Biography

Adam Markel, bestselling author, keynote speaker, and resilience researcher, guides individuals and organizations to tap the power of resilience to master the challenges of constant change.

With 18 years as a trial attorney building a multi-million dollar enterprise and 10 years as the CEO of a leading personal development and business training company, Adam has much to share about resilience, culture and change. Yet, some of his most enduring lessons came from his years as an ocean first responder – a life-and-death environment where Adam learned the importance of cultivating high-performance capacity and impeccable teamwork.

In his latest bestselling book, Change Proof, Adam shows how those resilience principles are equally relevant today for any business that wants to move beyond managing change to actively embracing it and using times of uncertainty, crisis, and chaos to create opportunities and stimulate individual and team growth.

As one of Huffington Post’s top speakers to see and the #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Pivot, Adam’s messages have inspired tens of thousands worldwide. His keynotes, corporate workshops, and business coaching integrate practical business strategies, personal development insights and a unique delivery style to create a high-energy and impactful learning environment.

Adam is currently the CEO of the More Love Media Group, a TEDx speaker and influencer, and host of The Change Proof Podcast, facilitating insightful discussions with business leaders and social innovators and sharing strategies to embrace an uncertain world and build Change Proof organizations fully.

Adam is continuously inspired by his wife of over 30 years and their four amazing children.

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Cultivating a Change-Proof Culture with AI: Preparing for a Future-Ready Workforce

In the dynamic realm of today's business, the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) transcends mere technological innovation, playing a crucial part in enhancing employee well-being, happiness, and efficiency. This presentation explores AI's revolutionary impact on crafting a supportive, productive work environment. We'll delve into how AI tools can mitigate stress, uplift mental health, and establish a wellness-driven culture, thereby elevating employee contentment and performance.

ey Learning Outcomes:
- AI's Workplace Evolution: Uncover how AI, including machine learning and data analytics, is transforming workplace practices and enhancing employee relations.
- Boosting Mental Health and Well-being: Discover AI-powered strategies for monitoring and improving mental health, emphasizing stress relief and emotional wellness.
- AI and Work-Life Harmony: Learn how AI optimizes operations and workload, fostering a balanced work-life dynamic and curbing burnout.
- Customized Employee Support: Explore the benefits of AI in providing personalized support and growth opportunities, thereby increasing job satisfaction and personal development.
- Ethical AI Use: Examine the ethical and privacy concerns associated with employing AI in monitoring and enhancing employee well-being.
- Looking Forward: Anticipate future AI innovations and their potential to transform workplace culture and employee engagement further.

This talk is designed to offer an in-depth perspective on leveraging AI as a key element in building a positive, high-performance work culture, ensuring a happier, more involved workforce ready to meet the challenges of the future.

Becoming Change Proof: The Power of Resilience for Unprecedented Success

In an era where change is the only constant, Adam Markel's keynote on Change Proof resilience offers invaluable insights for individuals and organizations navigating the complexities of the modern workplace. Drawing on his extensive experience as a resilience researcher, keynote speaker, and bestselling author, Markel provides a roadmap for harnessing the power of resilience to thrive amidst ongoing change and disruption. His latest bestseller, Change Proof: Leveraging the Power of Uncertainty to Build Long-term Resilience, underscores the necessity of developing resilience before it's needed, highlighting that resilience is multifaceted—encompassing mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual dimensions.

Through engaging narratives and practical strategies, Markel elucidates how resilience is not merely about enduring but about thriving—transforming adversity into opportunity and growth

Key learnings and takeaways from Adam Markel's keynote include:
- Holistic Resilience: Resilience spans mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual realms, requiring a balanced approach to foster overall well-being and long-term success.
- Proactive Recovery: High performance is linked to recovery, not exhaustion. Incorporating regular, ritualistic self-care practices ensures sustained energy and productivity.
- Leveraging Adversity: Change and adversity, rather than being feared, can be catalysts for growth and innovation, pushing individuals and organizations to evolve and strengthen.
- Cultural Shift Towards Self-Care: Prioritizing self-care and encouraging it within teams cultivates a culture of resilience, leading to healthier, more adaptive, and cohesive groups.
- Strategic Adaptability: Embracing change and developing strategies to leverage uncertainty can position individuals and organizations to bounce forward stronger, capitalizing on the inherent opportunities presented by adversity.

