Chester Elton
New York Times Bestselling Author & Executive Coach | Building Great Workplace Cultures
Chester Elton
New York Times Bestselling Author & Executive Coach | Building Great Workplace Cultures
Biography
Chester Elton is one of today’s most influential thought leaders in workplace culture, leadership, and employee engagement. Over the years, Chester has partnered with renowned organizations to develop high-performance cultures that drive innovation and employee satisfaction. As co-author of multiple award-winning and New York Times bestselling books—including All In, The Carrot Principle, Leading with Gratitude, The Best Team Wins, and Anxiety at Work—his work has been translated into 30 languages, with almost two million copies sold globally.
Recognized for his provocative and inspiring leadership insights, Chester has appeared on NBC’s Today, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, and CBS’s 60 Minutes. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, and The Wall Street Journal. Dubbed the “Apostle of Appreciation” by Canada’s Globe and Mail, Chester provides real solutions to leaders looking to build exceptional workplace cultures and foster team resilience.
Chester is a recipient of the prestigious Thinkers 50 Coaching Award, recognizing him as one of the world’s top 50 leadership coaches. He is a certified executive coach with the Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Leadership (SCL) program and a proud member of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches group. His coaching methodology enhances leadership effectiveness through one-on-one sessions, 360-degree feedback, and stakeholder involvement, helping leaders identify opportunity gaps and make their strongest contributions.
Chester is co-founder of The Culture Works, a global consultancy that advises clients such as American Express, The World Bank, Zoox/Amazon, and Astor Chocolate. He also serves on the advisory board of One Kind Act a Day, whose mission is to make kindness a daily habit. Chester is most proud to be the father of four exceptional children, a devoted grandfather to four, and a husband to his amazing wife, Heidi.
Speaker Videos
Speaking Reel
Keynote Trailer
Keynote Speech
Speech Topics
Culture Change: Transform Your Culture & Drive Business Growth
Organizations are increasingly seeking expert speakers who address critical issues like culture change, employee engagement, hybrid work, and inclusion. New York Times bestselling author of All In, Chester Elton’s keynote on Culture Change emphasizes building a workplace that can adapt and thrive in rapidly changing business landscapes.
With research and practical case studies, Chester connects cultural strategy with practical, measurable outcomes, appealing directly to business leaders who want to see a tangible return on their cultural investments. Improving workplace dynamics isn't just about boosting morale, it's a strategic move to enhance performance and drive financial success.
Chester Elton Teaches:
- The Secrets of High-Performance Cultures: From Chester’s proprietary 300,000-person study of high-performance organizations, attendees will learn the three characteristics that drive today’s most productive and profitable teams.
- Engage, Enable, and Energize Your Workforce: Discover proven strategies to boost employee engagement, build a culture of commitment, and inspire your people to go above and beyond.
- Evolving Culture to Meet Changing Needs: Cultivate a culture where diverse ideas thrive, teams collaborate effectively, and employees feel empowered to innovate in an evolving business environment.
The Future of Work - Leading Through Uncertainty: Empowering Leaders to Drive Performance in Changing Times
If your organization is looking for a powerful message that directly ties new ways of leading to performance outcomes, this is the keynote. New York Times bestselling business author Chester Elton teaches leaders how to provide honest feedback to their people, reward the right behaviors, and hold people accountable in positive ways— steering their teams toward success, even in turbulent business environments. The message is practical, actionable, and results-focused—appealing to organizations facing constant change.
Chester Elton Teaches How To:
- Navigate Change with Confidence: From Chester’s groundbreaking study of high-performance organizations comes exciting new findings on how great leaders navigate change to keep people focused on achieving key objectives.
- Lead with Clarity and Purpose: Discover how today’s best leaders create clear objectives and align their teams to meet them, ensuring performance thrives no matter what.
- Build Resilience and Drive Results: Practical strategies to build a culture of resilience and empathy, helping people stay motivated and drive results even when facing adversity.
Mindset & Resilience - Building Resilience and Psychological Safety: Increase Productivity & Reduce Burnout in Today's High-Pressure Workplaces
With 50% of workers reporting that anxiety negatively impacts their job performance and 75% attributing job stress to their supervisors, building resilience and psychological safety is no longer optional—it's essential.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Anxiety at Work, this keynote provides actionable strategies for reducing workplace anxiety, improving team resilience, and boosting overall performance by adopting a more positive mindset.
Organizations seeking to provide leaders with practical tools that translate directly to measurable improvements in employee well-being, engagement, and productivity will find this session invaluable.
Chester Elton Teaches How To:
- Spot and Address Anxiety Before It Impacts Performance: Chester helps leaders learn how to identify the hidden signs of burnout in their teams and implement solutions to alleviate anxiety before it affects productivity.
- Create a Culture of Psychological Safety: Discover strategies to foster a workplace where employees feel safe to speak up, collaborate effectively, and manage overload and uncertainty without fear.
- Increase Resilience to Combat Burnout and Improve Results: Practical tools to help leaders provide honest feedback to employees and their teams to beat perfectionism, manage even overwhelming tasks, and stay focused on achieving their goals without burning out.
Team Building - Teams That Break Down Silos: How Collaborative Leadership Drives Innovation & Performance
With 96% of executives citing poor teamwork as the leading cause of workplace failures, effective team building is critical to business success.
This keynote emphasizes accountability and collaboration—both highly valued in today's fast-paced business environment. New York Times bestselling author of The Best Team Wins, Chester Elton offers actionable solutions to help leaders create high-performing teams that break down silos, speed up productivity, and drive innovation.
Event planners looking for speakers who inspire immediate improvements in teamwork and performance will find this session both timely and impactful.
Chester Elton Teaches How To:
- Enhance Speed to Productivity Through Collaboration: Chester teaches leaders how to build cross-functional teams that work smarter and faster, reducing time-to-productivity and achieving results more efficiently.
- Unlock the Secrets of Cross-functional Communication and Accountability: Learn how to speed communication throughout an organization and set up teams to produce efficient, accountable results.
- Foster Innovation Through Healthy Debate: Practical strategies to encourage constructive debate and innovative thinking, helping teams tackle challenges more creatively and effectively.
Testimonials
Books & Media
Books
The Best Team Wins: The New Science of High Performance
All In: How the Best Managers Create a Culture of Belief and Drive Big Results
What Motivates Me: Put Your Passions to Work
The Orange Revolution: How One Great Team Can Transform an Entire Organization
The Invisible Employee: Realizing the Hidden Potential in Everyone
A Carrot a Day: A Daily Dose of Recognition for Your Employees
Something More: The Professional’s Pursuit of a Meaningful Life
Anxiety at Work: 8 Strategies to Help Teams Build Resilience, Handle Uncertainty, and Get Stuff Done