Introduction
Here’s an intro that always gets a great reaction from any audience, so long as the first two lines are delivered as written, otherwise the joke doesn’t land quite as well. After that, feel free to go off-script!
Celebrated Author, Adventurer, Gold Medal Olympian and Popular Celebrity Chef, JASON CLARKE IS NONE OF THESE THINGS.
He is, however one of the most trusted creative minds in the country, consulting with organisations of all sizes and flavours on issues of innovation and change, leadership and culture.
But he describes himself as a Plumber of the Mind, the guy you go to when your head gets clogged.
His mission? To Help People Think.
His vision? A Future that Works.
He’s not sure what he’ll be doing in 2040 but he’s open to suggestions.
Timekeeping
I’ll always welcome a timekeeper or countdown clock but more often than not I have to keep my own time so I’ve gotten pretty good at it. If there’s a delay in the program that requires me to start more than 10 minutes later than scheduled [that happens more than you might think] then you’ll need to decide whether I should:
- run the full duration of my presentation and run late or
- trim my presentation as I go so we still finish on time.
I’m happy to do either one but I’m [sadly] incapable of doing both…
Q&A
I love taking questions but there’s never as many as you might think straight after a presentation – people need a while to process what they’ve heard and the questions don’t seem to come until they’re had a bit of a think, so it’s worth discussing the role of Q&A and how we might make it a more stimulating and productive addition to the session.
Recording
YES PLEASE. I actively encourage clients to record my presentations any way they wish. I’m also very enthusiastic for the recordings to be freely shared; I know the value of my material and think everyone should have access. The only ask I make is a copy of whatever is recorded, [preferably unedited and unbranded] and permission to freely use whatever bits I like to update my showreel!
Dietary Requirements
Thanks for asking, but I’m highly unlikely to eat anything before a presentation and am willing to take my chances with whatever’s left afterwards if I get hungry.
Tokens of Appreciation
Ummm, how do I say this?
Some groups like to give their presenters a little gift as a sign of appreciation. Which is very sweet but completely unnecessary; the privilege of speaking to an engaged and receptive audience is its own reward and – let’s face it – a speaker’s fee is usually more than enough thanks.
But this ‘gifting ritual’ can be quite awkward: imagine getting a birthday present from a distant relative who doesn’t really know you but feels compelled to get you something anyway. You don’t want to appear ungrateful so now you’ve got to find a home for something you honestly didn’t want, either.
And there’s only so much of that stuff the opp shops are prepared to take.
So, if you really feel the need to perform the gifting ritual I’ll happily play my part so long as I can give the gift back when no-one is looking. Or you could just get me a cheap bottle of red – that’s guaranteed to follow me home!