Mark Sanborn

Interview with Mark Sanborn

What is the message you hope people take away from your presentations?
Nobody can prevent you from choosing to be exceptional. That message is the foundation of all my work. I show listeners how they can choose to be exceptional—in leadership, customer service, selling or whatever they do. I do this by sharing stories of how ordinary people have made their work extraordinary.

How are your keynotes unique?

• First, I use material that I’ve developed. My illustrations are unique to me, not something I’ve heard someone else say and simply repeated or modified. My approach is “actionable storytelling.”
• Second, I tailor to every audience. I make it easy for listeners to apply what I share, and I design and integrate my remarks to help achieve the organization’s and meeting goals.
• Third, while I have high content, my style is engaging and fun. I believe education is best accomplished by being engaging and entertaining.

How does it feel being listed as one of the world’s top leadership experts?
It is very gratifying. While I appreciate the acknowledgment, I don’t rest on it. I work very hard to be deserving of the recognition by continuing to learn and improve in my craft.

Who or what inspires you most?
I am a person of faith, and that is my primary inspiration. But I also get great energy and joy from my wife and two boys. And as a voracious reader for most of my life, I am inspired by great ideas.

What are 3 characteristics necessary for a great leader?

I talk about this in my work and book, You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader.

• Character is first: that is who you are. We lead from the inside out, and people need leaders they can trust.
• The second is competence: we want to follow those leaders who are truly skilled and good at what they do.
• The third is connection: this is the ability to relate to others. People rarely follow or change outside of relationship.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?
Russia. I’ve always been fascinated by the culture of the former Soviet Union. Things are changing quickly there as the Russians embrace capitalism, and I’d like to visit now in the transition period between “old Russia” and “new Russia.”