While we often discuss the value of teamwork in sports settings, we forget just how important prioritising teamwork and collaboration in business actually is.

In the 21st-century workplace, teams have become dynamic and less hierarchical, adapting quickly to change. Effective teamwork plays a significant role in such a set up.

Source: Harvard Business 

Why is Teamwork Important?

Teamwork fosters diverse perspectives, encouraging innovation and better solutions. By dividing tasks and sharing responsibilities, it enhances efficiency and productivity. Additionally, it builds strong relationships, reducing stress and increasing job satisfaction. Together, these benefits create a collaborative environment where individuals feel valued, leading to higher morale and a greater sense of accomplishment.

Source: Yale University 

How Can You Build Better Teams?

To build better teams, consider the following strategies:

• Foster Open Communication: Encourage transparent dialogue to build trust and ensure all voices are heard
• Set Clear Objectives: Define specific, measurable goals to align team efforts and track progress effectively
• Encourage Collaboration: Create opportunities for team members to work together, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose
• Hire a Teamwork Keynote Speaker: Have an expert on teamwork address your employees so that they can learn practical skills and tools for collaboration and working as teams

Source: Gallup 

Who are the Most Popular Teamwork Speakers?

Champions Speakers has conducted an official survey across 340 teamwork-themed events, which concludes that the following 10 speakers have ranked as the most popular teamwork keynote speakers based on client feedback:

• Jason Fox
• Jamil Qureshi
• Karren Brady
• Derek Redmond
• Bonita Norris
• Debra Searle
• Eliza Manningham-Buller
• Ollie Ollerton
• Mandy Hickson
• Katherine Grainger
• Taz Thornton

1. Jason Fox

Client Rating: 9.5/10

Jason Fox is a renowned teamwork keynote speaker, celebrated for his ability to inspire and empower teams. With a background as a former Special Forces soldier, he brings unique insights into resilience, leadership, and collaboration under pressure. Jason's engaging presentations blend real-world experiences with actionable strategies, emphasising adaptability and trust. His relatable, down-to-earth approach resonates with diverse audiences, making him a sought-after speaker for fostering cohesive, high-performing teams in business and beyond.

Client Testimonial for Jason Fox:

"Jason Fox spoke at our Company Conference. He was humble, yet inspiring, and managed to keep the audience’s attention throughout his whole talk. He stimulated more questions from the team than we have ever had before for a speaker. I would highly recommend him to businesses who want to inspire their team on teamwork, resilience and positive mental attitude.” - Hasbro

2. Jamil Qureshi

Client Rating: 9.4/10

Jamil Qureshi is an exceptional teamwork keynote speaker, blending insights from his career as a world-renowned performance psychologist. He has coached elite sports teams, including Premier League football clubs and Ryder Cup golfers, as well as Fortune 500 companies. His expertise lies in fostering collaboration, mindset shifts, and unlocking collective potential. Jamil's dynamic presentations inspire actionable change, drawing from his real-world success in motivating diverse teams to achieve peak performance through shared vision and resilience.

Client Testimonial for Jamil Qureshi:

"A massive hit. A masterful balance of humour & rich content." - Emirates Airlines

3. Karren Brady

Client Rating: 9/10

Karren Brady is an exceptional teamwork keynote speaker due to her vast leadership experience as Vice-Chair of West Ham United and a respected entrepreneur. Known as "The First Lady of Football," she has built high-performing teams in competitive, male-dominated industries. Her engaging, motivational style inspires audiences with practical insights on collaboration, resilience, and achieving collective goals. Karren’s real-world success stories and ability to connect with diverse audiences make her a powerful advocate for teamwork and leadership excellence.

Client Testimonial for Karren Brady:

Karren’s speech was totally ‘on-message’ and really resonated with our team members. Karren’s appearance created a real WOW for our team members Costa Coffee.” - Costa Coffee

4. Derek Redmond

Client Rating: 9.6/10

Derek Redmond, a former Olympic athlete, is celebrated as a top teamwork keynote speaker for his inspiring story of perseverance and collaboration. Best known for finishing the 1992 Olympic 400m race with his father’s support after a career-ending injury, Derek embodies resilience and the power of collective effort. His speeches emphasise overcoming obstacles, the importance of unity, and achieving success together. Audiences connect deeply with his authentic message of determination and the value of teamwork.

Client Testimonial for Derek Redmond:

"I would like to say a personal thank you for the two excellent motivational speeches you delivered yesterday. We have had nothing but positive feedback. Everyone found it uplifting and will energise them all to think differently, and work better together." - Jaguar Land Rover

5. Bonita Norris

Client Rating: 9.3/10

Bonita Norris is one of the UK’s most influential teamwork keynote speakers, celebrated for her extraordinary achievements as an adventurer and motivational storyteller. As the youngest British woman to summit Everest and first to climb Mt. Lhotse, Bonita exemplifies overcoming impossible odds. Her heartwarming, humorous speeches blend stunning expedition visuals with practical lessons on resilience, teamwork, and determination. With over a decade of experience, she captivates audiences, inspiring them to tackle challenges with unwavering courage.

