Heather McGowan

The most in-demand skill, both today and in the future, isn’t the one you currently possess—it’s the one you can cultivate tomorrow. Fueled by our innate curiosity, humans have an unparalleled ability to learn and adapt, from thriving in once-uninhabitable environments to developing tools (AI) that initially seem to outpace our own capabilities. Curiosity leads to exploration, creativity, and innovation. Curiosity also forms the bedrock of empathy and connection—the vital forces needed to heal our polarized society and unlock our exceptional capacity to connect and collaborate with both technology and each other. In this data-rich talk, Heather will illuminate how we arrived at this pivotal moment in human history and why curiosity, connection, and collaboration are not only the essential behaviors that afforded our species survival but also crucial for thriving in the augmented era.

It is harder to run your business than it was yesterday, there is greater uncertainty– especially global economic uncertainty, persistent inflation, exponentially growing technological capabilities, and employee challenges from disengagement to burnout. Given all this, what is a leader to do to drive profitable growth? Focus on encouraging the behaviors.

We have lunged at degrees, experience, and skills to secure a deployable workforce that could meet the demands of the day. We have sought to drive productivity through extrinsic pressure. The reality is today, we need to focus on hiring for, developing, and reinforcing the behaviors that enable performance. Curiosity, courage, adaptability, empathy, perseverance, and humility to name a few. Skills will come and go; technology will augment our abilities. Our behaviors will drive performance.

Today’s leaders must concurrently drive exceptional performance while fortifying organizational resilience. Through sharing insights, research, analogies, and case studies, McGowan’s discourse elucidates why focusing on behavior is both the future of work and the pathway to superior performance today.

The success of any organization hinges entirely on the performance of its people and, more specifically, their ability to communicate and collaborate. Our increasing polarization is robbing performance. As social beings, our collaborative nature has propelled us to the top of the food chain. It is now believed Homo Sapiens emerged ahead of other human ancestors not because we were stronger or faster or had larger brains, we did not, but because of our ability to both communicate and collaborate. However, our growing isolation is reshaping our brain function. When individuals feel lonely, their amygdala triggers a “fight or flight” response and activates our sympathetic nervous system, fostering an “us” vs. “them” hostile response. Moreover, a rapid amalgamation of social, cultural, and technological shifts, though inherently apolitical, has been politicized, exacerbated by social media echo chambers that reinforce our biases, reducing our ability to trust and collaborate. In the end civility is lost and with it trust, engagement, performance, growth, and profitability.

To navigate your organization through inevitable change cycles—whether adapting to AI, restructuring, launching new products, or simply sustaining success—it’s imperative to keep your team focused and cohesive, through minimizing interruption and internal conflicts. Heather’s presentation delves into the origins of our current state of distraction and division, drawing on research to pinpoint key factors contributing to distraction, while offering strategies to foster cohesion and concentration within your organization.

Note: This discussion does not revolve around politics or personal views, but rather explores the biological and cultural factors that have divided us, alongside practical leadership tools for managing an increasingly fractured and distracted workforce with techniques to lead profitable growth and performance through focus on connection, curiosity, shared vision, and purpose. 

Throughout much of the history of work, talent has traditionally been gauged by physical outputs. Despite the advent of transformative technologies such as generative artificial intelligence, one undeniable truth remains: the defining characteristic of this era is the ability to harness the potential of your workforce to drive profitable growth.

Research consistently highlights the pivotal role of human capital, which contributes a staggering 90% of enterprise value in the S&P 500. While technology, particularly generative artificial intelligence, increasingly handles routine tasks, the real competitive advantage lies in the performance of augmented human talent and creativity.

We’ve now entered the era of human value, where humans are recognized as assets to cultivate rather than expenses to minimize. No matter how impressive technology may be, its effectiveness is ultimately determined by the humans who utilize it.

In this presentation, explore strategies for navigating and mastering this challenging yet exhilarating new landscape, where we not only learn from technology but also collaborate and innovate alongside it. This paradigm shift encourages us to view technology as a partner in our journey, rather than a mere tool to be wielded.

In today’s dynamic and rapidly evolving work environment, maintaining peak performance while preventing burnout is paramount. To help our teams stay focused and excel, it’s crucial to realign them with shared values, their desired impact on the world, and a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves—offering profound opportunities for growth.

This enlightening discussion explores the art of cultivating resilient teams capable of thriving amidst adversity while prioritizing well-being. Drawing on cutting-edge research and practical approaches, this presentation delves into the transformative potential of authentic leadership, effective communication, empathy as a performance driver, and fostering a highly performance workplace culture. Discover actionable strategies to nurture resilience through emphasizing the importance of trust-building and psychological safety, both crucial for organizational health and sustainable, profitable growth.

In an age characterized by rapid technological progress within a globally interconnected economy, traditional work functions have undergone fragmentation, automation, and technological enhancement—particularly with the emergence of generative artificial intelligence. This shift necessitates a reassessment of education systems, workforce development strategies, organizational frameworks, talent management approaches, and even individual perspectives. Whereas previously we learned to work, we now must work continually to learn.

While the pursuit of closing a perpetual skills gap has been ongoing, Heather advocates for prioritizing hiring based on behaviors that facilitate heightened performance, irrespective of given skills and talents. McGowan suggests prioritizing candidates who demonstrate an intrinsic connection to purpose, an agile learning mindset adaptable to market fluctuations, and, significantly, behaviors indicative of a continual desire for improvement and growth.

During this presentation, Heather will distill recent research findings and provide actionable insights for organizations seeking to attract, cultivate, and retain talent characterized by a propensity for continuous learning and adaptability.