Susan Lucia Annunzio is an internationally recognized speaker and thought leader on
high -
performance business environments. She is a trusted advisor to CEOs of leading global
companies on strategy attainment and business transformation. Her clients have included BP,
Pfizer, Ernst & Young, the John F. Kennedy Healthcare Foundation, ABN AMRO,
PricewaterhouseCoopers and Amazon.com. She has a strong track record helping leaders
maximize returns on strategic, financial and human capital investments. Susan has been a
guest on numerous television and radio news programs and has been quoted extensively in
the business press, including The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, BBC, USA Today, and Bloomberg.
Her latest book is Contagious Success, which reveals a global standard for high-performing
workgroups that can be replicated in any organization.
Susan's Profile
President and Chief Executive Officer of The Center for High Performance (CfHP), a group
that specializes in change management, mergers and acquisitions, high-performance
environments and strategic communications. CfHP partners with senior executives in
organizations around the world.
Author of three highly regarded business books: Contagious Success (Portfolio, 2004),
which was voted Fast Company’s Readers’ Choice selection in January 2005; Evolutionary
Leadership (Simon & Schuster, 2001; Fireside, 2002); and Communicoding (Fine, 1990;
Penguin USA, 1991).
Adjunct Professor of Management at the University of Chicago Graduate School of
Business; guest lecturer at INSEAD business school in Fontainebleau, France.
Led Hudson Highland Group’s research-based high-performance consulting subsidiary,
which completed the most comprehensive global study of knowledge workers ever conducted
on the factors that accelerate or stifle high performance. Susan has presented on this study at
such prestigious venues as the World Economic Forum, The International Conference on
Knowledge, Culture and Change at the University of Greenwich and Vacature’s 2004 “Talent
Economy” launch event in Belgium.
Headed the global Change Management practice at Nextera, where her team won
numerous industry awards, including the Dalton Pen Award of Excellence, the CIPRA Award of
Excellence, the Telly Award and the Publicity Club of Chicago Silver Trumpet.
Member of the Economic Club of Chicago, the University of Chicago Women’s Business
Group and the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Alumni Club.
Topic Categories
Leadership, Management
Business - Strategy
Communication
Presentation Titles
High-Performance Leadership
Learn the strategies and processes for building a high-performance work environment that
drives financial results and innovation, while accelerating sustainable, profitable growth. Susan
demonstrates how to unleash the brainpower that leads to innovative products, services and
markets.
Communicating During Organizational Change
In times of change, how you communicate is as important as what you communicate.
Conveying accurate information is not enough; communication must drive the behaviors that
lead to high performance. Susan explains how to present a vision for success, keep people
motivated, tailor your messages to external and internal audiences, handle difficult
conversations and answer tough questions.
Leveraging Your Personal Leadership Brand
If you are a leader, you have power—whether you want it or not. Susan helps you understand
the source of your personal power, and how to use it to drive business results. Discover how to
play to your own strengths using both verbal and non-verbal skills, and to command attention
in a variety of situations.
Fostering an Innovative Culture
High-performing groups operate in an environment where people can seize opportunities, take
risks, generate new ideas—and even make mistakes. The key to innovation and complex
problem-solving is collaboration. Susan discusses how high-performing groups collaborate to
encourage the flow of ideas.
Audience Testimonials
“Susan Annunzio is a transformational speaker. She is able to convey her insights with
precision and power. She challenges conventional thinking to connect at a human level with her
audience. Susan is my preferred speaker—she delivers brilliantly and encourages her audience
to participate to create a truly impactful event.” – Andrew Lee, Executive Director Capital Values Group
“I truly enjoyed the discussion, the interaction Susan had with the group, and her message,
which was so incredibly powerful and moving. She is an outstanding presenter and has a
unique way of keeping the interest of the group. I heard so many positive comments after the
event. I am encouraged, motivated and excited. Susan really hit the mark!” – Nancy Bower, Manager, Wholesale Process & Administration
John Deere
“Susan quickly established credibility and rapport with my leadership team, and inspired them
to engage fully in the session. The work we did with Susan has been highly valuable
throughout the year and frequently referenced.” – Sharon Rossi, V.P. Customer Development
Unilever
“Susan is a dynamic speaker, and she provided 50 of our senior executives from around the
world with substantive ideas they could take back to their own teams. The data she presented
from her study of high-performing workgroups was particularly enlightening.” – Sandy Shaw, V.P. Talent Development
Sodexho North America
In Her Own Words
“I believe that the best way to influence the world is through the businesses that make the
goods, provide the services and employ the people who fuel the economy. My personal
mission has been to spread the word to leaders that treating people with respect is a business
imperative.”
