Tommy Spaulding is President of the Spaulding Companies Corporation, a national leadership development, speaking, training, consulting, and executive coaching organization. A world-renowned speaker on leadership, Spaulding has spoken to hundreds of organizations, associations, educational institutions, and corporations around the globe.
Spaulding rose to become the youngest president and CEO of the world-renowned leadership organization, Up with People (2005-2008). Up with People is a global education organization that aims to bring the world together through service and music.
The unique combination of international travel, service learning, leadership development and performing arts offers students an unparalleled experience and a pathway to make a difference in the world, one community at a time. In 2000, Tommy Spaulding founded Leader’s Challenge, which grew to become the largest high school civic and leadership program in the state of Colorado. He is also the founder & president of the National Leadership Academy, a leading national non-profit leadership development organization.
Previously, Spaulding was the Business Partner Sales Manager at IBM/Lotus Development and a member of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program.
Spaulding received a BA in Political Science from East Carolina University (1992); an MBA from Bond University in Australia (1998), where he was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar; and an MA in Non-Profit Management from Regis University (2005). In 2007, Spaulding received an Honorary PhD in Humanities from the Art Institute of Colorado. In 2002, he received the Denver Business Journal’s Forty under 40 Award.
In 2006, Spaulding was awarded East Carolina University’s Outstanding Alumni Award, the highest distinction awarded to an alumnus of the university. In 2009, he was appointed the university’s first Leader in Residence. In September 2012, Spaulding was named by Meetings & Conventions Magazine as one of the BEST KEYNOTE SPEAKERS in the nation.
Tommy is a two-time NY Times Bestselling Author. His new book, The Heart-Led Leader, which debuted this month was ranked #1 Wall Street Journal Business, #1 Amazon Business and #8 NY Times Bestsellers. It’s Not Just Who You Know is a #2 NY Times Bestseller and #1 USA Today Bestseller.
With his inspirational yet practical delivery, Tommy shares heartwarming and humorous stories from life and business to illustrate how genuine and lasting relationships can grow your organization, advance your career, and change your world.
“How Investing in ROR – Return on Relationships – Can Dramatically Impact Your Bottom Line and ROI”
It’s impossible to build a successful client base in a silo. In other words, relationships are not optional. Though economists talk only of Return on Investment or ROI, Spaulding argues that profit and relationships are interdependent. “Return on Relationships or ROR” is the currency we should focus on rather than solely on ROI, because if we are truly focusing on relationships, the bottom line goals come more easily. In this keynote, Spaulding shares his secrets behind the notion of “Return on Relationships or ROR,” leaving audiences ready to revolutionize their old methods and reach new heights in customer stability and loyalty.
“How to Build Genuine and Authentic Relationships”
How do we accomplish extraordinary things as leaders? The quality of our relationships determines whether we simply reach a goal or inspire greatness. The success of any organization is grounded in the formation of sustainable relationships. In this keynote, Spaulding illustrates how to build relationship capital throughout your organization so internal teams maximize their potential and external constituencies and stakeholders share your vision. Spaulding also explores groundbreaking leadership techniques such as building “Fifth Floor Teams,” and leveraging “Netgiving.”
“18 Inches to Heart-Led Leadership”
18 Inches is the distance from your head to your heart. Such a short distance, yet most leaders never take the journey. Leaders and organizations that lead with their hearts are more successful and have better results than those that don’t. Love and results are not opposites. They are two sides of the same coin. It is not love or results. It is love-driven results. If you love what you do, if you love the people you do it with, if you love your culture, if you love your mission, if you love your team, if you love your customers- you will gain better results.
It’s Not Just Who You Know: Transform Your Life (and Your Organization) by Turning Colleagues and Contacts into Lasting, Genuine Relationships, published by Random House in 2010, is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today national bestseller.
“Read it and use it. It is the stuff that will put you head and shoulders above everyone else.”
~Marshall Goldsmith, author of the New York Times best-sellers, MOJO and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There Buy here
The Heart-Led Leader: How Living and Leading from the Heart Will Change Your Organization and Your Life, Spaulding discusses the 18 Inch Journey which is the distance from your head to your heart. This book is a #1 Wall Street Journal and NY Times Bestseller.
“The Heart-Led Leader is full of heart – and full of stories about real leaders whose courageous examples will inspire you. If you put the principles in this book into practice, it will not only change your life and your organization, but also make the world a better place.”
~Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and To Sell is Human
“A powerful read that can profoundly change the way you approach leading any team. The inspiring stories in The Heart-Led Leader give clear examples of how others have transformed their companies by leading with the heart. A must read for everyone in my organization.”
~John Ruble, Global VP – Sales Operations & Talent Development, Marriott Vacations Worldwide Buy here
“Everything Tommy Spaulding does he does with passion, energy and insight. He gives his whole heart in every keynote. He’s one of the most talented speakers in the country. I can’t recommend anyone more highly for your organization.”
Ken Blanchard Author, “The One Minute Manager” and Chief Inspiration Officer, the Ken Blanchard Companies
“Tommy was instrumental in setting the tone for our national conference. He inspired our group to look at the value in every relationship. We received many calls of thanks from our attendees who truly took Tommy’s special message into their hearts.”
Hoyt Jones, President, Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems
“Tommy’s message is fundamental and important to all of us who are trying to make a contribution to the world. It applies equally to the professional and personal realms.”
Dolf Berle, President & COO, Dave and Busters Inc.
“Tommy Spaulding’s speech inspired our leaders to focus on creating meaningful relationships with employees and guests in order to improve our business and their personal lives.”
Scott Sibella, President & Chief Operating Officer, MGM Grand
“You can tell you’ve made a great choice for closing keynote speaker when, after a long day of meetings and presentations, no one leaves the room as the final presenter is speaking. Such was the case the day we had Tommy speak to our group of almost 300 salespeople! I know I’ve personally been impacted by Tommy’s message as were those in the room. It’s something I will carry with me and implement for life.”
Paul Valentino, President, Greater Washington Metro, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
“Our whole group was engaged for every minute of Tommy’s talk. They laughed, they cried and three weeks later they are still talking about it. I still get e-mails thanking me for finding Tommy. Guys have passed the book on to their wives to read. There is not a better use of your company’s money when having a sales meeting if you want to impact an employee’s life.”
Roger Dankel, VP of Sales, Simpson Strong-Tie
“Tommy’s presentation was very impactful and uplifting for our audience. I was impressed and pleased with his attention to detail and research of our group. He made it a point repeatedly to tailor his message specifically to Associated Bank and the commercial bankers in the room. His presentation had the right amount of self-deprecating humor to support the message of individual growth. 85% of survey respondents rated Tommy as Very or Extremely Informative (our highest ratings).”
Eric Andringa, SVP, Associated Bank
“The Heart-Led Leader brilliantly captures the essence of building extraordinary teams: the matrix of caring and unselfish, trust-your-life relationships. Flawless performance matters in human spaceflight, but at the end of the day heart-guided leadership is what really drives mission success.”
Colonel Rick Searfoss, Astronaut & Space Shuttle Commander, Author of Liftoff
Denver, Colorado
