Martin Gutmann

Speaker, Leadership Expert, Professor, TED Talker, Best-Selling Author, Forbes Contributor

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Martin Gutmann- TED- Are We Celebrating The Wrong Leaders

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Business Speakers TED Conference Leadership Speakers Artificial Intelligence (AI) Speakers Virtual Keynote Speakers

Martin Gutmann

Speaker, Leadership Expert, Professor, TED Talker, Best-Selling Author, Forbes Contributor

Add To My Favorites Check Fee/Availability

In-Person Fee Range:

Call For Fee

Fee Details

Traveling from:

London

Why Book

Dr Martin Gutmann is a globally recognised leadership thinker who helps organisations make better decisions in times of uncertainty.
A professor at Lucerne School of Business and senior lecturer at ETH Zurich, Martin blends history, psychology, and leadership science to challenge conventional thinking.
Author of the Amazon #1 bestseller The Unseen Leader and a Forbes contributor, his TED Talk Are We Celebrating the Wrong Leaders? has over 2 million views.

Biography

Martin Gutmann is a globally in-demand keynote speaker who helps leaders navigate uncertainty with fresh, story-driven insights. Combining history, sociology, and organisational psychology, he challenges conventional thinking and equips audiences with practical tools to rethink leadership, decision-making, and strategy.

A professor at the Lucerne School of Business and senior lecturer at ETH Zurich, Martin’s work has reached over 60 million people through pieces in the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Fast Company, and more. His TED Talk, Are We Celebrating the Wrong Leaders?, has over 2 million views, and his best-selling book The Unseen Leader earned high praise from organizational psychologist Adam Grant.

With a career spanning six countries and a Ph.D. in history, Martin has led major leadership programs, including his role as the founding Managing Director of the Swiss School of Public Governance. Martin’s global perspective and academic depth make him a trusted guide for leaders in a rapidly changing world.

Programs

Why We Need To Rethink Leadership For The Age Of AI

This isn’t a talk about AI strategy. It’s a talk about what it will take to
lead through one of the most profound revolutions in modern

business. Combining sharp historical insight, witty anecdotes, state-of-
the-field research, and actionable foresight, Martin delivers a

powerful new lens for understanding AI, not as a technical challenge,
but as a leadership imperative. Attendees will gain insights into the five
concrete tensions they need to master to lead well in the age of AI:
trust, productivity, meaning, clarity, and power.

The Leadership Playbook For An Uncertain World

In his keynote, Martin examines the early pioneers of aviation and the
1927 race to fly across the Atlantic, drawing parallels to contemporary
leadership amid uncertainty and rapid change. He highlights three
enduring yet counterintuitive principles for effective leadership:
subtract rather than add, use a compass instead of a map, and
practice humility. Attendees will gain valuable insights into navigating
today’s complex challenges with confidence and clarity.

The Secret To Leading High-Performance Teams

What really drives high-performance teams? In this eye-opening talk,
Martin breaks with conventional wisdom to reveal the secret behind
truly resilient, high-performing teams (hint: the key is balancing
relationships and performance). He’ll share the critical role leaders
play in making this happen and why this matters now more than ever.
Drawing on exceptional teams from sports, such as the Chicago Bulls,
and business, as well as cutting-edge research on psychological
safety, team dynamics, and humble leadership, this talk delivers
surprising insights and actionable takeaways that will change the way
you think about leadership and team performance.

Decoding The Age Of Disruption

In this sweeping and thought-provoking talk, Martin unpacks the
forces reshaping our world, from artificial intelligence to geopolitical
upheaval and economic uncertainty. Drawing on historical parallels,
he reveals three unexpected but essential predictions for how these
disruptions will impact business and society. With clarity and insight, he
highlights the key actions leaders must take to navigate volatility, build
resilience, and seize new opportunities. Attendees will leave with a
clear framework for understanding today’s most pressing global
developments and a roadmap for leading through uncertainty.

Why Do We Celebrate The Wrong Leaders

Based on the TED talk that became a global sensation, Martin
challenges your team in this keynote to reconsider their definition of
effective leadership, highlighting that true greatness lies in preventing
crises rather than responding dramatically to them. Drawing lessons
from the disaster-prone explorer Ernest Shackleton and other similarly
famous, but consistently unsuccessful leaders, he challenges
conventional views and offers a fresh perspective on what makes a

leader truly exceptional. Attendees will learn to appreciate the often-
overlooked skill of crisis prevention and learn to cultivate the three

universal traits of effective leaders: fluency in context, a balance of
humility and confidence, and a pragmatic mindset.

Topics

Business Speakers, TED Conference, Leadership Speakers, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Speakers, Virtual Keynote Speakers,

Martin Gutmann Reviews

Martin brings a unique historian’s perspective that keeps us grounded in human-
centred values, learnings and future endeavours. In times of AI and fast technological advancement, Martin invites us to think creatively and exercise
critical reasoning.

