Marc Prensky

RE-FRAMING THE FUTURE OF WORK: From "Jobs" to "Projects" and from Employer to Employee-focused

We all know work is in the process of changing, but few have the re-framed the process in the positive way that Marc Prensky has. As Artificial Intelligence and increasing automation quickly enter our workplaces, says Prensky, we should not be afraid, even as many formerly human tasks—get replaced by machines. The positive news is that we will NEVER run out of 1. Dreams to fulfill, 2. Problems to fix, and 3. People who need help. Meeting those needs is the future of human work—and we will never run out of people who want to do it. Marc helps audiences see the NEW AGE OF EMPOWERMENT THAT IS ARRIVING and understand its far-reaching implications for human work.

The way we will fulfill these needs of realizing dreams, fixing problems, and helping others in the future, says Prensky, is through BECOMING SYMBIOTIC with our new technologies. For humans to solve all our pressing problems—like climate change—our key challenge in the 21st century, says Prensky, is to become symbiotic with our new technologies as rapidly as possible. Although this is true for people of all ages, the young are starting faster. in our NEW AGE OF EMPOWERMENT, individuals are finally getting the means to control their world, starting at early ages. They need to know not just how to take control of their personal, local and global worlds,
but how to improve them.

The Future of Work, says Prensky, will not be “jobs” that people get and hold as they do today, but “projects”— that teams of people accomplish. Already more and more firms— and entire fields—are moving to this “project”—rather than job—orientation. Says one Fortune 500 executive: “We don’t do job descriptions any more—we do project descriptions.” What this means is that one now requires a specialty that can enhance many teams, and to be continually increasing one’s skill at that specialty so one can move fluidly between projects at different organizations—rather than climbing a hierarchical ladder of job promotions in any single one. Everyone needs to understand and prepare for this new version of work, says Prensky. Marc shows us why it’s so important and how to get there quickly.

Key takeaways include:

• Why and how work will be changing (and is already)
• What the new models of work mean for you and your children,
• Why empowering people is key we to the future of work, and
• How to be successful in the new environment.

RE-FRAMING CREATIVITY, ‘'THE METAVERSE' and ‘THE CLOUD’ AT WORK: From two Worlds to THREE Worlds, and from 20th century beliefs to 21ST CENTURY BELIEFS

Marc Prensky re-frames the worlds of creativity and imagination for a new age in this forward-thinking talk. People often think there is only one world to live and work in, says Prensky, ignoring the world of imagination in each of our heads—which is where all creativity originates. Now, in the 21st century, says Prensky, we have a new third world: “The Cloud.” Whereas before people could realize their imaginations only in the real world—which is often hard, leading many to give up—‘The Cloud’ is a brand-new world in which to bring forth imagination. Infinitely huge, with many dimensions. Growing far faster than the “real-world,” The Cloud offers a new frontier in which to be creative, and huge opportunities. The ‘Metaverse,” on the other hand, currently so highly-hyped, refers to the visual dimension of the Cloud, i.e., the part that, through a headset or special glasses, looks like a real world. But the Metaverse only a small part of the exponentially evolving “Cloud.” Unlike the Cloud, which is quickly developing, the Metaverse is far slower to emerge, and is still in its earliest stages.

In ALL the worlds, says Prensky, CREATIVITY IS HIGHLY LINKED TO BELIEFS. Today, beliefs around the world are changing, radically and rapidly, between generations. This is going to soon have a huge impact on humanity, because OUR BELIEFS—embedded deep within our minds—DETERMINE ALL OUR ACTIONS. Prensky shows how Beliefs are changing generationally regarding many things—including education, technology, privacy, property, personal relationships, sexuality, race, security, power, kids, work and jobs, empathy, violence, religion, justice and injustice, money, love, government, time and space—and creativity as well. The most important creative 21st century beliefs, says Prensky, are “I can” and “We can.”

In this highly engaging talk, Prensky shows both WHY re-framing our beliefs is key, and HOW to go beyond our old 20th c. beliefs so that we don’t hold humanity back on our journey to the future. Marc Prensky highlights the creative opportunities of today—which are enormous— and opens people’s eyes to what is coming—far faster than many think.

