Speaking

Employee Disengagement Is Costing You More Than You Think

Trillions lost in productivity. It’s time for a new leadership model.

Gallup reports that today’s workforce is in a crisis of engagement:

  • 79% of the global workforce is disengaged
  • 73% of managers are disengaged themselves
  • 82% of people promoted into management roles fail
  • In the U.S., 70% of employees are not engaged—and the economic cost is measured in trillions of dollars

Traditional leadership development isn’t working. It’s falling short where it matters most: inspiring your people to bring their best selves to work.

Introducing Fulfillment-Centric Leadership™.

Bernie Borges—The Fulfillment Architect— brings 30 years of executive experience, paired with leading workforce research, to offer a powerful new approach. His Fulfillment-Centric Leadership™ Framework equips leaders to build high-performing teams by focusing on a critical, often-overlooked driver of engagement: Fulfillment.

When leaders embrace the true meaning of personal and professional fulfillment, they lead differently—and more effectively. The results are transformative:
✅ Elevated performance
✅ Increased loyalty and retention
✅ A thriving workplace culture that drives sustainable growth

As co-author of the Thriving in Midlife report and host of the Midlife Fulfilled Podcast, Bernie has interviewed over 200 leaders and professionals on the role of fulfillment in work and life. His keynote distills these insights into a clear, actionable strategy designed to help leaders reverse disengagement and unlock peak performance.

 

Bernie's Three Most Popular Presentations

Lead Through Fulfillment

The New Competitive Advantage

What if your culture was your greatest asset?

In this compelling talk, Bernie introduces the Fulfillment-Centric Leadership™ Framework—a modern approach that helps leaders create cultures where people feel valued, supported, and inspired to thrive.

The result? Higher engagement, stronger retention, better performance—and a workplace that runs on purpose-driven momentum.

The 5 Pillars of Fulfillment

A Blueprint for Growth

What if your workforce had a shared roadmap for growth—personally and professionally?

In this eye-opening talk, Bernie unpacks the Five Pillars of Fulfillment—health, fitness, career, relationships, and legacy—and shows how they fuel a more focused, energized, and purpose-driven workforce.

The result? Stronger performance, and a culture that fuels meaningful growth across the organization.

Leading Across Generations

How Fulfillment Unites the Workforce

Today’s leaders face one of the toughest challenges in modern management: uniting a workforce that spans four generations.

In this timely talk, Bernie reveals how fulfillment—not policy—bridges the gap.

Attendees gain actionable insights to navigate generational differences, reduce friction, and lead in a way that brings out the best in every age group.

These keynotes are perfect for:

✅ Conferences – Equip leaders with a fulfillment-driven approach to engagement.
✅ Corporate events – Inspire teams to elevate performance through fulfillment.
✅ Association chapter programs – Provide members actionable strategies for long-term success.

Book Bernie Borges today and discover how Fulfillment-Centric Leadership™ drives employee well-being and business growth.

An Overview of the Fulfillment Centric Leadership™ Framework

1. Fulfillment-Centric Leadership | Self Awareness

Dive deep into your current state of fulfillment across the five essential pillars of midlife. It's an eye-opening experience designed to score your fulfillment and be self aware of your fulfillment in each pillar.

2. Align Values with Five Pillars of Fulfillment

Dive into the five life pillars—health, fitness, career, relationships, and legacy—that contribute to overall fulfillment. Ensure value alignment to understand the influence on your employees’ productivity, satisfaction, and commitment to the organization.

3. Data-Driven Insights on Fulfillment

Gain valuable insights from the Thriving in Midlife Report: Survey Results Across Key Life Pillars. Discover the top priorities of employees across multiple generations in the workplace. Run your own internal survey.

4. Lead With Authenticity

Leaders who are self-aware are equipped to lead with authenticity. Deepen your own self-awareness with transparency about your own fulfillment journey across the five life pillars.

5. Prioritize Wellness for Workplace Productivity

Explore the link between physical and mental well-being and job performance. As a fulfillment-centric leader, you'll discover how supporting employees’ health and fitness can increase their productivity.

6. Aligning Career Goals with Personal Passions

Fulfillment at work is more than just a paycheck. Support your employees' personal aspirations to create more loyal relationships that serve short-term and long-term goals.

7. Fostering Relationships that Drive Fulfillment

Strong relationships are a cornerstone of a fulfilled workforce. Gain insights into creating a collaborative, supportive work environment where employees feel connected, valued, and engaged.

8. Creating a Legacy of Leadership

Empower your team to leave their mark by building a culture where employees can pursue their own legacies within the organization. Discover how fulfillment-centric leaders inspire intergenerational teams to create lasting impacts, both personally and professionally.

9. Balanced Work Drives Fulfillment and Productivity

By designing work across three levels of complexity—low, medium, and high—leaders create a balanced environment where employees experience consistent achievement boosting individual satisfaction, team performance, and long-term organizational success.

10. Measuring Fulfillment | Continuous Improvement

Discover how to implement metrics to regularly assess employee fulfillment across the five pillars. By tracking progress and making data-driven adjustments, you can ensure ongoing employee satisfaction and adapt your fulfillment-centric leadership strategies to meet their evolving needs.

Workshop Exclusive

Fulfillment Centric Leadership™ Interactive Workshop for Tailored Solutions

In the workshop format, leaders participate in hands-on exercises designed in collaboration with your organization’s leadership team. This immersive experience ensures that the fulfillment strategies discussed are customized to your team’s unique challenges, leading to specific, actionable takeaways that will enhance retention and drive business growth.

Format Options

This session is available as a one-hour keynote or a more in-depth, interactive workshop, offered as a half-day or full-day format. Each format is designed to equip leaders with the tools and insights they need to become true fulfillment-centric leaders, transforming the way they inspire and retain their multigenerational teams.

Bernie Borges | Leadership Keynote Speaker
"Bernie Borges was our featured speaker at the 2023 annual signature event of the Inspired Leadership Initiative at University of Notre Dame. His collaboration with our team to prepare an interactive presentation for current and prospective fellows was terrific. His presentation was well received and his engagement with attendees during and after his session was valuable and informative. It was a true pleasure to work with Bernie and have him engage in this key program event."
Thomas S. Schreier, Jr.
Founding Director, Inspired Leadership Initiative University of Notre Dame

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