— Google

Martin captivated our 500+ person audience of risk, resilience and response
practitioners with his engaging and poignant talk on crisis leadership and what it means to lead in a crisis-dense world. We followed Charles Lindbergh’s journey across the Atlantic to glean lessons that crisis leaders can use today. Martin has a
great appeal when he speaks to an international audience, he is humble and authoritative at the same time. His credentials speak as clearly as he does- Martin is a great candidate for a corporate talk, capturing the attention of the most senior
audience. Bravo!

— Global Crisis Preparedness Director, Dow

Martin is a masterful and engaging speaker who blends captivating stories with clear, actionable takeaways. Our audience loved every minute of his talk!

— Zurich Corporate Law

Martin was a very open and engaging speaker, he generously shared a lot of valuable research from his work, but also openly shared his own experiences in
life and leadership in a very relatable way.

— UBS

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Martin Gutmann and what is he known for?

Martin Gutmann is a Swiss-American historian, author, professor, and keynote speaker exclusively managed by Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau. He is a Professor at the Lucerne School of Business and Lecturer at ETH Zurich, with a PhD in History from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and an Executive MBA from IE Business School in Spain. Martin is the author of The Unseen Leader: How History Can Help Us Rethink Leadership, and his TEDx Berlin talk, Are We Celebrating the Wrong Leaders?, has garnered over 2 million views. His writing has reached over 60 million readers through Forbes, Fast Company, and Big Think. Martin served as Founding Managing Director of the Swiss School of Public Governance from 2016-2020. His clients include Google, UBS, Swiss Re, Zurich Insurance, Fujitsu, and Dow Chemical.

2. What topics does Martin Gutmann speak about?

Martin Gutmann delivers keynotes on leadership through history, the Action Fallacy, crisis management, AI and organizations, and strategic inaction. His presentations challenge conventional leadership narratives by drawing on deep historical scholarship to reveal what truly makes leaders effective. Martin explores why we often celebrate the wrong leaders, why doing less can sometimes achieve more, and how historical perspective can inform better decision-making in the modern business world.

3. What makes Martin Gutmann different from other leadership speakers?

What sets Martin apart is his rigorous academic approach combined with genuine accessibility. Unlike leadership speakers who rely on pop psychology or personal anecdotes, Martin grounds his insights in deep historical scholarship—then makes them immediately relevant to modern business challenges. His Action Fallacy concept challenges the bias toward constant action that pervades corporate culture, offering leaders permission to be more strategic about when to act and when to wait. His 2+ million view TEDx talk demonstrates he can communicate complex ideas in compelling ways.

4. What is the Action Fallacy?

The Action Fallacy is Martin Gutmann’s concept describing the human bias toward action even when inaction would produce better results. Through historical analysis, Martin demonstrates that many celebrated leaders succeeded not because of dramatic interventions but because they knew when not to act. The Action Fallacy helps modern leaders recognize when their impulse to do something is driven by discomfort rather than strategy, and when strategic patience might be the wiser course.

5. What are the key takeaways from a Martin Gutmann keynote?

Audiences leave Martin’s presentations with a fundamentally different perspective on leadership. His core lessons include: why the leaders history celebrates are often not the ones who were most effective, how to distinguish between strategic action and activity for its own sake, the power of strategic inaction in crisis management, how historical perspective can improve contemporary decision-making, and frameworks for recognizing and overcoming the Action Fallacy. Martin helps attendees become more thoughtful, historically-informed leaders.

6. What types of events and audiences does Martin Gutmann speak to?

Martin Gutmann speaks at corporate leadership conferences, executive retreats, strategy summits, and academic institutions. His clients include Google, UBS, Swiss Re, Zurich Insurance, Fujitsu, and Dow Chemical. His message resonates with senior executives, strategists, and leaders who want to develop more nuanced, historically-informed approaches to decision-making and organizational leadership.

7. Does Martin Gutmann customize his presentations for different industries?

Yes. Martin tailors his historical insights to address the specific challenges facing each audience. Whether speaking to financial services firms about risk management through historical lens, technology companies about innovation leadership, or manufacturing organizations about operational decision-making, Martin draws on relevant historical examples to connect his ideas directly with what matters to attendees.

8. Is Martin Gutmann available for virtual keynotes and hybrid events?

Yes. Martin Gutmann is available for both in-person and virtual keynote presentations. His engaging storytelling and academic credibility translate effectively to virtual formats, and he can deliver virtual keynotes, seminar sessions, or executive discussions depending on your event’s needs.

9. What is Martin Gutmann's speaking fee?

Martin Gutmann’s speaking fee varies depending on the event format, location, and specific requirements. To get an exact quote, contact Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau by calling 973-313-9800, emailing info@eaglestalent.com, or completing the Check Availability form on his profile page.

10. Has Martin Gutmann written any books?

Yes. Martin is the author of The Unseen Leader: How History Can Help Us Rethink Leadership. The book challenges conventional leadership narratives by examining what historical analysis reveals about effective leadership versus the leaders who tend to receive acclaim. His writing has also reached over 60 million readers through publications including Forbes, Fast Company, and Big Think.

11. How do I book Martin Gutmann for my event?

Martin Gutmann is exclusively managed by Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau. To check his availability or request a quote, call 973-313-9800, email info@eaglestalent.com, or visit his speaker profile at EaglesTalent.com and complete the booking inquiry form.