Millennial Keynoter to Highlight SMU's Virtual Steel Summit

As he says, “a” leader manages a team; “THE” leader motivates the team. He believes in the power of storytelling to make leadership understandable and relatable. “But never again tell a story that does not add value.”

Positivity is overrated, he says. “A” leader stays positive; “THE” leader stays creative. “That’s what we need right now, creativity.”

“A” leader knows the customer is important; “THE” leader shows the customer he or she is important. Something as small as a personal handwritten note can be very powerful as a communications tool.

There’s a difference between passion and purpose. Passion is an uncontrollable emotion; purpose is driven by reason. All employees need to feel a sense of purpose behind their role in the organization. “We need to always remind our people of the purpose they play,” he says.

Speaker’s Bio

Ryan Avery is one of the millennial generation’s most profound speakers on strategic communication, negotiation and leadership. At age 25, Ryan became the youngest World Champion of Public Speaking in history, competing against more than 30,000 contestants from 116 countries to claim the 2012 World Championship for Toastmasters International. As an Emmy-award winning journalist, two-time best-selling author and world record holder, Ryan has delivered more than 500 keynotes in 33 countries around the globe. His mission is to show leaders how to Go From A to THE® in their industry.

For more information and to register for SMU’s Steel Summit, click here.