Felipe Gomez feels that fear is the biggest pain point for leaders today.
“Fear is the root of most vices, the opposite to a virtue,” Gomez says. “Leaders navigate both internal and external challenges, acting as sources of fear and amplifying the prevailing loneliness in their leadership roles. That is why vulnerability has become such an important topic. The pandemic was a period of allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, share our pains and fears and heal collectively. I really hope we don’t lose that big gain.”
One way Gomez helps people hold that gain is through his popular and entertaining keynote sessions. He’s presented his ideas in 27 countries across more than 1,000 events.
Add MPI to that mix. Gomez will be a keynote speaker at the World Education Congress (WEC) in Louisville, Ky., May 20-24. He says that attendees can expect something really different with his session—one rich in content but highly entertaining.
“I intend to take them on a journey that will stimulate their minds and touch their hearts and show them the way to human flourishing and extraordinary performance,” Gomez says.
Becoming a virtuoso
Gomez brings his more than two decades of global executive management experience to the stage for his keynote, Virtuoso, which mixes music and leadership ideas. He plays piano onstage to help drive home his points, offering a metaphor for leadership excellence and life.
The session is based on three elements musicians use to inspire audiences: method, attitude and passion.
Method refers to how musicians consistently practice with concentrated effort. It’s about discipline and the rigorous pursuit of excellence.
Attitude is about the connections musicians make with their audiences while on stage. It involves virtues like empathy, humility and service.
Finally, passion is the emotion musicians bring to their performances. With enough passion, extraordinary moments can emerge.
Life-changing moments
For Gomez, there have been three pivotal moments in his life. First, and he says most important of all, was meeting his wife and marrying her.
“Marriage and parenthood has been an exciting and life-changing adventure,” he says. “It was through her that I discovered, fell in love and shaped my career around the idea of virtue development as the way to truly live the good life, excel in what you do and find true happiness.”
The second pivotal moment in his life was leaving his full-time job in 2014 to devote all his time and attention to serving others through his keynotes and content.
“And third, moving to the U.S. in 2018 to expand my reach and work to access the most exciting and dynamic market for professional speakers in the world,” Gomez says.
But then the pandemic happened, and it was a shock to the meeting and event industry. Thousands of conferences were canceled, and the question was, now what?
“Fortunately, I was able to pivot, develop a way to deliver my content virtually with rich graphics, pristine sound and, most important of all, with my piano,” Gomez says. “2021 was one of my busiest years, and all of it was done from home.”
In-person events are now back, and Gomez is eager to extoll the virtues of, well, virtue.
“When people realize that virtue development is ‘the’ way to flourish, find happiness and do what you do with joy, they will just make the click and make virtue development their most important ritual in life,” he says. “That’s what I intend to spark in those 60 minutes I am on stage.”
Creating extraordinary events
Through his experience speaking on so many stages, Gomez came up with six levers that help create extraordinary events.
“In the universe of corporate events, the line between a forgettable gathering and an extraordinary experience lies in the meticulous crafting of every detail,” he writes in a blog post on his website.
The first “lever of excellence” is understanding the essence. Planners should know why exactly attendees are at a conference and make it meaningful for each one of them.
The second lever is the power of engagement.
“The true magic of an event unfolds when attendees are not mere spectators but active participants,” Gomez writes. “Interactive sessions, engaging activities and thought-provoking discussions create an immersive experience that leaves a lasting impact.”
He suggests creating spaces where everyone feels they can share their knowledge and expertise.
The third lever is about adaptability and resilience. Being flexible will help ensure an event stays on track even when faced with challenges.
Crafting memorable experiences is the fourth lever.
“In the universe of corporate events, the line between a forgettable gathering and an extraordinary experience lies in the meticulous crafting of every detail.”
“It’s about creating moments that linger in attendees’ memories long after the event concludes,” Gomez writes. “Incorporating surprise elements, inspirational talks or unique experiences are obvious tools to do so. But crafting memorable experiences also involves setting the stage for sensory immersion.”
The fifth lever is seamless execution. This is about details, details, details. Making sure everyone, from attendees to speakers to staff, is on the same page will help ensure a flawless event.
Finally, continuous improvement is the sixth lever for creating extraordinary events. This involves reflection and learning.
“I encourage every event planner to commit to having post-event calls with the client and the speaker,” Gomez writes. “Not only great ideas arise on how to implement and give continuity to the insights shared, but new opportunities of collaboration [also] arise.”
In fact, this idea forms the topic of something new he’s working on. When asked about his favorite piece of music to play when alone, Gomez says it’s Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major.
“My new keynote, The Beauty of Listening, is built around this piece,” he says.
Felipe Gomez at WEC brought to you by The Keynote Curators.
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