Conference Keynotes
Bob Gray
I’m No Good with Names – But I Never Forget a Face!
How often have you bumped into a client or a friend of a friend, but for the life of you, can't remember his name, or hers? Socially, this can be extremely embarrassing, but in business, it can be disastrous. The sweetest sound to someone is his or her own name. By forgetting a person's name, you show not only a lack of respect, but you might just as well say this individual is of no importance to you. Conversely, by recalling a correct name, especially after only one introduction, you will not only engage and flatter its owner, but you will be remembered for your thoughtful interest.
In his amusing, unusual and empowering presentation, Bob reveals a wonderful method to easily triple your recall and store into memory the names of new friends and business acquaintances. He will show you how to engage the left and right hemispheres of your brain for full brain potential, allowing more efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace. His system is astounding and his delivery will leave you in hysterics...and the best part? It works!
Biography
Bob Gray immigrated to Canada from England in 1979 as an entertainer. He immigrated under a unique condition...he had to prove he wasn't taking a job from another Canadian. He wasn't. In fact, Bob wasn't taking a job from anyone else in the world for he was uniquely qualified. A 'Guinness World Record holder', Certified Speaking Professional and Canadian Hall of Fame inductee, he has demonstrated his incredible memory many times on national TV including the Today Show, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Regis Philbin, the CBC and the BBC.
An internationally recognized authority on memory systems, Bob has travelled the globe teaching and entertaining many fortune 500 and 100 companies such as DuPont, Johnson & Johnson, Ford, GM, GE, FedEx, Boeing and many more. Bob also wrote the best-selling book, Right Brain Rapid Recall.
Andy Kaufman, PMP
Lipstick on a Pig: How Illusion Leads to Crisis
Manage projects in the real world long enough and you're bound to live through a project where illusion leads to crisis. Everyone on the team knows the project is struggling yet they seldom speak up. When you read the status report things sound reasonably fine, yet in actuality, the project is in serious trouble.
Lipstick on a pig. No matter how thick you try to cover it, the truth always comes out.
As Jerry Weinberg observed in The Secrets of Consulting (Dorset House, 1985), "It may look like a crisis, but it's only the end of an illusion." This insightful and entertaining keynote looks at key illusions that threaten success when leading projects and people—while providing practical tips that you can immediately apply in your real world projects.
Biography
Andy Kaufman is an international speaker, author, executive coach, and the President of Institute for Leadership Excellence & Development, Inc. Andy works with organizations around the world, helping them improve their ability to deliver projects and lead teams.
Andy is the author of Navigating the Winds of Change: Staying on Course in Business & in Life, Shining the Light on The Secret, and How to Organize Your Inbox & Get Rid of E-Mail Clutter. Andy is also the host of The People and Projects Podcast which provides interviews and insights to help listeners lead people and deliver projects.
Jenny Krahn, Ph.D., PMP
The Gist with Jenny Krahn
The speakers for this year’s Professional Development Conference were selected for their broad knowledge base of current topics related to the project management profession. Dr. Jenny Krahn will interview each keynote speaker following their presentation to further explore the key topics covered and to ask the questions that are on every Project Manager’s mind.
Jenny’s unique perspective and questioning style will enhance the learning experience by providing an additional opportunity to learn even more from this range of experts. Join Jenny and recognize how to implement the concepts presented and get to the gist—or essential elements—of the presentations.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Jenny Krahn, project management assistant professor and consultant, has been named one of Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40. Jenny is a sought after speaker on project management topics such as Leading Projects, Best Practices Planning, Communications Alignment, and Future Trends in Project Management. She holds a Ph.D. in Project Leadership and has presented her work at conferences in Europe, the United States, and Canada. In 2008 she was an invited scholar at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. She has been recognized for outstanding contributions to the University of Calgary at large (2008) and specifically to the Haskayne School of Business (2009).
Jenny's inherent curiosity combined with her background as a researcher make her a natural fit to interview keynote speakers after each of their presentations in a segment called The Gist with Jenny Krahn.
Lewis MacKenzie
Lessons in Leadership
Few if any people who speak on leadership come close to approaching the level of experience or authority of retired Major-General Lewis MacKenzie. He has distilled the lessons of 40 years experience in the Armed Forces into 10 practical tips that, when applied, will enhance your leadership style.
Although developed in life and death situations, including the opening of Sarajevo airport during the Bosnian civil war, you will find it easy to apply these guidelines to your daily leadership challenges. Lewis MacKenzie focuses on the practical applications of leadership. For him, leadership is about building trust, commitment to a common purpose and understanding what you have to do to convince others to follow. And he knows exactly how to do this under the most difficult of circumstances with the eyes of the world watching.
