Top-Rated Speakers Bureau and Entertainment Booking Agency for Corporate Meetings and Business Events. Book an AAE Speaker Today.
Top-Rated Speakers Bureau and Entertainment Booking Agency for Corporate Meetings and Business Events. Book an AAE Speaker Today.
Click to Open Search Bar

Bob Nelson

Leading Authority on Employee Recognition, Motivation & Engagement

Leading Authority on Employee Recognition, Motivation & Engagement

Travels From Travels From:
San Diego, CA, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Bob Nelson Biography

Dr. Bob Nelson is considered the world’s leading authority on employee recognition and engagement. He is president of Nelson Motivation Inc., a management training and consulting company specializing in helping organizations improve their management practices, programs, and systems. He’s worked with 80% of Fortune 500 companies as a strategist for HR issues; has been a long-time collaborator and confidant for Dr. Ken Blanchard, co-author of “The One Minute Manager;” and is currently a personal coach for Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, the world’s #1-ranked executive coach.

Dr. Nelson has sold over 5 million books on management, employee motivation and engagement, including "1,501 Ways to Reward Employees," "The 1,001 Rewards & Recognition Fieldbook," "1,001 Ways to Energize Employees," "The Management Bible," "1,001 Ways to Engage Employees," and his latest: "Work Made Fun Gets Done!" His books have been translated into over 37 languages.

Dr. Nelson's recognition and distinctions include being named the #1 Management Guru in the World for 2024 by Global Gurus and a Top Ten Keynote Speaker for 2024 by ManageHR. He's a Distinguished Fellow at EBSCOlearning and a Senior Fellow in Human Capital for The Conference Board; was voted a Top Thought Leader by the Best Practice Institute, a Leading Global Employee Engagement Influencer by EE Awards, and one of the Most Influential People to Follow by peopleHum. He was also named a leading Authority and a “Consultant’s Consultant” by HR Tech Outlook.

He has presented on six continents; appears extensively in the national and international media including CBS’ 60 Minutes, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, NPR, as well as in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and Fortune, Harvard Business Review, and Inc. magazines to discuss how to best motivate today’s employees. He’s a columnist for The Conference Board, CEO World, Inc, Incentive, Bank Marketing, and Corporate Meetings and Incentives magazines.

Dr. Nelson received an MBA in organizational behavior from UC Berkeley and a PhD in management education with Dr. Peter Drucker, “The Father of Modern Management,” at the Drucker Graduate Management School in suburban Los Angeles. He teaches for the MBA program at the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego, and volunteers for The Honor Foundation, helping elite military personnel (Seals, Rangers, Green Berets, etc.) transition to civilian life.

BOOK Bob Nelson

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 05/17/2024.

Bob Nelson Speaking Topics

  • Five Trends Shaping the Future of Work

    An Overview of the Leading Labor Trends that will Affect all Organizations in the Upcoming Years (60-90 minutes)

    Several employment trends are coming to dominate the competitive success of every organization. In this session, leading authority and international best-selling author, Dr. Bob Nelson will share his research and insights on these emerging workforce trends as described in his recent book 1501 Ways to Reward Employees.

    The trends that will be presented are:

    • The Increasing Shortage of Skilled Workers
    • The Rise of the Millennial Generation
    • The Expansion of Contingent Workers
    • The Evolving Role of Virtual Employees
    • The Globalization of the Labor Market

    Dr. Nelson will present current research and data about the above trends and discuss what needs to be done to capitalize on these issues and to prevent the trends from becoming problems for an organization and its ability to compete. Attendees will leave with a broader perspective on the leading labor trends impacting their organization resources and practical strategies for addressing those trends in their workplace.

  • Strategies for Better Engaging Your Employees

    Give Your Organization a Competitive Edge by Getting Each Employee’s Best (60-90 minutes)

    “Help people do better what they do best.” This advice from Dr. Bob Nelson reminds managers that when workers are engaged, there’s a big advantage: For the organization, the manager AND the employee. The Gallup Organization reports that the percentage of engaged employees nationwide is just 32 percent. The rest? They’re uninvolved, unenthused and uncommitted to their jobs, their managers or the organizations they work for. In this session, Dr. Bob will explore the top drivers of employee engagement based on research from his latest book, 1001 Ways to ENGAGE Employees and how to impact those elements. Find out what successful managers at top organizations are doing to get the best from their employees—and what you can do as well!

