Chris Rollins Keynote Speaker

  • Leadership Speaker & Executive Coach
  • Consultant and Creator of The Ripple Effect Leader™
  • Strong Advocate for Humanizing Work to Help Companies Succeed

Chris Rollins's Biography

Chris Rollins turns everyday leadership into lasting ripple effects. With 15 years of experience empowering teams and shaping organizational culture—Chris skyrocketed through corporate America to become a top HR exec by the age of 30. His unique Ripple Effect Leadership™ framework—inspired by his journey of self-discovery and one particularly fateful conversation with his dad—calls leaders to foster connection and inspire action across their organizations. He’s on a mission to bring a more human approach to work that works for every human.

Speaking to diverse audiences across industries, Chris delivers an emotionally charged experience that leaves people rethinking the way they connect with colleagues. His message is clear: Start a ripple. Whether a leader or a team member, everyone can “be the pebble” by taking meaningful action, no matter how small, to create high-trust cultures that drive speed, momentum and scale.

Trusted by top brands across finance, insurance, retail and tech like Raymond James, Marsh McLennan, IKEA, Oracle and more, Chris Rollins is a fresh voice for leaders ready to break down barriers and inspire lasting change. His talks have garnered a 98% rating with diverse audiences ranging from local auto repair shop owners to global Fortune 50 companies.

A native New Yorker, Chris now lives in Tampa, FL with his partner and rescue dog.

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Chris Rollins's Speaking Topics

  • The Ripple Effect Thinker: UNLEASHING THE POWER OF SMALL ACTIONS FOR TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE

In a world where disconnection, mistrust, and stagnation are widespread, the biggest problem isn’t a lack of effort—it’s a lack of awareness of how much impact each person can have.

Too often, individuals underestimate the ripple effects of their choices, focusing only on immediate outcomes. But what if the way you show up in a single moment could change everything—for your team, your organization, or even the next generation?

This keynote flips that perspective, offering a powerful framework for amplifying the impact of everyday actions. Through surprising stories, actionable insights, and practical tools, audiences will learn how to unlock the potential of their seemingly small decisions to create ripples of trust, collaboration, and growth across their organizations, teams, and communities.

Key Takeaways:

  • Recognize Your Hidden Power to Create Change: Discover how even the smallest, most overlooked actions can spark waves of trust, connection, and innovation that transform teams, organizations, and communities.
  • Become a Catalyst for Positive Momentum: Unlock strategies to amplify the ripple effect of your actions, inspiring others to do the same and creating a chain reaction of growth and collaboration.
  • Take Agency Over Your Impact: Expand your thinking from focusing on immediate tasks to embracing the far-reaching influence of your decisions, empowering you to leave a lasting legacy in any area of your life.

  • Small Actions, Big Ripples: TURNING EVERYDAY LEADERSHIP MOMENTS INTO LASTING MOMENTUM

Leadership today is often framed as the sum of big decisions and bold moves, but the truth is, the moments that matter most are often the ones we overlook.

What if the moments you think don’t matter are actually the key to everything you want to achieve as a leader? This keynote reveals how seemingly insignificant leadership moments—an honest conversation, a thoughtful question, or a well-timed word of encouragement—can build trust, ignite inspiration, and drive momentum.

By reframing leadership as a series of intentional, small actions, this talk equips leaders to recognize the enormous power they hold in everyday interactions. With real-world examples and actionable strategies, audiences will leave understanding how to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Key Takeaways:

  • Recognize the hidden power of leadership moments: Transform ordinary interactions—like conversations, feedback, or encouragement—into opportunities to inspire and influence.
  • Build unstoppable momentum: Learn how to consistently create ripples of trust and engagement that align your team and drive progress.
  • Elevate your leadership style: Adopt strategies that make your leadership feel authentic, relatable, and impactful, creating ripples that resonate far beyond the moment.

  • From Silos to Synergy: BUILDING HIGH-TRUST TEAMS IN A LOW-TRUST WORLD

Trust is at an all-time low in workplaces, but rebuilding it doesn’t require sweeping changes or elaborate programs. It starts with simple, consistent actions that demonstrate respect, curiosity, and empathy.

What if the key to transforming your team wasn’t a big initiative, but small, intentional ripples that build trust, one moment at a time? This keynote challenges the myth that trust is built only through grand gestures, focusing instead on the small, daily choices that create safety and connection.

From the way we communicate in meetings to how we handle conflict, every action sends a signal to our teams. This talk breaks down the specific, replicable behaviors that build high-trust environments, giving leaders and team members the tools they need to transform dynamics and drive collaboration.

Key Takeaways:

  • Build trust, one moment at a time: Implement proven strategies to create psychological safety and address breakdowns in trust with confidence and empathy.
  • Foster connection that fuels performance: Transform team dynamics with small, intentional actions that spark collaboration, creativity, and belonging.
  • Drive team success: Learn how to create an environment where people feel safe to share ideas, take risks, and achieve exceptional results together.

  • The Impact of Connection: TRANSFORMING EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH RIPPLE EFFECT MOMENTS

In education and community-building, the challenge isn’t just about resources—it’s about relationships. Teachers, administrators, and community leaders often feel isolated and overwhelmed, unsure of how to make a lasting difference.

But what if the secret to transforming your classroom or community wasn’t a massive undertaking, but a single meaningful connection? This keynote takes a fresh approach to solving the problem of disconnection by focusing on the small, intentional moments that build trust and belonging.

From a teacher’s thoughtful acknowledgment of a student’s effort to a community leader’s ability to listen deeply, the ripple effects of connection can be transformative. This talk highlights the power of meaningful interactions to foster environments where every individual feels valued and inspired to contribute.

By showing how intentional connection changes lives, this keynote provides a path to creating stronger, more united schools and communities.

Key Takeaways:

  • Harness the power of connection: Discover how small, meaningful interactions can create lasting ripples that build trust, belonging, and engagement in schools and communities.
  • Lead with intentionality: Learn to recognize key moments where your actions can make a transformative difference for others.
  • Inspire collective growth: Create environments where individuals feel valued and supported, empowering them to contribute their best to the collective success of the community or classroom.

  • Bridging the Gap: APPLYING RIPPLE EFFECT THINKING TO NAVIGATE DIVIDED TIMES

Polarization doesn’t only divide communities—it stops progress and breeds mistrust. But what if the first step to healing divides was as simple as a single ripple?

This keynote shows how small, intentional actions—like listening with empathy, sharing your story, or asking better questions—can create ripples of understanding that foster connection across differences. By focusing on individual choices and interactions, audiences will see how to lead with courage in the face of conflict.

This session provides practical tools and mindset shifts to help participants become bridge-builders, creating momentum for collaboration even in the most polarized environments.

Key Takeaways:

  • Be the catalyst for connection: Learn how small, intentional actions can foster trust and understanding, even in the most polarized environments.
  • Transform conflict into collaboration: Gain practical tools to navigate difficult conversations, build bridges, and inspire dialogue that moves relationships forward.
  • Lead with courage and empathy: Shift from avoiding conflict to embracing it as an opportunity to create ripples of unity and progress within your organization or community.

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Videos of Chris Rollins

Chris Rollins Speaker Reel - Ripple Effect Leadership™
How to Create a Ripple Effect in Your Company Culture

Comments & Testimonials

Not only did Chris grab the attention of the audience from the very beginning, his presentation was interactive, impactful and one of the most authentic presentations we have had.
Matt Shemwell President, Marsh McLennan Agency
Ripple Effect Leadership is an ethos that everyone, at all levels of your company, should lean into.
Christina Chambers Chief Franchise Officer, DOXA Talent

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