BLOG – Page 35 – Hello, I'm DK – creative producer and speaker coach

Big Sky Montana Thinking | Hatch 2013

Hatch is about connecting a group of madly curious people and trusting in their ability to generate creative value.

Split over two locations (one in the Montana hills at the Rainbow Ranch Lodge, Big Sky and the other in the heart of Bozeman via an innovation lab / space), no other event has ever challenged me as much to be present and in the moment (hence the lack of notes):

This was due to the loosely structured agenda and being surrounded by film-makers, musicians, technologists, artists, entrepreneurs, marketeers, architects, trouble-makers, designers, writers, inventors, specialists, generalists (full attendee list here), all of whom ignited the brain with conversations that dripped in inspiration and possibility!

And oh those delicious Rugrats moments:

Deep waist bows to all attendees, partners, sponsors and obviously the organisers—humbled to have been invited and definitely learned (again) that giving is living!

Read other HATCH posts.

Two Gigs, One University | Massey

Two speaking gigs testimonials from last month:

DK was invited to speak at Massey University’s College of Creative Arts fourth year Creative Futures class about the power of digital social interactions. The course explores social and business enterprise, starting a business, ideas for non-profit organisations and developing a strategic positioning proposal. The students enjoyed DK’s presentation, which generated a number of interesting discussions and provided much food for through around what ‘socialising’ can do for start-ups.

Anna Brown, Director at Open Lab, College of Creative Arts

DK spoke to a group of PR and communication students at Massey University and he blew their minds. It’s not often that a speaker can resonate with an audience who already think they know all about the subject, but DK’s experience, coupled with a killer presentation, demonstrated to them that social media is more than just Facebook.

I have already recommended DK to people who need better insight and direction with their social strategies. The man knows his stuff!

Kane Hopkins, Lecturer at School of Communication, Journalism & Marketing

What an honour to speak to students—want to do more and explore opportunities to do project work with these hungry minds. If anyone thinks I can offer value in this area please get in touch.

Curious Adventures | The Places I Will Go

staying curious

Off on a curious little trip:

Wellington ✈ Auckland ✈ Vancouver -> Seattle ✈ Bozeman ✈ Chicago ✈ London -> Cardiff -> London ✈ Vancouver ✈ San Fran ✈ Auckland ✈ Wellington

Including speaking / consulting gigs for CHISEL industries, Cannon Design, CompTIA Annual Conference, BBC Wales, IBI Group plus attending Hatch.

The aim is to be madly curious and thoughtfully present whilst hungry to add value in any way that I can—what adventure have you been on lately?

Gift soap from the Creating Curiosity TEDxTeAro Brand Campaign

Imagine If… | Social Media Was Not Just Used As A Marketing Tool

Thanks for the inspiration Charles Darwin, Nikola Tesla, Anne Frank, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Ghandi, Jimi Hendrix, Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Erhart.

Remixed from this previous post as I continue my crusade to wrestle back the idea that social media is just for marketing.

Big thanks to Setuniman for the sound

The Future Of Now | Designing Social

dowa session

“Let’s just forget about the future, And get on with the past” ↬ Sting

Imagine designing a classroom. A place for learning and the cultivation of curiosity.

Four walls. Ceiling and a floor. Some windows and a door. Other elements like power sockets, furniture, projector, whiteboards, light switches. Focus on that light switch. It could be a dimmer or maybe a couple of configurations laid out as buttons in a vertical line. It’s usually just on or off.

Replace it with a camera. Now with existing gestural technology and software the users of the room have the potential to wave their hand or hold up a certain amount of fingers to make it work.

What if the camera was ‘broken’. Left open for the students to decide how it will function and better still to learn how to programme to make it work. Maybe they replace it with a microphone as they want voice commands (and it changes to recognise different languages for what is being taught that day in class). Or the camera recognises colour which in turn light the room the same way.

Now, not only is the classroom designed as a place to learn but also a space to learn how to use.

‘The Future Of Now’ was the title of a talk / workshop developed and delivered to the wonderful souls at DOWA-IBI Group Architects, Portland, Oregon (during my stateside trip in July).

The above was a response I gave when one of the architects asked for a very specific application to some of the social media / technologies in their future designs.

The official line:

DK was engaging, informative and thoughtful. He challenged us to think differently. The take away was: what is has already become what was and we should consider what will be with the opportunities available today.

For a firm like us we welcome that challenge.
John Weekes, Co-Founder, DOWA-IBI Group Architects

The Audience Has An Audience | Adapt, Adopt

Watch. Learn. Apply.

Back in 2006 I spoke at my first television-industry conference (there were many many more).

Even then the discourse and examples focussed on how the the web was shifting the watching experience. Martini media had arrived along with mobile phones plus social networks.

Fast forward over 7 years and most people will read / watch the above, nod and continue on their merry way. What a shame!

The social connected layer influences and continues to impact vast swathes of our considered and structured lives. This stuff doesn’t just apply to TV. It’s also about how we work. Our health. How we interact with our family / friends. Our security. How we bank. How we vote. Where we go for dinner etc

The idea that we have networks which we influence is what the clever people get. It doesn’t matter if it’s 10 or 10,000… we have the collective / connective power to influence and create on a level unknown like any other time.

Then again, we could just Instagram the sandwich we’re eating!

How does the idea of your audience having an audience affect / influence what you do?

ᔥ Motherboard Vice blog

Alan Watts Animated | Mindblowing Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YgEhvZDZVg

By Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

For more brain tingly stuff check out this YouTube ‘Alan Watts Lecture’ search.

Top vid via Alan Watts Subreddit

Crossing The Chasm | Small Numbers Matter

Diffusion_of_ideas

How the diffusion of ideas can be used in creating socially literate University departments.

The above idea originally was developed regarding how technology is adopted into a culture through consumerism. Within the graph there exists a ‘chasm that needs to be crossed‘ between the innovators / early adopters and the early majority (Simon Sinek does a great job at dissecting and detailing this). Knowing and focussing on this tipping point ensures a piece of technology (and subsequently, an idea) could take hold and become part of the global consciousness.

I recently used this model with the client below regarding creating an internal culture (rather strategy) of social media use.

Ensuring the innovators / early adopters become joined by the early majority sometimes means literally a handful of people rather than the larger department as a whole. Inspiring three or four souls can shift groups into a transitional point and simply thinking about it in this way (a few rather than a whole) makes the task immediately more achievable.

I have had 9 separate emails, 4 passer-by comments, and 5 texts this evening from people who attended the ‘general’ session. All comments were thanking, and praising of you, your talents, your gifts and your style.

You absolutely and undeniably rocked our world today…!!! In Maori we would say:

E kore e mimiti te puna mihi ki a koe e te tautohito, e te pou whirinaki!

(a metaphorical spring of acknowledgement and tribute that would never diminish / dry up… i.e. forever grateful for your expertise….you as a pillar of support (dependable, reliant) and adept / experienced and skilled).

Dee Reid, Te Toi Tupu – Kaihautu (Programme Leader), Institute of Professional Learning, The University of Waikato

In this session we focussed on how we can inspire a small number of people to curate content of interest, celebrate success, acknowledge their growing ambassadorial role, as well as mentoring champions coming through. Remember, we’re only talking three or four people here to create this bigger change.

How are you crossing the chasm?

The Mystery of Flying Kicks | Urban Lore

A global activity deconstructed.

Loved the crowd sourced model of storytelling here.

ᔥ The Awesomer

WATCH (like 1million+ others, my TEDx talk, now on ted.com), the public speaking lesson you never had, and BUY the companion Speaking With Purpose e/audiobook.