Twenty Questions for Michael J. Gelb
1) What do you want people to learn / take away from your presentations?
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I want them to understand that they are more creative than they may
have previously imagined. I want to see them smile and have a light go
“ON” in their eyes. And I want them to take away practical skills that
will help solve their most important business problems.
2) How do you prepare for your speaking engagements?
My
life is preparation. My speaking is a reflection of who I am. And I
prepare for each engagement by tuning in to the client and focusing on
achieving the results that are most important for them.
3) Have you had any particularly memorable speaking engagements?
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Yes. Many! Among the most memorable:
In 2014 I spoke to a group of 1000 in Ankara for Turkish Innovation
Week. The sponsors handed out my Edison book in Turkish as a gift. They
invited high school and college students to attend and the enthusiasm of
these young people is something I will always remember.
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In 2014 I spoke to a group of 1000 in Ankara for Turkish Innovation
Week. The sponsors handed out my Edison book in Turkish as a gift. They
invited high school and college students to attend and the enthusiasm of
these young people is something I will always remember.
In 2009 I had the privilege of speaking to a group of company presidents
at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence (They arranged for exclusive access).
I spoke about How to Think Like Leonardo while standing in front of the
Maestro’s paintings!
4) What types of audiences would most benefit from your message?
Over
the years I’ve spoken to people from all walks of life and many
different professions. And, my keynotes are especially popular with
groups that are predominantly analytical: PhDs, engineers, financial
analysts, MBAs. My presentations open their minds to the more
imaginative and intuitive aspects of intelligence.
Here’s a note from a client who recently sponsored my presentation for a group of 200 MDs and PhDs:
On our quest to innovate and bring future to life at the Rome
off-site PDC meeting 2014, we invited Michael Gelb as a guest speaker.
We were going through a challenging transition and it was important to
find someone who would be able to understand the situation and the same
time engage with teams and spark the interest.
Michael Gelb, in his inspiring and thought provoking way layered
with Italian charm, accomplished much more. Skillfully navigating
through the initial anticipation and skepticism, Michael reminded us of
the often ignored power of our senses and imagination once again. He
reignited our need to feel, absorb, and process our uncertainties and
ambiguities and unleash our own creative spark. Guiding us elegantly
through the Leonardo da Vinci’s principles, we were reminded that
creativity is not rushed but comes from living in harmony with oneself
and the deep appreciation for the rich world around us. Perhaps the most
powerful and telling effect of Michael’s lecture were the smiles on the
faces of the usually evidence driven, serious, audience of scientists
who suddenly recovered that suppressed urge to play, enjoy life and
allow their dormant potential to reach the surface. ~Dragana
Bugarski-Kirola, M.D., Genentech, meeting organizer.
~Dragana Bugarski-Kirola, M.D., Genentech, meeting organizer
5) What inspired you to start doing speaking engagements?
I had something to say and people were willing to pay to hear it!
6) Why would you recommend that clients use you as a speaker for their next event?
Here are 10 reasons:
Energy: Clients describe my energy as “scintillating,” “inspiring,” “electric,” “charismatic,” and “enlivening.”Experience: With more than 35 years experience, I will deliver an excellent program under all conditions.Reliability: In 35 years I have appeared at every scheduled engagement on-time.Originality: Learn from an original thinker and creator.Authenticity: All keynotes are an expression of my lifetime interests.Passion: My passion for inspiring your group will lead to a presentation that exceeds your expectations.Global: I have spoken in more than 25 countries and have extensive experience working with multi-national and multi-cultural groups.Relevance: After careful consultation I will focus my message on your most important organizational issues.Humor: People learn better when they laugh and I inspire laughter in the most serious groups.Results: I focus on achieving the results that are
most important to you. I’m frequently invited to keynote the same
conference in multiple years because people get real benefit from my
presentations.
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7) Which of your keynote
topics are the most popular? How are your keynote presentations unique?
Which of your keynote speeches do you enjoy the most and why?
