Speakers Network Worldwide | Behavior | Shawn Achor

Shawn Achor

Shawn Achor’s talks have taken him to over 50 countries and a wide range of audiences. His research on positive psychology has impacted many lives.

Fee Range: $ Contact Us

Tags: Behavior, Brain Science, Happiness Advantage, Keynote Speakers, Positive Psychology, TED Speakers

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY

Shawn’s research on happiness made the cover of Harvard Business Review, his research and work on stress in partnership with Yale University at UBS was published in the The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and his PBS special has been seen by millions. Shawn has worked with over a third of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as the NFL, the NBA, the Pentagon and the White House. His talks have taken him to more than 50 countries, where he has spoken to CEOs in China, doctors in Dubai, schoolchildren in South Africa, and farmers in Zimbabwe.

Before Shawn even moved to Harvard and learned about positive psychology, he participated in several experiments, as his father L. Joseph Achor, found that his two children made good study subjects in his neuroscience lab. Shawn credits his parents, years of debate team, and his own experience with depression while working at Harvard to his success as an international speaker.

In 2010, Shawn decided to leave academia and share the power of positive psychology with the world. To do this, he moved home to Texas and formed GoodThink, a happiness consulting firm, with his little sister Amy the unicorn (herself an expert on spreading happiness as the only person appointed as a point of light by two US presidents). In 2012, Shawn and Amy hired Jordan Brock as VP of Business Development to help grow the strategic direction and business initiatives of the company.

In 2013, Shawn married fellow happiness researcher and author Michelle Gielan founder of the Institute of Applied Positive Research (IAPR). They live in Texas with their son Leo, who reminds them everyday that joy and awe are contagious.

Shawn Achor's Programs

The Happiness Advantage: Linking Positive Brains to Performance

Most business is done under the guideline that if you work harder, you will be more successful, and then you will be happy. This formula is scientifically backward. What over a decade of research shows is that training you brain to be positive first actually leads to greater success at work. Shawn explains what positive psychology is, how much we can change, and practical applications and strategies for reaping the Happiness Advantage.

Positive Leadership: Restoring a Culture of Confidence

Confidence, trust and job satisfaction are at historic lows. At the start of the economic collapse, Shawn worked with the world’s largest banks to restore confidence and forward progress. By researching the managers who maintained high levels of success and leadership during this challenging time, Shawn found that our brains develop confidence based on belief that our behavior matters toward creating the outcomes we desire. Shawn provides practical applications for raising the belief that individual behavior matters and offers strategies to help leaders keep teams motivated and engaged.