Why You Keep Breaking Promises to Yourself (and How to Stop) | Walt Brown | TEDxAtlanta
Why do we break the promises we make to ourselves? Walt Brown—a veteran management consultant and trust evangelist—reveals a surprising truth: the promises we make alone are doomed to fail. But when we involve others, everything changes.With wit, vulnerability, and a dash of biscuit-fueled honesty, Walt walks us through his journey as a self-proclaimed serial promise breaker, and how a single promise from his wife transformed his health, and his understanding of trust.But this talk isn’t just about personal change. It’s a rallying cry for leaders, teams, and organizations. Drawing from his work with over 185 companies, Walt shows us how promise-making and promise-keeping at work are the invisible levers behind trust, culture, and high performance. Walt Brown is on a mission to remove the “yoke of
organizational confusion and dysfunction” that holds
employees back from being their best selves at work.
By breaking down barriers and aligning teams, Walt is reshaping the way businesses operate—one trust-filled workplace at a time.He believes trust is the foundation of a thriving organization, and when confusion and misalignment persist, distrust takes root. Through years of observation and action, Walt has developed actionable models that help companies foster Buy-in, Inclusion, Trust, and Engagement. His work has directly impacted more than 55,000
employees across 185 companies, empowering organizations to build healthier, more cohesive cultures. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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