Videos
-
Nordic Buisness Forum Helsinki - Jitske Kramer – Building a Future-proof Corporate Culture -
Silence, the Forgotten Human Skill | Jitske Kramer | TEDxWassenaar
-
Tricky Times - Navigating the Messy Middle of Change - Jitske Kramer
-
Organizations as Purpose Driven Tribes - Jitske Kramer
-
Do you have enough campfire conversations? Corporate Anthropology Jitske Kramer -
Setting the Stage for the Future of Work - Webinar with Jitske Kramer
Learn More About Jitske Kramer
Considering today’s emotionally charged times, how can leaders apply an anthropological lens to navigate through the messy middle of change and create uplifting, collaborative workplaces? Providing uniquely insightful best practices from around the world is renowned corporate anthropologist Jitske Kramer (YIT-skuh KRAY-mer).
Founder of Human Dimensions, a pioneering training company that helps organizations strengthen teamwork and company culture, Kramer brings years of gathering powerful insights from around the world. She reveals how people shape cultures and how cultures shape people in both societal and business ecosystems. Drawing on deep anthropological knowledge of how people live and work together in groups—from remote jungle and desert communities to modern boardrooms— she transforms powerful human insights into practical tools for leadership, transformation, and organizational culture.
Kramer teaches leaders to create environments rich in inspirational interactions, and how to evaluate their companies by “becoming an anthropologist in their own organizations.”
“The best leaders understand how the people in their organizations work, both individually and in teams,” explains Kramer, who was voted Trainer of the Year by colleagues and clients in 2013. “Uncovering the unique dynamics at play every day within a company helps executives gain a new perspective on the human dimensions of cooperation, leadership and behavior change.”
Kramer is author of nine eye-opening books, including the #1 Dutch bestseller “Tricky Times” (Boom, March 2024), which has been shortlisted for Management Book of the Year 2025. Her other acclaimed works include “Jam Cultures” (Boom, 2021) and “The Corporate Tribe” (2016) which won Management Book of the Year and was later published in English by Routledge (2018).
Employing vivid storytelling and immersive, multi-sensory experiences, Kramer delivers truly unique ways to explore complex topics. Her renowned keynotes and masterclasses make abstract ideas both compelling and accessible, demonstrating how authentic human connection drives co-creation and meaningful change.
“We must let go of what is familiar and prepare for an unknown future, which can be unsettling,” she explains. “A very particular kind of leadership is needed in times like this, when things are neither what they were, nor what they will become.”
Energized with fresh perspectives and practical tools, leaders leave Kramer’s sessions empowered to unlock their organization’s full potential—and make their companies wildly attractive to customers, employees and investors alike.
###
Jitske Kramer is a corporate anthropologist who travels the world to learn from traditional healers, leaders, surprising innovators and random passers-by.
An inspiring speaker, entrepreneur and founder of Human Dimensions, Kramer is the bestselling author of “Tricky Times” (2024), “Jam Cultures – Inclusion: Having a Seat at the Table, a Vote and a Voice ” (2021), “Work Has Left the Building” (2021), “Deep Democracy” (2019), and co-author of “Building Tribes” (2018) and “The Corporate Tribe,” which won the prestigious Dutch Management Book of the Year award in 2016.
Holding a master’s degree in cultural anthropology from Utrecht University and with over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, Kramer brings worldly knowledge and human insights back into the world of management, cooperation and leadership. Through challenging keynotes and masterclasses, she helps individuals, teams and organizations to grow stronger and more connected – while pursuing her mission to make the world a more beautiful, inclusive place. She has the ambition to activate organizations to be wildly attractive to everyone and everything. In her stories, the familiar gradually becomes strange. And what was once strange becomes surprisingly familiar.
Jitske Kramer is available to advise your organization via virtual and in-person consulting meetings, interactive workshops and customized keynotes through the exclusive representation of Stern Speakers & Advisors, a division of Stern Strategy Group®.
Photo by Marie Broeckman
Tricky Times: Navigating the Messy Middle of Change
In her bestselling book “Tricky Times,” corporate anthropologist Jitske Kramer unravels the complexities of transformation and cultural change. We are in a period of transition, and as with any major change, we have to let go of what is familiar without knowing exactly what the future holds. This is a confusing betwixt-and-between time, when things are neither what they were, nor what they will become.
In this deeply insightful presentation, Kramer draws on “Tricky Times,” to unravel the subtle patterns that emerge during these times of change. She describes the opportunities, the dangers and temptations during times of change and uncertainty – when wild stories confound, tricksters toy with truth and power dynamics shift.
Kramer offers clarity on the kind of leadership needed in times of transformation. Attendees will gain a practical understanding of what is takes to lead through uncertainty and how to support others during chaos and ambiguity. Taking the knowledge and tools of anthropology, this talk offers a framework for seeing society—and yourself—with fresh eyes and stepping forward with confidence and courage.
Presentation focus: Leading through uncertainty and cultural transformation.
What makes this presentation unique: Kramer provides deep insights into liminality, tricksters, and power shifts during the “in-between time” of change.
Crack the Culture Code: How to Understand and Influence Your Organizational Culture From Within
Culture means different things to different people, but it is a vital driving force at every level of an organization, and it’s where corporate culture expert and anthropologist Jitske Kramer thrives.
In this revealing and uplifting presentation, Kramer draws on her bestselling and award winning books “The Corporate Tribe” and “Building Tribes,” to share inspiring stories and anthropological lessons about people, culture, change and leadership.
