To start the new year with a new mindset, we arranged two fantastic speakers to help us understand what we can expect from 2022 – and how to cope with it. Johannesburg Chapter president Arthur Goldstuck welcomed all and in particular:
- The recipients of the Stef Du Plessis Founders award: Paul du Toit, Graeme Codrington and Stef du Plessis himself
- The global Certified speaking professionals: Paul du Toit, Graeme Codrington and Stef du Plessis Paul Nikki Bush, Sharon King-Gabrielides
- Winner of Global Speakers Federation Presidential Award for service: immediate past president Joni Peddie
- National PSASA President and president-elect of the Global Speakers Federation: Charlotte Kemp
- Hall of Fame and Educators Hall of Fame members: Paul du Toit, Graeme Codrington and Stef du Plessis Paul Nikki Bush, Sharon King-Gabrielides, Nikki Bush, Joni Peddie
Bryan Turner introduced Kevin Allen who spoke on Building an Exponential Mindset for an Exponential Organisation.
After a warning that we may suffer from an amygdala hijack, Kevin launched into a thought-provoking talk on unlocking positive human potential.
In a world of rapid technological advancement where we live in a linear mind, it is difficult for us to understand exponential thinking and growth leading to chaos and amazement.
Using many examples and stories, Kevin shared how the six D’s identified by Peter Diamandas impact on business and the world:
- Digitised
- Deceptive
- Disruptive
- Demonetised
- Dematerialised
- Democratised
and explained how we are experiencing multiple Gutenberg moments right now.
Our mindset attacks innovation due to fear of loss of what we know, and we need to be able to balance innovation and risk to be Exponential Organisations.
Exponential Organisations that follow the MTP model – Massive Transformative Purpose, plus scale, plus ideas – deliver the following outcomes:
- Shifted mindset – engaged and empowered employees
- Accelerated innovation – scalable and repeatable processes
- Exponential growth – delivering 10x the performance
Five external scale attributes for an Exponential Organisation:
- Staff on demand – leverage external people
- Community and Crowd – passionate people who collaborate
- Algorithms – turning data into valuable information to gain new insights
- Leveraged Assets – stay nimble by renting or sharing assets
- Engagement – Systems of positive feedback to create community and customer loyalty
Five internal idea attributes for an Exponential Organisation:
- Interfaces – matching, filtering, and managing external attributes into the organisation
- Dashboards – measure what is happening in real-time for quick decisions
- Experimentation – Build, measure, learn and fail forward
- Autonomy – flat organisations, multidisciplinary teams, decentralised
- Social – connected and transparent communication
He explained that the MTP attributes need to be:
- Purposeful
- Massive
- Descriptive of the world
- Succinct
- Positive
- Connected to abundance
- Transformative
- Inspiring
- Passionate
- Highly aspirational
Examples of great MTPs:
- TEDx – Ideas worth spreading
- Ikea – Create better everyday life for people
- Airbnb – Giving humanity a place to belong
- Spacex – Making life multi-planetary
Using an adaptation of Ikigai helps you develop your MTP:
This quote from Larry Fink sums up the concept of MTP: “It’s never been more essential for CEOs to have a consistent voice, a clear purpose, a coherent strategy, and a long-term view. Your company’s purpose is its north star in this tumultuous environment.”
Do you have the mindset that will create and exponential organisation? Visit http://link.exos.to/exq
Alison Weihe thanked Kevin by sharing her new MTP “Changing mindsets to change the world”.
Paul du Toit then welcomed the second speaker, Tiffany Markman, with an amusing and entertaining introduction that brought back to members of a certain age memories of the old Squad Cars radio serial. Her talk – Using a freelance mentality to stand out in a noisy world.
Tiffany pointed out that we are all tired and anxious and stressed and it is difficult to show up amazingly. To avoid mediocrity and to be amazing you need to leverage your freelance mentality.
Even when you are overworked, overloaded, overwhelmed, over-scheduled, and under-resourced you can find ways to stand out and future-proof yourself in a marketplace where everyone is talking at the same time. You have to stand out to avoid blending in and fading away.
Tiffany provided three tips:
1. Share your voice
- Discover your unique deliverable that you have so much love and energy for that you would do it for free
- Get known for your expertise
- Understand your competencies and find common ground between those and your passion. Tiffany used the example as someone who trained on investment who loved baking. Common ground is maths and measurement, time management, attention to detail and ability to remain calm under pressure
- Develop your Zone of Genius. A one-line value statement that answers the following:
I help (insert ideal client/ target audience)
to (to do what)
by (insert your how, your methodology)
which (how does this add value?)
- Share your Zone of genius all the time consciously whenever an opportunity arises
- Repurpose your content to different target audiences on different social platforms
2. Be a pro
- Do your best every time
- Give the client what they paid for
- Do what you say you will do. Your word is your bond
- Be on time – for client and for self
- Always follow up
- Be responsive
- Obsess about quality
- Say no if you must
- Ask questions
- Be generous with advice
3. Self-determine
- Be your own leader
- Design your own career trajectory
- Plot your own training path
- Lookout for opportunities
- Have the hard conversations
- Self-promote
- Take true ownership of your Zone of Genius
- Live in your own game
Nikki Bush thanked Tiffany for her humour clarity, presence, and energy
Two great speakers and in addition extraordinary introductions and votes of thanks.
It is worth attending the Joburg PSASA meetings just for those!
The Joburg Chapter’s monthly Membership Appreciation Award was given to Arthur Goldstuck for his insightful article “Innovation is a Mixture of Need and Opportunity”, that appeared in Business Times.
The monthly Over Achiever Award was given to Paul du Toit for his story-telling, acting, voice artistry, and humour, as demonstrated in his introduction of Tiffany.
