Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau’s Company Reads initiative connects organizations with the speakers and books they need to tackle key topics, like emotional intelligence, with their teams. Today we’re turning the spotlight to speakers whose expertise allows them to help organizations of all sizes nourish strong communities, navigate complex interpersonal issues, and build understanding and empathy between team members. For more dynamic and customizable programming ideas, visit the Company Reads website.

Priya Parker

Priya Parker‘s bold approach to gatherings is redefining the way people connect at work, from team-building to meetings. The founder of boutique advisory firm Thrive Labs, she helps activists, elected officials, corporate executives, educators, and philanthropists create transformative, unforgettable gatherings that allow them to step back from their daily routine, rediscover their motivations, and develop strategies for innovation. In her interactive talks and in her book, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, she challenges audiences to dig down to the root of why and how we make connections, create communities, and build organizations.

Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy

In No Hard Feelings, Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy have created the definitive primer to breaking the taboo surrounding emotions at work. A combination of thoughtful advice, witty illustrations, and empathetic strategies, Fosslien and Duffy show how bringing your full self, emotions and all, to work isn’t something to be avoided but a unique asset that can foster productive and innovative teams. From how to navigate stressful meetings to ways to bring new honesty to workplace conversations, the lessons from No Hard Feelings apply as much to life as they do to the workplace.

Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur

Of a Kind co-founders Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur are best friends and the authors of Work Wife, which explores the advantages of working with your best friend and the power of female friendships to change the business landscape. In their talks, Cerulo and Mazur empower women in their careers by delving into a range of topics critical to successful partnerships, exploring the qualities of female friendships that lend themselves so well to success in the workplace and how the power of partnership can allow women to change corporate culture and progress in their careers.