LIST of HOT Conference Topics for Your Event, Meeting or Convention in 2022
By David Staughton CSP CCEO, Practice Consultant and Award Winning Speaker
- Want to know the HOT TRENDING TOPICS FOR 2022?
- Need some Great Ideas for your CONFERENCE & ONLINE PRESENTATIONS?
- Would you like to improve your Conference CONTENT DESIGN?
The Corona Virus decimated the Speaking, Events & Conference Industry in 2020. Most conferences went Virtual and more mixed or Hybrid Conferences will be popular in 2022.
Event Attendees have been able to attend more Global Virtual Events and see more Global Speakers at locally organised Conferences & Events.
Visit the BLOG POPULAR ONLINE TRAINING TOPICS during Co-VID
HYBRID will be the word of 2022 – blending both the offline and online worlds. Blending working from home (WFH) and the new-look workplaces of the future. Here are some popular ideas for 2022.
- Hybrid Events
- Hybrid Conferences
- Hybrid Training
- Hybrid Workplaces
- Hybrid Leadership
- Hybrid Teams
- Hybrid Communication Skills
- Online Learning and VR Learning too
Another big opportunity will be solutions to the lack of ROI for Sponsors and Exhibitors at Virtual and Hybrid Events. We need better Small Screen Engagement techniques.
The TOP 20 Conference Topics for 2022
One of the best ways to ensure a record conference attendance is to have the BEST keynote speakers and the hottest topics that will pull a crowd and please your stakeholders. You’ll also need great breakout speakers and workshop presenters that do amazing presentations which ensure repeat attendance at next year’s event.
Every conference needs inspirational and motivational speakers. The audience wants more than just content & lots of information – they want a great personality & presence and prefer an entertaining show as well.
Here is a list of Hot Conference Topics for small business, corporate, government, association and Not for Profit Events.
HOT Topics for Conferences & Events in 2022
Here are the 20 HOTTEST Topics for Conferences in 2022
- Resilience & Reinvention – Overcoming hardships and challenges – Motivational Stories and Techniques
- Embracing Change & Transformation – Breakthrough Innovation & Creativity, Leading Change, Reengagement
- Strategy and Short term Planning – Scenarios and Flexible Planning methods – Pre Mortems
- Near-Futurists & Futurists – Short Term Trends & Consumer forecasters. Demographers
- Digital Transformation – Web, 5G, AI, Big Data, Online Commerce, Online Sales and Service Delivery
- Risk Mitigation and Risk Management – Cybersecurity, supply chain security, risk strategy and scenarios
- Leadership in Turbulent Times – Leading a Hybrid Team, Courageous Leadership, CEOs that led in a recession
- Mental Health and Wellness – Dealing with Stress, Meditation, Mindfulness, Holistic Health & Spirituality, Mental Health & Safety at Work
- Hybrid Engagement Skills – Influencing and presenting to a hybrid audience – live in person and live online at the same time
- Small Screen Stars – Visual Storytelling is HOT – Intimate Video presentations to your tribe – Clubhouse, Insta Stories, FB live
- Women in Leadership – Pay Equality & Rights #Kamala
- Teamwork & WFH Performance Topics – Boosting Productivity & Culture with a Hybrid Workplace and WFH
- Harmony & Belonging – Diversity, Inclusion & Gender Fluidity
- Technology Updates – Social Media, Marketing Automation, Cybersecurity
- Customer Experience CX – Human Experience (HX), Customer Focus & Customer Centricity
- Entrepreneurism and Business Growth – Thriving in Turbulent Times
- Marketing and Branding Topics – Video, Positioning, Automation, Texting
- Digital Disruption – Augmented Humans, Superhumans, Humanicity, Blockchain
- Productivity & WFH Work Methods Topics – Get things Done – Better Hybrid Meetings, Time Management
- Global Topics – Financial/Risk/Economics Topics – China, Trade Wars, Climate, Economy Updates, Threats
BEST SPEAKERS on the 2022 HOT TOPICS
Best CONFERENCE MCs – Master of Ceremonies LIST
Best BIG CELEBRITIES as a Headliner for your Conference LIST
Best MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS LIST – Resilience & Reinvention
Best FUTURISTS & TRENDS SPEAKERS LIST – Change, Transformation & Disruption
Best INNOVATION Experts and Creativity Speakers LIST
Best SALES SPEAKERS & SALES TRAINERS LIST
Best CUSTOMER SERVICE SPEAKERS & TRAINERS LIST
Best STRATEGISTS & STRATEGY SPEAKERS LIST
Best CEO / BUSINESS FOUNDER SPEAKERS LIST
Best Conference Speakers Based in MELBOURNE LIST
Best Keynote Speakers in NEW ZEALAND LIST
More “BEST of” Speaker Lists coming soon!
