Scott Barry Kaufman

Scott Barry Kaufman Speaking Topics

• Rise Above: Empower Yourself and Realize Your Full Potential

  Does life feel smaller than it used to? Does it seem that the people around you have taken a step back from doing hard things, preferring to stay in their comfort zone? In the era of TikTok as therapy, it’s tempting to see ourselves as damaged and powerless—defined by our past traumas, our emotions, and the struggles we face. But it’s more important than ever to rise above the limiting beliefs and widespread anxiety that puts us in boxes, lowers our expectations, and holds us back.

  In this empowering talk, renowned psychologist Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman unpacks the dangerous myths and misleading buzzwords swirling around the popular imagination—revealing the truth about managing our emotions, the double-edged sword of self-esteem, the surprising gifts of sensitivity, and, ultimately, the power each of has to overcome challenges and to shape the course of our own lives. This talk will provide actionable solutions to own your life and reach your full potential.

• Unlocking Creative Potential in the Workplace

  What does it take to unlock your greatest creative potential at work and beyond? Drawing on his extensive research for the past 20 on years on what “creative people do differently” and his latest revision of Maslow’s famous “hierarchy of needs,” Scott Barry Kaufman traces the main factors that allow people and organizations to maximize their creative potential. A leading expert in the exciting new field of human-centered education, Kaufman applies the latest science of positive psychology and self-actualization coaching to help all people get on the path to reach their full potential. Kaufman will help people increase the chances they will feel completely absorbed in their tasks and activities — while at work and in their daily lives so that they can be naturally more productive and find more meaning, creativity, and purpose in their lives.

The Science of Thriving at Work & Growing from Setback

At work, we often feel a need to prioritize either productivity or wellbeing. But as Scott Barry Kaufman knows, these two priorities aren’t an “either or” scenario—in fact, they actually need each other. Drawn from Scott Barry Kaufman’s popular Columbia course on the Science of Living Well, this talk provides a theoretical and practical approach to well-being and self-actualization in a workplace setting. Thriving is a term that captures the optimal state of functioning of individuals, groups or organizations, with indicators such as self-actualization, meaning, engagement, health, growth, and creativity as well as other markers of being in a state of peak experience. Productivity, effective teamwork, strong leadership, and innovation are essential to the work we do. But when we prioritize basic human needs—like health, security, growth, meaning, mindfulness, self-esteem, connection, and more—our productivity, leadership, and teamwork improve in leaps and bounds. As Kaufman shows audiences, there are ways that we can cultivate a sense of well-being at work in ways that are growth-fostering and bring out the best in everyone. Drawn from his groundbreaking new research on the science of self-actualization, he’ll leave you with a new, actionable framework for enhancing productivity and wellbeing, and show how we don’t have to be set back by our setbacks, but can actually grow and thrive by leaps and bounds after trauma and setbacks.

Education Reimagined: Toward a Human-Centered K12 Education

What if we had schools where students were treated as human first, and all students were recognized for their unique potential? When we are young we don’t always know our own true potential and it’s impossible to have passion for what you can’t see. All people that work with our youth have the greatest opportunity to help our youth find their true potential and find their passion to learn and grow. In this program and using his wide and deep research in many SEL content areas Scott Barry Kaufman creates dynamic and insightful customized keynotes or workshops for all K12 Administrators, Educators, Students and even communities. A leading expert in the exciting new field of human-centered education, Kaufman applies the latest science of positive psychology and self-actualization coaching to help all students get on the path to reach their full potential. Imagine if our schools revolved around optimizing the human potential in every student, and took into account their basic needs as a human, not just their potential for doing well on standardized tests.

A New View of Intelligence

In an educational system founded on rigid standards and categories, students who demonstrate a very specific manifestation of intelligence get the keys to the kingdom, while those who deviate tend to fall between the cracks. After overcoming his own struggles with how intelligence is defined, passion and perseverance for long-term personal goals are at the core of Scott Barry Kaufman’s new theory of Personal Intelligence. Kaufman elucidates that if we want to increase self-actualization in students, we need to take into account the child’s dreams, passions, and goals, and harness their greatest strengths in the service of realizing who they truly want to become. A leading expert in the exciting new field of human-centered education, Kaufman applies the latest science of positive psychology and self-actualization coaching to help all people get on the path to reach their full potential. Kaufman’s research has particular implications for children who have learning difficulties, including dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and emotional and behavioral disorders, as well as other vulnerable populations, such as ethnic and racial minority students.