Libby Gill

What is the most unique experience you have had as a result of your job?

Communicating across cultures and learning about both the commonalities and the differences among people is truly the most unique part of my work. The most rewarding has been sharing strategies for success with so many creative, dedicated people in the US, but also from Canada, Vietnam, France, Holland, India and more. Nothing is more exciting than hearing from audience members weeks or even months after you’ve given a presentation and having them tell you that they took some action based on the ideas you presented and it changed their lives.

What is the message you hope people take away from your presentations?

My audiences tell me that they take a great deal of inspiration and hope away from my presentations. They feel energized, capable and ready to take on the world. In addition, they feel empowered not only with conceptual information but also strategic tools so that they can leave the presentation and take immediate action. I always encourage participants to leave a keynote or conference and go do “one bold thing.” It’s very gratifying to hear from people later who tell me that they’ve revitalized their teams, they’ve taken a great to their management, or they’ve created a company-wide initiative that will benefit their colleagues.

Can you give 3 tips for creating a more innovative company culture?

• Clarify the Vision that you have for your company, division or team.  This includes creating a vivid picture of what your organization will be like within one year, including revenue goals, employee engagement and culture change.
• Simplify the Path by determining exactly what needs to happen to make that vision a reality.  Determine any obstacles that need to be removed from the path – including excuse-making, limiting assumptions and worn-out systems – as well as any outside expertise or resources that need to be introduced into the company.
• Execute the Plan with measurable milestones for success along the way.  Add some factors for accountability and “chunk down” your plan into quarterly, monthly and weekly action items.  Celebrate success, even small victories, along the way.

Can you briefly explain the importance of taking risks?

As humans, we are wired to avoid danger as part of our biological survival system. What our primitive brains perceive as danger, however, also include risks that actually carry no physical threat but are interpreted by your brains as something to be avoided.  I refer to that knee-jerk resistance to change as the Immediate Negative Response or INR.

It’s what makes us stick to the old ways, saying things like, “We’ve always done it that way,” “We’ve never done it that way,” or “What if it doesn’t work?” This type of thinking keeps us stuck in a business-as-usual mentality, instead of finding creative solutions to problems or innovating new ideas and systems. Companies that encourage risk – and even failure – are the ones who stay ahead of the curve and take their customers with them.

What type of audience benefits most from your keynotes?

Because of the homework and customization I do, I am a good fit for any organization that wants to increase passion and productivity in its workforce. Recent client Kao USA (John Frieda, Ban, Jergens)told me that they’d never seen a speaker customize a presentation as skillfully as I had.

As one of a few female speakers with senior-level experience, top-notch content and dynamic delivery, Ihelp organizations bring out the best in their people, even in times of uncertainty or change.  Through my proven “Clarify, Simplify & Execute” methodology, I offers strategic and relevant solutions to ignite bold leadership at all levels of the organization, create a culture of risk-taking and innovation; and inspire high passion and high performance.

For conference clients interested in branding and communications, I also offer branding keynotes and trainings focusing on “capturing the mindshare of your clients and customers so the market share will follow.”

I am considered a very strong opening keynoter because of my high energy and because I set the tone for the event based on the organization’s style and objectives.  I am also a great closing keynote because I leave audience members with relevant and applicable information and a feeling of being inspired and ready for the real world!

My best audiences/industries are: Sales, Management, High Potential Executives, Healthcare, Telecommunication, Banking, Real Estate, Financial Services, Legal, Hospitality, Insurance, Retail, Technology, Media, Publishing and Women Leaders.