People Still Matter…
…Developing Technical Talent in the Age of AI
Impact: Improve morale, retention, and productivity, all of which lead to stronger business results and a better bottom line.
For anyone who manages, hires, or influences the process, this presentation focuses on talent, especially technical talent. You'll get practical ways to set expectations, find and attract “rock stars”, hire the best fit, provide career paths and professional development, and ultimately improve your morale, retention, and productivity.
P.S. this is also relevant for non-profits who want to increase their impact!
Timeslot: 30-45 min.
Cancel Your ERP Project!
...or whatever other expensive acronym you were about to buy...
Impact: Reduce risk and cost on expensive software projects.
This presentation sets realistic expectations for large software projects, ERP or otherwise, and the "organizational transformation" sales pitch that sets you up for disappointment. (You CAN transform your organization, but let's set up some realistic expectations for what it takes.) No matter what, large software projects are really hard. I aim to improve your chances of success if you decide to forge ahead. I'll share practical tips on typical project pitfalls and some traditional and non-traditional approaches .
Timeslot: 20-30 min.
Don't Post That Job...
...why your aspirations for your first IT hire are (probably) wrong
Impact: Faster and more successful IT hiring; better retention.
This presentation is for organizations making their first IT hire. Too often we go to market looking for an entire IT department in a single job description. For what you want to spend, it’s unlikely you'll find someone who will change a printer cartridge, replace your current IT vendors, manage the budget, negotiate contracts, and effectively brief the Board on cybersecurity threats. And if you do, they’re probably not staying long. The information in this talk can improve your chances of success.
P.S. this is relevant for non-profits too!
Timeslot: 15-20 min.
Try Not to Suck: People Management 101
Impact: Improve morale, retention, and productivity, all of which lead to stronger results and a better bottom line.
This one's for managers, especially technical, whose people skills may not be at the top of the list. I’m not saying that’s all technical leaders of course, but if you’re asking for a friend then good news - it can be learned! You'll get practical tips you can use to keep your people happier, more engaged, and more productive. By the way, that makes your job much easier and ultimately improves business results. Oh wait, right, you were asking for a friend - it will make their job easier. Wink.
P.S. this works in non-profit orgs too!
Timeslot: 20-45 min.
With apologies to legendary baseball coach Joe Maddon who, along with his famous eyeglasses image, made "Try not to suck" a well-known phrase during his tenure with the Chicago Cubs. It ultimately led to their 2016 World Series championship. I mean it. They won because of the t-shirts. Well, ok, not really...
Cybersecurity on a Budget
...you don't have to outrun the bear
Impact: Reduce security risk without overspending on shiny objects.
Even small organizations with a small IT team or no IT team are a prime cybersecurity target. But they often have less time and money, and sometimes less expertise, to match the defenses of larger organizations. If this is a movie you’ve seen before, this presentation is for you. We’ll stay out of the technical weeds so non-IT leaders and managers will benefit as well! I’ll talk about where to focus your efforts, practical ways to get the most risk mitigation for your time and money, and important questions to ask of — and expectations to set with — your IT support vendor.
Timeslot: 20-30 min.
Are You Going to Eat That?
...why you're missing the other half of the IT sandwich
(Spoiler Alert: It's About Your Software)
Impact: Better productivity, more potential efficiency through automation, and a bigger return on software investments.
This presentation is for organizations with little or no internal IT staff who are using Managed Service Providers, aka MSPs, or outsourced help desks for all their IT support. That’s a great approach, and those organizations typically do an excellent job at managing support, networks, security - what we call the “infrastructure” side of IT. Infrastructure is absolutely critical - it has to work. However, most of the time it doesn’t provide the ROI, strategic benefit, or competitive advantage that good, highly utilized software and process improvements can. Who is helping you with that?
Timeslot: 30-45 min.
61Keysnote Keynote
Yep, I dare you to hire me for this one.
Looking for something different? This is it: a keynote speech with live music about your topic, event, or corporate culture. What?! In the words of the great Greg Orr, "it's never the same way once." Book a presentation like no other.
Impact: It'll be entertaining. It'll be insightful. It'll be... something.
Don't worry -- I'm a professional.
Timeslot: Custom Length.
Bob Wallis is a seasoned presenter, performer, and facilitator with experience making an impact on large and small audiences. He can tailor his approach to suit the tone of your event and your attendees. He is also certified by the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers (NASPAA).
Bob's Previous Speaking Engagements, Panels, Trainings, & Workshops:
Promotional Products Association
Expo - Las Vegas, NV
Tech Summit - Austin, TX
Business & Healthcare
Shamrock Foods - Phoenix, AZ
Apex Controls - Grand Rapids, MI
Kalamazoo Anesthesiology - Kalamazoo, MI
Edwards Garment - Kalamazoo, MI
Stryker Global IT - Chicago, IL; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Cork, Ireland; Mahwah, NJ; Rutherford, NJ; Puerto Rico, US; San Jose, CA; Kalamazoo, MI
Stryker Neurovascular - Fremont, CA
Stryker Instruments - Kalamazoo, MI
Stryker Corporate - Kalamazoo, MI
Higher Education
Michigan Sport Consulting Group, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI
Kalamazoo College - Kalamazoo, MI
Kalamazoo Valley Community College - Kalamazoo, MI
Non-Profit
Girls on the Run of Greater Kalamazoo - Kalamazoo, MI
Big Brothers Big Sister of Southwest Michigan - Kalamazoo, MI
Prevention Works - Kalamazoo, MI
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kalamazoo - Kalamazoo, MI