Gregg’s energy, enthusiasm, and powerful passion for making a positive impact shine through in every keynote he delivers. His multifaceted life spans multiple careers and continents, providing a rich tapestry of experiences that he weaves into his presentations.
Growing up on the outskirts of New York City, Gregg was the son of world-famous sportswriter Gene Ward, who introduced him to legends like Coach Don Shula, Arthur Ashe, and Muhammad Ali. This early exposure to greatness set the stage for Gregg’s own illustrious career. As a professional actor, writer, director, and producer, he graced stages in New York, London, and national tours across the US and the UK, earning prestigious awards for his original plays at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
With numerous plays, stories, and feature articles to his credit, Gregg is a master storyteller who captivates audiences with his honesty, passion, and authenticity. He is also the bestselling author of The Respectful Leader (John Wiley & Sons, 2016), an award-winning business fable that showcases his expertise in leadership and respect.
Today, Gregg serves global companies as an expert consultant, speaker, trainer, and executive coach. His presentations are not just speeches; they are transformative experiences that leave a lasting impact on every audience. Engage Gregg Ward for your next event and inspire your audience with his unique blend of storytelling, expertise, and passion.
How Developing an Actively Respectful Culture™ Drives Engagement, Loyalty, Productivity, and Resilience in today’s VUCA Environments
Overview. Not very long ago, respect was considered a nice-to-have in workplaces dominated by “mad men” and hard-charging, my-way-or-the-highway workaholics. Sadly, many leaders still operate from these paradigms and consider respect to be unrelated to organizational success. But today 58% of the global workforce is comprised of Millennials and Gen-Z’s – a diverse, highly educated, socially conscious, and culturally-savvy group that considers respect to be a top motivator (Sources: PWC 2024 and 2022 Argyle-Leger Confidence Report). Members of this employee demographic are ten times more likely to quit their jobs because of a toxic work environment than for compensation (Source: MIT/Sloan School of Management). They require a new leadership style that is grounded in respect. The key lesson: today, respect and respectful workplace cultures are no longer nice-to-have, they’re absolute business imperatives.
Gregg Ward’s data-filled, energizing, interactive, and compelling talk targets every organizational level and reveals the secret to fulfilling these new imperatives by learning to “lead with respect,” through Respectful Leadership™ and by creating ARCs™ (Actively Respectful Cultures) within our organizations. This powerful shift will drive the highest levels of employee engagement, performance, partnership, and loyalty – directly and positively impacting their colleagues and customers alike.
Attendees will discover:
In a world that celebrates legendary heroes overcoming immense challenges, we often overlook the everyday heroes among us—ordinary individuals who find the good in others and uncover hidden “diamonds in the rough.” This inspiring keynote by Gregg Ward, Founder of the Center for Respectful Leadership, shines a light on these unsung heroes and the profound impact of recognizing and respecting the potential goodness in everyone, even those who are challenging, difficult or have a viewpoint that is the polar opposite of our own.
This moving and transformative talk delves into the critical importance of actively seeking out the good in those we encounter in our workplaces, homes, and communities. They’re the young person who helps the elderly and disabled to cross a street safely; a neighbor who – without being asked – cleans up our yard after a storm; a boss who goes out of their way to respect, coach, and counsel a difficult employee, rather than just firing them.
Backed by neuroscience, Gregg reveals how, as Ken Blanchard often says, “catching people doing things right,” and genuinely acknowledging the good in and respecting them triggers the release of “feel-good hormones” such as dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin in both parties, creating a ripple effect of respect and cooperation.
Why This Keynote?
Key Takeaways for Attendees:
Gregg Ward’s “Diamonds In The Rough” keynote is essential for any organization seeking to navigate our complex, polarized world with positivity, productivity, and mutual respect.
Overview: There is no doubt that this coming election – no matter who wins – is going to result in significant political/social turmoil. Most experts, including the award-winning, bestselling author, keynoter, and global thought leader Gregg Ward, believe that it will “bleed over” into the workplace.
Is your organization prepared? What can you do to keep politics from upending and possibly destroying workplace relationships? How can you ensure that employees still feel like they belong and are welcomed even if your leadership has already come down on one side or the other? How can you ensure that workplace conversations are about work and won’t devolve into debates or even conflict? And how do you give feedback to those who’ve been involved in disruptive incidents?
This energetic, and very timely, important, and informative talk, delivered by a former professional stage actor and European news correspondent, answers these questions and offers real-world, practical recommendations, tools and techniques that can immediately be put into practice.
Attendees will discover:
