Geoff Colvin
Senior Editor-at-Large, Fortune and Bestselling Author
Experience counts in serious times. For four decades at Fortune, Geoff Colvin has covered the economic, political, technological, and competitive forces disrupting business and how top leaders and companies adapt and transform to win in spite of them. The big takeaway, Geoff says, is that winning companies and leaders summon the courage to act –they stop protecting the past and start inventing the future –and they confront this reality faster than the competition. As business leaders face their biggest challenge ever, Geoff Colvin is the voice of experience who shines a light –revealing a clearer path for an uncertain future. His columns and cover stories for Fortune have earned him millions of loyal fans. Many of them also hear him dispense critical business insights on the CBS Radio Network, where he reaches seven million listeners each week. Geoff’s bestselling books include The Upside of the Downturn, Talent is Overrated, and Humans are Underrated. A keynote speaker with compelling content, Geoff Colvin is also a brilliant panel moderator and interviewer.
As Fortune‘s senior editor-at-large, Geoff Colvin is now in his fourth decade at Fortune. He is one of business journalism’s sharpest and most respected commentators on leadership, management, globalization, government regulation, corporate governance, competition, the economy, the infotech revolution, human performance, and related issues.
In addition to his daily CBS Radio Network segments (he’s done over 15,000 since 1995), Geoff has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, Squawk Box, CBS This Morning, ABC's World News Tonight, CNN, PBS's Nightly Business Report, and dozens of other programs. He also served as anchor of Wall $treet Week with Fortune on PBS.
In addition to speaking, Geoff is also a brilliant panel moderator, emcee, and interviewer whose subjects have included Ben Bernanke, Larry Summers, Janet Yellen, Henry Kissinger, Richard Branson, the Prince of Wales, Bill Gates, Colin Powell, Jack Welch, Alan Greenspan, Ted Turner, Warren Buffett, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and many others.
Geoff is a respected author whose groundbreaking international bestseller, Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else, has been published in a dozen languages. The Upside of the Downturn: Management Strategies for Difficult Times was named “Best Management Book of the Year” by Strategy + Business magazine. Geoff’s latest book is Humans are Underrated: What High Achievers Know That Brilliant Machines Never Will. It’s based on the idea in his wildly popular Fortunearticle “In the Future Will There Be Any Work Left for People to Do?” It looks at the trend of advancing technology performing ever more tasks better than people perform them, and the ways humans will create value for their organizations and their careers in the changing economy. The ideas he shares have profound implications for every business and industry.
A native of Vermillion, South Dakota, Geoff Colvin is an honors graduate of Harvard with a degree in economics and has an M.B.A. from New York University’s Stern School of Business.
CONFRONTING THE REALITY OF CHANGE
When change comes at us from every direction, it can feel like our only option is to play defense. “Not so,” says Geoff Colvin of Fortune. “The best leaders I’ve reported on have found ways to embrace a world of continuous disruption and build a powerful competitive advantage in the process.” Geoff is optimistic about the future as he unpacks step-by-step how we can all respond faster to change and even get ahead of it as individuals, teams, and enterprises.
Geoff provides actionable takeaways to help leaders face change smarter:
• What the best leaders and companies are doing right now to create the future• Why confronting reality faster is the key to seizing new opportunities• Biggest pandemic lessons for business• Scenario planning: surviving bad times begins with better decisions in good times• 3 best ways to lead during crisis and disruption• Creativity and innovation – how to unleash it individually and organizationally
RISKS & OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS ECONOMY
Global turmoil has roiled an already fragile economic order in ways that are still unfolding. At Fortune, Geoff tells the economic story in terms that focus on the risks and opportunities. Business people already know the numbers – what they might miss is the big picture; the forces driving the trends causing disruptive change in their world and, most importantly, what to do about it. This presentation isn’t a stream of economic statistics; it’s an optimistic story that Geoff tells engagingly, humorously, and memorably with valuable takeaways because, as he says, “Even in tough times, somebody’s going to win, why not you?”
Geoff covers:
• Why, even in times like this, it’s vital to remain optimistic• The latest data and trends curated for the audience/industry he’s addressing• A plain-spoken explanation of what’s going on now – on Main Street, Wall Street, in Washington, and globally.• How successful companies are winning in this economy
FUTURE-PROOF YOUR BUSINESS MODEL
Four big trends are causing business leaders angst as they confront the idea that their business model needs to change. In this talk, Geoff Colvin looks at how the economic climate, advancements in tech, global and domestic politics, and workers are moving to render many business models obsolete. As a result, business model innovation has become a must-have competence for all companies. That’s a problem for those that are unprepared but a huge opportunity for those who are paying attention and taking this challenge seriously.
Geoff reveals:
• Inspiring examples of companies transforming their business model and winning• Key trends driving the need for business model change• How to just do it: Stop protecting yesterday and start creating the future• The secrets to becoming a business model innovator• How to adapt to a friction-free economy and create outsized opportunities• Why human capital is the most valuable kind and how to make the most of it
LEARNING FROM THE WORLD’S GREATEST LEADERS
Through his work at Fortune, Geoff Colvin has seen top business leaders up close. Over the years, he’s gotten to know many of those leaders well. Watching them and talking with them has revealed eye-opening insights into how they cope with change, wrestle with transforming their companies, and face the economic, competitive, technological, and political forces buffeting their businesses. Geoff unpacks their stories in this talk uniquely crafted for each audience, showing relevant lessons learned from leaders and companies we all know.
This talk can focus on several themes:
• The crucial process of making tough decisions• Finding and keeping great employees• Navigating regulatory uncertainty• Adopting new technology• Managing in a crisis• Leading cultural change
Geoff hit a home run today!!!!!!!!!!!! Outstanding…
Head of Conf Planning & Travel, Putnam Investments
Thank you for your email and for inspiring my team! The feedback is unanimous, they loved your presentation, the Q&A that followed and how you inspired them and boosted their confidence. That was exactly my goal. Thank you.
CEO, Arch Capital Group
Geoff, you were definitely the highlight of our conference. In reviewing our surveys today, you were overwhelmingly ranked as the favorite speaker and one they would most like to hear from again. The positive anecdotal comments I’ve heard from both our internal team as well as conference attendees regarding your contribution have been significant. We were very proud to have you as our keynote speaker.
Lead Executive, Business Alliances & Ancillary Division, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Thank you so much for your participation in the first annual L'ATTITUDE event! Your participation, both as participant and moderator was brilliant. Your [precision], command of facts and data AND unique ability to weave it into a logical, easy to understand outcome is special.
Co-Founder, L’ATTITUDE
You hit it out of the park. We will ask you back.
CEO, American Pacific Mortgage
Your kickoff to our conference was incredibly well received. Everyone enjoyed your presentation particularly the piece about humans’ role in the future.
CFO, Coril Holdings
I can’t tell you how many people, customers and employees, came up to me and said how good your session was. Honestly, it set a tone that I was hoping for so to me it was a huge win. I also appreciate you filling in the time gap on such short notice.
President and COO, SoftwareAG North America
We received rave reviews on your presentation and our Chairman is already reading your books – as will I! I’m sure our paths will cross again in the future!
Partner, Baker & McKenzie LLP
... he was so awesome!!! Thank you so much for sending him to us! He was amazing.
Director of Economic Development Services, CareerSource Pinellas
Thanks for doing your bit to help knock #IABC16 out of the park! Much appreciated - and by the way, some of your slides were the most tweeted images so you clearly resonated.
Conference Chair, International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
Thank you very much for speaking at our Summit – I got fantastic feedback on your message! It was uplifting and inspiring, and you certainly made me look good!
Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Certent