    This presentation will cover:

    • What matters most to workers: A look at the research
    • How to effectively build trusting relationships where expectations are clear
    • Ways to recognize employees to better drive performance
    • Having an ongoing focus on career growth and development
    • The role of the manager: Communicating expectations & accountability
    • Best practices, lessons and ideas from the leading organizations today

  • Strategies for Recognizing & Engaging Your Workforce

    Research-based Strategies for Increasing Employee Recognition & Engagement in Your Organization (60-90 minutes)

    The Harvard Business Review has cited “recognition given for high performance” as the most impactful driver of employee engagement and The Aberdeen Group has found the number one way Best-in-Class organizations improve employee engagement is through employee-recognition programs. Meanwhile, most employees today feel overworked and underappreciated and are less valued and more stressed for their efforts than ever before. Based on his most recent book, Recognizing & Engaging Employees For Dummies and content from 1501 Ways to Reward Employees (1.7 million copies sold), Bob Nelson, Ph.D., will help you understand the link between employee recognition and engagement and how to make that connection in your organization -• even with limited time, resources or budget. This session will focus on core researched-based elements found in strong cultures of recognition and engagement that inspire employees to new levels of performance and help to create an exciting, positive work environment with a strong competitive people advantage for the organization. Based on recent engagement research, six dimensions will be presented with examples that any manager/organization can implement to create a more motivating work environment for their employees today:

    • VISION: Create a Clear and Compelling Direction
    • RECOGNITION: Recognize and Reward High Performance
    • COMMUNICATION: Direct, Open and Honest Communication
    • INITIATIVE: Involve Employees and Encourage Initiative
    • AUTONOMY: Increase Employee Autonomy, Flexibility and Support
    • DEVELOPMENT: Continued Focus on Career Growth and Development

    Dr. Nelson will show how these elements can be brought to bear through specific techniques and applications, drawing upon his own research and doctoral work as well as experience in working with hundreds of organizations on the topic. He will show how the best companies take a focused and long-term strategic view of their employee resource that systematically integrates the engagement practices into the daily work practices of its managers, identifying and acting on opportunities in timely and specific ways. This session will be filled with specific real-life examples and techniques that can be immediately applied back on the job by attendees to systematically leverage, build and sustain a culture of recognition and engagement in their workplace.

  • Beyond the Paycheck: The Rewards of Recognition

    Better Drive Desired Results & Help Employees Feel Valued for Their Performance (60-90 minutes)

    Recognition for performance represents the single most validated principle for driving desired behavior and performance in today’s challenging, fast-paced times. The primary reason why managers don’t use recognition is because they report “they aren’t sure how to do it well,” according to doctoral research by Bob Nelson, the leading authority on this topic and an international best-selling author of the multi-million copy 1501 Ways to Reward Employees (now in its 64th printing) and related books. Far from being a “fuzzy feel-good notion,” Dr. Nelson will show you practical ways as to how you can get your managers to treat employees in a way that maximizes their willingness to use their best efforts on a daily basis to create an exciting, positive work environment that produces more focused, competitive employees that better serve the strategies of the firm and create a competitive advantage for the organization.

    Attendees will learn:

    • Recent research about what most motivates today’s workers in challenging time
    • The principles of effective recognition and how to put those into practice
    • How to utilize employee recognition and engagement tools to drive desired outcomes
    • Managerial techniques you can apply immediately & the motivation to want to do so
    • How to build and sustain progress, keeping your recognition efforts fresh and relevant

  • Creating a Culture of Recognition

    Build Recognition into the Strategies and Behaviors of the Organization, Transform Your Workplace into an Employer of Choice (60-90 minutes)

    Employee recognition and engagement is the most important human resource issue in industry today. Employees of different backgrounds spanning four generations have a direct influence on the customers they serve daily. As such, it is important for employers to maximize the full potential of their workforce with proper forms of recognition and engagement. Dr. Nelson will show you how to create a culture of recognition, regardless of the size or type of business you are in. Based on his book The 1001 Rewards & Recognition Fieldbook, this presentation will expand your thinking of what recognition really means and what you can do to build it into your culture. Compared to the average company, employees in a recognition-focused company are 5 times more likely to feel valued, 6 times more likely to recommend the organization, 7 times more likely to stay, and 11 times more likely to feel completely committed to their jobs and mission of the organization. In this presentation, motivation expert and best-selling author Dr. Bob Nelson discusses the current state of employee engagement and recognition including the most recent employee engagement research regarding effectiveness and related case studies. He will share how a customized employee recognition program is needed to improve and maintain a culture of recognition and engagement in any organization, moving from a culture of entitlement to a culture of performance and increased competitive advantage along the way.

