“Out of a possible score of 5 in three categories, (objectives, work of presenter, & met my expectations), you scored 4.8, 4.8, and 4.7, respectively. One person even gave you 5+,5+, and 5+!”
-Lisa Mull, Conference Coordinatior, MIC

My hope is to bring the very best I have to offer as a speaker and interface it seamlessly with the theme of your event. I give my full attention to making you look great for bringing me in. Thank you for considering me.

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OTHER ORGANIZATIONS JEFF HAS IMPACTED:

•Hyatt •IBEW •Georgia Perimeter College •NSPRA •Chevron •Credit Union Executives •Urbana •Chic-fil-a •Fort Dodge •Good Samaritan Society •Fast Signs •Alabama League of Municipalities •Alhambra School District •Columbine High School •Dole Food Company •Food Marketing Institute •DEA •Shell Oil •Pedorthic shoe association •Chevron Products company •Bureau of Reclamation

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“As expected, your presentation was outstanding and the evaluations were very positive. I sat in on the program and came away with many very practical tips that I can put to use right away.”
-Gary Abrams, Executive Director Colorado Bar CLE

“In his wonderful storytelling manner, Jeff draws his listeners into the lives of others who demonstrate courage, creativity and hope in the midst of a changing world. Jeff’s style is relational and his humorous approach to life’s circumstances and challenges connects our hearts to our heads, creating inspiration with commitment.”
-Linda Olson Phd, Director, Pioneer Leadership Program at the University of Denver

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There really are no experts

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Jeff Vankooten

Ask any physicist and he’ll tell you there is a whole lot of missing information when it comes to explaining the workings of the world. A blind spot. A gap in our information-gathering abilities. Equations are always incomplete.

Physically, we all have a blind spot in the structure of the eye. There is a blind spot blocking out visual informationin where nerve connectors and receptors come together to form the optic nerve. We literally are not getting the full picture. To compensate our brain fills in the empty space of information to try to make sense of what it sees.

Experts swoop in to fill the empty space in our knowledge of the world and ourselves. Organizations pay them lots of money to provide the elusive information that will complete them and the lives of their employees. But even their insights are incomplete. They are not the full picture nor the final answer.

So it might be best to move from the concept of expert. None of us truly is no matter the number of academic degrees. Maybe a curious instigator is who we need to listen to instead for explanations. Our own curiosity and being interested more than interesting are key components to building relationships and conversations around issues that matter most to people. Get enough curious instigators together and you’ve got the makings for a real breakthrough.

Here are some qualities of curious instigators.

They are found everywhere because everyone can be one.
They are relentless in pursuing new avenues of knowledge and looking at situations from different angles.
They worry less about being interesting and focus more on being interested in the conversation at hand.
They aren’t afraid to push up against the status quo.
They’re playful in their approach to life
They are wildly open to the opinions and ideas of others
They never believe they have the final answer on anything
They read what no one else is reading
They do something, anything, to get started

What are some other qualities of curious instigators? What contributions do they bring to the table in the search for solutions?

Jeff Vankooten | Keynote Speaker

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There really are no experts