonstrates how human resources leaders can help instill these principles across their organizations. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how team culture directly impacts performance and a straightforward blueprint for building a team environment that attracts and retains talent, fosters innovation, and achieves results.

Perfect for human resources executives, talent management professionals, and organizational development leaders, this keynote provides the insights and tools needed to elevate teams—and the entire organization—to new heights.

For human resources leaders, building trust within teams is essential—but it’s only the beginning. Collaboration, innovation, and employee engagement thrive in environments where trust is coupled with psychological safety: a culture where team members feel respected, valued, and safe to share their ideas without fear of judgment or reprisal.

Yet achieving this balance can be challenging. Differences in perspectives, preferences, and personalities often make trust fragile. Without consistent, respectful interactions, even the most well-intentioned trust-building efforts can erode, leaving teams less collaborative and less effective.

High-performing teams don’t just trust each other; they intentionally create and maintain a culture of psychological safety. This environment empowers team members to speak up, challenge assumptions, and contribute fully to finding the best ideas and solutions.

In this research-driven and inspiring keynote, Dr. David Burkus reveals the strategies human resources leaders need to foster psychological safety within teams. You’ll discover how to build trust and sustain it through respectful collaboration—even during moments of conflict, setbacks, or failure. This keynote provides actionable insights to help human resources professionals equip leaders and team members alike with the tools to model behaviors that enhance psychological safety, unlocking the full potential of diverse talent.

Human resources professionals will leave with a clear understanding of the link between psychological safety and team performance, along with practical steps to elevate trust and collaboration across their organizations.

For human resources leaders, the future of work isn’t a question of returning to the office or staying remote—it’s about creating a workplace that balances employee autonomy with team connection. Yet, the shift to hybrid and remote work has introduced new challenges: how to maintain a sense of belonging, strengthen team culture, and ensure accountability when team members are scattered across time zones.

The truth is, there’s no going back to “normal”—but there’s an opportunity to move forward to something even better. To do that, leaders need the skills to lead from anywhere.

In this compelling and practical keynote, Dr. David Burkus delivers a guide for human resources leaders and managers to help their organizations thrive in remote and hybrid environments. Backed by extensive research and filled with real-world examples, this keynote offers actionable strategies for keeping team culture strong, managing performance without micromanagement, and creating a workplace that aligns autonomy with accountability.

Human resources leaders will leave equipped with tools to empower managers in building high-performing remote and hybrid teams, fostering trust, collaboration, and engagement—no matter where employees are working. This keynote is a must for organizations ready to embrace the future of work and turn the challenges of hybrid and remote work into opportunities for growth and success.