Speaking Topics
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You Learn Faster If You’re Willing To Blow It: Reflections of a Nosefluting Troubadour!

You can learn without growing but you can’t grow without learning. For any person or organization wishing to grow, learning is simply not optional. Obvious? Perhaps. Easy? Definitely not! If it was, everyone would be learning as much and as fast as possible – yet this isn’t the case. As adults, a premium is paid on “knowing”; “learning” is something done by lesser mortals in their time off. It is rarely encouraged and supported. So what’s the problem? In this topic we explore and explode one of the main barriers to learning – our unwillingness to “blow it”, either publicly or privately. In this highly engaging (and marginally musical) presentation, the noseflute will be used as a unique metaphor to remind and encourage us to get back in touch with our joy of learning. Let’s “blow it” faster and seize the gifts that mistakes offer us!
A Passion to Lead: Creating Our Future!

Why would anyone in his or her right mind want a passion to lead? After all, “passion” comes from the Latin word “passio”, meaning “to suffer”. Perhaps because the worlds we live in are not quite perfect yet and there are limitless opportunities to make them better! If you’re a living, breathing human being, seeing an opportunity to make a difference and choosing to do nothing is where suffering often begins. So we suffer if we don’t lead when there’s an opportunity or need to do so. What does it take to develop passion? What does it cost to live without it? Seeking or creating opportunities to lead is an amazing path of growth and satisfaction for those who choose it – so let’s start building our passion to lead today!
 
Building the Courage to Win!

What is courage? When and why do we exercise it? What conditions are required for us to act courageously? How does courage provide a foundation for our curiosity, creativity and commitment? How can we encourage others to act with courage, too? These questions and others will be part of our exploration. There are no “right” answers, however there’ll be plenty of “possible” ones! Be prepared to explore in this delightfully personal and highly engaging offering.
Fun Without Guilt: Putting Joy Back in Your Work!

So, are you having fun or are you getting your work done? Wait! Don’t answer – It’s a trap! It isn’t one or the other and don’t be tricked into thinking it is! It’s a rather unfortunate consequence of our productivity-focused society that so many people think “if you’re having a good time, you can’t be doing much of value”. Given the choice of working with someone who is effective, efficient and having fun, or someone who is effective, efficient and miserable, whom would YOU rather work with? In this fast-paced exploration of having fun at work, we’ll burst through some of the barriers that keep us from enjoying ourselves while keeping our organizations happy (sorry, make that productive…or profitable)!
 
Creative Executives, Unicorns & Other Mythical Creatures
The Creative Executive – another oxymoron in today’s business lexicon? A term with inherent contradiction? Everyone is creative. You don’t need to become more creative; you just need to become more comfortable with being creative. The challenge is to augment good solid traditional business skills with the ability to recognize when creativity is essential and then to be able to tap into it. This session will serve as a mental laxative, to loosen up fixed positions, perspectives and perceptions. It will allow the creativity within to be recognized and dragged from the depths of your mind to the surface where it can be refreshed and nourished by light of day and fresh air. Fun and challenging, this session will encourage everyone to release their inherent creativity and seek exciting opportunities to use it!
 
The Ordinary Hero: Be One Today!

Nelson Mandela, Joan of Arc, Terry Fox, Mother Theresa, Sir Edmond Hillary and Amelia Earhart. Heroes every one. Known and respected by millions. What makes them heroes? Why do we look up to them? Does a person have to risk life and limb or demonstrate superhuman abilities to be one? And what about you? Do you think of yourself as a hero? I bet some of the children in your life think of you as one (or did at one time)! I want to be a hero to my daughter—she’s not quite two years old. Not because I want her to love or respect me more, but because I want her to see in me the values I believe will help her live as fulfilling a life as possible. We all have the potential to be heroes to someone if we’re clear on what’s important to us and are prepared to act accordingly. This lighthearted look at ordinary heroes will leave you with the tantalizing possibility of becoming a hero yourself, each and every day.