Erica Dhawan

Leading Authority on 21st-Century Teamwork, Collaboration, and Innovation

Business Strategy, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Management Strategy, Teamwork & Collaboration, Women in Leadership, Workforce + HR
Book this speaker

Book Erica Dhawan, Business Strategy Speaker

About This Speaker

Erica Dhawan is an internationally recognized leading authority, speaker and advisor on 21st-century teamwork, collaboration and innovation. Named as one of the top 50 management thinkers in the world by Thinkers50, she is the author of two bestselling books, Get Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence and Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance. As we continue to experience an increasingly digital world where work practices are changing blisteringly, Erica shares innovative strategies to unlock the collective power of teams, build a culture of trust across any distance and create authentic engagement to ensure competitiveness. Rated #1 on the Top Women Keynote Speakers list, Erica frequently appears in the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and The Wall Street Journal. Erica speaks on global stages ranging from the World Economic Forum at Davos to the US Army and companies such as Coca-Cola, FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Walmart, and Cisco. She holds degrees from Harvard University, MIT Sloan, and The Wharton School.

Contact an agent to get Erica's availability and rates

Speaking Topics: Erica Dhawan

Get Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence
We typically associate success with speed and smarts. But in today’s hypercompetitive world, even those gifts aren’t enough. Collaboration expert Erica Dhawan argues that the game changer is a thoroughly modern skill called Connectional Intelligence (CxQ). As radical a concept as Emotional Intelligence was in the 90s, Connectional Intelligence is turning people into superconnectors who accelerate innovation, break down silos and foster breakthrough impact.


This dynamic, engaging, high-energy, fast-paced session will help participants understand the practice of using connectional intelligence as the key to purposeful collaboration, resilience, and business success. Attendees will shift the notion of collaboration from more meetings and emails to productive engagement that improves speed and quality of service, increases subject matter expertise and specialist sharing across silos, reduces cross-team dysfunction and delay, and eliminates duplicative work. Attendees will learn new insights and tools to accelerate the connected power of teams, become more agile and innovative, and drive breakthrough ideas and outcomes.
Win Together: Build Resilient and High-Performing Teams in the Age of AI
This isn't your ordinary keynote; it's a front-row seat to the future of inspiration and impact in the age of AI. WSJ Bestselling Author and award-winning keynote speaker Erica Dhawan promises not just a talk but an immersive experience where the secrets to unlocking peak performance and team spirit are revealed in the new world of work. Get ready to be captivated, motivated, and equipped with the tools to bring out the best in yourself and those around you.

Discover the exact strategies to build 21st-century teams that defy the odds, whether it's how to be a better leader in the AI revolution or turn challenges into triumphs in the digital-first world. Spoiler alert: AI won't replace us, but leaders who master it will redefine the game. Globally recognized teamwork expert Erica Dhawan provides actionable insights, equipping attendees with the knowledge and strategies to not only adapt to the changing landscape but to thrive in it.
Collaborate Faster and Further, Together
Email replies that show up a week later. Video chats full of “oops... sorry no you go” and “can you hear me?!” Ambiguous text-messages. Is it any wonder communication takes us so much time and effort to figure out? How did we lose our innate capacity to understand each other? Humans rely on body language to connect and build trust, but with most of our communication happening from behind a screen, traditional body language signals are no longer visible - or are they? In her keynote, Erica combines cutting-edge research with engaging storytelling to decode the new signals and cues that have replaced traditional body language across genders, generations, and cultures. In person, we lean in, uncross our arms, smile, nod, and make eye contact to show we listen and care. Online, reading carefully is the new listening. Writing clearly is the new empathy. And a phone or video call is worth a thousand emails. In this keynote, Erica Dhawan, author of the bestselling book DIGITAL BODY LANGUAGE will supercharge your teams with collectively understood rules that foster connection, build trust and drive innovation.
Concrete Empathy: A Playbook for Leading Modern Virtual Teams
We live in a culture defined by a distinct empathy deficit: The boss who constantly emails you is “wrong”—but never shows you how to correct those mistakes. The colleague who mansplains you to death in every conference call and has no interest in what you have to say. The team member who won’t stop looking at her phone as you share sensitive information during a meeting.

Why is empathy today at such a low point? Fewer face-to-face interactions, an ever-accelerating pace of change and an increasing number of global teams working remotely.

In this keynote or workshop program, attendees will learn to activate Concrete Empathy. With a combination of engaging stories, science, and practical tools, it shows attendees how to cultivate greater empathy across teams, ultimately creating cultures of connection, collaboration and high-performance.

Selling Value in a 21st Century Marketplace: The Power of Connectional Intelligence
Selling value in a 21st century marketplace demands a significant transformation in go-to-market strategies and a profound evolution in salespeoples' omnichannel communication skills and competencies—where up to 70% of sales interactions are virtual-first. We no longer rely solely on the lean-in, handshake, and eye contact. Today, reading virtual cues carefully is the new listening and writing emails clearly is the new empathy.

Erica Dhawan, author of the WSJ bestselling books Get Big Things Done and Digital Body Language, is the go-to expert helping salespeople become superconnectors to decode the new signals and cues of prospects and customers by mastering the power of Connectional Intelligence. In this keynote, learn the differences between the buyer’s brain during virtual interactions and in-person meetings, how to tackle the unconscious cognitive bias in both in-person and digital sales interactions, and how to elevate your presence and increase your level of influence using omnichannel communications. Salespeople will leave blown away by how to better connect with customers, build stronger relationships, and drive sales success in the modern age.

Learning Outcomes:

• Decipher Digital and In-Person Body Language: Master the ability to read and respond to the subtle cues of your prospects and customers, both online and offline.

• Optimize Omnichannel Communications: Embrace and effectively utilize a variety of communication channels, tailored to your prospects' and customers' digital and generational preferences.

• Craft Personal and Emotional Experiences: Create compelling virtual experiences that keep prospects engaged and eager for more in-person and virtual interactions.

• Balance Real-Time and Asynchronous Communication: Strategically use real-time interactions (live meetings, phone, video, chat) and asynchronous methods (email, text, social media) to maximize engagement and productivity.

Related speakers

Need help choosing your next event speaker?
Talk with one of our experts.
Let’s Chat