Keynote Speeches
This intriguing title actually has a very simple answer: to grow! But for a lobster, the task is not as easy as one might think! Unknown to most, the lobster goes through periods of extreme vulnerability and risk in order to develop and evolve … and so too it can be with people and organizations. And in today’s new economic reality, as leaders across the country are facing new challenges … and new opportunities … this message is more relevant than ever. Resources are fewer, nevertheless you’re being asked to accomplish more tasks, give greater levels of customer service, and achieve improved results. Yet if you can step back from the day-to-day and focus on the bigger picture, the possibilities hold enormous potential. You already know the importance of stretching and pushing yourself beyond the obvious in order to be successful, but it takes skill and perspective to position for the future! In this powerful and engaging keynote, Merge will teach you six hands-on practical strategies to help you become a lobster – to consciously push the limits of your comfort zone so that you look past the hereand-now, so that you continue to grow and thrive, and position yourself and your organization for long-term and sustainable success.
Note to organizers:
This energizing keynote is designed to get peoples’ minds kickstarted and their attitudes pumped up! It is based on Merge’s highly-acclaimed book Why Does the Lobster Cast Off Its Shell? now out in its second edition. Cost-effective arrangements can be made to provide each attendee with a copy of this book as part of this presentation. Also, if needed, either a card can be inserted, or a sticker placed on the inside front cover/fly leaf of the book to acknowledge any sponsors.
As a result of attending and participating in this keynote, attendees will learn:
- Six realistic and practical strategies to expand their horizons, both personal and
organizational, and position themselves for a brave new future - Colorful memorable relevant metaphors that they can apply immediately in their
professional and personal lives - Practical tips and techniques to grow and thrive, no matter what the economic or other
challenges
Main themes: leadership, growth, change, transition, seizing opportunity, continuous learning
You can’t help but notice it – the diversity in the age of people in the workplace. From new young workers to baby boomers to individuals on the threshold of retirement, each of these demographics brings their own perspectives and impacts to an organization. In an intriguing (and challenging) twist on the multi-generational workforce, it’s not unusual to face a workplace (or even just a department) where you have all four generations present! Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X-ers and Millennials, they each have their own values, expectations, habits, and work styles, and if leaders fail to acknowledge and develop strategies to actively manage them, they will create conflict, inefficiency, and eventually negativity leading to a loss of future leaders in the company. As a leader, it’s critical to understand the differences between each generation, and perhaps more importantly, consciously and deliberately adapt your leadership style to communicate with, motivate, and lead this multi-generational workforce.
Increasingly, your employees, customers and other stakeholders are going to be from the Millennial demographic. Do you understand exactly how they think and act differently from the generations before them? And are you changing the way you communicate, work with and lead them? If not, you should be! In this fast-paced, content-rich and highly entertaining keynote, you will:
- Gain a greater insight into the factors that have shaped each generational demographic, and thus their motivations and behaviors
- Identify the common characteristics of each generation and explore the enormous strengths each can bring to an organization
- Recognize individual value filters that get in the way of understanding different generations
- Hear real-life examples of what happens when you ignore generational differences
- Learn specific ways to draw out the best from every employee, no matter what their generational demographic
- Develop skills to communicate effectively with all four generations of staff (and co-workers and clients)
If you plan a lot of conferences and events then you may be thinking “been there, done that” when it comes to this topic. Think again! This topic is even more relevant today than it was five years ago. As growing numbers of Millennials enter, and Traditionalists and Boomers depart the workforce, the rift between the generations continues to widen and deepen. And leaders everywhere are more desperate than ever for solutions. As a front-line leader with first-hand experience, Merge brings not only a fresh, relevant and credible perspective to these issues, but she also offers specific and practical answers to the tough questions that leaders everywhere are asking.
This entertaining keynote is based on Merge’s newly-released (2014) highly praised book Generations Exposed: Unexpected insights into the people you work with. Cost-effective arrangements can be made to provide each attendee with a copy of this book as part of this presentation. Also, if needed, either a card can be inserted, or a sticker placed on the inside front cover/fly leaf of the book to acknowledge any sponsors.