Client Testimonial for Bonita Norris:

"Just feedback from me and our F1 Team that Bonita was delightful, interesting, engaging and very inspirational - a great speaker." - Hannah, Junior HR Business Partner, Talent, Alpine F1

6. Debra Searle

Client Rating: 9.1/10

Debra Searle is an exceptional keynote speaker renowned for her ability to inspire teams worldwide. As a fearless adventurer and entrepreneur, she rowed solo across the Atlantic, overcoming isolation and adversity. Named the #1 female motivational speaker by Global Gurus, Debra shares transformative lessons on resilience, teamwork, and achieving success against the odds. With a compelling storytelling style, she empowers audiences, drawing on her entrepreneurial ventures, Arctic expeditions, and experiences in overcoming personal and professional challenges.

Client Testimonial for Debra Searle:

“I thought she was fantastic and brought in some really useful tools to use when choosing your mindset and facing challenges. She has such an inspirational story, great to hear all the details first hand. We’ve been getting great feedback all day, she was very well received.” - Deloitte

7. Eliza Manningham-Buller

Client Rating: 9.5/10

Eliza Manningham-Buller, former Director-General of MI5, is a highly regarded teamwork keynote speaker due to her exceptional leadership in countering terrorism and managing high-stakes operations. Her ability to foster collaboration among diverse teams under intense pressure highlights her expertise in strategic teamwork and resilience. Drawing on her experiences, she delivers compelling insights into trust, decision-making, and effective communication. Eliza’s authoritative yet approachable style resonates with audiences, making her a top choice for inspiring team-oriented excellence.

Client Testimonial for Eliza Manningham-Buller:

"Probably one of the best speakers that we’ve had over the past few years. The Q&A session was fantastic – it felt like she had the audience in the palm of her hand, everyone loved it and she left people wanting more. It will be very hard to find another speaker quite like her." - IPD Global

8. Ollie Ollerton

Client Rating: 9.2/10

Ollie Ollerton is an exceptional teamwork keynote speaker, blending his military experience with personal resilience to inspire audiences. A former Special Forces operator, Ollie’s gripping stories of overcoming adversity—both on and off the battlefield—highlight the importance of mental toughness and collective support. Co-founder of Break Point, he infuses military-grade training principles into corporate coaching, emphasising teamwork and leadership. With a no-nonsense yet empathetic approach, Ollie empowers teams to break through limits and achieve peak performance together.

Client Testimonial for Ollie Ollerton:

"We were really happy with Ollie’s presentation. It was clear, honest, inspiring and most of all tangible. The tips and tricks he provided were the kind that you can actually practice easy and simple." - Tetra Pak

9. Mandy Hickson

Client Rating: 9.4/10

Mandy Hickson's career as one of the UK’s first female fast-jet pilots exemplifies resilience, leadership, and collaboration in high-stakes environments. Operating in the male-dominated Royal Air Force, she demonstrated exceptional teamwork while flying combat missions and leading multi-national teams. Her unique insights into decision-making, communication under pressure, and trust-building inspire organisations to achieve peak performance. With firsthand experience managing dynamic challenges, she is uniquely positioned to motivate teams and transform organisational culture.

Client Testimonial for Mandy Hickson:

"Mandy was perfect for our meeting, she has a great story that resonated with everyone in the room. As I said to her at the end, she didn’t need to ask for feedback on the day as I’m sure she could tell looking at the audience from the stage just how engaged they were! We also had similar feedback from those that watched the video afterwards (which we deleted after 2 weeks as agreed)." - Shell

10. Katherine Grainger

Client Rating: 9.3/10

Katherine Grainger's career epitomises teamwork, adaptability, and resilience. As Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, her success stemmed from thriving with diverse rowing partners, building trust, and aligning shared goals. Her London 2012 gold and multiple silvers highlight her ability to overcome challenges through collaboration. Katherine’s inspiring journey showcases the importance of communication, mutual respect, and persistence, offering powerful lessons for teams striving to achieve excellence together, even in high-pressure, competitive environments.

Client Testimonial for Katherine Grainger:

"Katherine’s ability to engage and thrill both a young audience during the daytime and a wider public audience in the evening with her warm style and charisma was marvellous. Her willingness to spend time answering questions, having her photo taken and sharing her gold medal with the audience was terrific. Katherine is an excellent speaker, a true ambassador for sport and a role model – not just for young people but for all." – Sir J P Arbuthnott, President, The Royal Society of Edinburgh

11. Taz Thornton 

Client Rating: 9.5/10

Taz Thornton is a powerful teamwork keynote speaker renowned for her transformative approach to personal empowerment and team cohesion. Drawing from her extensive experience in corporate leadership and personal development, Taz delivers compelling presentations that inspire teams to embrace authenticity, resilience, and collaborative success. As a best-selling author and media contributor, she offers practical strategies for enhancing team dynamics, making her a sought-after speaker for organisations aiming to foster unity and high performance.

Client Testimonial for Taz Thornton:

“Thank you for such an inspiring (and emotional) day.  The support you’ve given us not only yesterday but on a daily basis is second to none, and without people like yourselves, we simply wouldn’t be doing what we do – thank you.” - Pet Blood Bank UK

Hire a Teamwork Keynote Speaker!

Learn how to develop more collaborative and stronger teams by hiring one of our top teamwork & leadership keynote speakers. Contact us on 0207 1010 555 or fill out our online contact form to get in touch with one of our dedicated agents.

This blog post was authored by Roxanna Farthing and Tabish Ali, who have gathered official data from a client survey across 340 teamwork-themed events between 2022 and 2024, and research collected from Harvard Business, Yale University and Gallup.

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