I just participated in a panel to discuss healthcare in 2020. It was pretty lively. There were some very smart people on it including Jonathan Gruber, Professor of Economics at MIT and Coleman Peterson, former Chief HR Officer at Wal-Mart.
Here are just a few of my thoughts:
And here’s a link to full panel. We all had a lot to say: http://www.sunlifesummit.com/agenda/#jump-link-03 (you need to register to view it but I think you’ll enjoy watching us in action.)
I’ve always had my head in a book (that’s me in the photo). And then as an adult, I swallowed books whole (I’d read 1 a day on vacation) and devour newspapers (I had 4 a day delivered: WSJ, NYT, LA Times and USA Today). I was an information junkie. And then of course I gave up on reading the physical books and newspapers and now I consume everything online. I’m a human sponge. And being the sharing person that I am, I no longer send clippings or books in the mail but I post interesting articles to my social networks.
At a speech in Palm Beach last week, I was asked how I kept up on the information deluge. And I explained that it’s not about too much information, it’s about how you filter it.
What works for me are email newsletters on topics I’m interested in. I can read the headlines and click to the articles when I have time. And someone else has trolled the web for me.
Here are my current favorites. Please share yours in the comments.
I’ve recently embarked on a new adventure – as a professional speaker. If you know me, you know that I love to talk and I have an opinion about everything. And my eclectic career path has taught me many lessons. Mostly in the “what not to do” realm.
I made my first two speeches in the space of a week. The first here in Los Angeles to a large corporation, and the other to an international association in Qatar (please don’t ask me to pronounce it).
When hired they both told me that they want me to shake things up, you know, be controversial, get the audience to think. Well, you don’t have to tell me twice. I crafted two specific presentations, asked the tough questions and tried to be provocative.
But in the end, it turns out that audiences at conferences want to be entertained and not challenged. They want sugar, not spice. Unless spice comes with the exact recipe. Which of course is impossible to deliver. I’m a speaker, not a consultant. I’m there to share my experiences, provide ideas for change, but I can’t tell you how to go back to your office and fix what’s wrong.
Let’s just say that my next speech will have more sugar than spice. Still engaging and relevant (I hope) but less controversial. Truth it seems is a great concept but not so much IRL (in real life).