Key takeaways Include:

• How to be creative in the 21st century
• 21st century beliefs
• Ways to determine what “The Cloud” means for you and your business, and what to expect from the Metaverse—and when.
• New keys to success in the 21st century.

RE-FRAMING DIVERSITY AND TRUST AT WORK: From a "you must have" to an "I wouldn't want to NOT have"

It is time to re-frame both “diversity” and “trust” in the workplace, says Marc Prensky.

Most of us say that we support diversity, and most of us think we are both trusting and trustworthy. The reality, however, is that most of our workplaces are far less diverse than many might like, and sorely lacking in trust. In this eye-opening talk, Prensky helps audiences see diversity and trust in new ways.

“What makes us each unique,” says Prensky, “are the individual projects we each choose to do and be part of.” Prensky shows how when we are each working on things we actually care deeply about, diversity and trust become not only easier, but desirable and necessary. Prensky helps us see how the right kind of diversity and trusting each other leads to far greater outcomes and satisfaction. He poses difficult questions, like: “If a team had members of every race, religion, gender and nationality, and yet they all thought similarly about the problem at hand—how much diversity would there be?” and “What happens when someone you trust lets you down?”

In this unusual keynote, Marc brings his famous “re-framing lens” to the thorny issues of diversity and trust,
showing audiences how to see those issues from a new and different perspective.

Key takeaways include:

• How to create situations where people NEED and DEMAND diversity and trust?
• How do we promote diversity of THINKING—and use that to our advantage?
• How can we measure diversity of thought?
• How can we build higher performance through trust, diversity of thinking and projects?
• Can trust in workplaces be increased? How can we do it?

RE-FRAMING YOUNG PEOPLE AND GENERATIONAL CHANGE AT WORK - UNLEASHING THE POWER OF TWO BILLION KIDS: From old beliefs to NEW 21st CENTURY BELIEFS, and from “You’re not ready yet” to “We can”

As we change over from the world’s “Last Pre-Internet Generation”—raised almost entirely in the 20th century – to the “First Internet Generation,” raised entirely in the 21st, we need to see our young people though different, and more up-to-date, lenses. Today we are already far beyond the terms “digital natives” and “digital immigrants” that Marc Prensky coined only two decades ago. We live in a time of massive generational change in attitudes and beliefs regarding areas such as education technology, privacy, property, personal relationships, security, sexuality, power, kids, violence, God, justice, money, love, government, creativity, and even time and space. The most important new generational beliefs, says Prensky are “I CAN” and “WE CAN.”

The consequences of these changes in beliefs and capabilities, as Prensky shows through multiple examples, are profound.

Key takeaways include:

• How beliefs differ between generations.
• What this implies for adults and for young people”
• What are the best actions for us to take?

RE-FRAMING COMMUNITY IN THE NEW AGE OF EMPOWERMENT: From “People who live and work near you” to “Global People Like You”

People thrive in communities, but communities are changing, says Marc Prensky. An under-noticed and underappreciated trend in the NEW AGE OF EMPOWERMENT we are entering, says Prensky, is that the meaning of “community” is shifting radically and importantly.

Prior to the Internet, communities were almost all local, based on where you lived. You went to school, typically through high school, where you lived, You lived, typically, near where you worked. “Community” meant mostly small and local. If your local community included few people like you, you were pretty isolated. Some larger communities did exist, but they typically took much work and much coordination to set up and maintain and often join..

All that is now changing. We live in a world where, In the words of one professor, “Every person can find on the Internet the worldwide group in which they are in the top 10 percent.” What has quickly begun to emerge are “affinity” or “shared interest” communities, that are NOT local or location-based. Almost all communities are—or have the potential to be—fully or partially global. While some are now partly local, other communities exist only in The Cloud, and come together physically only periodically. It is also harder, in our new world, to put “gates” around a community and keep others out. We are just starting to learn how to manage and participate in these
new types of communities. Their implications are profound, and the surface has hardly been scratched.

In this unique keynote, Marc Prensky explores the new definition of community, showing categories, examples and re-framing the new possibilities for communities that this brings to people and the world.

