No two audiences are identical, so no two talks from Ben will be identical. He uses his background and experiences to adapt to the needs of the specific audience he is working with. Like his messaging of people first, he puts the needs of his audience first to ensure that they come away richer than before they entered the room.
Ben's talks fall into 3 likely categories:
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Motivation
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Life Balance
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Compassionate Leadership
Motivation:
Don't Stop, Don't quit, Keep Moving Forward.
Ben uses his story of recovery to guide and motivate you through your journey. His story starts in an ICU bed suffering from COVID-19. He was on a ventilator and ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation). His journey took him to an Ironman finish line just 14 months later. His resilience is infectious as he takes you on a journey of not just recovery, but self reflection and triumph.
Success is not a single event, and progress is made slowly. It is about the little things we do every day that help us towards our better tomorrow. Just don't stop, don't quit, keep moving forward.
Life Balance:
Lessons Learned from the ICU Bed
Ben had a very successful professional career. He worked as an executive for more than one Fortune 500 company before he was 37. He climbed the corporate ladder with the best of them. Then, when he was forced to reflect on his life and career from his ICU bed, he found the things that mattered in his life and career.
Ben takes you through this thought process and how he found the items that truly mattered in life and work. He wants you to learn from his experience. He talks about how the village and people that you surround yourself with are so much more important than that title and compensation you receive. He is not blind to the monetary needs to survive in the world, but rather looks at how you can balance the financial need with the personal fulfillment we all need.
Compassionate Leadership:
People First Leadership in the Modern Workplace
People are an organizations most important asset, yet when it comes to leadership, we always look at the KPI's (Key Performance Indicators) of the business first. It is not always easy for employees to see that we are also looking at the people responsible for them and their well being. Good leadership comes from authentic relationships, empathy, and understanding that the people in the organization come first. It is about shifting from the goal of people first, and putting it into action that every person can see.
Through this, you will be creating a safe environment where people feel welcome, respected, and free to be whomever they are without the need of a corporate mask.
Ben O'Donnell