Main themes: leadership, intergenerational dialogue, multiple generations in the workplace, millennials, generation Y, generation X, baby boomers, traditionalists
Management is what you do, leadership is how you do it.
Merge Gupta-Sunderji, Power Tools for Leaders
Successful leaders know that there is an enormous difference between managing and leading! Success in leadership is measured not by what you do, but rather by the impact you have on others. Ultimately: management is about getting things done, leadership is about getting other people to get things done. So what exactly are these elusive factors that separate the manager from the leader? Merge has crystallized these differences into what she calls the leadership mentality – six core values that ignite the spirits and minds of leaders and take them from average to exceptional! In this upbeat and fast-paced keynote, you’ll discover surprisingly straightforward actions you can take that will make a dramatic impact to your leadership effectiveness – literally overnight. Through rich metaphors and real-life examples, Merge will leave you with six simple, yet incredibly powerful, traits to take you on your journey from manager … to leader.
Note to organizers:
This crisp and compelling keynote is most effective when delivered at the beginning or end of a leadership or management conference. Designed specifically for those who are responsible for leading others, it’s guaranteed to leave participants with plenty of gas to punch the accelerator and go! In this upbeat and fast-paced journey along the highways and side streets of leadership, participants will explore and experience:
- The six core values that separate managers from leaders
- Vibrant relevant examples and metaphors that vividly illustrate the differences between managers and leaders
- Specific and practical techniques that they can use immediately to either start or continue their transition from manager to leader
Main themes: leadership, people development, growth, positive attitude, continuous learning
Whether you use the metaphor of the turtle vs. the hare or the sprinter vs. the long-distance runner (Merge uses both!), the underlying message is that building strength and sustainability in your people is what will give you long-term victory in lasting leadership. If your organization is going to be successful in today’s highly competitive business world, then you need to look beyond just the day to day. Are your people marathoners who have the energy and endurance to go up hills and down valleys, or will they fizzle and sputter when the hurdles get higher? In a positive and entertaining look at growth and productivity, Merge offers you specific and practical ideas to build strength and sustainability in your employees and ultimately your organization.
Note to organizers:
In today’s fast-paced, high-tech, multi-tasking work environment, it’s easy to forget about the pulse of what really makes your organization what it is – people! As companies everywhere spend increasing amounts of time and resources to embrace and keep up with technology, it’s critical that you not lose sight of what really creates organizational success – engaging and investing in your people. As a leader, it’s up to you to keep your eye on the ultimate prize – stakeholders who are passionate about your vision and engaged in your endeavors. This entertaining fast-paced keynote uses metaphors and analogies to drive home four key points – four things that you absolutely must do in order to build strength and sustainability in your organization and the stakeholders that you serve. As a result of attending this keynote, participants will learn:
- Four key strategies to build strength and sustainability in themselves and others
- Colorful memorable relevant metaphors that they can apply immediately to engage their employees and other stakeholders and create commitment
- Practical and realistic perspectives that will give them a long-term outlook on how to survive and thrive well into the future
Main themes: leadership, strength, sustainability, productivity, passion
Beyond just the obvious, men and women really are different beings! Research clearly demonstrates that women view and respond differently to specific workplace situations than men do. And unfortunately, in the past, these differences were perceived by many as disadvantages in leadership and success. Get ready to explode that myth! In this entertaining, engaging, and sometimes tongue-in-cheek keynote, Merge outlines five significant traits that separate the women from the men, and shows how the things that set us apart as women actually set us ahead as leaders. Using colorful anecdotes and compelling metaphors, you’ll see how what makes you distinct also makes you incomparable.
Note to organizers:
This keynote is best suited for an audience of women in any position of professional or personal leadership. While it is occasionally irreverent and tongue-in-cheek when it comes to the differences between men and women, it is still nevertheless respectful to both genders, and so can also be delivered to a “mixed” audience. Here’s just some of what attendees will learn:
- The research behind the reality – what the empirical data tells us about the differences in how men and women communicate
- The five things women are more likely to do in the workplace … and perhaps more importantly, why they give us an advantage when it comes to leadership
- Compelling and unforgettable metaphors that illustrate and celebrate how women make great leaders
Main themes: women in leadership, “girl power”, workplace differences between women and men
Platform Plus Presentations
Unique formats and ways to connect with audiences.
