Engagement is the cornerstone of success, so let’s learn from a true expert in the field – Scott Gould!
From a church minister to a captivating Keynote Speaker, with stops along the way for poetry and thrilling PR projects with the prestigious Finland tourist board, Scott’s path to success has been an incredible adventure.
Scott gives us the push to commit to impactful engagement that makes a difference in both our personal and professional lives…
His Gould Rule of Engagement can be summed up in one tweet:
“It’s all about unity. Find what you share in common, gather people around that, and do something that matters. Think ‘we,’ not ‘me‘ or ‘you‘.”
Here are Scott’s thoughts on AI and how it will impact our engagement in the coming years…
“Well, our desire for deep, honest, meaningful relationships will never change. Yes, we will become lazier with attention, expect a greater level of ease and convenience, and all that stuff – BUT – we will not lose our desire for real engagement. So if brands want to succeed, that’s where to go!”
How he came to be a globe-trotting keynote speaker…
“Despite my failures (of which there’s many), I kept going at speaking. It just seemed to be something that no matter how well or bad I felt I had done, at least one person always came up to me afterwards and said it helped. This stayed true as I went into events, was a creative director, and then was the same when I was a church minister (that was what I used to be, actually!). I also went on to be a lecturer. So much of my career has centred around my ability to communicate well, even if I felt I didn’t.
Valuing the time and attention of your audience, and rewarding it with two things: the first is your honesty, and the second is a pure idea that is memorable and usable.
That’s why people love speakers like Seth Godin and Brené Brown – they just say it as it is, and that transforms people’s worlds – which is the biggest thing you can hope for as a speaker.”
Scott identifies the best-engaged brands…
“The best are the ones who, interestingly, have an engaged audience ASIDE from their social media presence. For instance, I’m clueless about what Apple is doing on social media, but I’m not buying anything that’s computer-related from anyone else, that’s for sure!
I’m engaged because of what they stand for, because of the quality of the product, because of how it matters to my life and to my identity. THAT is engagement.
It’s when being a customer of yours means something. Real engagement is when the brand lives with you and in you.
Think of any brand that has a strong following, and you’ll find customers who are engaged in the brand, not an audience engaged in a moment. And, you’ll find customers to whom it means something to be a part of that brand. Nike. Apple. Patagonia. Omega. Swatch. Tesla. Louis Vuitton. American Express. Adobe. Lego. The list goes on. Why does someone go to McDonalds and not Burger King? It’s not the social media ads or such, it’s because of which brand the person resonates with.”
Finally, Scott’s life motto is…
“It’s all about people, ‘cos it is.”
Scott breaks down engagement into three essential elements:
- Communication (Together in Head): Fostering shared understanding and connecting minds.
- Action (Together in Hands): Collaborating towards a common goal and working in unity.
- Transformation (Together in Heart): Creating emotional connections that drive personal growth and change.
Engagement as the Key to Performance!
- Teams become 21% more productive
- Employees exhibit unwavering loyalty 43%
- Customers express delight through a 23% premium in revenue
- Individuals experience a remarkable 33% improvement in well-being
- This showcases the true power of impactful engagement in every sphere of life!
Wait! There’s more! Scott’s expertise and insights will offer invaluable takeaways for individuals and professionals alike, so head here as we uncover the secrets to leaving a lasting impact through effective communication, inspiring leadership, and empowering others!
Scott has been a great inspiration. His advice has helped me refocus on those issues of importance and forego the fringe issues. He has helped me on the path, not to become something new, rather to rediscover who I was and can be again.
Well said Kevin! Thanks for your comment.