If change is not optional, then neither is foresight.
Brad Howarth is obsessed with helping people and organisations adapt to change. As a writer, researcher and author Brad has been examining the impact of technology-driven change on business and society for 25 years, writing for local and international publications including The Australian and BRW, and now he primarily works on developing whitepapers and research reports. Brad works with an extensive network of collaborators and thought -leaders, and brings an evidence-based approach to understanding current and future scenarios based on identifying case studies that represent best practice and defining their shared traits.
Brad has authored four books focusing on topics including change and adaptation, entrepreneurship and innovation, and life in a highspeed broadband society, and continues to contribute to numerous publications in Australia and around the world.
Current Work:
Brad is involved in an ongoing research program to understand and respond to the impact of technology-driven change. He works directly with businesses and community organisations to create strategy documents, research reports and discussion papers, and facilitates workshops that bring greater understanding regarding the impact of change and the possible responses.
Some of the findings of this work are included in his books Managing for Change and Innovation is for Everyone, co-authored with Peter Fritz AM, and he continues to write on these topics for numerous publications here and around the world.
Brad is also a passionate advocate for the need to ensure that all members of society can share the benefits of digital technology, having served as Ambassador for the Broadband for the Bush Alliance and Champion for the National Year of Digital inclusion. Brad believes that as more and more elements of society switch to digital technology it is vital that we do not create a society of digital ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’, but instead ensure everyone has access to digital services and the training to use them effectively.
Brad is an accomplished Keynote Speaker on the topic of change, delivering presentations focusing on topics such as the impact of technology on business and society, the future of work and management structures, and how organisations can best understand and respond to change.
He is also in demand as an MC, having hosted conferences and events for organisations including the Committee for Melbourne, the AHRI, and Worksafe Tasmania. Brad brings deep domain experience across numerous industries, and his background as a journalist makes him well suited to facilitating panel sessions and on-stage interviews.
Brad’s message is simple - If change is not optional, then neither is foresight.
Talking Points
Voyaging into the Unknown
If the future is unknowable, that doesn’t mean we can’t put in place strategies today to help us deal with any eventuality. Adaptation and resilience are the characteristics that will define those organisations that emerge in the best shape from 2020, and these characteristics can be developed in any organisation.Voyaging into the Unknown
Key Takeaways:
- Strategies for creating a more adaptable organisation.
- Advice on how to find new opportunities.
- Examples of how other organisations have adapted to change.
Managing for Change
We know that change is inevitable, but how many of us can honestly say we are able to adjust to change when it happens? But rather than simply reacting to the changes happening around us, what if we could anticipate and plan for change before it happens? Managing for Change
Brad Howarth is fascinated by change. As a journalist, he has been reporting on change for more than 20 years, and in 2015 co-authored the book Managing for Change, which provides guidance on taking a more active approach to change. In this interactive presentation/workshop, Brad takes participants through practical strategies for better understanding, envisioning and planning for change, with the goal of helping them design and shape their future of in a rapidly changing world.
Key Takeaways:
- Advice on creating a framework for goal setting and realisation
- Strategies for becoming more personally adaptive and resilient
The Evolution of Skills and the Future of Work
In 2019 Brad undertook a second major research project to investigate the skills that will be needed in the workplace over the next ten years. Through interviews with numerous workplace leaders, he was able to discern the nature of the changes that will impact workplaces and identify the skills that will be needed to meet these future challenges. The findings of this research is contained in the thought leadership report series The Evolution of Skills, published by TAFE NSW. The research report examined four industries in-depth - government, healthcare, infrastructure and logistics - although the key findings are consistent across all industries.The Evolution of Skills and the Future of Work
In this presentation, Brad speaks in detail about the factors that will impact the workplace of the future, and examine the skills that employers will need to help them best respond to what is to come, with practical advice on steps employers can take to ensure they are developing the skills they need. This presentation will also benefit individuals who may be wondering what skills they should acquire today to maximise their value in the workplace in years to come.
Key Takeaways:
- Exploration of the future skillsets required across specific industries
- Advice on how to develop these skills within an organisation
- Case studies of organizations that are meeting their future skills challenge
Storytelling for Commercial Success
Storytelling is one of humanity's oldest and most powerful tools, enabling us to transfer information in ways that can alter how people think, feel, and behave. Stories endure long after the facts are forgotten and can have an influence that stretches across entire populations.Storytelling for Commercial Success
In short, great stories have power - the power to create change.