This keynote offers a transformative perspective on resilience, emphasizing its critical role in achieving and sustaining success in today's dynamic world. Through his compelling narrative and evidence-based strategies, Adam inspires a shift towards a more resilient, adaptable, and proactive approach to personal and professional challenges.

Got Your Back: Fostering a Thriving Culture of Support and Collaboration

In today's high-stress environment, organizations face pivotal questions: Are we too overwhelmed to innovate? How do we combat burnout and maintain our competitive edge? As the world accelerates post-COVID-19, creating a nurturing workplace where individuals can excel becomes not just beneficial, but essential.

Annually, businesses lose an astounding $62 billion to health and safety costs arising from exhaustion and burnout. It's clear that the ability to not just survive but flourish under stress is a critical asset for any organization.

Join Adam in this dynamic, virtual session as he unveils the secrets to enhancing performance and resilience within your team. Through a captivating 'Got Your Back' culture, discover practical strategies and actionable insights that promise to transform your workplace dynamics. Prepare to empower your team with tools that resonate beyond the session, driving lasting growth and success.

Learning Outcomes:
- Empower Innovation: Learn how to foster an environment where creativity and big thinking thrive, even in the face of challenges.
- Combat Burnout: Strategies to recognize early signs of burnout and actionable steps to address and prevent it within your team.
- Build Resilience: Techniques for developing individual and collective resilience, enabling your team to perform under pressure and adapt to change.
- Cultivate Support: Establish a 'Got Your Back' culture that emphasizes mutual support, collaboration, and trust, significantly enhancing team cohesion and productivity.
- Drive Sustainable Success: Practical tools for sustaining a healthy, productive workplace that consistently achieves and exceeds goals.

High Performance Leadership Lessons from a Lifeguard: Building Resilience in Business

Drawing on a diverse background that spans 18 years as a trial attorney, 9 years as a CEO, and 7 years as a lifeguard on Long Island's beaches, Adam Markel brings a unique perspective to leadership and resilience. His insights go beyond conventional wisdom, rooted in real-world experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to build and sustain high-performing teams.

In his dynamic presentation, Adam introduces the "Resilient Leadership Model," a transformative approach that aligns team members with a unified mission, engaging them mentally, emotionally, and physically. This model transcends traditional notions of endurance and command, focusing instead on heart-centered techniques that cultivate lasting resilience and superior performance.

Participants will be engaged through audience participation and compelling narratives, exploring the pivotal role of resilience in leadership. Adam's strategies are designed to foster an environment of trust, accountability, and open communication, setting the foundation for a culture that favors collaboration over competition.

Learning Outcomes:
- Trust Through Transparency: Uncover how openness fosters trust, the cornerstone of high-performing teams.
- Love-Based Accountability: Learn to hold team members accountable with compassion, enhancing motivation and commitment.
- Revolutionary Feedback System: Implement a feedback mechanism that promotes genuine, swift, and productive communication.
- Cultivating Courage: Establish systems that encourage calculated risk-taking, supporting a supportive 'got-your-back' culture over a divisive 'watch-your-back' atmosphere.

PIVOT Formula: Cultivating a Culture of Creativity and Innovation

In an era where disruption is the norm, organizations clinging to the status quo face a stark reality: adapt or face obsolescence. A staggering 88% of the Fortune 500 companies listed in 1955 have since vanished, underscoring the peril of resisting change. The key to enduring success and avoiding the trap of mediocrity is cultivating "PIVOT-Ability"—the capacity to continuously reinvent and innovate by leveraging change.

Adam Markel's presentation introduces the P.I.V.O.T. Formula, a strategy designed to foster creativity, agility, and resilience. By integrating foundational principles, compelling stories, and interactive exercises, Adam guides teams through the process of embracing small, yet impactful changes for sustained productivity and longevity.

