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Stephen Shapiro

Author

Transforming Businesses through Innovation and Creative Problem-Solving

Visit Stephen's website

About

Gender: Male

Languages: English

Travels from: United States

Engagement Types

Themes

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Biography Highlights

Former leader of Accenture’s 20,000-person Process and Innovation PracticeAuthor of six influential books on innovation and creativitySpeaker and advisor to Fortune 500 companies in 50 countriesInducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame and recipient of the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designationSenior Research Fellow with The Conference Board

Biography

Stephen Shapiro is a renowned expert in cultivating innovation and transforming business practices. With decades of industry experience, Stephen empowers leaders and teams to tackle their toughest challenges by identifying and seizing unseen opportunities.

Career at Accenture

Stephen began his career at Accenture, where he co-led the business process reengineering practice, focusing on efficiency. Midway through his 15-year tenure, he shifted his focus to innovation, building a thriving 20,000-person practice dedicated to growth and job creation.

Transition to Innovation Speaker and Author

In 2001, after publishing his first book, “24/7 Innovation,” Stephen transitioned to a full-time role as an innovation speaker and advisor. He has since authored five more books, including “Goal-Free Living,” “Personality Poker,” and “Best Practices are Stupid.” His latest book, “Invisible Solutions,” was published in 2020. Stephen’s insights have been shared with audiences in 50 countries, influencing countless organizations.

Advisory and Speaking Engagements

Stephen works with top-tier companies such as 3M, P&G, Marriott, Nike, and Microsoft, helping them improve their innovation practices. His high-energy, engaging keynotes inspire audiences to think creatively and embrace new ways of solving business challenges. His keynote topics, based on his books, are tailored to meet the specific needs of each organization.

Recognitions and Contributions

Stephen’s contributions to the field of innovation have been widely recognized. He served a six-year term on the Board of Directors of the National Speakers Association (NSA) and holds the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation, NSA’s highest earned designation. In 2015, he was inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame (CPAE). Additionally, he is a Senior Research Fellow with The Conference Board.

Community Involvement

Stephen holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Cornell University, which has equipped him with the skills to optimize innovation processes. He has also been involved with Girl Starter, a movement encouraging young women to start their own businesses, serving as a judge and mentor on the TLC television show.

Based in Orlando, Florida, Stephen is passionate about traveling to meet his clients and share his expertise worldwide. His innovative approach has revolutionized organizations like NASA, Marriott, 3M, P&G, and USAA, making him a sought-after speaker and advisor in the realm of business innovation.

For organizations looking to enhance their innovation capabilities, Stephen Shapiro offers unparalleled insights and practical solutions to drive growth and creativity.

Videos

Media, podcast appearances and interviews

Showreels

Topics

Revealing Invisible Solutions

What if your organization had an effective and systematic approach to deal with any problem or opportunity?

To find better solutions, you need to first ask better questions. The questions you ask determine which solutions you’ll see and which will remain hidden.

This interactive keynote contains a very simple tool to reframe any problem multiple ways: twenty-five lenses that help you gain different perspectives. Packed with powerful stories and practical tools, this speech will enable everyone on your teams to start mastering any challenge.

Available: Virtually

PIVOTAL

In our fast-paced modern world, workplace burnout and confusion have become the norm. But it doesn’t need to be this way.

Stephen Shapiro’s keynote offers a powerful antidote to the dizzying spinning and relentless chaos overwhelming countless organizations (and individuals) today.

He provides practical tools to help you distinguish genuine opportunities from mere distractions, thereby creating stability in your professional and personal life.

The concept of stability is akin to a basketball player executing a pivot. While one foot moves in a circular motion, the other remains anchored to the ground.

The unsung hero is the foot that doesn’t move, as it provides the solid foundation and stability needed for future shifts.

This speech champions the planted foot. By focusing on what doesn’t—and shouldn’t—change, you can build a robust foundation that supports future shifts without wasting valuable resources on bright shiny objects or fleeting fads.

Available: Virtually

Personality Poker®

Contrary to conventional wisdom, opposites do not attract. As a result, in business, we tend to surround ourselves with people who are similar to us. Although this is great for efficiency, this lack of diversity can kill innovation.