2022 HOT CONFERENCE TOPICS IN DETAIL
1. Resilience & Reinvention Conference Topics
- Being more Resilient and Developing Resilience
- Overcoming Rejection
- Improving Engagement
- Bouncing back & Reinventing
- Coping with Stressful Situations
- Psychological Safety in the Workplace
- Dealing with Obstacles
- Overcoming Obstacles
- R U Ok?
2. Embracing Change & Transformation Conference Topics
- What’s Next?
- Dealing with Change
- Disruption – being indisruptable
- Future proofing business and career
- Forever Skills / infinity Skills
- Relevance – avoiding being irrelevant
- Thought Leadership
- Being Unstuck
- Thinking better & Decision Making
- VUCA world – Uncertain world
- Game Changer – Changing the Game
- Change ready
- Innovation innovative
- Transformation/transformative
- Evolution not Revolution
- Creativity & Innovation
- Quests – challenges – journeys
- Sticky change
- Global restructures
3. Strategy and Short-Term Planning Topics
- Strategic Planning
- Strategic Thinking and Strategic Mindset
- Strategic Leadership
- Scenario Planning
- A3 Action Planning
- Tech tools for Strategy and Planning
- Strategy Development
- Online Workshopping and Facilitation Tools
- Deep dive methods
- Agile – scrum – sprint methodologies
- Blind spots and Black Swans
4. Near Futurists & Future Conference Topics
- Future Trends
- What’s Next?
- Nanotechnology
- Biotechnology
- Genomics DNA testing
- Facial recognition
- Self-drive cars
- Autonomous vehicles
- Drones & Drone taxi
- Sharing Economy
5. Digital Transformation Topics
- Hybrid Everything!
- Online Commerce & Webmarketing
- AI – Artificial Intelligence
- 5G Impact
- VR AR Virtual and Augmented Reality
- Hyper connected world
6. Risk & Risk Mitigation Topics
- Managing Risk in a CoVid Word
- Securing Supply Chains
- Cybersecurity
- Hacking and Hack Proof
7. Leadership Conference Topics
- Hybrid Leadership
- Vulnerability
- Bravery & Courage
- Authenticity
- Accountability
- Leadership Habits & Hacks
- Being Human
- Being Real
- Neuroscience brain science
- Thought leadership
- Transformational Leadership
- High impact leadership
- High performance leadership
- Quiet power – the power of introverts
- Get me Brene Brown!
8. Mental Health & Wellness Topics
- Meditation & Mindfulness
- Stress Management techniques
- WHS & OHS Health & Safety (at home – WFH)
- Better Sleep
- FLOW – Getting in FLOW / Body Hacking
- Tech free – Device Withdrawal and tech detox (Cal Newport)
- Health Hacks and Shortcuts
- Changing Habits – Breaking bad Habits
- Morning & Evening Routines
- Living a Better Life
- Spiritualism and Buddhism
- Mental Health awareness – R U Ok?
