There is a megatrend in our culture that has rattled everything from physical and emotional well-being to the dynamics of the workplace: Loneliness. It has even generated a literal health crisis as the Surgeon General declared loneliness a health epidemic. Wall Street veteran Michael Lee Stallard has experienced the lonely upper echelons of corporate leadership and now leads the national discussion around this crisis. Over 50% of CEOs admit to experiencing loneliness, and despite the interconnectivity of today's technology, a high percentage of employees feel extremely lonely at work, with the repercussions impacting individual and organizational performance. But as an organizational and cultural thought leader and author of Connection Culture: The Competitive Advantage of Shared Identity, Empathy and Understanding at Work, Michael has the antidote: Connection.

In his role as Co-Founder and President of E Pluribus Partners, Michael helps organizations increase employee and customer engagement. He translates the need for connection into a shield against loneliness, advising how it will improve an organization and bolster productivity. He regularly writes timely articles on connection culture and the latest trends in the workforce on his website.

It's all about building a “Connection Culture” where human connection is a superpower that combats loneliness and provides an emotional boost to enhance leadership, overall wellbeing, and the bottom line. The end result? Happier, smarter employees who demonstrate increased cognitive firepower, engagement, strategic alignment, decision-making, and innovation.

In his empowering keynote, Michael lays out the framework for determining if a company has a “Connection Culture.” He provides research around the intersection of mental health and employee productivity, providing rich anecdotes about diverse entities such as Costco, Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and even the band U2. His case studies shed light on how Connection Cultures inspires employees to maximize efforts and align goals with those of their company. Michael also makes the case that creativity and innovation are essential for organizations to survive and can be fostered through proper incentives. Supported by insightful research and inspiring illustrations, he presents practical actions that can be implemented immediately across organizations.

For organizations struggling to retain employees and care about creating a healthier environment to reduce loneliness, Michael's presentations offer actionable steps for turning around a culture and building leadership connections. For organizations with positive cultures and high employee satisfaction, he provides the language that explains what you are doing right to continue success. Additionally, Michael makes the case that

Businesses and leadership are listening to what Michael has to say. He's addressed audiences of all sizes, including global organizations such as General Dynamics, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, and NASA, as well as the Association for Talent Development. He's also spoken before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Michael has spoken at Northwestern University and serves as a guest lecturer at the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business and a faculty member at the Institute for Management Studies. Texas Christian University has even created the TCU Center for Connection Culture to advance the power of connection throughout higher education.

Recognized as one of the world's top leadership coaches, Michael is also the author of Fired Up or Burned Out: How to Reignite Your Team's Passion, Creativity and Productivity. He's been featured in a wide variety of media, including Forbes, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Leader to Leader, Entrepreneur.com, FastCompany.com, HR Magazine, Human Resource Executive, and Talent Management.