This year’s Showcase event features an incredible line-up of outstanding speakers sharing insights into some of the most in-demand topics of 2020 — including purpose-driven leadership, fostering resiliency, negotiating like a pro, fueling high performance, and more.
Meet our Showcase 2020 speakers below and get a sneak peek into what they’ll be talking about at this year’s event. Click on each speaker’s name to see more from them.
Purpose-driven leadership expert Ron Tite is showing organizations how to stand out in today’s overcrowded marketplace, with his business strategy that helps leaders align their thoughts and actions with their goals to inspire change — it’s about what you THINK, what you DO, and what you SAY.
“It’s built to be flexible. So, when we apply it to clients, it usually breaks down like this:
THINK is a brand belief that leads to a purpose-driven strategy. The brand belief is at the intersection of macro cultural forces, brand legacy, category competition, and target desires.
DO is articulating what actions the brand should be taking to reinforce that brand belief or what actions they already take to bring it to life. When we do business transformation work, we spend more time in the DO phase. When we do traditional content or advertising, we spend less time in the DO phase.
SAY is the external communication of THINK and DO. Depending on the assignment it can be brand design, advertising, content, or a holistic brand narrative that can be extended into a variety of different vehicles. For some clients we can get increasingly granular with the SAY: WHEN do you say it? (content calendar), WHERE do you say it? (media plan), WHAT do you say? (key messaging), and more.”
See what organizations Ron think are employing purposeful leadership in 2020.
Canadian singer-songwriter Peter Katz has had a lot of ups and downs pursuing his career in music. Through it all, he’s discovered the habits and tools to help him develop the strength and courage to “stay in it” even as his career unfolded in ways he never expected.
Through his inspirational talks, infused with original music, Peter helps audiences learn how to transform moments of discomfort and fear into moments of discovery and growth to give them the strength to pursue their dreams.
“I’ve managed to continue pushing through any obstacle using a combination of tools and habits that I’ve developed over the years: the daily nurturing of a sense of purpose and trust (through the commitment to the work itself, not just the outcome), and then paying close attention to mental wellness (through an intentional connection to the fundamentals) to keep the whole engine running.”
See more tips from Peter on how to “stay in it“.
Called a key 21st century skill, Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe is an award-winning psychology instructor who specializes in resiliency — an innate human ability that helps us navigate change and bounce back from adversity.
Robyne shared insight into how we can all foster this coveted resource within ourselves and others.
“Being resilient doesn’t mean you are bulletproof. It means that you have the capacity to do hard things and manage competing demands and feel okay at the end of it.
Much of the work on resiliency focuses on the challenge, hardship, or the event that triggered the crisis. My work is differentiated by taking a forward-focused and behavioural approach. Let’s frame the set-back as the set-up for getting you back on track.”
Read more about resiliency and how to strengthen this inner resource.
With a childhood nickname of “the negotiator”, Fotini Iconomopoulos is an expert communicator with a passion for helping organizations and individuals get what they want. She works with fortune 500 clients to help them achieve their business goals, navigate high-stake scenarios, increase profitability, and gain competitive advantage.
Fotini shares some insight into the negotiation tactics we should all adopt, and which ones to drop.
“The most common mistake I see is letting the other party make the first proposal. People will say “but I don’t know what their reaction will be or if I’ve over/underestimated my proposal.” Here’s the thing: in this day and age, you are rarely entering into a negotiation where you don’t have some general idea of what to expect. There is market data, historical precedent, and, beyond Google, people to speak to for advice and guidance. If you’ve done even a little preparation there’s no reason to go in clueless or fearful about what to propose.”
Read more negotiation tactics to help you navigate any situation.
Shawn Kanungo operates at the intersection of creativity, business, and technology. With his finger on the pulse of disruptive innovation, we caught up with Shawn to learn what innovative new tech this decade may bring us and to learn how companies, no matter their size, can remain nimble in this rapid state of change we live in.
“Although I’m not big into make predictions, I’m incredibly optimistic about this decade. The hype has always been around technology, but it is quickly becoming a commodity. Emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence, will become like electricity. As a result, we’re going to see a creative revolution — radically new jobs, companies, industries, and opportunities.”
See what other exciting tech trends the 2020s may bring.
Considered one of the best female hockey players in the world — with seven world championships, six Olympic appearances, and five Olympic medals — Hayley Wickenheiser is a titan of sport and a leader both on and off the ice.
Hayley shared some of her secrets to success with us, including how she has used and continues to use pressure as a motivator, and where she found the strength to keep pushing past barriers she encountered as a female athlete.
“Pressure is a privilege. People wouldn’t ask you to do great things if they didn’t believe in you. So, it’s all about changing the narrative around pressure. It’s about spinning the way in which you foresee obstacles and pressure-filled circumstances so that they work in your favour. You can choose to look at it as a burden or you can choose to look at it as a gift.”
See more from Hayley on how she used pressure to fuel her game to the top.
As a go-to personal finance expert — often seen on The Social, BNN, CBC Radio, Breakfast Television, CP24, Global News, and more — as well as the bestselling author of feel-good finance guide, Happy Go Money, we asked Melissa Leong to share tips on how we can cultivate a healthier and more positive relationship with our finances.
“You can, at any time, look inward at your own money mentality. First, identify whether your relationship with money is a positive or negative one? How do you feel when the topic comes up? How did your family talk about money when you were growing up?
Next, look at how you use money. Look at your last three unplanned purchases and think about the reasons you made them. Examine your bank statements — is your spending in line with your values? What are your habits — do you spend in times of stress or boredom or insecurity?
Finally, create a new strategy for a fresh approach. Write down some short-term and long-term goals. Take care of your money priorities first whether that be finding financial freedom in retirement or bulking up your emergency fund. Then create a budget to enjoy life — identify what you value most and allocate your resources there.”
Learn more about the link between positive psychology and finances.
Interested in learning more about our Showcase 2020 speakers and what they can bring to your next event? Email us at [email protected].