- Psychological Safety
- The Gut – gut flora – microbiome – probiotics – Vegus nerve tone
- Calm & Simplicity
- Decluttering – less stuff (Spark Joy!)
- Running & Fitness – triathalons & cycling
- Sugar free & gluten free
9. Hybrid Engagement Skills
- Influencing and presenting to a hybrid audience – live in person and live online
- Improv Skills
- Small Screen Engagement
- Zoom & MS Teams Tech Skills
- Hybrid Events
- Hybrid Conferences
- Hybrid Training
- Hybrid Workplaces
- Hybrid Leadership
- Hybrid Teams
- Hybrid Communication Skills
- Online Learning and VR Learning too
- Hybrid Sales and Sales Management
10. Personal Branding & Influencer / Tribe Building
- Visual Storytelling is HOT – Intimate Video presentations
- Building your live tribe – Clubhouse, Insta Stories, FB live
- Online Confidence
- Executive Presence
- Video Making & Digital Storytelling
- Persuasion
- Storytelling
- Influence
- Charisma
- Personal branding
- Being an Influencer or Working with Influencers
- Going viral & Virality
- Insta-famous facebookers
- KOL key opinion leaders
- Social selling
- Linked in
- Youtube
- Social media – insta stories
- Facebook live – pinterest boards
- Clubhouse
11. Women in Leadership – Women’s Conference Topics
- Women in Business
- Gender equality
- Pay gap
- Breaking the Glass ceiling
- #Kamala
- Geek girls / Nerdy Girls
- Women in STEM
- #metoo issues
- Bullying
- Mansplaining
13.Teamwork/Performance Conference Topics
- High performance teams
- Sustainable teams
- Conflict Intelligence and Fighting Fair
- Accountability
- Inspiration – motivation
- Situational Awareness (SA)
- Synergy
- Collaboration
- Winning teams
- Playing a bigger game
- Focus – clarity
- Difficult people – no assholes
- Workplace psychopaths
- Talent management
- Coaching
- Growth/fixed mindset
- Goalsetting and planning Ahead
- Happiness in the workplace
- Gratitude
- Useful Belief & Cut The Noise (Chris Helder)
- GTD – getting things done
- Deliverables & Announceables
- KPIs KRAs CSFs OKRs outcome measures
- ROI ROE – Return on Investment and Equity
- Using Dashboards
13. Harmony & Belonging Conference Topics
- Purpose – Simon Sinek’s why how what
- Values
- Social enterprise
- Inclusion
- Pay equality
- Diversity
- Bullying
- Say to violence
- Gender equality
14. Technology Conference Topics
- Cybersecurity
- VR AR
- Wearables
- Mobile friendly
- Cloud – MS azure
- Apps
- SEO SEM SERP
- Cracking the code
- Crossing the chasm
- Innovators dilemma
15. Customer Experience & Customer Service Conference Topics
- Customer Service
- Customer Loyalty
- Customer Centricity
- H2H, Humanicity,
- The Human Experience
16. Entrepreneurism & Business Growth Conference Topics
- Post Covid Opportunities
- Growth hacking
- 10X
- Crossing the chasm
- Cracking the code
- Hockey stick growth
- Venture capital VC
- Start ups
- Entrepreneur – wantrepreneur
- Exponential growth
- Roll ups – roll outs
17. Marketing Conference Topics
- Logos taglines themes
- Marketing automation
- On trend
- Cause marketing
- Food porn / Success porn
- B2B B2C B2G
- Omnichannel
- Retail revolution
- Channels Content Context
- Video making
- Podcasting
- Narrative Arc
- Personas – target market
- Style guide
- Brand elements
18. Digital Disruption
- Big Data – data analytics
- Data Lakes
- Robotics
- IOT – internet of things
- Digital assistants
- Digital Twins
- The Singularity – man machines
19. Productivity & WFH Work Methods Topics
- Better Meetings
- Time Management
- Hackathons
- Crowdsourcing
- Great game of business GGOB by Jack Stack
- Design day / discovery day
- Due diligence
- Dreamboard – vision board
- Brainstorming
- Think Tank – summit
- Prioritising – 80/20 rule – Richard koch
20. Global Topics – Financial/Climate/Economics Conference Topics
- Rise of China & India BICI BRICs
- Superpower shift
- Future of Money –
- Rise of Cryptocurrency – bitcoin ethereum etc
- Banking 2.0 3.0
- Managing Personal Finances
- Peer to peer lending
- impact of CoVid on BEACH Industries
- Succession – exit planning
- Financial literacy
- Side hustle
- Emerging economy
- Brexit Issues
- Collaborative consumption
- Alternative energy solar – battery wind
- Sustainability – Waste and Cleantech
- Demographic, Social/Lifestyle and Environmental Trends
- Global & Government Trends
OTHER TOPICS NOT AS POPULAR THIS YEAR ??