    Topics covered in this informative presentation will include:

    • The business case for recognition and its impact on the organization’s bottomline
    • How to leverage the effectiveness of recognition – even with little time or resources
    • How to get managers on board in both supporting and doing more recognition
    • How to harness best practices from other organizations, as well as your own
    • Methods to build and sustain a culture of recognition and engagement over time

  • Motivating the Millennials & Gen Z

    Understanding, Attracting, Motivating and Keeping the Younger Generations that Now Make up the Bulk of the Workplace (60-90 minutes)

    The Millennials & Gen Z, the generations of workers born since 1980 now make up the largest percentage (47%) of all employees in the workforce. As featured in a CBS 60-Minutes interview with Morley Safer—best-selling author Dr. Bob Nelson, shares his insights on this latest generation and how members of that generation are reshaping work environments across the country. These 75+ million individuals are unique from any previous generation, especially in their technical abilities, attitudes, outlook and expectations of work and, as such, companies need to adjust to meet the expressed needs of this generation. Failure to do so will significantly limit a company's ability to hire these younger workers at a time when organizations will already be experiencing a shortfall of qualified candidates needed to replace the 70 million retiring Baby Boomers (10,000 per day) in the decade ahead. Success in adapting to this new breed of worker will allow organizations to access and leverage the potential of the younger generation in a way that will create a significant competitive advantage for the company in achieving its mission.

    This generation of workers with the skills and aptitudes that every employer will need are not interested in "paying their dues" and conforming to fit the expectations of them by their employers, but rather will cause companies to reassess and strategically realign all aspects of the employment contract to wrap around the life experiences and expectations unique to these generations. The subsequent changes will affect all workers -• even those not a part of these generations -• as work rules about how work gets done (e.g., telecommuting/flexible working hours, increased autonomy/flexibility, group processes/collaboration, enhanced efficiencies via technology, world perspectives and social issues, etc.) will become permanently redefined. In this session, Dr. Nelson will share positive, practical strategies to accommodate the predominant shift in worker demographics, the assets and liabilities this generation brings to the workplace and show managers and executives (most of whom are Baby Boomers) how to strategically adapt to and align with the needs and expectations of these younger workers.

    Topics covered will include:

    • Profile of the Millennials & Gen Z: What Makes Them Tick?
    • Key Personal & Cultural Influences
    • Events That Shaped the Millennial/Gen Z Perspective
    • Millennial Work Attributes & How to Maximize Each
    • Management Techniques for Motivating & Retaining Millennials

Bob Nelson Videos

  • Ten Ways to Thank Your Employees on Employee Appreciation Day
  • Strategies for Recognizing & Engaging Employees - Qualcomm
  • About Dr.Bob

Bob Nelson Books

  • Work Made Fun Gets Done!: Easy Ways to Boost Energy, Morale, and Results
    Work Made Fun Gets Done!: Easy Ways to Boost Energy, Morale, and Results
  • 1,001 Ways to Engage Employees: Help People Do Better What They Do Best
    1,001 Ways to Engage Employees: Help People Do Better What They Do Best
  • 1501 Ways to Reward Employees
    1501 Ways to Reward Employees
  • 1001 Ways to Reward Employees
    1001 Ways to Reward Employees

Speaker Lists Featuring Bob Nelson

FAQs on booking Bob Nelson

  • How do I book Bob Nelson to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Bob Nelson for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Bob Nelson, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Bob Nelson or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Bob Nelson

    Speaking fees for Bob Nelson, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Bob Nelson are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Bob Nelson, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Bob Nelson speak about?

  • Where does Bob Nelson travel from?

    Bob Nelson generally travels from San Diego, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Bob Nelson’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Bob Nelson for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Bob Nelson for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Bob Nelson or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Bob Nelson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Five Trends Shaping the Future of Work, Strategies for Better Engaging Your Employees, Strategies for Recognizing & Engaging Your Workforce, Beyond the Paycheck: The Rewards of Recognition, Creating a Culture of Recognition and Motivating the Millennials & Gen Z. The estimated speaking fee range to book Bob Nelson for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Bob Nelson generally travels from San Diego, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Adrian Gostick, Dr. Jackie Freiberg, Chester Elton, Mike Abrashoff and Libby Gill. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Bob Nelson for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP