Meaning of work Expert, Keynote Speaker, Explorer

Inspire your team, make work awesome
Real-life stories, empowering insights
Science-backed research, fun-packed delivery
Immediate inspiration, long-lasting impact
ROSS REEKIE
ABOUT ME

Ross Reekie

Ross is a renowned speaker and expert on the topic of meaningful work. With years of experience in the field, Ross has developed a simple model for understanding how meaningful work is created and measured, based on the thousands of years of philosophy and academic literature on the subject.

In Ross’s talks, audiences can expect real-life case studies of people who have made work meaningful and awesome, as well as practical toolkits for leaders looking to create meaningful work environments. Ross’s engaging and playful approach involves “live experiments,” lego building, chocolates, live polls, moving people around, getting people on their feet, and building things to create a fun and inclusive environment.

With a passion for connecting with audiences, Ross disarms and engages them with humour, energy, and warmth from the start. By using the “Bubbles of Meaning Framework” and personal research, Ross provides insights grounded in academic science while bringing the concepts to life with stories of real people.

Ross is always learning from audiences and adapting talks to address their real-life challenges. Known for being a “RockStar” on stage, Ross’s energy, passion, and ability to read people have had a positive impact on countless audiences.

Read More

FAQ

I’ve always been curious about how people find the work that suits them. Why does job X make this person seem so happy and fulfilled? This has been a theme that has been the thread of my various careers in executive recruitment, organizational development, meaning of work consulting and research, and now my fun jobs research project. I’ve also always been a storyteller and a connector of people. I’m so interested in hearing other people’s stories, sharing stories, and this led me into public speaking. I love standing on a stage with a microphone and helping to bring out the stories within people and making connections, inspiring people, encouraging people, and being playful.
How we can find meaning at work. This means how we can make work feel more awesome, so that work can be something that works for us, brings meaning, feels meaningful, gives us some joy, makes us feel energized. I believe this is possible for everyone and my mission is to help people to make it happen and to help leaders to lead with meaning. I believe it is important because when work is awesome every part of our life feels better. We are better parents, partners, friends, neighbors, members of society and it just feels so much better. Specifically, I talk about how to lead with meaning, how to create belonging, connection, achievement, self esteem, authenticity, purpose, social impact. My talks are backed by academic science, philosophy, my own research projects, my podcast interviews and radio series.
I aim to give my audiences: a simple model for understanding how meaningful work is created and measured. It takes thousands of years of philosophy and academic literature which is super complicated and makes it easier to access. I aim to give my audiences real-life case studies of people who made work meaningful and awesome. I show the audiences how to make their own work more meaningful. Leaders walk away with a practical tool kit. I also give lots of inspiration and confidence.
This is my superpower. I connect with my audiences in a warm, inclusive, encouraging, friendly way. I take a very playful approach to my sessions, I use a lot of humour, a lot of engagement with the audience. For example I use “live experiments”, lego building, chocolates, live polls, moving people around, getting people on their feet, building things. It’s fun!
Last year I spoke at Urban Futures, an international conference of 3000 people. The audience were purpose-driven urbanists making the urban environments better for everyone. My keynote talk and session was about how to work with more meaning and purpose. I also moderated a follow-up session with three other speakers. Immediately my talk disarmed and engaged the audience with humour, energy, and taking an approach they didn’t expect. I used warmth and passion to involve the audience from the beginning, I used audio clips from my podcasts and radio series interviews to bring concepts to life. People in the audience cried, laughed, there was magic in the room. I also allowed the session to be semi-spontaneous. At one point there was an impromptu counselling session, one audience member got a new job (literally), and there was wild abandon and a shift in thinking.
The academic science and philosophy of work is as old as work itself. From the moment the first cavemen picked up the first tool, we’ve been questioning what work means to us. From the ancient Greeks, to existential philosophers and modern academic thinkers I have studied a very wide range of academic literature on the meaning of work. What was missing was an overarching and simple model for understanding how meaningful work is created. I designed this model, it’s called “Bubbles of Meaning Framework”. I use this in my talks. I also use my own research work. I studied the impact of Covid-19 on our work relationships by interviewing 100 people from around the world about how they felt about work. My latest research project “The Fun Jobs Project” involves me doing fun jobs and recording the changes in me and the stories of the people I work with through a series of fun jobs from Opera Actor to Ski Instructor. It is important to ground talks in academic science but it’s more important to bring this to life with stories of real people and real examples of how to make meaning of work happen.
I always invite feedback from my audiences. I’ve learned that I can’t give EVERYTHING that I know to my audiences all at once. I’ve learned how to focus on one topic at a time. I’ve learned the importance of story-telling that audiences can identify with, how to use humour. I have been trained in public speaking, using timing, pacing, and most importantly I’ve learned that it’s important to start each keynote talk with the audience’s needs in mind. In particular what do they want to take away from my talks
I see myself evolving by adapting my talks to address my audiences’ particular real-life challenges. For example, instead of just talking about my work and how great it is, I use their problems to frame my talks and provide helpful and relevant information. I also see myself improving by polishing my delivery
Keynotes

How to lead with meaning

When work is meaningful everybody benefits. So why don’t we just make it happen?

This keynote equips your leaders and teams with science-based knowledge, practical tools, confidence, and inspiration to make work more meaningful in your organization.

The science is clear. When work is meaningful we wake happier to go to work, we have more energy, we’re more creative, more productive, we have more impact on our communities, and it just feels, awesome! With so many benefits for individual workers, teams, organizations, and society why don’t we just make it happen? Well, the science and practice have all been messy, complicated, and lacking a simple, overarching framework, until now!

This keynote is for Leaders and Teams who want to know exactly how to make work feel more awesome. We will offer an easy-to-understand overview, grounded in real-life stories, of the latest science, philosophy, and practical tools to help you make work more meaningful. This is all delivered in a fun, encouraging, interactive, and encouraging way.

Read More
  • What exactly meaningful work is and why it is important
  • What it looks and feels like when we have it/don’t have it
  • The 7 key elements that make work meaningful
  • How you have accidentally been destroying meaning for your team 
  • The link between meaningful work and workplace well-being
  • A new connection to what work means to you and your team
  • A powerful and simple framework for understanding meaningful work
  • A toolkit for starting conversations with your teams about making work meaningful
  • Inspiration from real-life stories and your own personal revelations
  • Confidence to make work more meaningful for you and your team
  • A new connection to what work means to you and your team
  • A powerful and simple framework for understanding meaningful work
  • A toolkit for starting conversations with your teams about making work meaningful
  • Inspiration from real-life stories and your own personal revelations
  • Confidence to make work more meaningful for you and your team
Keynotes

How to (re)create belonging & connection

Sometimes work is just work. We turn up, we do our jobs, we get paid, a means to an end. But it can be more than that, it can feel more like “home”, where our colleagues and bosses have our back and support each other like a family. This talk is for leaders and teams who want to create a deeper sense of belonging, and “home” at work.

When we think about “ home”, it’s more than a house. It’s a place where we can feel safe, included, supported, free to be ourselves. When we feel safe and supported, we are liberated to bring our best selves to work. We are more willing to speak up, to put our ideas forward, to try something new, and to innovate. This is a very interactive talk that explores the science, philosophy, and practical steps for creating a sense of “home” at work. This topic is delivered with care, warmth, humour, playfulness and encouragement to model a feeling of inclusion.

Read More
  • The science of belonging & connection and how it impacts your organization
  • Exactly what it feels like to have a sense of belonging at work
  • A new paradigm for seeing belonging, diversity, inclusion…and home
  • The role of the team member and the leader in creating belonging
  • So many insights from the ancient and modern science & philosophy of human connection
  • This talk will change how you view your relationship with your work and your colleagues
  • Clarity about your role and practical tips for creating a sense of belonging, safety, and  home for others
  • A sense of confidence, inspiration, and practical action-plan about bringing your best self to work
  • A co-created action plan for starting to make your workplace feel more like “home”

Fun Jobs Project

Over the next year I’ll be exploring and researching the world of fun jobs. From Ski Instructor, Stand-up Comedian, Charity Work, Radio Host, Barista, Beat Poet, Youtube Star, to Photographer, I made a list (which keeps growing!) and I’ll be trying the best ones, one at a time and recording how each job affects me…..Read More

Articles

Ben the Performer

How would you describe your relationship with work? Do you feel like one of those couples in new infatuations where it’s all love heart emojis,

Read More »
Articles

Otto’s First Job

Why do you work? That’s a question I often use to open my workshop and keynotes. It’s a question we so rarely stop to deeply

Read More »

Instagram Feed

Speaking

How to let go of fear

Fear is our biggest human and organizational inhibitor. It keeps us safe from dangers, but it also keeps us in our comfort zones, from making changes, and from reaching our potential. This talk is for leaders, teams, and organizations that want to know how to let go of fear and take a giant leap together.

