great business speakers

In my previous life as a speakers’ agent for top keynote speakers, I worked with a well-known non-fiction author whose name you would know; someone really well respected. That author did a lot of speaking on the strength of impressive book sales; multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers. The author was a good speaker. I say “good” because rarely was the sponsoring organization disappointed with the speech – but the author never got an emphatic, “That was great!” reaction from the event planner. When I would go to see this author speak, I loved the content but would come away a bit disappointed because the speech was read…word for word…while looking up occasionally.

$2,450 was an awful lot of money in July of 1984. I had just started a new job after moving from Boston to Stamford, Connecticut. I had a bigger mortgage payment on a more expensive place than I had before and was adjusting to the daily commute to NYC for work. Money was flying out the door. The last thing I wanted to do was spend more.

THE SHIP THAT LAUNCHED A THOUSAND (PLUS) SPEECHES In 1999 Fast Company magazine ran an article that got my attention. It featured a Navy captain who took command of a ship that was near the bottom of the performance rankings in just about every category. Twelve months later – under this new captain - the ship was the best performing ship in the fleet. How did that happen? Everyone wanted to know.

Women and Success When it comes to women at work – what matters more, confidence or competence? 
 
The answer is surprising because the latest research shows why confidence is important at work - even more important than actual skills.

Basketball superstar BILL WALTON is known by thousands for his achievements on the basketball court and behind the microphone. By all accounts, he’s led a charmed life. But few people know the back story of Bill’s life – his lifelong stuttering affliction and health problems that resulted in 37 surgeries including one that ended his playing career and one for catastrophic spine failure in 2008. What’s astounding is just how positive and upbeat Bill Walton is given all he has been through. He is one of the most positive people I know – and the nicest. When I’ve been with Bill at his speaking engagements, he didn’t leave the room until the last person waiting to shake his hand, get an autograph, or take a photo got what they so patiently waited for. Here’s the typical feedback I receive from people who’ve engaged Bill to speak: “Bill went out of his way to make EVERY person in the room feel like they mattered -- and he personally spent time talking to each of them. Simply unbelievable, which an email cannot describe.” – Irving Place Capital So much of Bill’s success is rooted in lessons he learned from his great college basketball coach, John Wooden. I asked Bill to share three pieces of advice on the path to success. Here’s what he wrote – in his own words. Much of it has to do with confronting reality, something most of us struggle with in a world that’s changing at warp speed. His advice here is truly inspirational – and I hope you enjoy Bill’s personal anecdotes.

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.

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.

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.

INSPIRING NEW DOCUMENTARY FEATURES BILL WALTON I just saw the greatest documentary! ON THE MAP tells the story of 1977 Maccabi Tel Aviv team, the one that brought the first European Cup to Israel and became "The Team of the Nation".

WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT PEAK PERFORMANCE IS LIKELY WRONG What separates great achievers from everyone else? The answer might surprise you.