How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci
is my most popular program. It’s an expression of my unique study of
Leonardo’s advice to his students and how that advice is relevant in our
world. Innovate Like Edison
is also very popular. Edison is the supreme role model for anyone who
wants to profit from innovation. I enjoy all my presentations. If I
didn’t I wouldn’t do them.
8) How much do case studies, personal stories and humor factor into your keynote speech content?
Examples, stories and humor make a presentation engaging so I use them liberally.
9) What are some of the successes you’ve helped clients make?
It’s probably best for my clients to answer this. Here are a few comments:
We are at least twice as productive as before. We plan, document
and communicate with greater efficiency. Our organization’s productivity
improvement has been phenomenal. ~Dr. Thomas Jenkins, DuPont
Our organization hired Michael because of his novel approach and
unique programs inspiring innovation, creativity and leadership. We
designed a 3-year program that resulted in substantially and permanently
changing the culture of our 300+ person department; from executives to
union employees. There were measurable, significant increases in
employee satisfaction, team effectiveness and communications. Michael’s
programs are for business executives/leaders who truly want to leverage
the creative and innovative talent in their department, division or
company to improve productivity and employee retention. ~Liz Faison, Project Director, Merck
You gave participants an experience that they are the creators of
their own future. Four of my people were able to step up to the
challenges of the next grade/role as a result of your program. ~Ketan
Patel, Greater Pacific Capital
Michael Gelb has worked with HRCG over the last four years to
design, develop and deliver leadership development training. Michael’s
programs on Creativity and Innovation, Executive Presence/Presentations,
and Leadership Communication are of the highest caliber, and he
delivers them in a way that consistently engages our
engineering-oriented, time-pressured team. Michael adds value by
consulting with us on how to leverage these training, and his
outstanding team-building programs, to support the evolution of our
leadership culture. One of his most important contributions was helping
us craft a new, more compelling statement of our Vision, Mission and
Values. He also helped us envision and institute an annual leadership
retreat where he was the facilitator. Michael offers a unique
combination of practical business savvy, original intellectual capital,
and inspiring creative teaching skill. I highly recommend him as a
leadership development resource! ~Sarah A. Murray, SPHR Director, Human Resources, Hunter Roberts Construction Group
10) So, in addition to keynotes you also offer workshops and longer term business consulting?
Yes.
I leverage my unique intellectual capital and years of experience to
partner with clients to help them achieve their most important
leadership development goals. I’ve been on retainer with a number of
clients for more than 10 years.
11) How can people nurture independent thinking, creativity and innovation in the workplace?
First,
they need to learn the skills for thinking creatively. Then they must
understand how to facilitate a culture of innovation. I call this: Innovation Literacy.
If you want to innovate you need to have a critical mass of people
who know how to think like innovators. It helps to have positive role
models, so I use Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Edison, among others.
12) Could you give us three tips for balancing mind and body to reduce stress?
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Learn how to recognize the physiological manifestations of stress.Learn how to recognize the psychological manifestations of stressLearn to shift your posture, breathing and attitude in a way that transforms stress into enthusiasm and positive energy.
I’ve been studying the simplest and most practical ways to do this
for 40 years. My study is more than just academic-as a 5th degree black
belt in the martial art of aikido, a teacher of tai chi, and a
professional juggler -I’ve learned how to stay centered under stressful
circumstances. I share the most effective methods in my
book/presentation entitled Creativity On Demand.
13) What are Edison’s Five Competencies of Innovation and why are they helpful for organizations now?
Peter Drucker emphasized: All organizations need one core competence: Innovation.
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With 1,093 United States patents, Thomas Edison is history’s greatest
practical innovator. Beyond his invention of the phonograph, motion
pictures and a system to light the world, Edison invented the rigorous,
disciplined process of innovation.
