On October 10, 2018, the annual CompLaude program will include the People's Choice presentations. That is only 22 days away, which is a bit disconcerting (more on that in a moment). These are approximately 6-minute TED talks presented by those selected by a committee of judges each year. This program was inaugurated in 2016, an idea of David DePaolo. I wrote about it then in Something New for CompLaude 2016 (September 2016). The People's Choice speakers for 2018 were announced last week.
The People's Choice Ted Talks are not all there is to Comp Laude of course. There are a variety of educational programs throughout. Details are in the published agenda. Perhaps the most compelling program of this gathering will be the Complex and Catastrophic Claims overview on Tuesday morning.
Or, perhaps it will be the inspiration of Ben Nemtin describing his recent "bucket list" experiences as documented in his book What Do You Want to Do Before You Die? Last year, as part of my registration for the event, I received a copy of Dr. Robert Pearl's book Mistreated and was grateful to both read and hear his thoughts. I am hopeful that this year I will acquire Mr. Nemtin's book and be equally inspired by his thoughts.
Or, perhaps the most memorable program will be Turning the Churn, an introspective on how people and their perceptions "shape opinions and affect outcomes."
And, I am so very proud that many workers' compensation luminaries that I know are finalists for Comp Laude recognition. I wrote about them all recently in 2018 Comp Laude Finalists Named (July 2018).
But, I admit I am not ready for the People's Choice. And, I need to be. I am humbled to have been selected to deliver a Ted Talk, my first. Without props or slides, I will pour out some ideas for 6 minutes and see where they land. I have a mere 22 days to prepare this, and the pressure is on.
Here is what I know about the People's Choice presentations. One will be about interpersonal relationships and interactions, dealing with the world we live in and those with whom we interact. Another will be about connecting with people and investing passion and caring in our tasks. A third will address compassion in our work, building a "culture of compassion" that encompasses relationships and contributions in the world of workers' compensation. Yet another will be about the reaction and growth we might or might not experience when confronted with a traumatic event, an examination of dealing with challenges or tragedy.
A fifth will be about the trauma of injury, and its impacts both physical and emotional; this presentation will be in first person, powerful, and focused on how employees can enjoy positive outcomes after accidents. Another will be about our perceptions of the millennial generation, their motivations, their strengths, and their potential; millennials will run the world soon enough and we need to recognize how that impacts both that generation and all the others. And, a seventh will explore how we control our outcomes, how our attitudes influence our perceptions, and how we can learn from experiences and grow.
Yes, one of those will be mine. No, I am not sharing which. The speakers (in alphabetical order, which does not match the order in which I described their topics above) are:
Brian Allen - Vice President, Government Affairs, Mitchell
Brittany Busse - Medical Director of Telehealth, Kura MD, Inc.
David Langham - Deputy Chief Judge, Florida
Carlos Luna - VP of Marketing & Business Development, Risico
Kristy Sands - Vice President – Marketing & Communications, Gallagher Bassett
Marques Torbert - CEO, Ametros
Bill Zachry - Senior Fellow, The Sedgwick Institute
I am proud to be on the list, humbled to have been selected, and a bit overwhelmed by the short preparation time. If you want a taste of the People's Choice, the presentations from 2017 are available here. It is going to be an entertaining and educational hour. David intended it to be so, but also to be motivational and inspirational. I am looking forward to it, and hope to see you there. Now, back to work on my six minutes!
