Filter by:

The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau

A speakers bureau that represents the best original thinkers,
writers, and doers for speaking engagements.

Erin Meyer

How can we navigate—and make the most of—complex cultural differences in the workplace?

INSEAD professor | Author of The Culture Map and No Rules Rules

Now Playing

How Do Cultural Differences Affect Your Business?

Now Playing

How Different Cultures Raise Different Workers

Now Playing

What Are Low and High Context Societies?

Lavin Exclusive Speaker

How can a company achieve worldwide success in more than 190 countries? Just ask ERIN MEYER, a leading expert on the globalization of the workforce. In her new book No Rules Rules, she teams up with Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings to break down the unorthodox work culture that made the streaming titan one of the world’s most innovative companies. And in her previous book The Culture Map, she decodes the cultural differences that could make-or-break an organization’s success. Charismatic, savvy, and whip-smart, Meyer’s talks teach us the secret to effectively working together in a global marketplace.

“Meyer’s work is characterized by a fresh and relevant voice, distilling down the essentials of communicating, persuading and working effectively around the globe.”— The Huffington Post

In her latest book No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention, celebrated business professor Erin Meyer dives deep into the psychology behind one of the world’s most innovative companies—and why it works. Alongside company cofounder Reed Hastings, Meyer shares counterintuitive leadership practices, stories from Netflix employees, and the trials and triumphs of Hasting’s own career. No Rules Rules captures the never-before-told story of how an unknown DVD rental company revolutionized the entire entertainment industry, and captured the hearts of millions of people around the world in the process.

Meyer’s previous book, The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business, provides a field-tested model for decoding how cultural differences impact international business. Working in Africa, Europe, and the United States prompted Meyer’s study of the communication patterns and business systems of different parts of the world. Her framework allows international executives to pin-point their leadership preferences, and compare their methods to the management styles of other cultures. Meyer has taught thousands of executives from five continents—at organizations like the World Bank, United Nations, Twitter, and Johnson & Johnson— strategies for improving their international collaboration.

Meyer has published articles in Singapore Business Times, Forbes, and the Harvard Business Review, where her article “Getting to Si, Ja, Oui, Hai, and Da,” was the most published piece of the year. She has also been interviewed on CNN, Bloomberg TV, the BBC, and NPR. Meyer was named one of the top 30 HR professionals in the world by HR Magazine. Her case, “Leading Across Cultures at Michelin,” won the ECCH award for best human resources management case of the year. Prior to winning the Radar Award, Meyer was named one of the top business thinkers of the year by Thinkers50, the premier ranking of the best and brightest management thinkers around the world—a list she remains on to this day. Previously, Meyer served as Director of Training and Development at HBOC and a Director of Business Operations at McKesson Corporation.

Lavin Exclusive Speakers

Angela Duckworth

Grit, more than talent, IQ, looks, or wealth, is a powerful indicator of success.

Nikole Hannah-Jones

There isn’t a beat you can cover in America—education, housing—where race is not a factor.

Greg Hoffman

Great brands don’t simply reach customers: they create real emotional bonds with them.

Heather McGhee

Racism has a cost for everyone—but there are ways we can prosper together.

George M. Johnson

Stories of queer identity and Black joy have the power to educate us on diversity, inspire social justice activism, and build community.

Speech Topics

Innovation

No Rules RulesNetflix and the Culture of Reinvention

We’re all familiar with the story of Netflix—it started as an unknown DVD rental service in 1998, was passed up by Blockbuster in 2000, and went on to become a billion-dollar streaming giant that revolutionized the entertainment industry. Now, for the first time ever, the untold philosophy behind Netflix’s groundbreaking success is being revealed. In No Rules Rules, international business expert Erin Meyer and Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings show how a series of unconventional principles created a unique culture of freedom and responsibility within the company.

For instance, most companies have a top-down structure when it comes to decision-making, leaving the CEO and other higher-ups to deal with bigger issues. At Netflix, this script is flipped. A leader’s job is to provide context, and empower its employees to make decisions of their own. It’s a counterintuitive approach, but it works. In this talk, Meyer takes the lessons from No Rules Rules and applies them to any organization, big or small. Her fascinating analysis will no doubt inspire and guide leaders who are eager to reinvent their culture and build fast, flexible, and innovative teams.

Strategy

The Culture MapBreaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business

The global, virtual nature of business today has created a demand for executives and managers to work across a broad range of cultures and backgrounds. Unfortunately, throwing a mix of culturally-diverse employees together, and expecting them to work harmoniously, can often have an adverse effect. In this talk, Erin Meyer outlines her highly practical framework to solve one of the world’s most pervasive business issues. She expertly navigates through cross-cultural complexities to improve the effectiveness of day-to-day teamwork and increase international collaboration. Timely, relevant, and pragmatic, this talk illustrates the new way of business in a global marketplace. Even those who have traveled extensively, and consider themselves culturally informed, will benefit from this eye-opening talk that looks to the subtler, often overlooked points of achieving social cohesion.

Corporate Culture

Our Multicultural WorldHow Decoding Cross-Cultural Complexity Makes Us More Sensitive and More Insightful

Globalization has changed the game on a personal and professional level. We’re interacting with people from different countries and backgrounds on a day-to-day basis, offering a cultural variety that adds richness and depth to our social mosaic. However, as enriching as diversity is, it also increases the risk for confusion, misunderstanding, and discord. In this talk, Erin Meyer decodes the different ways people live, think, and communicate with each other across the globe. She covers crucial differences in business practices such as offering feedback, implementing time management, making decisions, and communicating emotions. With grace and sensitivity, Meyer encourages us all to dive deeper into the inner workings of our multicultural world—learning to live and work together better.