Inspired Talks

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MLK’s final reminder to us all is that we need to redefine leadership. “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”It is not our position in the hierarchy that is of importance, but the painstaking effort to do well what uplifts others, that matters. Transformational leaders are found at every level in an organization. They are the people that find meaning and purpose and a higher calling in their daily endeavors.

Swami Vivekanand was an Indian Hindu monk, a chief disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Biomimicry is beautiful. For example, a locust's ability to avoid touching other locusts within a fast-flying swarm tells us how to design a crash-resistant car. The best creative director in the world is nature. Imagine designing and orchestrating springtime. Janine Benyus talks us through some of the finest innovations inspired by nature - and how to come up with even more.From being constantly underestimated by his peers, to multi-platinum selling artist in the world - and according to many prominent scholars - the most important poet in the last hundred years. Andrew Stanton wrote and directed Bugs Life, Finding Nemo and Wall-E. He is currently busy directing Finding Dory and writing Toy Story 4. He knows a thing or two about stories, and he conveys these insights brilliantly. A wonderful TED Talk from a truly inspirational creative leader. Veteran games designer, and co-owner of developer Spry Fox, Daniel Cook talks us through a selection of abstract design tools that makes creating great games come easier. These include loops, arcs, internal economies, and interaction frequencies - all essentials to inventing a highly addictive game. In this insightful TED talk, Dan Pink, a New York Times bestselling author, talks about how incentive design doesn’t spark creativity. Traditional rewards aren’t always as effective as we think. Watch here to learn about what kind of motivation can be most effective in inspiring change. Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, bestselling author, and award-winning Harvard lecturer, discusses the ways we use body language to change the way our life unfolds. She argues that a “power pose” can boost feelings of confidence despite our self-doubt.

Google ‘Development Advocate’ Todd Kerpelman has designed his fair share of successful games, but it’s the flops he learned most from. Here he shares the three biggest mistakes that game designers make, because, he says, ‘chances are, you're making them, too.’ Lost, Star Trek and Star War VII director JJ Abrahams talks about his twin obsessions: mysteries and deconstructing things (right the way down to Kleenex boxes). Great presenter, highly motivating, with a strong comic edge. JJ talks amusingly about the challenges of writing, casting and shooting the pilot of Lost in 11 weeks with plenty of jokey asides, including being inspired by and slightly in awe of technology. There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.” In the midst of a world that his rapidly changing, failure and disappointment are inevitable companions to any worthy effort. In this quote MLK invites us to expect disappointment, and despite this, to prevail and persevere in our efforts. What is something that has been a disappointment to you? What did you love within it that will enable you to persevere? For the evening walk, Vivekanand remained in his saffron robe, and while he was walking near a park, a woman (who had been conspicuously observing him for some time) stopped him. People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”In a world today that is torn apart by polarized views, we must dig deeper to find the common humanity and aspirations each of us holds. In my workshops with leadership teams, I often ask each member to share a story of challenge and resilience to help each member listen with empathy and share with vulnerability. What is a story about a challenge in your growing up years that has shaped you that you feel inspired to share with your team?The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy. ”As we stand with renewed inspiration in the social justice movement what is a (small or big) action toward more inclusion that inspires you?