David Burkus

How much do you get paid? How does it compare to the people you work with? You should know, and so should they, says management researcher David Burkus. In this talk, Burkus questions our cultural assumptions around keeping salaries secret and makes a compelling case for why sharing them could benefit employees, organizations and society.

What if all the advice we've heard about networking is wrong? What if it's not about meeting strangers but about getting a better understanding of the existing network that’s already around you? In this talk David Burkus, author of the book "Friend of a Friend," examines the science of how networks work and reveals what the best networkers really do. David Burkus is a best-selling author, a sought after speaker, and business school professor. In 2015, he was named one of the emerging thought leaders most likely to shape the future of business by Thinkers50, the world’s premier ranking of management thinkers. His forthcoming book, Friend of a Friend, offers readers a new perspective on how to grow their networks and build key connections—one based on the science of human behavior, not rote networking advice. He is also the author of Under New Management and The Myths of Creativity. David is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and his work has been featured in Fast Company, the Financial Times, Inc magazine, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, and CBS This Morning. David’s innovative views on leadership have earned him invitations to speak to leaders from a variety of organizations. His TED talk has been viewed over 1.8 million times. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Most of us think an inspiring purpose must be a bold and lofty ambition. And most leaders think that to communicate a purpose that truly inspires, they need a compelling answer to the question “Why do we do what we do?” But it turns out that most people are less inspired by a compelling answer to “Why?” and more motivated by a clear answer to the question “Who is served by the work that we do?” Based on decades of research and notable examples, Burkus reveals that the simplest, yet most potent, way to inspire your team is by helping them find an answer to the question “Who?”

Using paychecks, perks and carefully worded mission statements plastered on posters, companies are on a never-ending quest to find what drives morale at work. An underappreciated solution lies in the answer to one simple question, says management researcher David Burkus. With notable examples backed by decades of success, he presents a clear path to inspiring your team — and finding your purpose at work.