Archives for January 2020

“The next decade will see unimaginable change to absolutely everything you know. Check your speed!” – #Futurist Jim Carroll

I’ve noticed over the last two years that the phrase, “it’s the era of acceleration!” has worked its way into my keynotes.

With that, this morning, I’m launching my video-cast series for the month, “Insight 2020: Leadership Strategies for the Era of Acceleration”. The first post will come up later this morning at http://insight2020.jimcarroll.com

What is it? Over the last month, I’ve been working with my overseas video producer to put together a series of 20 short, 1 minute video with short, sharp videos. They provide a bit of  leadership guidance that I’ve honed from 25 years of helping organizations align themselves to fast technological, business model, competitive and other forms of dramatic change.

It doesn’t take much of a stretch of an imagination to realize that the 2020’s are going to see all kinds of very significant, transformative change. 

I capture much of the forthcoming industry change in my post, “20 Trends into 2030: Are You Ready for the Massive Transformation of Just About Everything?”  https://2030.jimcarroll.com

20 Trends into 2030: Are You Ready for the Massive Transformation of Just About Everything?

That’s but one example of the type of massive, transformative change that is underway, based on obvious signals that we know about. 

It’s the unknown, unforeseen, unimaginable change that has even greater consequences, as we are often ill-prepared for what it might mean.

That’s why speed and agility is critical – to survive and thrive through the next decade, a key success factor will be your ability to act and react to fast moving events and developments. Just when you think you’ve got everything figured out – everything with change.

Bottom line – your change-velocity will determine your potential for success in the era of acceleration. And so today, check your speed!

“It isn’t just what you say, but the skill with which you say it!” – Futurist Jim Carroll

Your ability to tell your story might be one of your most important skills – clarity of insight is critical. The ability to do that in front of a large crowd might be even more important.

While today I might find myself on stage in front of audiences of a few hundred or thousand around the world, I can’t say it all happened by accident (though much of it did.)

Around the age of 11, my parents signed me up for the local Optimist Club public speaking group. A small group of us would get together, once a week, to learn a little bit about the subtle art of getting up in front of a group of people, armed only with your words, to try to win your point. 

It was an exciting time: I seemed to take some joy out of the activity. While my friends were busy playing hockey, I was learning how to speak. Kind of weird, actually.

But I seemed to get into it! At the end of the year, I found myself headed to the regional competitions. 

My talk? “Our Challenge: Involvement!” I vividly remember the opening lines: “In 1964, young Kitty Genovese was brutally murdered in New York City by a gang in complete view of a group of strangers. No one stepped forward to intervene….”

My talk was a damning indictment of a society that was too self-absorbed to care for their fellow man. My mind at that time was hard-shaped by the recent assassinations of Martin Luther King, Robert Kennedy, rioting on the streets.

To prepare for this big event, I practiced my speech continuously – in front of a mirror, to my Grade 7 classmates, and probably to their dread, my other friends. 

The big day arrived – I was convinced I would win!

I lost!

To some kid who was younger than me who had a squeaky, whiny little voice! 

I remember being crushed – I actually cried in the car on the way home.

It’s a silly little story, of course, of a kid on a stage. 

I lost. But in the long run, I won – because years later, I’m convinced that this little bit of learning had a huge impact on my ability to later get up on stage in front of thousands, and make a point