Meet David
In manufacturing, success isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about people. The best processes in the world mean nothing without engaged employees, strong collaboration, and a culture of trust. That’s where Dr. David Burkus comes in.
A best-selling author of five books on leadership and teamwork, David has spent years studying what makes the highest-performing teams thrive—on the factory floor, in engineering, in operations, and beyond. His insights have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, USAToday, Fast Company, The Financial Times, the BBC, NPR, and CBS Mornings.
Since 2017, David has been recognized multiple times as one of the world’s top business thought leaders. He’s worked with manufacturing organizations across industries—helping leaders bridge the gap between strategy and execution, align teams for operational excellence, and build the kind of trust that drives engagement and productivity.
A former business school professor, David brings an evidence-based, no-fluff approach to leadership. His keynotes aren’t just engaging—they’re packed with practical, research-backed strategies manufacturing leaders can implement immediately to break down silos, boost collaboration, and keep their workforce engaged in an increasingly competitive market.
Because in manufacturing, teamwork isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the key to building a company that runs as efficiently as the products it creates.
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Bestsellers
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Ted Talk Views
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One of the world’s leading business thinkers
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Keynote Speeches

Bring David To Your Event!
Manufacturing Keynote Topics
Testimonials
“David got rave reviews”
- Chief Executive Officer, Nosco
“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.”
-Brand Manager, Phinia
“A provocative and valuable session.”
-COO, PepsiCo
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Evidence-Based yet Applicable
David’s keynotes focus on synthesizing research from organizational psychology into practical, accessible takeaways.
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Entertaining and Enlightening
David is one of the world’s leading business thinkers, but also a powerful storyteller who understands that audiences need to be emotionally engaged and inspired.
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Customized and Tailored
David and his team work with you to better understand your industry and organization and build a customized collaboration keynote tailored to the needs your team faces and the solutions they can implement immediately.
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An Experience and a Journey
The learning doesn’t stop when David steps off stage. Our Aftercare program provides additional content and resources you can leverage to continue learning long after the event concludes.
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Frictionless and (even) Fun
David and his team know how hard it is to run a successful event. That’s why we work to make every interaction as frictionless and fun as possible, from contracts to billing to preparation and follow-up. It’s David’s job not to add to your job.
5Reasons
To Book David
David’s Process
Prepare
In addition to David’s independent research, we’ll schedule as many conference calls with key stakeholders as needed to determine the key outcome objectives and direction for program content.
Customize
After those calls, David will focus finding the perfect research insights and takeaways for your specific attendees, event themes, or organizational goals.
Deliver
David will deliver a highly customized, energetic, entertaining, interactive, strategic, and results-focused experience. In addition, David will make himself available the day of the event for anything that will deliver extra value, like book signings, Q&A sessions, or receptions.
Reinforce
Unlike many speakers, the learning doesn’t stop after the speech. Each client will receive several articles, videos, and/or books to reinforce learning. We can even film the event for clients to share after with attendees. All at no additional cost to you.