In an age of seemingly limitless career path options and a multitude of self-help books and job websites encouraging professionals to pursue their passions, how can employers ensure they keep their employees not only productive, but also excited and engaged with their work? Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau’s lineup of business speakers motivate audiences to seek initiative and assume more responsibility in their established careers, all while encouraging the cultivation of individual talents.

“Designing Your Life…and Business” with Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

Bill Burnett and Dave Evans  tackle topics like job satisfaction and career advancement by introducing audiences to design thinking concepts. Based on their popular course at Stanford University and their #1 bestselling book Designing Your Life, Burnett and Evans teach audiences at every tier of the corporate ladder how to use innovation and creative-problem solving to build fulfilling lives and careers. Their blueprints for prototyping multiple solutions and establishing collaborative office cultures help talent managers and employees to create mutually beneficial relationships.

“Designing Your Life walks readers through the process of building a satisfying, meaningful life by approaching the challenge the way a designer would. Experimentation. Wayfinding. Prototyping. Constant iteration. You should read the book. Everyone else will.” —Daniel Pink, bestselling author of Drive

“Navigating Modern Networking” with J. Kelly Hoey

J. Kelly Hoey combines her experience as an angel investor, corporate lawyer, and business columnist to produce essential advice for networking in the modern age. In her book Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships in a Hyper-Connected World, Hoey explains that the social media sites we use every day (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn—even Snapchat!) can be crucial tools in building an expansive career network. Her tips and tricks for more efficient communication can be used to leverage a new career or to succeed in an already established one. Encouraging employees to forge connections, both formal and informal, in the workplace can not only open doors to promotions, but also improve company culture and bring everyone closer to achieving their goals.

“Anything worth doing requires a team of champions and supporters—and this book is the essential guide for how to cultivate that team long before you need it.” —Marci Alboher, VP, Encore.org and author, The Encore Career Handbook

“Morale and Company Culture” with Alexandra Cavoulacos

 

Alexandra Cavoulacos is the co-founder and COO of The Muse, an online career platform focused on helping 21^st century workers acquire the professional skills necessary for succeeding in their business. In The New Rules of Work, Cavoulacos and The Muse co-founder Kathryn Minshew offer advice on efficiently setting goals and reaching them. Whether it be seeking a promotion, exploring opportunities in different departments, or taking on an assignment that’s out of their comfort zone, Cavoulacos coaches professionals to remain engaged and inspired in their current jobs. She emphasizes mastering first impressions and other “soft” skills like communication and networking to set oneself up for success from day one. A comfortable, engaging work environment is key to maintaining passionate, productive employees, and Cavoulacos shares expert advice for employers on crafting a company culture that is both attractive and inspiring.

“Once upon a time, it was possible to succeed by following a script: develop skills, work hard, make connections, rinse and repeat. Not anymore. In an ever-changing world of work, TheMuse.com has become a go-to resource for career advice. In this book, the founders have condensed years of The Muse’s best tips all in one place. It’s a user-friendly guide to finding and thriving in a job.”—Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take

 “Creative Entrepreneurship” with Chris Guillebeau

Chris Guillebeau started his own podcast, visited every country in the world, and wrote a best-selling book on entrepreneurship all before the age of 35. In Born for This, Guillebeau encourages workers to take career risks, like seeking a promotion or taking on a challenging project, to maintain a passionate drive for success. His popular podcast, Side Hustle School, spotlights people who successfully turned their passion into a lucrative side business, while also maintaining their positions in more conventional workplaces. His newest book, based on the podcast, provides a step-by-step action plan for readers to create a new source of income without quitting their day jobs. Guillebeau’s infectious enthusiasm will make audiences believe they really can have it all.

“Figuring out our highest point of contribution at work is not ‘one more thing to do’—it is the very work of our professional life. Wherever you are on that journey, Born for This will give you a mind-set and skill-set for accelerating the whole adventure.” —Greg McKeown, author of the New York Times bestseller Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less