great business speakers

Perhaps in no arena is leading and managing change more challenging than in healthcare. Policy uncertainty (like the U.S.), market pressure, and technological change create an environment that demands resilience, constant adaptation, and a boost of positive encouragement. Six DN experts have proven to be great speakers for healthcare events. My goal here is to mention a bit about each to make the point.

The 2017 list of Fortune’s “World’s Greatest Leaders” has just been announced. As usual, it's a list that's full of surprises. The list celebrates an inspiring group of achievers who have been especially effective in 2017. It’s hard not to be moved by the passion, commitment, and ingenuity of the individuals honored here, and perhaps take away lessons to apply to your own efforts – be it your business, your charity, your community, or just your own block in your neighborhood. It was four years ago that GEOFF COLVIN, senior editor-at-large at Fortune led the effort to create the magazine’s first-ever “World’s Greatest Leaders” issue. I'm proud to say that Geoff is a D’Amelio Network speaker -- click here to get a free chapter from his bestselling book Talent is Overrated. Leadership is a subject he's covered extensively for Fortune, so Geoff was the perfect choice to come up with the unique approach that has characterized this list.

It’s only fitting that BILL WALTON, one of the most colorful figures in all of sports, gets some extra attention during March Madness. Back From the Dead, Bill’s autobiography, was released in paperback this week – smack in the middle of the NCAA college basketball tournament.

This is an event planner’s worst nightmare story. It’s a good example of why booking speakers is so angst-ridden for people who plan meetings and conferences. Speakers can be the great unknown; a black box where you haven’t a clue what’s inside until you open it up and the speaker steps on stage. In this tale, in spite of the best efforts to prepare, things can go horribly, horribly wrong and embarrass everyone in the organization, let alone make the audience very uncomfortable. This story took place during my agenting days and stars a very prominent U.S. Senator who, upon retiring, started to speak. I actually booked him for one of his very first appearances - to be keynote speaker for a conference in San Francisco.

Today is International Women's Day, a day set aside to celebrate globally women and their economic, political, and social achievements around the world. It is also a time to focus on places and situations where women's rights, equality, health, and safety still have a long way to go. The work of BBC World News’ KATTY KAY is a perfect fit for the mission of International Women’s Day. Katty has had the privilege of speaking at many IWD events over the years. Interest was first driven by her bestselling book Womenomics and most recently by the groundbreaking work on confidence she and co-author Claire Shipman did for their bestselling book, The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance – What Women Should Know. Katty and Claire's latest book, The Confidence Code for Girls: Taking Risks, Messing Up, and Becoming Your Amazingly Imperfect, Totally Powerful Self is coming out on April 3, 2018. International Women's Day provides a great opportunity to focus a bit on confidence, since it’s such a vital ingredient for the issues that are the focus of this day.

THE WAY PEOPLE BUY HAS CHANGED DAVID MEERMAN SCOTT is author of the bestselling book The New Rules of Marketing and PR and a top content marketing expert. He provides a roadmap with tips for organizations looking to win the attention wars for their products, services, and ideas. The way people buy has changed. Just think about your own buying habits as an example. When was the last time you bought something because you received a piece of direct mail? Or a cold phone call to your home or business? Most times, when we research a potential purchase, we are searching online or asking friends and others via email and social media. These days, if you’re trying to influence people but can’t be found when people are looking online, you don’t exist. People need to find content about your products or services that will educate and inform them – they don’t want to be sold. So the new rules of marketing and PR require a commitment to content that will help buyers and decision-makers find you at the very moment they’re looking online.

A SIMPLE CHANGE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE It’s not every day you can make a simple change that has an enormous impact on the way you feel and the way you work. At the end of 2016 I did just that. I bought a stand-up desk. Of all the healthy workplace ideas I've tried, this has made the greatest difference. Like so many people, I spend my days sitting in front of a computer. In my case I’m booking speakers for events -- communicating all day with event planners, agents from bureaus, and my speaking clients. I'm a morning person – I start around 5:00 AM with a computer in my lap – sitting on my office couch with a coffee. I move to my desk around 7:30 and stay there pretty much all day – winding up my day at around 6:00 PM. That's a lot of sitting - and I've been working like that a long time.

THE EVENT PLANNER'S DILEMMA How comfortable are you putting political speakers on your conference or event agenda? If the answer is, “Not very,” you probably know you’re not alone. With valuable relationships in the room, being sensitive to the potential danger of offending attendees just makes sense. Many event planners are wary about booking political speakers and talking politics in the current political climate. On the heels of the most contentious election in my lifetime – one that saw families and close friendships torn apart – is it any wonder there’s apprehension about going down the path of talking politics at meetings and events?

You undoubtedly have an event planning checklist that you’ve refined/perfected over the years. Here’s a chance to perhaps refine it further.

A DOSE OF NOSTALGIA Did you ever come across something from your past that jolts you back to a different time in your life? It happened to me in October and it took me back to a time long before D'Amelio Network.