Bill Benjamin

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Are You an Exceptional Leader?

Why Meeting Your Biggest Challenges Has Everything To Do With Leading Under Pressure

Your organization, like many others, is facing big challenges: whether it is an accelerated rate of change, threat of disruption, ambitious targets or aggressive competition; your people experience these organizational challenges as pressure. If not managed skillfully, this condition can result in diminished performance, lower engagement, and an inability to deal with change. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Research is clear that some leaders are better prepared to handle and lead their people through these challenges more than others. In this powerful keynote, based on the NY Times best-selling book, Performing Under Pressure, The Science of Doing Your Best When it Matters Most, your audience will learn how to leverage pressure to help them get to the other side of performance and succeed in achieving their most challenging goals.

In this cutting-edge keynote your team will learn:

• What exceptional leaders do differently from the average, to help their people manage change and perform at their best.
• How to build a culture ready to take “smart risks’ and innovate.
• Specific tools to leverage pressure and help others get to the next level of performance.

The Science of Emotional Intelligence

The Missing Ingredient Behind Building A Highly Engaged Organizational Culture

Why would anyone want to be led you? This is the single most important question a manager or leader needs to ask themselves if they want to unlock the potential and creativity of their people. The reason your employees get up in the morning and choose to be engaged and productive has nothing to do with a manager’s level of IQ or technical capabilities, it has everything to do with their manager’s level of Emotional Intelligence (EI).

The research is clear that Emotional Intelligence is the single most important driver of an engaged, results-driven, highly effective workforce, especially in environments that are undergoing significant change and disruption.

• In this interactive keynote, your team will discover:
• What the brain does under pressure and specific tools & strategies to effectively manage situations of tension and conflict.
• Self-awareness: understanding the impact of your leadership style and how to win the hearts and minds of your people by connecting to the emotions that drive their behavior.
• Engaging stories from the front-lines of leaders who are stepping up and winning in the most challenging, pressure-filled circumstances.

Why The Conversation You Are Not Having Is Holding You Back

Getting To The Last 8%

When facing a challenging conversation, most managers adequately cover the first 92% of content they want to cover. When they get to the more difficult part of the conversation, more often than not, they avoid the last 8% of the conversation. What’s missed is the critical information and feedback an individual or organization needs to improve performance, grow and achieve objectives.

Having the “Last 8% Conversation” is one of the key differentiators of world class organizations and while having them is not easy, it is a skill that can be learned and mastered.

In this powerful keynote, your team will learn:

• What is a “Last 8% Conversation” and why most people avoid them.
• How to have these conversations in a way that the other person can hear us.
• How to navigate the difficult emotions that typically prompt us to avoid the Last 8% Conversation.
• How to inspire your team to be more courageous and skillfully step into having the conversations they need to have.

All Change is Personal

Why Leading Through Disruption And Change Is About People Not Technology

If the Hippocratic Oath main directive is ‘first, do no harm,’ then the brain’s is ‘first, keep alive.’ Yet the usual approach most organizations take in managing change and disruption does not take into consideration this neurological reality. Leaders bring their ‘five-point strategies’ or get overly focused on the latest technology and completely miss that real change happens in the mind, and more specifically, in the operating systems (the brains) of their people.

To get your organization to successfully adapt to external disruption and the new world of work, requires managers and leaders to accept that all change is personal and that until they start managing from this point of view, their people will not step into uncertainty and take the risks required to achieve successful change efforts.

In this provocative keynote, your team will hear about other organizations that have succeeded in adapting to change and disruption by leveraging the operating system of the brain.

Your team will learn:

• How to identify the traps leaders fall into as they attempt to manage the pressure of change.
• How to create an environment of risk-taking and learning to adapt to disruption.
• Concrete tools to help leaders manage their emotions, thoughts and conversations to lead more effectively in the face of change and uncertainty.
• How to help your organization take action and approach the pressure associated with change and disruption with more confidence and enthusiasm.

Performing Under Pressure

The Science Of Doing Your Best When It Matters Most

Why are some people able to deliver under pressure while others fall apart? This program, based on the ground-breaking New York Times bestselling book, Performing Under Pressure, The Science of Doing Your Best When It Matters Most, answers this question. After studying more than 12,000 individuals from around the world, over seven years, IHHP learned what the top 10% performers do to succeed under pressure.

In this innovative, case study driven program, you will learn:

• How to better manage pressure so instead of becoming a ‘derailer’ it becomes a competitive advantage to grow your career and help your organization drive performance.
• Research from our study of 12,000 people and what the top 10% did to excel under pressure.
• Three pressure insights that will help you avoid the sabotaging effects of pressure.
• Stories of leaders and organizations who have managed pressure effectively to get to the other side of performance.
• How to build your ‘COTE of Armor’ (Confidence, Optimism, Tenacity, Enthusiasm) to help inoculate you against pressure and increase your confidence as you walk into any pressure situation.

Testimonials

“What made Bill’s session exceptional was the way he connected Emotional Intelligence to the ‘warrior mentality’ of the Air National Guard. Our work is war and combat, dealing with natural disasters and homeland security. We learned techniques to improve our ability to deal with tense and stressful conditions. In a couple of challenging situations after the session, my Squadron immediately put the techniques to use. You know a program is successful when you see people applying what they’ve learned! Thanks, Bill.”
Air National Guard

“This program is having a very powerful impact on my life! By sharing his experience of applying Emotional Intelligence to his business and personal life, Bill inspired me to make changes in myself. Bill is a very passionate and effective speaker; I believe everyone could benefit from attending his presentations!”
Nextel

“Bill’s presentation was one of the most inspiring I’ve ever been to – and I’ve seen a lot of presentations. Bill has a wonderful delivery style that combines intellect and emotion … I could listen to him all day!”
YMCA of USA

“This program was a great way to kick off our conference. His passion and energy, combined with his knowledge of EQ in business make him a unique and powerful speaker – our executives were impressed and we are definitely going to invite him back.”
Concentra Medical Centers

“Awesome presentation! Bill exceeded our expectations – his presentation offers a unique perspective on personal leadership. I like the way Bill brings science to our understanding of human behavior in an accessible and inspiring way. This session helped our people think differently about their personal relationships, their motivation and their performance. Bill’s enthusiastic presentation really made a difference for our team.”
RBC Royal Bank

“This was a wonderful learning experience! Bill is an energetic and motivating speaker, with a style that is very real and authentic. He took time to understand our group and incorporate issues that they are facing right now. We wanted someone who would challenge us to think differently and motivate us to find ways to improve ourselves; Bill delivered!” 
York Regional School District

“Bill’s speech was absolutely phenomenal and was enjoyed by all delegates and sponsors. It was a perfect start to the conference and I am still receiving positive feedback till this day!”
Schulich School of Business