Every meaningful thing that we’ve ever done and will ever do in our lives involves overcoming fear. Whether it’s approaching our dream love partner or tackling a big audacious work goal, our human fear instinct is there to get in the way.  100% of change projects, daring to be innovative, or simply speaking up and putting our ideas forward all involve facing and overcoming the hurdle of fear.

This talk is for leaders, teams, and organisations who want to learn how to overcome fear together and take a giant leap toward their potential.

Read More
  • The science of how fear holds us back
  • Insights from the great philosophers in taking leaps of faith
  • A science/philosophy-based approach to jumping off the metaphorical cliff edge
  • What happens to our brains when we’re faced with fear and how to overcome it
  • Inspiration from real-life stories to take your own leap of faith
  • Confidence that you’ll be able to cope with any of the obstacles that come up
  • A practical tool-kit for working through fears
  • A light sense of relief that some of your fears about change have been taken off your shoulders already
ABOUT ME

Ross Reekie

Hi, I’m Ross. I help Organisations, Leaders, and Individuals like you find meaning in work. I’m a Keynote Speaker, Researcher, and Consultant in meaningful work.

I am passionately curious about people and their stories. In my consulting work and research I’ve interviewed thousands of people from Interns to CEO’s about how they find meaning and make work, work for them. I find my own meaning and purpose by sharing those stories and insights to inspire and enable others.

I believe that a curious and playful outlook is the best way to explore meaning at work and I bring that to everything that I do. I love to find fun ways to bring stories, concepts, and insights to life. Audiences regularly describe me as warm, funny (haha funny), insightful, refreshing, and kind.

I’m a regular subject matter expert and commentator in the media including FM4, the ABC, Sydney Morning Herald, Business Insider, and many more. My keynote speaking, workshop, events have included two TEDx talks (Glasgow and Mebourne), many blue-chip international companies such as Mirvac, Lloyds, Watpac, and government organisations such as the European Data Protection Board, the Australian government, and Sydney
Water.

I am also the Founder of Rise, Australia’s first consultancy focused exclusively on creating meaningful work.

Read More

What others say

Meaningful Work

“It’s just so much easier and WAY MORE FUN to lead a bunch of people who are excited about a big audacious purpose” Evan, Young Fintech Entrepreneur of the year

When work is awesome it feels great and everybody benefits. We have more energy, we feel more alive, we’re more creative, we’re way more productive, and we have more impact on our community. There are so many benefits, so why don’t we just make it happen? The science of meaningful work has always been complicated…until now!

Research projects

Insights and tips from Ross’ explorations into how we find meaning and happiness at work

This is the heading

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

This is the heading

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

This is the heading

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

How Covid-19 changed our relationship with work

Upcoming Events

Excited to learn more about meaning with work? Join one of my workshops, webinars, or clinics.
Work with Purpose

Work with Purpose

Do you have that voice in your head on Sunday evenings telling you that there is more to life?Read More »
Become Your Most Authentic Self at Work

Become Your Most Authentic Self at Work

Are you the best version of yourself at work? Reconnect with who you are and find out how to align your job with what’s important to you.Read More »
Make Your Work Awesome

Make Your Work Awesome

The science of meaningful work has always been complicated, until now! I’ll guide you through the complex science to find meaning at work.Read More »

FM4 Radio Series

I recently recorded and produced a 5-part mini-series asking the big questions affecting the future of work. It was based on the insights of my global research project about how Corona changed our relationships with work. Listen below, as I explore how we can all make the future of work a little bit more awesome.

Episode 5
How can I find a job that I love
Episode 4
How can I make a difference to the world with my work

Podcast Series

Be inspired by these extraordinary  stories of ordinary people who found meaning and happiness in their work

Schedule time with us

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum neque metus, condimentum id mattis sodales, sodales quis ante. Duis faucibus in justo dictum tristique. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque a ex egestas, congue sapien ut, laoreet nunc. Ut sit amet sapien vel q

TEDx talks

ross reekie tedex

Taking Events

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum neque metus, condimentum id mattis sodales, sodales quis ante. Duis faucibus in justo dictum tristique. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque a ex egestas, congue sapien ut, laoreet nunc. Ut sit amet sapien vel q

As seen in