How can you increase your innovation potential? Play Personality Poker® with Steve Shapiro! This fast-paced, highly interactive game will help you discover:

Your primary innovation personality
Your innovation blind spots
Why the person you like the least is the person you need the most
What is missing from your team that is limiting innovation and success
How to create a high-performing innovation team that leverages divergent points of view

This is the most interactive keynote you will ever experience and has been done with audiences of more than 1,000 people in a Vegas casino! Be ready for an incredible way to kick off your conference as it will set the tone for the rest of your event!

Available: Virtually

Small Bets To Win Big at Innovation

We live in challenging times. Inflation. Supply chain disruptions. Pandemics. War. Talent shortages.

Given this level of uncertainty, we need a different approach for innovation. When you can’t predict what will happen next, traditional long-term investment strategies fail.

The key to being nimble during these turbulent times is to focus on placing many small bets – rather than a few large ones.

But what bets do you place? Which bets should you kill? And when should you double down? Answering these questions is the key to success.

Available: Virtually

Innovate the Way You Innovate

Well-intentioned leaders, in their attempts to boost innovation, are inadvertently destroying it. What if “thinking outside the box” actually kills innovation? What if failure is not a necessary component of innovation? It’s time to innovate the way you innovate.

During this customizable and interactive keynote, you will discover that innovation isn’t just about generating occasional new ideas; it’s about staying consistently one step ahead of the competition. This enlightening experience brings to life the concept in Stephen Shapiro’s books, Invisible Solutions and Best Practices Are Stupid.

Available: Virtually

Innovation for Innovators

You’ve decided to invest in innovation.

You have a team of innovators ready to change your culture.

Now where do you begin?

Stephen’s presentation, consisting of content from his best-selling book, Best Practices are Stupid, is specifically designed for individuals tasked with making innovation a reality in your organization.

Available: Virtually

Books

Pivotal: Creating Stability in an Uncertain World

In our fast-paced modern world, uncertainty and confusion have become the norm. But it doesn’t need to be this way. Pivotal offers a powerful antidote to the dizzying spinning and relentless chaos overwhelming countless organizations (and individuals) today. Through tools that enable you to discern genuine opportunities from mere distractions, you can create stability in both your professional and personal life. The concept of stability is akin to a basketball player executing a pivot. While one foot moves in a circular motion, the other remains anchored to the ground. The unsung hero is the foot that doesn’t move, as it provides the solid foundation and stability needed for future shifts. This book champions the planted foot. By focusing on what doesn’t—and shouldn’t—change, you can build a robust foundation that supports future shifts without wasting valuable resources on bright, shiny objects or fleeting fads. The emphasis has always been on what’s next. But sometimes, we need to focus on what’s now. Being pivotal emerges from a place of power—today. It involves knowing where to channel your resources for the greatest impact, allowing you to offer clarity and direction to your employees—and in the process, becoming irreplaceable to your customers. Stop the spinning and start winning.

Invisible Solutions: 25 Lenses that Reframe and Help Solve Difficult Business Problems

What if your organization had an effective systematic approach to deal with any problem? To find better solutions, you need to first ask better questions. The questions you ask determine which solutions you’ll see and which will remain hidden. This compact yet powerful book contains the formulas to reframe any problem in multiple ways; twenty-five lenses help you gain different perspectives. With illustrative examples and guidance, it contains everything you need to start mastering any challenge.

Best Practices Are Stupid: 40 Ways to Out-Innovate the Competition

Well-intentioned leaders, in their attempts to boost innovation, are inadvertently destroying it. In Best Practices are Stupid, Stephen offers forty counterintuitive yet proven strategies for boosting innovation and making it a repeatable, sustainable, and profitable process. Shapiro shows that non-stop innovation is attainable and vital to building high-performing teams, improving financial outcomes, and staying competitive with peer organizations. Updated in 2023.

Goal-Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want NOW!

Most people are taught that in order to achieve great success they must set and achieve goals. However, in doing so, they become focused on where they are going rather than enjoying where they are right now. In Goal-Free Living, Stephen presents an alternative philosophy–live goal free.

Personality Poker: The Playing Card Tool for Driving High-Performance Teamworkand Innovation

The key to creating high-performing innovation teams is to make sure that all team members play to their strong suit. In the Personality Poker book and card game, Stephen helps organization leaders and their teams understand how they contribute to–and avoid destroying–the innovation process.

24/7 Innovation: A Blueprint for Surviving and Thriving in an Age of Change

Creating cultures of innovation doesn’t have to be rocket science. In 24/7 Innovation, Stephen provides a step-by-step guide for business leaders and their teams, showing them how to create cultures of innovation that support sustainable business success.

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