Dan Heath

<ul><li><strong>Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen</strong></li><li>So often in our organizations and communities, we fall into a cycle of reaction. A problem happens, and we respond. We fight fires. We contend with emergencies. Researchers call this "tunneling": We don&#39;t see the big picture, and we don&#39;t think about the future, we just keep pushing forward from one crisis to the next. What if instead we could shift our energies upstream -- uncovering and addressing the source of those problems?</li><li>In this talk, Heath will reveal how some leaders have learned to spot problems in advance: There&#39;s a school district that can predict which students will drop out – a full 4 years before graduation. There&#39;s an internet service company that can predict which customers are likely to cancel their subscriptions -- as early as two weeks after they sign up! When we shift from downstream response to upstream planning, it can cause miracles: One company eliminated 20 million customer support calls by asking, "How can we make sure our customers never need to call us?" And one nation in Europe has almost eliminated teenage substance abuse by asking, "How can we create a teenage culture that offers such compelling sober activities that teens simply don&#39;t feel like drinking or doing drugs?"</li><li>Heath will share the three forces that push us downstream, as well as the powerful levers we can use to start preventing problems before they happen.</li><li><strong>Creating Moments That Matter</strong></li><li>Some experiences are vastly more memorable and meaningful than others: A moment of extraordinary service that a customer can’t stop talking about. A moment of insight that helps a group of employees embrace a new vision. A moment of compassion that makes a patient’s burden feel lighter. Everywhere you look, people are trying to craft memorable experiences—from customer experiences to patient experiences. Leaders are working hard to boost employee engagement, student engagement, and parishioner engagement. But these discussions have been dominated by a focus on fixing problems (what Dan Heath calls “filling pits”), rather than creating memorable experiences (“raising peaks”). Yet Heath’s research suggests that it’s far more valuable to build peaks.</li><li>How do you build peaks for the people you care about? In this talk, drawing from his book <i>The Power of Moments</i>, Heath will reveal the four elements that create defining moments. Armed with an understanding of these elements, we can be the authors of moments that spark delight, connection, and insight.</li><li><strong>Leading a Switch</strong></li><li>Why do some big changes happen easily while many small changes prove impossible? The answer hinges on some of the most fascinating findings in psychology. Our mind is divided into two different systems—an analytical mind and an emotional mind—that are often in conflict, particularly in situations of change. Building on this research, and based on the book, <i>Switch</i>, which spent 47 weeks on the <i>New York Times</i> Best Seller list, Dan will reveal a simple, three-part framework that will help you change things in tough times.</li><li>All of us have things we want to change—in our families, our businesses, and our communities. Our goal might be as simple as losing a few pounds or as complex as changing the culture of an organization. Where do you start? And what do you do when you face resistance? This session is a must for any change leader who is struggling to make progress. Dan’s talk will </li></ul>