Here’s a video clip from my opening keynote for ERA Connect 2013. In the audience were a thousand or so real estate brokers and agents — I’m working to encourage them to think as to how quickly their industry might change, by framing what might happen in the not too distant future with the cars that we drive.
Hell, yes, I’m motivational!
I have a very odd job.
And it’s always difficult to describe to some people what it is I do for a living.
Sometimes, for the fun of it, I explain, “well, I go out and talk to large groups of hungover people.” To a degree, that’s what I’m doing quite often when I’m keynoting events in Las Vegas, Palm Springs or New Orleans. You earn your pay with audiences like that — and can still change their world for the better!
Officially, my title is that I’m a ‘futurist, trends & innovation expert.” I must be pretty good at it, judging by my client list. I spend a lot doing extensive original research for my clients, and pull together presentations and workshops that helps align them to fast paced future trends.
But its’ fascinating that when I meet many people for the very first time who have a bit of an idea of what I do (“he’s a speaker”), they always ask “are you a motivational speaker?” This is happening quite a bit with the local golf club I just joined, where every round has me golfing with someone new.
The question quite possibly could drive me nuts, because I think “motivational speakers” like Tony Robbins and others who encourage people to walk across fire to discover their ‘internal strength’ are just a bunch of crackpots!
That said, I finally give up, and will admit that I am a motivational speaker, and I’m pretty darn good at it.
Here’s why:
- when I tie those trends into opportunities for innovation, I’m implicitly encouraging people to position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities that exist, rather than coiling away in fear from the potential threats
- every talk about innovation and future trends includes powerful challenges to people to align themselves to the future with a sense of optimism — I usually close every talk with my 10 Great Words, which many people have said provides them with a powerful motivation to adapt quickly to the future — a future that is unfolding around them faster than ever before.
- as of late, many of my talks have involved a specific motivational theme – such as The Lessons of Powerful Optimism – Rethinking the Future Right Now
So, sure, I’m a motivational speaker.
Through the years, I’ve had thousands of folks contact me, Tweet, post to Facebook, or in the best possible compliment — book me for their own event. Some of these folks tell me I’ve changed their view of the world in a very major way : such as this comment which came after I spoke to over 3,000 people in Salt Lake City at the National Recreation and Parks Association annual conference:
Dear Jim,
I just wanted to let you know that in my 20 years of attending the NRPA Congress, no one has captivated me more than your keynote address. And, all during the week, when we talked about the Keynote, everyone agreed!
In fact, I presented a seminar “Creating the Wow—New Marketing Trends for Everyone”, and mentioned a few of your insightful comments. It was amazing to see how everyone was captivated with your session. In fact, it is the only time I can remember, that people were upset that we were running late and you had to wrap up your talk rather quickly.
In addition, Vendors raved about you pressing attendees to visit the trade show, talk to peers, and see how technology is changing our profession. It was quite a Home Run!
We have a saying in our department, the 2008 NRPA Gold Medal Winner (Class II—100,001 to 250,000), which is, “Engage. Inspire. Change a Life Today!” I wanted to leave you with this… YOU Engaged. YOU Inspired. YOU changed lives that day! Thanks again for sharing your keen insight and talents with all of us!
Respectfully,
Rick Herold, Director of Parks and Recreation
City of Grand Prairie, Texas
www.GrandFunGP.com
So hell, yes, I’m motivational.
There’s a quote I use to close many of my keynotes. “Some people see a trend and see a threat. Real innovators see the same trend, and see an opportunity.”
You want to be the latter type of person. And if somehow through the years I’ve inspired you to think that way, then I’m doing my job as a motivator!
Here’s a great clip to get you started.
Full Keynote Video: Surviving the Information Age!
35 minutes of hilarity, looking back at time on the unique voyage that Baby Boomers had with mainframes, computers that always screwed up, and more! This was a really fun keynote, in that it was based on a book I wrote in 1996, but which I got to deliver to 2,000 in Orlando, May 2013. It was a huge amount of fun on stage — I had the audience just cracking up!
Video: Rethinking Wellness – The Future of Healthcare
Back in April, I was the closing keynote speaker for the annual Delta Dental of Missouri FutureFocus 2013 event.
It’s an event put together for HR executives, benefits managers and other executives responsible for managing their corporate health plans.
Delta Dental has put together a great highlight reel which you can watch here. It’s kind of cool how they weaved my trends issues, and innovation challenges, throughout the video.
Video: “Things from the Olden Days”
Many of my keynotes and leadership meetings in dozens of industries and corporate events involve a good, hard look at serious future trends. It’s a lot of work, takes a lot of research, but is a hugely rewarding “job.”
And then, every once in a while, something completely different comes along. So it was with a major US financial company that was holding the 30th anniversary of their key customer meeting. And since they’re somewhat in the IT business, they wanted a keynote that looked back in time, rather than looking forward. Something fun, engaging, and which would help folks have a good laugh at the unique experiences baby boomers have been through over the last 30 years. As it turns out, they found me, through one of the speakers bureaus that represents me.
The results was a rollicking, hilarious 45 minute keynote based on lots of my material from one of by books from the 1990’s: Surviving the Information Age, but a lot more material that I’ve developed and have used on stage over this 20 year career as a speaker.
Here’s a great clip — where I’m talking about how quickly our world is changing, as things that are a part of our lives have become things from the “olden days” — and it has happened before our very eyes.
The entire keynote was a blast. I’m going to do a few minor edits and will put the entire thing up online over the next few days. Let’s have some fun with it!
On the Kindness of Strangers!
So there I am on another flight – a long trip, with 5 1/2 hours from Toronto to San Francisco, a two hour layover, and then a 1 1/2 hr flight into Palm Springs, where I have a keynote today, Tuesday morning.
After takeoff, I get set to get to work, and take out my Mac and power wire. I plug in the wire. No power. I assume that maybe my seat power hasn’t been turned on, so I ask the flight attendant. I’m told it is on.
I then look at the small wire that connects from the ‘power brick’ to the Mac, and at the ‘brick’ it is completely frayed. I give it a tiny tug, and it comes right off.
Obviously, I have a problem. You can’t easily source a new wire at 36,000 feet!
But maybe you can. When I first go to the airport, I went to the airline lounge. Opposite from me was a young lady using a Mac.
And moments after my awful discovery on the plane, she went up to the front lavatory!
My mind sprang into action, so when she went back to her seat, I took one of my books (“The Future Belongs to Those Who Are Fast”,) asked if she was going beyond San Francisco, and if not, would I be able to buy her power cord for $100.
She agreed!
Saved!
She needed to use it throughout the flight, she said, but would give it to me near the end. And she did. So I got to Palm Springs, have power, and go on stage in about 1/2 hr.
I won’t mention the young lady by name, but she works for Facebook as an account manager in Toronto, and she is my new hero.
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