For over 25 years Brad Howarth has wielded the power of storytelling, firstly as a business and technology writer for The Australian and BRW, and now as an executive communications trainer and coach. Throughout his career, Brad has used storytelling to translate and convey complex topics in engaging and meaningful ways for different audiences. Now, he teaches executives and teams how to do the same.
This interactive session exposes audiences to the power of storytelling and its role in human development, explores why storytelling is so compelling for communicating information, and discusses the techniques that can maximise the power of storytelling for achieving commercial goals. This includes guidance on defining and meeting objectives, developing key storytelling elements, building engagement by aligning with audiences' needs, enhancing delivery, and the importance of sharing stories within internal teams.
Content of the session includes:
The essentials of good communication
- The power of storytelling for transferring knowledge
- Using stories to influence how people think, feel, and behave
- The importance of defining a purpose and objectives
- Reducing the storyteller's cognitive workload
Aligning with audience needs
- The importance of research
- Understanding needs and wants
- Finding and articulating value
- Giving more than you take
Telling effective stories
- Working backwards from objectives
- Creating messages that matter
- Defining and delivering supporting evidence
- Using stories to drive influence
- Techniques for effective delivery
- Practicing for perfection
The session is suitable for executive groups, sales teams, or anyone who wants to boost their communication skills. This session can also be extended into a workshop where participants are coached on their own storytelling abilities.
Whether you are telling stories on stage, in group presentations, through one-on-one meetings, or using the written word, you are certain to benefit through learning to better harness the power of storytelling.
Video
Brad Howarth | Introduction | Saxton Speakers Bureau
Brad Howarth is obsessed with change. Brad has been examining the impact of technology-driven change on business and society for 25 years as a writer, researcher and author.Brad Howarth | Digital Inclusion | Saxton Speakers Bureau
Brad Howarth is obsessed with change. Brad has been examining the impact of technology-driven change on business and society for 25 years as a writer, researcher and author.Brad Howarth | The Future of Work | Saxton Speakers Bureau
Brad Howarth is obsessed with change. Brad has been examining the impact of technology-driven change on business and society for 25 years as a writer, researcher and author.Brad Howarth | The Millisecond Society | Saxton Speakers Bureau
Brad Howarth is obsessed with change. Brad has been examining the impact of technology-driven change on business and society for 25 years as a writer, researcher and author.Brad Howarth | Want and Need | Saxton Speakers Bureau
Brad Howarth is obsessed with change. Brad has been examining the impact of technology-driven change on business and society for 25 years as a writer, researcher and author.Brad is an exceptional presenter who understands the intricacies of the ever-changing world of technology and also manages to actively involve the audience throughout his presentations. Brad ... keep reading Interactive Minds
I have worked with Brad for over 10 years. All my interactions with Brad as writer, reporter and more recently as Panel Host or Master of Ceremonies have been positive. And whether it was the public face of Oracle, Intel or currently TIBCO that I manage, I can rely on Brad to assist and guide me.
Brad did an excellent job as MC of our HR Technology Conference. He was very well received by the audience and guest speakers. Brad has an easy going communication style and is professional and easy to work with.
I was looking for a new face in regard to the subject of the future and technology. Not just another futurist talk about stuff that people would never use, something more hands on for business owners as well as having the knowledge at a far greater level. Brad was perfect. His presentation was pitched right at the required level. He took the time to talk to the Members of our Industry to find out their thoughts and needs and he also took the time to not only talk with me on the phone but also in a face to face meeting about the theme of the conference and what I was trying to achieve. He was actually interested! Some of the comments from his session included... - Extremely worthwhile. - Very insightful and relevant. - I'm from the IT industry and have followed Brad. I thought he did a brilliant 'futurist' presentation to get us thinking. - Made a usually bland subject very interesting. - Relevant to lovers of global workforce and internet workers. I guess we need to know this stuff to keep current in a changing world. Not my cup of tea however I was engaged and found the session exceptionally informative. - WOW, did Brad shift us into the future and what can be possible? His presentation was edgy, he obviously is passionate about his topic and this was evident throughout his presentation. He opened my mind to what can be created, if we use our imagination and embrace technology, and apply it in those areas that work best.
Brad is a skilled and professional moderator. He oversaw two sessions at our forum, on relatively technical and obscure Internet-related issues. He was able to strike a balance between making the sessions accessible to the average layperson and useful for those with previous subject matter knowledge. Brad's pacing of the sessions was excellent, allowing our panellists to make their points and audience members to contribute frequently. He was well briefed and well prepared and I would not hesitate in engaging him again and recommending his services to others.
