Annicken R. Day

Annicken R. Day is a pioneer in organizational culture and leadership, often called a “culture whisperer” for her ability to turn dysfunctional workplaces into thriving, joyful communities. Hailing from Norway and now an entrepreneur and advisor, Annicken has over 20 years of experience building what she calls “purpose-driven teams with a spirit of passion and joy.” She was one of the world’s first Chief Culture Officers back in the early 2000s – long before “culture” was a buzzword – at Tandberg and later Cisco, where she proved that investing in people and culture leads directly to outstanding business performance. She went on to found Corporate Spring, a boutique consultancy with a science-backed model (the Corporate Spring Model™) for engaging employees and aligning culture with strategy. Through Corporate Spring and her Happy Life Happy Work initiative, Annicken has helped countless organizations (from startups to Fortune 500s like Microsoft and Accenture) transform their cultures, earning accolades such as Best Place to Work awards and innovation prizes along the way.

Annicken’s philosophy centers on the idea that happy employees lead to successful companies. She champions concepts like psychological safety, trust-based leadership, and fostering a growth mindset across all levels of an organization. In her TEDx talks and keynotes, Annicken lights up the stage with her passion for “making culture a strategy for growth.” She frequently cites both research and real cases: for instance, she might reference a study on how high-trust organizations financially outperform low-trust ones, and then segue into a story of how a team she advised doubled their productivity after implementing practices to boost trust and autonomy. Audiences find her approach refreshingly authentic – likely because Annicken doesn’t sugarcoat challenges. She openly discusses the “sacred cows” of corporate life (like bureaucratic rules or fear-based management) and provides practical advice on replacing them with behaviors that promote agility and engagement.

Annicken R. Day is recognized globally as a pioneer in purpose-driven culture and leadership, having helped organizations worldwide deliver outstanding performance through people-first transformation.One of her hallmark achievements was leading a culture change that resulted in an enterprise being recognized for management innovation. She has a knack for bridging the gap between lofty values and daily actions. For example, through her workshops, leaders learn how to translate a value like “innovation” into concrete habits – such as setting aside weekly creative brainstorming time or rewarding smart failures. Annicken’s Scandinavian background also shines through in her advocacy for work-life balance and well-being: she believes joy and human connection are not just feel-good factors, but critical components of sustainable success.

In addition to her corporate work, Annicken R. Day is a bestselling author of a novel, “Fly, Butterfly,” which, through storytelling, imparts lessons on finding purpose and happiness at work. The novel’s success and its resonance with readers underscore Annicken’s point that narrative and emotion can drive change more effectively than dry directives. During her keynotes, she often shares excerpts or anecdotes from the book to illustrate the personal side of organizational change – reminding leaders that employees are, above all, humans with dreams, fears, and untapped potential. She’s also not afraid to get personal: at times she recounts her own “leap of faith” moments, like leaving the security of a corporate executive job to start her own company based on a vision, which inspires audiences to examine their own leadership purpose.