David Allen

David Allen Speaker Biography

Leading Expert on Productivity and
Bestselling Author of Getting Things Done

David Allen is widely recognized as the world’s leading expert on personal and organizational productivity. His thirty-year pioneering research and coaching to corporate managers and CEOs of some of America’s most prestigious corporations and institutions has earned him Forbes’ recognition as one of the top five executive coaches in the world and Business 2.0 magazine’s inclusion in their list of the “50 Who Matter Now.” Fast Company magazine has also called David “one of the world’s most influential thinkers” in the arena of personal productivity, for his outstanding programs and writing on time and stress management, the power of aligned focus and vision, and his groundbreaking methodologies in management and executive peak performance.

Books

David is the international bestselling author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, Ready for Anything: 52 Productivity Principles for Work and Life and Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and Business of Life. Getting Things Done has been a perennial business bestseller since it’s publication in 2001, and is now published in 28 languages.

Getting Things Done (GTD)

He is also the engineer of GTD, the ground-breaking Getting Things Done methodology that has shown millions how to transform a fast-paced, overwhelming, overcommitted life into one that is balanced, integrated, relaxed, and has more successful outcomes. GTD’s broad appeal is based on the fact that it is applicable from the boardroom to the living room to the class room. It is hailed as “life changing” by students, soccer moms, entrepreneurs and corporate executives.

Keynote Speaker

A consultant, educator, and popular keynote speaker to such diverse clients as Citigroup, General Mills, Stanford University, New York Life, Microsoft and the US Navy, Mr. Allen continues to enjoy delivering his sold-out Getting Things Done seminars to ever-expanding public audiences in cities throughout the United States, Asia, Europe and South America.

David is the founder and President of the David Allen Company, whose inspirational seminars, coaching, educational materials and practical products present individuals and organizations with a new model for “Winning at the Game of Work and Business of Life.” He continues to write articles and essays that address today’s ever changing issues about living and working in a fast-paced world and attaining a work-life balance. He lives in Ojai, California with his wife Kathryn.

David Allen Speaking Topics

Getting Things Done

This presentation describes the core principles for stress-free productivity, applicable to individuals, teams, and whole enterprises, and key techniques that can be immediately implemented. The two key elements of self and organizational management are staying (1) in control and (2) meaningfully focused. Both factors are at risk for more and more people as the speed of change continues to increase in our global, competitive, always-on world. Staying on top of your world—personally, professionally, and organizationally—is a growing challenge. There is a way to navigate this turbulence effectively, in a sustainable way, but it does not happen automatically. It requires the application of specific best practices that can be learned, installed, and habituated. Key Learning Points: • Why lack of space, not lack of time, is the key limitation • The five steps for creating relaxed, focused control • How to create the optimal performance state • Best practices for achieving and maintaining executive sanity • How to optimize personal systems for getting the most meaningful work done

Managing Workflow

This is a very tactically oriented, hands on seminar on how to get quick control using the fundamental thinking process and the powerful GTD five phases of workflow mastery. This full day presentation is full of practical recommendations and suggestions for how to really put GTD to work for you - at work, at home and in everything you do. You will leave this session with the tools to: Gain significant time and energy for more creative, strategic and personal endeavors - Get and keep your inbox, email, and voicemail at ZERO - Gain more control and focus with the revolutionary GTD workflow techniques - Manage communications and transactions seamlessly - and MORE!

Making it all Work

Taught by David Allen in person! A great class for getting an overview of the big picture of GTD. Making It All Work seminar approaches GTD from a higher level. It includes a condensed version of the GTD Mastering Workflow seminar, but with a more concentrated focus on the whole picture of the self-management process, including prioritizing from multiple horizons of focus, applying the core productivity principles, and making change stick. Find out for yourself why David has been named the most influential thinker on personal productivity! You will be entertained with David`s candid and energetic presentation, his insights into why we do what we do, and what we can do to change it for the better!