Key takeaways include:

• What differentiates virtual, global, communities from local, physical communities?
• What are the advantages of each? Can they be combined effectively?
• What kinds of communities can go global? Which should? Are there any that can’t or shouldn’t?
• What this implies for communities at work and of adults and of young people

RE-FRAMING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND PEOPLE AT WORK: From "People with Tools" to “SYMBIOTIC EMPOWERED HUMANS”

In this profound talk, Marc Prensky re-frames human thinking and intelligence for the future. Many believe that as technology develops, we remain “the same people”—just with more powerful tools. However, in this enlightening and controversial keynote Prensky re-frames this thinking to seeing humans as becoming “SYMBIOTIC EMPOWERED HYBRIDS” with all the powerful new technologies we have created.

The idea of technology symbiosis was first proposed in the 1970s, and Marc wrote about it previously in his book Brain Gain. Marc believes our technologies have effectively given humans new, helpful, brain and body parts – much like our having grown a new, useful tail – and we must learn to use these new body parts wisely and well. The “new symbiosis” with technology IS NOT “addiction,” says Prensky. Rather it is the process of getting to know what we can do that is positive with our new capabilities. Figuring this out, says Prensky, is probably our most pressing 21st century task as humans—because it will help us solve all our other problems.

Key takeaways include:

• Why we require a better way to look at humans and technology.
• What being a “symbiotic empowered hybrid” means.
• Why that is positive for all of us.

UNLEASHING THE POWER OF 2 BILLION KIDS: Empowering 21st century Young People

“HUMANITY HAS NOW OUTPACED EDUCATION,” says Marc Prensky. Putting kids in schools to learn in advance – in-person or online – once the great hope for all the world—is no longer right for our children’s future; rather, it is an artifact of our past. Reforming how we educate – as so many are trying to do – won’t help. Going forward, instead of putting things into kids’ heads, we now need to bring things out! Rather than educating or “socializing” young people, we need to be unleashing them!

Young humans, so powerless in the past, can now finally grow up empowered – something very new in the world. It can start in the earliest years, through REAL WORLD ACCOMPLISHMENT BY YOUNG PEOPLE, WITH MEASURABLE POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEIR WORLD, which is what Prensky means by EMPOWERMENT! In his latest book: EMPOWERED!: Re-framing ‘Growing Up’ for a New Age Marc describes a new and better way for all our two billion young people—who have dramatically new and different beliefs and capabilities from their 20th century-born parents—to achieve meaningful and fulfilling 21st century adulthood, and to better their world as they grow up.

Marc’s inspiring talk – aimed at parents, employers, educators, and politicians – is about understanding the new opportunity for all young people in the coming New Age of Empowerment: SELF-DIRECTION PLUS REALWORLD ACCOMPLISHMENT WITH IMPACT. Arising from a totally new combination of empowering beliefs, symbiosis with technology, applied uniqueness, and real-world accomplishment, this new approach finally gives young people the means to take control of their world and improve it—something we all desperately need. Marc Prensky shows us – with numerous examples – how Empowerment is being implemented around the globe. He shows us why empowering our two billion young people is necessary and important, and how we can do it more quickly, through a new model of FINDING one’s uniqueness, APPLYING it to bettering your world, and, in doing so, REALIZING one’s dreams.

In this entertaining, highly refreshing, one-of-a-kind keynote, Marc Prensky re-frames our kids’ world and takes the audience on a journey of discovery of the new alternative – already at work in many places – truly preparing young people for their future. Marc introduces EMPOWERMENT HUBS, now emerging around the globe – including inside companies – as an exciting new alternative to 20th century schools and classrooms.

Key Takeaways Include:

• New perspectives on young people—what they can now do, and how that can help them.
• An understanding of why humanity has outpaced education—and what to do instead that is better.
• Knowledge of why Empowerment, Accomplishment and Impact are the crucial needs and journey for young people in the 21st century – and how to get there.
• Ways to help empower tomorrow’s young people—no matter your adult role or job.
• A process that has been effective with thousands of young people all over the world for doing world improving projects with Measurable Positive Impact at all age levels.
• Ways to sponsor or create an Empowerment Hub for young people in a workplace, home, organization or
  in the cloud.