In addition to creating the world’s first Industrial Research and
Development laboratory, Edison was also a master at promoting a culture
of innovation. Moreover, he understood that the principles of personal
success and organizational innovation go hand-in-hand. Personal success
and fulfillment requires you to learn how to think like an innovator;
and, for your organization to be successful, innovation is now more
important than ever.
Edison’s Five Competencies of Innovation
are:
Solution-Centered MindsetKaleidoscopic ThinkingFull-Spectrum EngagementMaster Mind CollaborationSuper-Value Creation
14) Describe some ways people can improve their mind as they age:
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In Brain Power: Improve Your Mind as You Age I share the research-validated practical things that we can all do to prevent dementia and improve as we get older.
They include:
Adopt a positive attitude toward aging. (Take a daily dose of GFH –gratitude, forgiveness and humor)Devote 15 minutes to learning something new each dayExercise dailyEnjoy fresh, wholesome food and stay hydratedAppreciate beauty every dayInvest in your social wealthGet 8 hours of sleep (not per week, every night!) and learn to meditate
15) What is accelerated learning and how can it be applied to the workplace?
Accelerated
learning means to learn faster and more effectively. It’s essential in
the workplace because change is accelerating. The ability to adapt and
learn has become the most important sustainable competitive advantage. I
have many tools for demonstrating this but my favorite is to teach
everyone how to juggle. (I worked my way through graduate school as a
professional juggler and performed on-stage with The Rolling Stones.)
16) What are your main professional passions?
One
of my clients calls me a “One-Man World-Class Leadership Development
University.” My passion is to live up to that description by
continuously deepening my knowledge of creativity, innovation and
leadership.
17) What projects are you currently working on?
I’m writing a book on the principles and practices of Conscious Leadership.
18)
You wrote a book entitled Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking and you
offer an evening team-building program that features wine-tasting and
poetry. Please explain.
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The
philosophy behind this team-building exercise is simple: Create a
relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere and gently guide participants to get a
glimpse of the creative spark in their colleagues and themselves. In the
sometimes-impersonal world of commerce we need to create an environment
where the soul can shine; where we can gain insight and appreciation of
the hidden depths of our associates and ourselves. The key is to do
this without causing any unnecessary additional stress; and to avoid
invasive, touchy-feely activities.
Fine wine and poetry are the perfect catalysts.
This
exercise involves a comparative wine tasting and poetry contest (we
usually arrange for a comparative chocolate tasting for those who don’t
drink wine). Although most groups don’t think of themselves as poetic, after the second glass of wine everyone is a poet!
Participants discover how the love of fine wine inspired the Ancient Greeks, Renaissance Masters and America’s Founding Fathers.
Here’s a review from a recent participant:In my all my years of participating
in team building events I’ve never experienced anything like this! We
went way beyond the usual “consultant-speak” to discover a new approach
to creativity and sensory awareness. My group of biochemists and
pharmacologists all enjoyed the wine, and then translated their
experience into poetry. In the process we all WOWed our colleagues into a
new dimension!
~Emily Hickey, DVM, PhD – Merck & Co.
19) Your 14 books have sold more than one million copies. Are you more of an author or a speaker?
Both!
The research for the books ensures that I always have something fresh
and new to share with my audiences. Writing is a wonderful way to
learn, and if you’re not continuously learning you probably shouldn’t be
speaking about creativity, innovation and leadership.
20)
You wrote a book (Present Yourself: Captivate Your Audience with Great
Presentations) about giving great presentations and you’ve taught
seminars on presentation skills and executive presence for many years.
What are the most important elements in a great presentation?
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The most important elements are:
Combine passion with knowledge: The best speakers combine intense passion with in-depth knowledge of the subject.Make it memorable: Understanding isn’t the same as remembering! Great presenters make their message unforgettable.Demonstrate body/message integrity: Shakespeare wrote; “Suit the
action to the word, the word to the action.” Great presenters
demonstrate a seamless integration of body language, voice tone and
message.Provide take home value: The presentation offers useful
information/insight that improves the quality of the audience’s life,
professionally and personally.
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