Merge knows that the best way to develop skills in your leaders is to craft a training program that is uniquely designed to meet the needs of your organization and your people.
What will be included in a leadership training program?
In any training design, there are many elements to choose from, and Merge will work closely with you to determine your specific needs and establish objectives that are relevant and meaningful to you. Every single program Merge does is custom-designed but, based on your requirements, it will include concepts and practical tools to help leaders deal with just about any responsibility or situation that can come up on any given day on the job. While not an exhaustive catalogue, this list of Possible Leadership Training Topics can give you an idea of the breadth and depth of assistance Merge can provide.
Your final outcome could be a one-time training event or a series of graduated learning programs; it could involve online or distance-learning modules; it could contain audio or video components, it could incorporate the use of social media or “virtual study groups”; it could even include peer support or one-on-one mentoring. Whatever it is, it will be uniquely “you”, and Merge will expertly craft and deliver what you need to turn your managers into leaders and your people power into results.
Whether it is live training, virtual distance learning, or curriculum development, Merge’s programs are research-based and content-rich – she takes proven academic research, makes it relevant to your organization and your challenges, combines it with time-tested strategies and then delivers the tools, solutions and mindsets your managers need for long-term leadership success. Her contagious enthusiasm turns even the most passive listeners into participants! If your people are tired of “fluff”, then Merge represents the solid alternative: enduring and compelling content and tools that actually work, delivered in an engaging style, tempered with humor and realism.
Whether it's a strategic planning session, a Board planning workshop, an association meeting, Executive team development, staff team-building, creative problem solving, or something else, Merge is skilled at creating a safe and productive meeting environment in which people are engaged, and more efficient in using their time, resulting in prudent decisions and a greater commitment to further action.
She uses a proven five-step facilitation formula to first understand what you want to accomplish, and then to help you move forward in order to achieve your objectives. Her goal is to enable and expedite your important conversations about planning, solving problems, developing teams, setting goals, resolving conflicts, identifying organizational values, creating visions and missions, learning new skills, or selecting new business partners.
During her time with you, Merge will draw upon her broad range of experience with over 250 different clients in a wide variety of industry sectors to recommend processes and approaches to help you reach your desired end-state. While she promises to be positive and respectful, you can also count on her to deliver tough messages (even if you don't want to hear them) and keep your people focused and on task.
(1) You are committed to giving your managers ongoing leadership development but you don’t want to just randomly send them on courses; you want to take an organized and methodical approach.
(2) You’ve been hand-picking your university and college recruits but you can’t seem to keep them for longer than a year, two at the most. Something is wrong, but you don’t know what.
(3) You have just acquired a small firm that adds greatly to the depth and breadth of services that your company offers, but you already realize that your two organizations have very different cultures, so it’s important to integrate philosophies and values in a way that keeps the best of both.
(4) The results of the last employee survey have been weighing heavily on your mind and you know you need to take swift action on several of the areas that received poor scores.
(5) There have been recent quality breakdowns in your manufacturing process and you believe that these stem primarily from incomplete or inappropriate training. You know something needs to be done … and quickly!
(6) The “performance management system” that was implemented last year isn’t accomplishing what it’s supposed to, and so it’s time to assess and redirect effort and resources as appropriate.
If these scenarios sound familiar, it's because they are! This is an age-old problem – several people-related projects and issues on the to-do list, but lack of time and resources means that they simply don't get done on a timely basis. This is where Merge can help! Whether you're looking for specific insights and recommendations on how to engage your workforce; or an outside knowledgeable perspective on why your employees are complaining about poor communication in the annual employee survey; or a new recruitment strategy to better fit today's demographics; Merge can get you moving forward and towards your objectives. If your project or issue is in any way related to developing your leaders or capitalizing on your human potential then Merge can probably add value to your efforts.
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