From the mad dash to get to Changi Airport to dressing up as an explorer in Manila, two recent speaking engagements show the behind-the-scenes of a motivational speaker’s adventures
I think this feeling is something that a keynote speaker knows.
You are at the back of your rideshare with just minutes to spare to catch your flight back, when you realise that you forgot your laptop at the hotel ballroom you just spoke at.
Singapore: A Race Against the Clock at the Grand Hyatt
My keynote speech for the ST Engineering leadership conference had finished at 4:10 pm. My flight back to Hong Kong was going to depart at 6 pm. I was cutting it a bit close timing-wise, but I had full confidence I would make it in time.
After all, Changi Airport is one of the few airports in the world where I know I can get through immigration and bag checks an hour before my flight without breaking a sweat.
That is, until I realised that I had left my laptop behind at the venue.
What was supposed to be a routine flight home to Hong Kong turned into a mad dash to get my laptop back.
Enter Mervin Tan, one of the conference’s brilliant organisers.
He jumped in his car, pursued my Grab to the airport, and gave me the laptop a few minutes after I got there. Thank you for acting fast and saving the day, Mervin! This might be a story I’ll be telling for years to come.
Enormous thanks also to ST Engineering for inviting me to speak — it was a really fun event with a brilliant, engaged audience.
Manila: Delivering the Think Like An Adventurer Message for BDO’s IBG Conference
A week earlier from my ST Engineering engagement, I also had the great pleasure of speaking at BDO‘s Institutional Banking Group’s (IBG) Annual Conference “The Great Expedition” in Manila.
I felt right at home as the theme set exactly the right tone for the session we were about to have. Everyone (speakers and audiences alike) came dressed up as explorers for the day.
Why Think like an Adventurer resonates in uncertain times
The central message I brought to BDO’s team was one I find particularly relevant in the current climate of rapid change and deep uncertainty: the idea of thinking like an adventurer.
Most business leaders think that their boardrooms are the farthest thing from a 50,000-kilometre bicycle expedition. But when you’re navigating unfamiliar circumstances — whether that’s -4o in Siberia or a changing business environment — you adopt a particular mindset to succeed.
Adventurers, like today’s business leaders, shouldn’t expect their journeys to be linear. They should be ready to embrace challenges, seek help when appropriate, and commit to a clear goal.
It was great fun to share those reflections with the entire BDO IBG team in Manila. It was extra special to have Christine join me for this session.
Here’s a photo of Christine and me enjoying the photo booth.
So those are just two of my most recent speaking expeditions as of late. On to the next adventure!
If you’re interested in bringing these themes to your organisation or event, I’d love to hear from you. Contact us at team@roblilwall.com.