X. Character, Ethics & Integrity Conference Topics (was popular during the banking crisis)
- Case for Character
- Building and Regaining Trust
- Integrity and Keeping promises
- Doing what You Say
- Board governance
- Accountability and holding others Accountable
- Ethics
- Values
- Behavioural Models
X. Communications Conference Topics (Less need for in person interaction?)
- Listening
- Human Lie detection (Steve Van Aperen etc)
- Pitching – using pitch decks
- Co-creation
- Presentation skills
- Running Panels and debates
- Body language
X. Inspirational Corporate Social Responsibility Conference Topics (Other priorities?)
- Corporate social responsibility stories
- Good corporate citizen
- Corporate giving
- Corporate philanthropy
- Giving back – making a difference
- B Corp movement
- Triple bottom line
X. Sporting Success, Coaching and High-performance Topics (Sports Audiences are on hold)
- Sports Hero stories
- Female athletes
- Disabled Athletes
- Sports tech
- Winning Team Stories (e.g AFL Richmond Football Club)
X. Understanding People – HR Conference Topics (Other priorities to worry about?)
- Generational change
- Understanding Millenials or Gen Z
- Gen X Y Z and Gen Alpha
- Baby Boomers
- Next Generation
- Hipsters
- Parenting Strategies
- Wage theft
- Lifestylers & lifestyle shift
Be on TREND with The Best Sources of Hot Topics for Conferences & Conventions
Where can Conference Organisers find the upcoming hot and trending topics for conferences?
- SmartCompany
- AFR – Australian Financial Review
- Most popular TED talks
- US E-Newsletters like Morning Brew and The Hustle
- Crikey
- Airport bookstands – Singapore airport always has the latest books
- Google Trends – search data
- International Conferences – speakers
- National Association conferences – speakers
- Speaker Bureau Showcases of New & Breakout Speakers
- Best selling business books lists
The Top NINE Speaking Slots for Conferences & Events
Most conferences benefit from having these different areas covered during the event:
- An Opener/Closer – for Inspirational Energy
- A Future or Trends Update
- Leadership – for Direction & Improved Clarity
- Performance/Productivity Improvement – Work/Life Effectiveness
- Teambuilding/Culture
- Communication/Sales/Marketing Update
- Energiser – Change Mood/Pace of event – after lunch or Start of Day 2 or 3
- A Hero! Story – the big Finale
- MC/Facilitation/Acts – panels, crowdsource, hypotheticals
For some advice on finding the best speakers and entertainers for your event – contact your friendly Speakers Bureau
Here is the most comprehensive guide to Australian Speaker Fees and how much you should expect to pay for different types of Speakers….
2022 Guide to Australian Conference SPEAKER FEES (Click Here)
What were the 2020 HOT Conference Topics?

Click HERE to DOWNLOAD the 2020 HOT Speaking Topics and Conference Themes PDF by David Staughton CSP
This Blog is a work in Progress for my friends in the Speaking and Conference industry. Your input is welcome. Please connect with me on Social Media or contact me.