Safety 2015’s Closing General Session speaker will discuss a subject that affects many people personally and professionally. In a session entitled, Success, Fulfillment, and the Power of Being an Invisible, author David Zweig will explore a topic he covers in his book Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion.

At a time when gaining attention seems to be valued above all else, what kind of person chooses to work behind the scenes . . . and thrives there? Should we measure our worth by the amount of praise we receive – especially online, where we spend so much of our time today keeping track of the number of "likes" and followers we have? What if the supposed purpose of seeking all this attention is a vast myth?

Zweig is interested in what we can learn about satisfaction and achievement from those he calls the Invisibles among us—the fact checkers, anesthesiologists, structural engineers, and other professionals who derive satisfaction from anonymous work despite living in a culture of praise. He has examined Invisibles in action, as well as perspectives and studies from leading psychological, sociological, and business authorities. Zweig will discuss his analysis of some of society’s fascinating and often obscure lines of work, along with new insights from the researchers and thinkers who attempt to quantify and qualify our relationship to our work, to possible answers to the biggest questions of what makes for a rich and meaningful life.

Zweig has lectured about the intersection of media, technology and psychology at numerous universities and academic conferences around the country and abroad. As a freelance journalist he has written for The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, among other publications.