Taking an anthropological lens, she explores the subtle dynamics that shape decisions and interactions, getting to the heart of how humans work. People are wired to build tribes. We live in groups, believe in stories, create hierarchies, and operate within complex systems of give and take. In other words: we build structures to bring order to the chaos of everyday life—including at work.
Everything we do in organizations is culture. And culture doesn’t fall from the sky, it’s created. Understanding that gives us the power to intentionally shape how we work, lead, and live together. This vibrant, interactive session is built around one core message: “People shape Cultures and Cultures shape People.” Guided by one powerful question: how do we build strong organizations, that connect where possible, fight when necessary, heal when needed and say goodbye when there is no other way?
In this session, Kramer explores what it really takes to build resilient cultures in times of change. Audiences will discover that we need to move beyond transactional interactions into transformational ones such as campfire conversations held with power and love. As Kramer explains, culture doesn’t thrive on policies or bullet points, it thrives on real raw and courageous conversations,
This talk can be customized and enriched with stunning visuals and short film clips from Kramer’s travels to remote communities – from the African desert and the Asian jungle to the peculiar world of Las Vegas.
Presentation focus: Understanding and influencing organizational culture through an anthropological lens.
What makes this presentation unique: Kramer brings workplace culture to life with global stories and sharp insights into group dynamics, rituals and unwritten rules.
Meet the Other, Discover Yourself: An Immersive Anthropological Journey Into Cultural Intelligence and Self-Awareness.
In this thought-provoking keynote, corporate anthropologist Jitske Kramer takes you away from the world of organizational models and frameworks. No five-step plans for better leadership. No quick fixes for team communication. Instead, this is a journey into what it means to be human.
Kramer leads you across cultures, continents, and perspectives—only to bring you right back to yourself. Because when you truly meet the other, you inevitably meet yourself.
You’ll learn to observe like an anthropologist: to suspend judgment, confront your biases, and expand your awareness. This session dives into cultural intelligence—how your worldview shapes, helps, and sometimes limits you. You’ll discover how cultural habits and unwritten rules influence behavior, and how stepping outside your own mental frameworks boosts empathy, clarity and connection.
This is an extraordinary keynote which will challenge your own world view and your ideas about what is normal and abnormal. What is strange becomes familiar. And what is familiar becomes strange.
“An anthropological perspective is trying to experience what is strange, without constantly letting your own opinion get in the way.”
Together, we travel through stories from deserts and jungles, visiting remote tribes, meeting shamans and chiefs and witnessing curious rituals. Prepare to be immersed in vivid stories, stunning photographs, and short film clips that transport you into other worlds—worlds that may feel surprisingly familiar upon closer reflection.
This is not just a talk. It’s a transformation. You’ll walk out seeing more than you did before—like switching from black-and-white to full-color TV. It will make you a better observer. A better consultant. A better leader. And, perhaps most importantly, a more open, curious and compassionate human being.
Presentation focus: Cultural intelligence, perspective-shifting, and deep human insight.
What makes this presentation unique: Kramer helps audiences transcend the workplace with personal transformation through cross-cultural exploration.
All Inclusive: An Anthropologist’s View on the Deep Work of Inclusion
We all know the words: diversity, equity, inclusion. But what do they really mean in in the day-to-day reality of leadership, teamwork and culture? In this powerful and engaging keynote, corporate anthropologist Jitske Kramer takes you beyond the slogans into the real, human dynamics that shape belonging, power, and collaboration.
Drawing on vivid stories, sharp insights and the eight inclusion principles from her books “Jam Cultures” and “Wow! What a Difference,” Kramer reveals how culture works beneath the surface and what it truly takes to create environments where everyone can thrive. This is not a policy session, it’s a transformational experience that challenges the head and touches the heart.
Expect honesty, humor, discomfort and deep recognition. Expect to see yourself—and others—differently. Because inclusion isn’t a project, it’s how we shape the world, together. This session revolves around one powerful message: “If the heart of power really wants it, it will be done in 24 hours.” So, the real question is: what are your powers—and what does your heart truly want?
*Note – In this truly unique presentation, Kramer includes the power of music and spoken word to not only address our cognitive minds but also our feelings around these sensitive topics. This immersive experience includes Kramer as well as one or more musicians. Contact us more information.
Presentation focus: The emotional, structural and cultural dimensions of real inclusion.
What makes this presentation unique: Combines anthropology, performance, and deep human insight to move beyond policy into practice.
Jam Cultures: About Inclusion; Joining in the Action, Conversations and Decisions (English)
(Management Impact Publishing, March 2021)
Praise for "Tricky Times"
“Jitske Kramer doesn’t simply describe the modern experience of burgeoning cultural change that is infected by tricksters and false prophets, she also offers sound advice for handling it all. In these times of relentless uncertainty, one thing is certain: we need this book.”
“Jitske Kramer offers a completely original, challenging, and practically useful take on change. 'Tricky Times' has the power to transform you and your organization. Approach with excitement!”
“In a world where the ability to adapt is paramount, Kramer's insights provide a valuable compass for anyone seeking to lead through the complexities of transformation.”
What others are saying about Jitske's presentations
“Jitske Kramer provokes you into thinking deeply and speaking out. She gazes into the depths with flair and courage. Looking for surprising new insights and their practical applicability. Unifying and forceful.”