Learning Outcomes:
- Embrace Incremental Innovation: Learn the law of small changes to boost productivity and ensure operational sustainability.
- Build Organizational Resilience: Discover a 4-part Resilience - Regeneration process that embeds resilience at every level of your organization, from leadership to the front line.
- Adopt a New Success Paradigm: Transition to a success model that encourages reaching new heights and learning from mistakes, fostering an environment where great ideas flourish.
- Overcome Change Resistance: Break through the fear of change and challenge the status quo, empowering your team to embrace transformation and drive innovation.

Testimonials

It was great working with Adam. The feedback from the participants has been outstanding. One even described it as “life-changing.” His insights and perspectives were very timely for our team - at all levels. Moreover, I loved the roadmap of actionable advice he provided. Thanks again!
– Stephen P., US Bank
Thank you immensely for your inspiring message at this year’s sales kickoff. Not only was it timely, it was well received by the group. I heard guys saying “I got your back” throughout the rest of the event. I look forward to where our team takes the message.
– John B., President, DuraServ
Adam couldn’t have been a better choice for our event. His message was very well received, as was evidenced by the standing ovation at the end. He really delivered for us, providing a nice toolkit that we could put into action quickly. The attendees felt very resourced in ways to increase performance. It’s clear that Adam is a mature, experienced and well-rounded speaker whose authenticity and transparency ensured his message really resonated and left everyone feeling that we as a company have their back.
– Jack A., Service Corporation International (SCI)
The feedback from all corners is OVERWHELMING. Thank you so much for sharing with us yesterday. I JUST came from yet another conversation where someone said you were the best keynote in the 7 years they’ve been attending. I’ve heard a dozen or more people who have started their day with one or more of your recommendations.
– Matt G., Valet Living
Adam's message really resonated, so much so that it set the tone for the rest of the week, becoming a theme of every presentation and the hallway chatter. It was exactly what we needed at this moment. People were so excited after the event and even told us that this was the best meeting! The takeaways had real impact and, most importantly, fulfilled an important purpose of the meeting - to get buy-in on the future of our organization. You were a big part of that.
– Samantha O., Medtronic
Adam JUST spoke to our group and I've already had people come up and tell me he is the BEST speaker that we have had of all of our sessions…and we've been doing this for over 30 years! He was dynamic and wonderful and we have really appreciated him being here. Thank you, Adam!
– Shelly A., The Imaging Network Group (INg)
We express our gratitude for such an amazing and inspiring session. We will of course take all of your advice and suggestions to make us more resilient. On top of being an amazing speaker, you and your team are also some of the nicest people that I’ve had the chance to work with. Thank you for that.
– Jean T., Mars Wrigley

Booksby Adam Markel

Change Proof

Pivot: The Art & Science of Reinventing Your Career and Life

The I Love My Life Challenge

Blog Posts

Mental Health Awareness: The Mark of a Modern Workplace

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Valuable Life Lessons from Parenting & Overcoming Failures

Learn valuable life lessons from overcoming failure and parenting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJTIi-nhq60&list=PLXTlGHk63lLgbS8LN-PENXDzwMdqWAnOm "Life’s greatest lessons come from...

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Blog Posts

 

Mental Health Awareness: The Mark of a Modern Workplace

🌎✨ As we recognize World Mental Health Day, we're shining a spotlight on critical mental...

Read More

What’s Holding You Back from Managing Your Energy Effectively?

Have you ever wanted to get more energy in your day-to-day activities? https://youtu.be/hltabhE0QRM Have you...

Read More

Use Improv as a Mindfulness Practice and Improve your Well-Being

🌟 Mental Fitness Through Improv & Mindfulness 🌟 https://youtu.be/xuAhzUGZ438 Mental fitness is not just about...

Read More

Innovative Event Strategies to Inspire Your Attendees with Courtney Mesmer

https://youtu.be/1erTgGFdyW8 Watch this week’s podcast episode here: YouTube • Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon...

Read More

Valuable Life Lessons from Parenting & Overcoming Failures

Learn valuable life lessons from overcoming failure and parenting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJTIi-nhq60&list=PLXTlGHk63lLgbS8LN-PENXDzwMdqWAnOm "Life’s greatest lessons come from...

Read More

Pink October: Breast Cancer Awareness and the Power of Healing Our Emotional Histories

Pink October: Understanding the Connection Between Emotional Health and Breast Cancer This newsletter is brought...

Read More