Jacob Morgan

Vulnerability is crucial for leading through change, unlocking the potential of others, driving business performance, and creating trust. But is vulnerability for leaders the same as it is for everyone else? It turns out, it’s not. We all know what it feels like to be vulnerable, but very few know how to lead with vulnerability. Based on over 100 CEO interviews and a survey of 14,000 employees, Jacob shares groundbreaking new research that shows how leaders can tap into vulnerability to transform themselves, their teams, and their organization. Leading with vulnerability is the most powerful thing a leader can do when they know how to do it the right way, and that’s what this session uncovers. Filled with candid stories and examples, frameworks, and data to back everything up, this session will make everyone in the room a better leader.

• How vulnerability can be used to lead through change.
• The difference between vulnerability and vulnerable leadership.
• Why leaders struggle with vulnerability.
• The different types of vulnerable leaders and the pros and cons of each.
• The eight attributes of vulnerable leaders.
• The ROI of leading with vulnerability.
• What happens if being vulnerable backfires?
• The importance of competence.

Leadership is changing right before our eyes, and the pandemic only accelerated the transformation. It’s never been harder to be a leader, but leaders' impact has also never been greater. How should current and prospective leaders think, and what do they need to know how to do? In this groundbreaking keynote, Jacob shares insights from the exclusive research he conducted by interviewing over 140 of the world’s top CEOs and surveying nearly 14,000 employees. Jacob identified a specific set of four mindsets and five skills that all leaders must practice if they wish to guide themselves, their teams, and their organizations to success in the future of work. In this keynote, Jacob will explore why and how leadership is changing, what all of the mindsets and skills are, and give actionable steps that attendees can take to practice them. The session is filled with lots of stories, insights, and research. 

• Why and how leadership is changing.
• What it means to be a leader and the impact that leaders have.
• The four mindsets and five skills leaders must practice.
• Why many leaders struggle with change.
• How to become a future-ready leader.

 Nothing matters more than the experience organizations create for their people. This has become glaringly true in a post-pandemic world. For decades, organizations have invested in short-term “adrenaline shot” programs such as free food or work-from-home Fridays without impacting team members or the organization. Organizations have been using these “engagement programs” to distract employees from the sad reality of what it’s like to actually work there. But now it’s time to make actual changes to the core workplaces of organizations. Instead of forcing people into outdated workplace practices, the world’s top companies are redesigning work around their people by focusing on three environments: culture, technology, and space. In this session, Jacob will share his research on 252 organizations and uncover what the world’s top organizations are doing to attract and retain top talent. Employee experience is no longer an “HR thing.” It is a “leader thing,” and after this session, you will know why and what to do about it!

• Why and how the workplace is changing.
• The ROI of employee experience.
• Why employee experience and employee engagement are not the same thing.
• The three employee experience environments: culture, physical space, and technology.
• Why employee experience is not an “HR thing.”
• How you can design and create great employee experiences.

 How is the world of work changing, and how should we set ourselves and our organizations up for success? Talent is transforming, there is fear of AI and automation taking jobs, change is accelerating, work and life are integrating, and leadership is evolving. In this talk, Jacob explores how employees, leaders, and organizations are evolving and what that means for all of us. 

• Trends shaping the future of work.
• How employees, leaders, and organizations are evolving.
• The role technology plays.
• How to think about the future of work.