Michael Houghton
2020 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine | Discoverer of Hepatitis C Virus | Li Ka Shing Professor of Virology, University of Alberta
Amy Edmondson
Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School | #1 Thinkers50 | Pioneer of Psychological Safety
Amy Edmondson is the most influential thinker in leadership and organizational behavior of her generation. Novartis Professor at Harvard Business School and #1 on Thinkers50 in 2023, she coined psychological safety — the concept that now defines how high-performing teams learn, innovate, and thrive under pressure. Her talks give leaders a concrete framework for building cultures where people dare to speak up.
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Amy Edmondson biography
Leadership speaker Amy Edmondson has done something rare in management research: she identified a concept most organizations were missing, named it clearly, and gave leaders the tools to act on it. As Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School — a chair established to study the human interactions behind successful enterprises — she has spent three decades building the definitive body of work on how teams learn, fail, and perform. The result is a research legacy that has reshaped how the world’s most forward-thinking organizations are run.
Edmondson is best known for pioneering the science of psychological safety: the shared belief within a team that it is safe to speak up, ask questions, admit mistakes, and take interpersonal risks without fear of punishment or humiliation. Her foundational 1999 paper in Administrative Science Quarterly launched what is now one of the most active research fields in management, healthcare, and education. Google’s internal Project Aristotle later identified psychological safety as the single strongest predictor of team effectiveness, bringing her work to a global audience of executives and HR leaders who had been searching for exactly this language.
She is the author of eight books and more than a hundred articles and case studies. The Fearless Organization (2018) has been translated into more than 15 languages and become required reading for leaders serious about building high-performance cultures. Her most recent book, Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well (2023), won the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award — one of the most prestigious recognitions in business publishing.
1 on Thinkers50 and Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Edmondson has appeared on the Thinkers50 global ranking of the world’s most influential management thinkers every cycle since 2011, reaching the top position in 2023. She was named the most influential thinker in Human Resources by HR Magazine in 2019, and received the Herbert Simon Award in 2022. In 2024, she was elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the most selective scholarly honors in the United States, and received the Teachers College Medal for Distinguished Service from Columbia University. Before joining Harvard, she worked as Chief Engineer for architect and inventor Buckminster Fuller.
As a speaker, Amy Edmondson translates decades of frontier research into frameworks leaders can implement immediately. Her talks on psychological safety, organizational learning, and the science of productive failure generate the kind of conversations that shift culture. Audiences leave with a clear model for building teams where people dare to speak up, experiment, and learn — precisely the conditions that separate high-performing organizations from the rest, especially when the environment is uncertain and the stakes are high.
Amy Edmondson Speaking Videos
Building a psychologically safe workplace | Amy Edmondson | TEDxHGSE
How to turn a group of strangers into a team | Amy Edmondson at TED
Amy Edmondson Keynote Topics
Why do some teams learn and adapt quickly while others freeze in the face of failure? The answer, backed by decades of research, is psychological safety. Edmondson explains how leaders at every level can create environments where people speak up, share ideas, and take calculated risks — without fear of judgment or retaliation. This talk delivers a clear framework and practical tools for building teams that perform best when the stakes are highest.
Based on her FT Business Book of the Year, Edmondson introduces a distinction that changes everything: not all failures are equal, and not all deserve the same response. This session teaches organizations to separate the failures that should be prevented, the ones that must be tolerated, and the ones that should be celebrated as engines of innovation. A perspective that reframes the relationship between risk, learning, and sustained performance.
Today's organizations operate with teams that form and dissolve rapidly, cross functional silos, and work under constant uncertainty. Edmondson introduces the concept of teaming — the ability to collaborate effectively with people you have never worked with before — and explains why this capability is now a critical competitive advantage. Applicable across healthcare, technology, financial services, and education.
The leadership models of the past — built on control, hierarchy, and certainty — are inadequate for the challenges organizations face today. Edmondson presents a learning-oriented leadership model where the leader's role is not to have all the answers but to create the conditions for the team to find them. Particularly relevant for executive teams navigating organizational, digital, or cultural transformation.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Amy Edmondson
Why Amy Edmondson?
Booking Amy Edmondson is a decision that brings one of the world's most rigorous, influential, and practical voices on leadership and organizational culture to your event. As Novartis Professor at Harvard Business School, #1 on Thinkers50, and author of eight books, Edmondson combines academic authority with an exceptional ability to connect with executive audiences. Her research on psychological safety has influenced thousands of organizations across every sector — from surgical teams to technology companies to governments. Audiences don't just learn; they leave with new language and concrete tools to transform how their teams work. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist in securing her availability and tailoring her presentation to your organization's specific context.
What is psychological safety and why does it matter in organizations?
Psychological safety is the shared belief within a team that it is safe to take interpersonal risks — to ask questions, admit mistakes, share ideas, and flag problems without fear of reprisal or humiliation. Edmondson developed this concept from her research in medical teams in the 1990s, and it has since become one of the most studied and recognized drivers of organizational performance. Google's internal Project Aristotle identified psychological safety as the strongest single predictor of team effectiveness, validating Edmondson's work at scale and cementing its relevance for business leaders worldwide.
What are Amy Edmondson's most important books?
Her most influential works are The Fearless Organization (2018), a practical guide for leaders building cultures of learning and innovation, translated into more than 15 languages; Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well (2023), winner of the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award; and Teaming (2012), on how organizations learn to collaborate under complexity. Across eight books and more than a hundred academic articles and case studies, her work spans management, healthcare, and education.
What topics does leadership speaker Amy Edmondson cover, and who is her ideal audience?
Amy Edmondson speaks on psychological safety, high-performance team culture, learning from failure, teaming in complex environments, and learning-oriented leadership. Her talks are particularly well suited for executive teams, HR and talent leaders, organizational transformation leaders, and companies across technology, healthcare, financial services, and education. Each presentation is tailored to the audience's context and challenges. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to discuss how her work can align with your event's specific goals.
How to book Amy Edmondson as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Amy Edmondson as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Amy Edmondson's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Amy Edmondson or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Amy Edmondson speaking fee?
Amy Edmondson speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Amy Edmondson to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Amy Edmondson.
How can I contact Amy Edmondson?
We only work with Amy Edmondson on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Amy Edmondson and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Amy Edmondson speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Amy Edmondson for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Amy Edmondson for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Amy Edmondson is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Amy Edmondson for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
