During a recent pre-booking call, a potential client posed a question to me: “How do you get an audience to think differently?” This client was a new CEO for a mortgage fin-tech company and was hosting a user conference for CEOs and their senior leadership teams. He was seeking a speaker to help him inspire his audience of leaders to think differently about their very traditionally-minded industry.
Typical pre-booking calls go for 30 minutes - this one lasted for over an hour as we strategized about the best tools and stories that would help his audience embrace thinking differently about the actions they can take to improve their profitability.
Here's how I…well, think differently about helping others think differently. The essence of thinking differently means taking action toward changing one of these 3 things:
1. Thoughts
2. Focus
3. Beliefs
Our mindset is comprised of these three elements, and they are completely within our control. The challenge of getting someone to think differently is they have to make the decision to change one of those 3 elements (thoughts, focus, or beliefs).
Changing one can have a cascading effect on the other two.
These three “controllables” form what I call the Mindset Loop and once one has been changed, the other two can begin the process of changing as well. They build upon each other. One person may decide to challenge a limiting belief, while others may decide to shift their focus or experiment with embracing new thoughts (e.g. “What if…”).
Thinking differently doesn’t come in a pill nor does it magically just happen. It requires connecting emotions with new possible outcomes.
When someone is emotionally connected to the possibilities of “thinking differently”, then an environment is created for them to challenge their existing thoughts, focus, and beliefs. Only the individual can take the action of making a change to their thought process.
I often think of myself as a guide or coach when helping an audience open up their minds to the possibilities of different outcomes – i.e. thinking about doing something they originally did not think was possible.
Henry Ford is quoted as saying: “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.”
I consider this the first and ultimately most important leadership decision there is: thinking you can. This leadership decision of deciding what is or isn’t possible permeates throughout any given organization or team. The foundation to thinking differently is cemented with the thought process of “I CAN and I WILL”.
All other leadership actions build upon the initial thought process of deciding if you “CAN” or you “CAN’T” do something.
Teaching mindset mechanics is helpful, but getting an audience to believe they can do it is truly powerful.
I was hired to be their first outside leadership speaker at a conference known for having exclusively industry/trade speakers. And here’s what the CEO had to say about the keynote I created and delivered at his conference:
“Alden couldn’t have hit the ball further out of the park! His energy and preparation were second to none. He advanced our mission and for that I will be eternally grateful and always recognize him as a part of our story! Thank you Alden, you will not be forgotten!”
- Paul L. CEO
Weaving appropriate elements from other speakers, especially stakeholders such as the CEO of this recent user conference, can provide powerful impact in helping an audience, well…think differently. The challenge is in parsing just the right amount of messaging to augment my points, not overpower them.
A keynote speaker’s first role is to deliver engaging content that connects with the audience, not regurgitating the content of other speakers.
It is more art than science and requires me to take time and pay attention to the details to ensure I understand the critical themes versus the nice-to-have ones, and then use those themes in supporting roles when driving home my own messaging.
Thinking differently is our choice, being unstoppable is our choice, and I love helping audiences use their potential to Be UNSTOPPABLE at achieving more than they originally thought was possible.
I’d be happy to have a conversation on how I can help you and your team think differently at your next event.
Are you interested in me working with your organization? Please fill out the form below and someone from my team will be in touch soon!
It is our Choice to Be Unstoppable. Check out my Books and our Resources and Courses to develop the mindset and actions required to thrive and accomplish more than you originally thought possible. And if you have any questions about motivational speaking, just drop me a line!