MBA CSEA 2014 Global Conference
 
Keynote Speakers

Susan Cain
Wednesday, June 25
1:45 - 2:45 pm

“Quiet: The Power of Introverts in A World That Can’t Stop Talking”

Why does a witty, high-octane public speaker need to recharge in solitude after his talks? How does a salesman break records by quietly tapping into the power of questions? Learn how these introverts succeed in this engaging keynote presentation by Susan Cain. Susan draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to reveal the surprising differences between extroverts and introverts. She questions the dominant values of American business culture, where forced collaboration can stand in the way of innovation, and where the leadership potential of introverts is often overlooked. She offers invaluable advice on everything from how to better negotiate differences in introvert-extrovert relationships to how to empower an introverted employee or student when it makes sense to be a “pretend extrovert.” This extraordinary session has the power to permanently change how you see introverts and, equally important, how introverts see themselves.

Biography:

Susan Cain is the co-founder of Quiet Revolution and the author of the award-winning New York Times bestseller Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, which is being translated into over thirty-five languages, has appeared on many “Best of” lists, and was named the #1 best book of the year by Fast Company magazine, which also named her one of its Most Creative People in Business. Her record-smashing TED talk has been viewed over 7 million times, and was named by Bill Gates as one of his all-time favorite talks. She is the recipient of several awards, including the Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award for Communication and Leadership, and Harvard Law School’s Celebration Award for Thought Leadership.

Before she became a writer, Susan practiced corporate law for seven years, representing clients like JP Morgan and General Electric, and then worked as a negotiations consultant, training all kinds of people, from hedge fund managers to TV producers to college students negotiating their first salaries. Her clients have included Merrill Lynch, Shearman & Sterling, One Hundred Women in Hedge Funds, and many more. She went to Princeton University and Harvard Law School. 

From all this you might guess that she is a hardcore, wonderfully self-confident, pound-the-table kind of person, when in fact she is just the opposite. She prefers listening to talking, reading to socializing, and cozy chats to group settings. She likes to think before she speaks (softly). And somehow she knows that everything she has ever accomplished, in love and in work, she owes to these traits, annoying though they may sometimes be. She explores this paradox in her first book, “QUIET: The Power of Introverts In a World That Can’t Stop Talking.”

Susan lives on the banks of the Hudson River in an 1822 captain’s cottage with her beloved husband, sons, and magnolia trees. Her favorite activities are reading, writing, lounging around cafés, and doing the mambo with her family. She uses a lot of old-fashioned expressions. A few times a year, she tries to like cooking. She is insatiably curious about human nature.


William Eggers
Thursday, June 26
8:30 - 9:30 am

"The Solution Revolution"

Where tough societal problems persist, citizens, social enterprises, and businesses, are relying less and less on government-only solutions. More likely, they are crowd funding, ride-sharing, or impact- investing to design solutions for seemingly intractable problems. These wavemakers range from edgy social enterprises growing at a clip of 15% a year, to mega-foundations that are eclipsing development aid, to Fortune 500 companies delivering social good on the path to profit. The collective force of these new problem solvers is creating dynamic and rapidly evolving markets for social good. Deloitte Consultant William Eggers explores how the public and private sectors are converging to form the Solution Economy. Based on his book, The Solution Revolution, he will present the framework and the 6 principles powering this economy. Through examples, you, your students, or your employees will learn the fundamentals of this new economic and social order. William Eggers’ thought-provoking, keynote presentation will help guide those of us willing to invest time, knowledge, or capital toward sustainable, social progress.

Biography:

William Eggers is a leading authority on government reform. He is responsible for research and thought leadership for Deloitte’s Public Sector industry practice.

He is the author of eight books, including his newest, co-authored with Paul Macmillan, The Solution Revolution: How Business, Government, and Social Enterprises are Teaming up to Solve Society’s Biggest Problems (Harvard Business Press, September 2013). The book, which The Wall Street Journal calls “pulsating with new ideas about civic and business and philanthropic engagement,” was named to ten best books of the year lists. 

His other books include the Washington Post best seller If We Can Put a Man on the Moon: Getting Big Things Done in Government (Harvard Business Press, 2009), Governing by Network (Brookings Institution Press, 2004), and The Public Innovator’s Playbook (Deloitte Research 2009). He coined the term Government 2.0 in a book of the same name.

His books have won numerous awards including the best books on policy, leadership and public services from The Guardian, 2014 Axiom award for best book on business theory, Louis Brownlow Award for best book on public management, the Sir Antony Fisher Memorial Award for best book promoting an understanding of the free economy, and the Roe Award for leadership and innovation in public policy research.

A former manager of the Texas Performance Review and appointee to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s Performance Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Advisory Board, Eggers has advised governments around the world. He gives close to 100 speeches a year and his commentary has appeared in dozens of major media outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Guardian and the Chicago Tribune.