Keynotes

Morning Keynote

Mindset & Culture: At the Heart of a Winning Agile Transformation

Ahmed Sidky, Ph. D.

Agile is not a process, nor a methodology it is a Mindset. Similarly, an Agile transformation is not about changing processes, systems or tools, it is about transforming the culture. But how? This is the key question that Ahmed Sidky will explore in this keynote. Successful transformations ignite a mindset shift across the organization through education and make it known that being agility and having a culture of learning are not nice to haves but rather they are critical to the organization’s survival in the next decades. First, leaders need to craft an inspiring vision that is not only capable of guiding the organization through the transformation but also wins the hearts and minds of people. The sustainability of the transformation is deeply linked to the approach the organization pursues. Sustainable, effective transformations aim to affect all the elements of culture such as leadership styles, cultural values and norms, work structures, reward systems, processes, and at the heart of all of it, the behaviors and habits of people. This is what Ahmed calls a Culture-led Transformation and will contrast this approach to the two common transformation approaches: the organizational-led and process-led approaches. Participants will leave this talk with a step-by step guide to structure their own Culture-led transformations.

 

Bio

Ahmed Sidky, Ph.D. also known as Dr. Agile, is a renowned global thought-leader in the Business Agility community. As the Head of Business Agility at Riot Games he is responsible for all change and transformations across the company. His former role at Riot was the Head of Development Management where he led a team of 80 internal agile coaches and delivery leaders. Before Riot Ahmed was a consultant for a variety of Fortune 100 companies (among them Verizon, Caterpillar, Nationwide, and Booz Allen Hamilton), guided enterprise Agile transformations, educated leaders on the Agile mindset, and creating customer-centric cultures of learning. He is also President of the International Consortium for Agile (ICAgile) and the co-founder of the Business Agility Institute; co-author of “Becoming Agile in an Imperfect World;" and a seasoned international keynote speaker.

Closing Keynote

Bringing Broadway to Business: How Play Sets the Stage for Success

Kyle Post & Jennifer Davis

What do you get when you cross a Broadway star with a Stanford-trained Executive Coach? Meet Kyle Post and Jennifer Davis. Their combined superpowers will lead you to discover the core of your most authentic, empowered self.

Having fun is serious business. Kyle and Jennifer work together on Leadership and Fiercely Female Programs. Their mission is to challenge professionals to step outside of their normal way of thinking into a dynamic space of imagination, intuition, creativity, and increased effectiveness.

Kyle, from the original Broadway cast of Kinky Boots, will share how he got from a goat-traveled gravel road in Michigan to fulfilling his crazy childhood dream. His hilarious audition both landed him the role and ignited his spark of self-empowerment. Jennifer, an ex-corporate gal, will show that Kyle’s lessons aren’t just about fancy shoes and lipstick–they show up in visioning, team-building, strategy and execution.

Through storytelling, examples, and interactive exercises, Kyle and Jennifer will encourage you to write your own story and attain success by embracing your uniqueness. Learn to model the team culture you want, versus simply following a staid, traditional business script. So join us for some fun leadership development that will get you a standing ovation in your work place.

Bios

Kyle Post is an experienced Life Coach, Speaker and Broadway veteran of over a decade.  His roles in hit shows like RENT, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, and Kinky Boots (rocking 6 inch thigh high stilettos), along with his finely tuned coaching skills and training in acting, improv, vocal pedagogy, and dance, allow him to help clients connect their head, heart and body to become the star of their own lives.

Kyle is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University and the Coaches Training Institute.  His coaching blog was awarded “One of the Top 100 Coaching Blogs on the Web”. Kyle’s creativity, enthusiasm and vast experience in performing arts invite you to access different parts of yourself to expand your toolbox for effective leadership. His creative spirit and grounded energy help you get out of your head and into action. Learn more at www.kylepostcoaching.com.

Jennifer Davis is a Leadership Coach, Speaker and Trainer who creates an environment of curiosity that enables improved performance through changes in awareness, perspective and actions. She has helped many high-performing individuals–from entrepreneurs to scrum masters to Fortune 500 executives–achieve meaningful growth. Her areas of specialty include maximizing leadership and personal effectiveness, leveraging strengths, increasing resilience, becoming comfortable with conflict, and decreasing stress.

Jennifer has held numerous corporate, coaching, consulting positions over the past 25 years, including those in brand management, sales and marketing, and investment banking, at General Mills and Johnson & Johnson. She is a Preferred Executive Coach for Stanford Graduate School of Business alumni and coaches at the United Nations and World Economic Forum.

Jennifer received an MBA from Stanford, a BA from Tufts, trained at and got a CPCC from the Coaches Training Institute, and is PCC certified by the International Coach Federation. Learn more at www.jenniferdaviscoaching.com.