Prepare for a new dawn

As the sun sets on the worst decade of my lifetime, there is the easy temptation to spend the next 10 years saying, ‘I told you so.’ But bitterness has never been my strong point and my approach remains - to use the cards I’ve been dealt to assemble a winning hand. In my own way I do all I can to instil a ‘do it’ attitude.

Focus on the problem and you lose energy. Focus on solutions and the adrenalin flows. There are examples all around the country of people who have stepped up and made extraordinary things happen. When I say extraordinary, I mean they make huge impacts on population and economy. I have written about many of these initiatives and will continue to do so. One thing I have learned, is that those who wait for Governments to act, are the least contented among us. They make protest an art and disappointment a self-fulfilling prophecy,

When I take to the stage as a speaker, no matter where in Europe I am, I talk of the opportunities you and I have to be leaders of bold change.

Do it local, then spread it. That is the reverse of top down change. There are things we can do from tomorrow, to start to shift the wellbeing of our nation and encouraging people to take a lead on these is my 2020 priority.

Inspire a new generation of champions

We have a history of inspirational heroes and heroines. A nation of achievers who overcame adversity to command international respect. I want to create a fertile environment for us as a nation to rekindle our ambition, enterprise and reputation for innovation ·      

Leading with passion, ambition, energy to bring about economic recovery

Eliminating apathy, bureaucracy and greed·

Finding new ways to work smarter

Consigning outmoded thinking to history

Recognising the wealth of talent and creativity of people around you

Recognise ordinary people can deliver extraordinary ideas and solutions. We need business models that emphasise fun and free up thinking to create environments where attitudes are transformed. Environments where people are motivated to be courageous, imaginative and innovative.

Nurture new generations. Young people are key to the future. We need to listen, understand and value the sense of humour, clarity, creativity they contribute to our communities. Thinking differently is where new ideas come from.

Invest in enlightened education. Creativity is as important as literacy. We must now ensure creative performance is valued as much as competency in reading, writing and arithmetic. Let’s Invest in encouraging creativity in children from the earliest stages of education, continue our investment and we will grow a seedbed of entrepreneurs for the future.

 Create environments that inspire. Focus on making our towns and villages more attractive. Generate a ‘feel good factor’ in local communities by introducing more colour, humour and a sense of belonging where people feel free to flourish and make a contribution. Inspiring places energise and encourage inspiration, providing a positive future for families, communities and businesses

 Communicate more clearly and eliminate complexity. Consign bureaucratic language and unwieldy processes to the past. Focus on delivering our messages with more clarity. Be open to feedback and check our audience fully grasps our message so we avoid the costly pitfalls of ineffective communication.

 Keep it simple. Children have a fresh, stimulating and enjoyable outlook on life. Take a leaf from their book when we shape future policy and planning. Value their insights and we will harness a powerful energy to fuel the future.

The time to act is now. Free your natural creativity and realise the potential of an exciting new future, join me on a fantastic journey towards new horizons.

In a wrap…

1. Show real leadership and release people to think big, act and make mistakes – how many of our greatest talents have had to leave these shores to thrive.

 2. Get schoolchildren as early as seven, involved in shaping our neighbourhoods - More colour? Let’s just do it.

3. Create a language that’s clear, affirming and lifts spirits. “Let’s tackle poverty” disempowers. “Let’s create new richness” is a call to action. ‘New citizen’ is better than ‘immigrant.’

 4. Speed up decision-making and make things happen quickly – action builds belief. It took only 48 hours to pedestrianise a street in Brazil’s Curitiba. Fantastic!

 It's time to beat off the ‘complexity sellers’ and release those ideas and energies that if ignored will drop into obscurity and deepen cynicism.

One of Europe’s most authentic, exciting and persuasive speakers guaranteed to create a surge of energy that stays on peak well after he has performed. Mike has wowed audiences across the UK from Wick to High Wycombe and internationally from Ontario in Canada to Durban in South Africa. Mike’s journey from busker to multi-award-winning entrepreneur is a real tour-de-force and how he turns that learning into life-changing messages makes him a truly compelling keynote speaker, trainer or conference host.