A master storyteller, MacKenzie captivates audiences and commands their attention like few others can. He doesn’t just talk about leadership—he demonstrates it. This translates into an enduring and inspiring lesson on leadership.
Biography
Considered the most experienced peacekeeper in the world, Major-General (Ret.) Lewis MacKenzie encapsulates what being a leader truly is.
It was in Sarajevo that his superior leadership skills and courage came to the fore. At the start of the Bosnian Civil War he created and assumed command of Sector Sarajevo and, in the midst of a brutal civil war, with a contingent of troops from 31 nations, and under fire from all sides, managed to open the Sarajevo airport for the delivery of humanitarian aid.
General MacKenzie retired from the Canadian Forces in March 1993. His book, Peacekeeper, Road to Sarajevo, a personal account of his peacekeeping experiences, became a number one best seller in September 1993. A two-hour documentary, A Soldier’s Peace, based on the book, has aired in over 60 countries and won a New York Film Festival award in 1996.
He is currently bringing his high profile and leadership to the fundraising efforts of ICROSS (International Community for the Relief of Starvation and Suffering), a Canadian charity whose mission is to serve the poorest of the poor in Africa, and throughout the world.
Lee R. Lambert, PMP
PMI PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROVIDER OF THE YEAR 2007
A Fool with a Tool is Still a Fool!
The key to remaining employed may depend upon your “value-add” contribution to your organization’s ability to continue achieving its business objectives. The value you add is determined by the benefits of your direct efforts. The tools exist—learn to use them and become an “impact” player. Break out of your PM survival paradigm and “cause” good things to happen.
Learn to capitalize on the power of PM tools, provide incredibly insightful decision support information, and earn the honor of becoming a “go to person”.
Become a prognosticator extraordinaire and learn how to provide the decision makers with truthful information about actuals vs. the expectations established in your performance measurement baseline.
Learn how Lee used project “truth” as the catalyst for his meteoric rise to success. His refreshing, cynical, and humorous delivery of this critical “survival” message may just change your life forever.
Biography
Lee Lambert has established the standard against which others in the field are measured. In 1981 he was invited to join the founding team that created the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification Program. He is a PMI SME for the EVMS Practice Guide, recipient of the PMI’s Distinguished Contribution Award (1995) AND currently is a 2009 Nominee for PMI’s most prestigious Award: A PMI Fellow. Educated as a Mechanical Engineer, he holds a Master’s Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University.
As the creator of the “Stealth Learning” concept, no other educator/speaker can contend with his uncanny technical knowledge, unique material content, and refreshingly entertaining delivery of “dry” topics. Lee takes the saying: “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt” to the next level. Since embarking on his PM journey in 1966, he has “entertained” and educated more than 40,000 professionals in 22 countries.
Diana Swain
The Big Impact of Quiet Leadership
In this passionate address, Diana Swain uses the example of Canada—and the countless Canadians she's met—to deliver a thoughtful look at leadership. Where does leadership come from? What does it entail? Every day, Canadian communities and organizations, big and small, are rising to the great challenges they face. They are drawing on creativity, on determination and—most importantly—on quiet leadership from unexpected places.
Diana’s stories focus on the exceptional everyday people who realize that true leadership does not take the easy path; that it involves "hacking through the tall-grass of challenge to forge a new path." Leadership belongs to those who persevere and continue to work, even when the spotlight has passed. Above all, it falls to all of us to be leaders and to lead the way.
Exploring what makes Canada so envied, Swain also calls on us to make our own meaningful contribution. She creates, with eloquent language, forceful argument and enormous pride, a snapshot of Canada—and leadership—at its very best.
Biography
Diana Swain hosts Toronto's Canada Now weeknights from 6:30 - 7:00 PM and has numerous other network assignments including documentaries and substitute host duties for CBC's The National.
Diana is a six-time Gemini nominee who has been recognized for her CBC News programming in categories including Best Live Special Events Coverage, Best Newscast/News Special, Best Reporting and Best Host. In 2000 Diana won the Gemini for Best News Anchor. In addition to these accolades, 24 Hours, hosted by Diana Swain was a gold medal winner for Best Newscast in January of 1998 at the prestigious New York Festivals. Manitoba Votes, the 24 Hours provincial election special hosted by Diana in April of 1995, also won a gold medal at the New York Festivals in the News Documentary Category. Diana's CBC I-Team documentary, Preying on Immigrants, won a Television Media Award for the best TV documentary from B'nai Brith Canada in 1991.
Diana graduated from the British Columbia Institute of Technology with an Honors Diploma in Broadcast Journalism. She is actively involved in the community, and participates in various fundraisers and special events.