53rd Annual Convention Keynote Speaker: Ross Bernstein

Thursday, October 12, 2023 | 11:00 - 11:50 AM | Butler

The Champion’s Code: Building Relationships Through Life Lessons of Integrity and 
Accountability from the Sports World to the Business World

The best-selling author of nearly 50 sports books, Ross Bernstein is an award-winning peak performance hall of fame business speaker who's keynoted conferences for Fortune 500 companies on all seven continents and has been featured on CNN, ESPN, Fox News, and “CBS This Morning,” as well as in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today.

Ross' program is all about the DNA of what makes champions in sports so unique and how that relates to business. It’s based on a series of books he wrote in which he was able to interview more than 1,000 professional athletes and coaches that all had one thing in common — they were all members of championship teams. In his research he concluded that the same metrics and characteristics that were common among champions in sports, were also common among peak performers in business. There are reasons certain teams win consistently, whereas others don't... and Ross explains why. It's based largely on the "Good to Great" concept of how the best companies are able to separate themselves from the rest of the pack through servant leadership, by creating a culture of excellence, by developing deeper relationships, and by giving extraordinary customer service. Ross weaves sports stories, about the DNA of champions, along with stories of companies who he has worked with around the world — and shares best practice ideas on ways to overcome disruption, while ultimately building stronger relationships. At the core of his message is the simple fact that we like to do business with people who we trust, who we like, and who just “get it”— CHAMPIONS.

In an engaging, provocative, and visually entertaining style, Ross will use inspirational stories and poignant life lessons from the world of sports to show attendees how to:

  • Create a “culture of excellence” by giving extraordinary customer service.
  • Generate momentum by utilizing the "currency of karma"
  • Follow their moral compasses to win "the right way," with respect, ethics, and integrity
  • Be better leaders and create more "buy-in" by embracing change and failure
  • Evolve from "order takers" to "trusted partners" by enhancing the quality of their relationships