Jessica Kriegel

Workplace culture expert, keynote speaker, researcher, and Chief Strategy Officer at Culture Partners. She leads research and thought leadership on organizational culture, leadership, accountability, and performance, and delivered the TEDxSouthlake talk “The Power of Surrender in Leadership.”

Leaders Cannot Control Change, but They Can Shape Belief

Workplace culture expert Jessica Kriegel argues that leaders undermine adaptability when they try to control people, processes and the narrative around difficult decisions. In this TED talk, she makes the case for “surrender”: accepting what leaders cannot dictate while shaping their own conduct and the experiences that influence employees’ beliefs. Her examples—from early disclosure of a planned layoff to a factory manager removing reserved parking—frame trust, rather than compliance, as the basis for change.

TEDJul 12, 20265 min read