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Rasmus Hougaard    

Founder & Managing Director of The Potential Project

Rasmus Hougaard is the founder and CEO of Potential Project and the author of the ground-breaking and best-selling book by Harvard Business Press, “The Mind of the Leader”.

Rasmus is nominated by Thinkers 50 as one of the eight most important leadership thinkers in the world today. He writes for Harvard Business Review, Forbes and Business Insider. He is a sought-after keynote speaker and leadership developer who coaches and supports C-suite executives at global organizations such as IKEA, Accenture, Wal-Mart, and Unilever.

His newest book, "Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way", was published by Harvard Business Review Press in January 2022.

Speech Topics

Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way

Many leaders think they need to choose between being a good human being or tough, effective leader. But this dichotomy is false. Leaders who combine business wisdom with human compassion drive the highest levels of employee engagement, loyalty, resilience and performance. Leveraging research, stories, and key insights from Rasmus' HBR book, "Compassionate Leadership", this talk will help you navigate tough conversations, crises, and other leadership challenges with empathy and care for your people. Discover eye-opening research about the benefits of compassionate leadership, assess your capabilities, and enhance your own leadership with a memorable framework and practical tips.

Overcoming Ego to Unleash Growth and Innovation

As we rise in the ranks as leaders, we’re at increased risk of developing an inflated ego. Among many downsides, an inflated ego squashes growth and innovation. It can lead us to resist helpful criticism, hold confirmation bias, and prevent others from contributing meaningfully. Fortunately, we can break free from the seductive grip of the ego. In this engaging session, you will reflect on the ego’s role in leadership, understand important research, hear inspiring stories about unleashing growth and innovation by overcoming the ego, and gain practical tips as well as a powerful long-term strategy to develop a more innovative mind and step out of your own way to unleash the power of your people.

Develop Mental Agility to Survive and Thrive in Turbulent Times

How do leaders navigate the complex maze of today’s business reality amid the continuing haze of uncertainty? By developing mental agility. We can develop the dual superpowers of laser-focus and big-picture thinking, while overcoming the brain’s tendency towards distraction and tunnel-vision. With laser-focus, we pay attention to critical details and execute efficiently. With big-picture thinking, we think strategically and see new opportunities. While our brains are not wired for agility, we can train our minds. In this informative and engaging session, you will understand why training in mental agility is just as important as training in agile processes and methods, develop greater focus, enhance strategic thinking, and learn strategies, backed by neuroscience, to foster mental agility as a leader.

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