Your Opportunity - Part 1

Before I do a keynote speech or a workshop, I always make sure to really understand my audience. Typically, I send out a brief survey to participants ahead of the event.

That’s what I did a couple of years ago when I was invited to speak in front of a group of about a hundred executives from various countries on leadership communication and strategy.

Then, when I looked at the survey results, I could see that it didn’t matter where people came from; they all wanted to know how to do one thing: be more impactful in their job.

For sure, better communication can help you be more clear, compelling and sell your ideas more effectively. However, that's really just optimizing your leadership style and what you already do.

Therefore, in preparing for this Keynote, I thought, “ If that's what people mean by impact, then I can just talk about the same communication advice that we've all heard, like how to tell a good anecdote, how to be authentic, or why you shouldn’t read your script, etc.” These are all important. But I went with a more transformational way to define impact and how to create it.

My main idea was this:

Seek to create a new narrative. To grow your impact, take people on a journey that changes the way they view the world. Then, position your idea as ideal for them to thrive in this new interpretation of their context.

I feel strongly about that. Creating a new narrative is an opportunity for yourself, your organization, and your whole community.

Here is why:

1 - Doing good requires new narratives. To build a business world that champions sustainability, equity, and well-being, you must first change people’s beliefs.

2 - Business leaders are the new caretakers of society. You are now responsible for some of the new narratives that society depends upon.

3 - New strategic narratives enable you to engage people with powerful calls to action. They motivate your community.

4 - It’s your chance to differentiate. Crafting a new narrative about something important is a chance to stand out.

These are the themes that I will develop in my next emails. Stay tuned!