Duncan Wardle

Speaking topics

Presentations listed below include in-person and virtual keynotes, as well as workshops, fireside chats, and other presentation formats.

• The Theory of Creativity

  The ability to think creatively is the one core human truth that will remain relevant in the brave new world of AI. Thankfully, everyone has the power to be creative.

  But wait, do you believe that you are not the “creative type”? That we should leave the creativity to the “creatives”? For many, this has happened so many times that we end up actually believing it. For adults, not being creative is an accepted fate.

  But weren’t we kids once? Turning boxes into spaceships and pillows and blankets into forts and castles? What happened to that creativity? Well, with an education and corporate structure that encourages finding the single “right answer” to every question, we are trained to fall in line, and shut down that creative portion of our brain.

  Fortunately, that childhood creativity did not dissipate — it’s just lying dormant, waiting to be brought back to life! And those that are able to access it — the Edisons and Einsteins and Disneys and Jobs of the world — are the ones that are able to drive massive creative disruption through major new theories and industries.

  So, how can you embed a sustainable culture of innovation and creativity throughout your organization, and encourage every employee to think creatively? Drawing on his 25 years of experience with the Walt Disney Company — most recently as the Head of Innovation and Creativity — Duncan Wardle has designed a tangible innovation toolkit that everyone can use to “think different” and solve real challenges in the marketplace by leveraging their creative mind.

  Audiences will walk away with a series of unique creative behaviours and innovation tools that will allow them to deliver revolutionary thinking and drive substantial results in all areas of their business.

  Key takeaways:

  • How to innovate by challenging the rules of your industry.
  • Learn real-life examples of how to embed a sustainable culture of innovation and creativity throughout your organization.
  • Learn tools on how to encourage every employee to think creatively.

• Delivering Customer Experience Magic

  Disney’s ability to redefine and dominate nearly every industry it has ever entered is no coincidence. The continued success of Disney has been driven by a foundational trait of the company that goes all the way back to its founder, Walt Disney, who was merciless in his pursuit of innovating the customer experience.

  By viewing all major business decisions as a customer experience decision, The Walt Disney Company continues to find innovative ways to engage consumers around the world, both old and new. And these innovative experiences have created one of the most passionate and loyal fanbases of all time. So, how does Disney think differently and leverage creativity to innovate the customer experience? Through sharing specific examples and tools, Duncan Wardle will show you how to transform your business from product-centric to customer-centric and reap the rewards that come when customers believe the work you do is truly magic.

  Key takeaways:

  • How to turn a product-centric culture into a consumer-centric one.
  • How to leverage “high-tech” to enable “high-touch”, delivering record guest satisfaction.
  • How to address the biggest consumer pain points and what that can mean for revenue.

• Embed Innovation into Everyone’s DNA

  Leading AI expert Kai Fu Lee has suggested that upwards of 40% of current jobs could be replaced by AI within the next 15 years. 40%! So, how we will compete in the next decade? What skills will we need to survive in a decade of total disruption? Simple. Businesses that will win will be those that leverage the most impactful human traits that AI won’t be able to replicate (at least not for the foreseeable future): creativity, intuition, curiosity, and imagination.

  As Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney for the last decade Duncan Wardle learned that there is a huge gap in the market. CEO’s everywhere would look to Disney — the world’s most creative company — for guidance on how to create a culture of innovation, and provide their organization with the tools needed to leverage their most important asset: their people.

  But here’s the challenge: until now, no one has made innovation tangible. Many companies hire an innovation consultancy or build an “innovation department,’ only to find that they have not truly driven cultural change and embedded innovation across the entire enterprise.

  What if, instead, there was a Design Thinking Innovation Toolkit? One that everyone could use that makes creativity tangible, innovation easy, and the process enjoyable? That’s exactly what Wardle built at Disney and what he shares with audiences today.

  Keynote takeaways:

  • A fresh outlook on daily tasks.
  • An approach to tasks with new levels of creative thinking.
  • A mindset that allows innovation to flourish at work.

• Think Different, the Disney Way!

  Do you ever wonder why most of your best ideas come to you in the shower, during your commute, while falling asleep, or some other unexpected place? Have you ever pitched a new idea, only to watch it get diluted or killed as it moves through the processes?

  Ever wanted to know how Walt Disney came up with the idea for a Disneyland or how Netflix completely revolutionized the movie rental industry?

  Throughout his 25+ years at the world’s most innovative organization — The Walt Disney Company — Duncan Wardle learned many important things about building a profitable business and winning creative culture. The most important? If you want to be different, you have to think different!

  Leaning on his experience as the Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, Wardle’s “Think Different” keynote takes audiences on a journey, equipping them with a unique set of innovation tools and techniques. These include the breakthrough “What If” creative thinking tool, made famous by Walt Disney himself, who used it to pivot his company from simply an animation house to an entertainment and theme park pioneer.

  After this immersive crash course from Wardle, your organization’s ability to mine for creativity and innovation will be drastically improved. In the end, your audience will leave with an actionable set of creative behaviours and innovation tools that will immediately foster a culture of innovation and creativity in your company.

• The Magic of Storytelling

  Every single day, millions upon millions of influential Millennial and Generation Z consumers begin their day in the exact same place: Instagram Stories.

  This habitual use of Instagram is not just to catch up with friends either. An astounding 80% of these users engage with brands just as often as they do friends. But why? What is it about this digital storytelling platform that draws in Millennials and Gen Z, and has them connecting with brands at record-shattering rates?

  Simple: these young consumers — above all else — care about purpose. And purpose can only be shared through the magic of storytelling.

  Why is storytelling so important? Because it’s in our DNA. Storytelling is a tool as old as mankind itself, having been used by humans for ages to share our biggest, brightest, and most important ideas. As such, we naturally respond to the power of story. And for brands that tell the right story to the right group of consumers — a story that clearly identifies their purpose — it’s a way to build an incredible bond. One that, if nurtured correctly, can last for life.

  Think about the world’s most powerful brands and the stories they tell. Steve Jobs did not tell a story about a computer company with better features. He told a story about a brand feverishly dedicated to “those who think outside the box”. Walt Disney did not tell a story about building a profitable movie house; he told a story about innovating all forms of entertainment to bring families closer together. And Richard Branson didn’t start his journey with a story about cost-cutting and quarterly profits. Instead, Virgin told a story about massively disrupting long-established industry status quos.

  These stories — and the purpose behind them — are what resonate with consumers, and are what catapulted these brands into some of the most valuable in the world.

  Leaning on his experience as the Head of Innovation and Creativity for the world’s #1 storyteller — The Walt Disney Company — Duncan Wardle will equip your audience with the tools needed to leverage the magic of storytelling, and lead with purpose. Tools that will not only help your brand resonate with new, hard-to-reach generations of consumers, but with employees as well. Because purpose isn’t just important for consumers; it’s important for all stakeholders of your business.

  To succeed in this fast-paced, ultra-competitive market, your business must become a storyteller. Because the brands that choose to tell a great story about a great purpose are the brands that win. So, what story is your business going to tell?