EJ Dionne on Meet the Press

E.J. Dionne Jr. will appear this Sunday as a panelist on NBC's Meet the Press. A syndicated columnist and NPR commentator, EJ is a lively and always timely speaker for civic groups, bar associations, professional conferences, universities, and more.

E.J. employs his passions for people and politics and his keen intellect to deliver reasoned analysis that is followed by a wide circle of policy-makers nationwide – on the left, right and center. His book, Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith & Politics After the Religious Right was praised as “deeply personal and searchingly intelligent” by the New York Times Book Review and as “an insightful look into the intersection between religion and politics."

LAI to Represent Gregg Easterbrook Exclusively

From the office of my boss:

“I am pleased to announce that Leading Authorities will be representing Gregg Easterbrook, author of the just-published book, “Sonic Boom: Globalization at Mach Speed.” Published by Random House, the book is the focus of a two-page spread in the February 22 edition of Newsweek Magazine. See attached link:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/233528.

Gregg Easterbrook is a highly-acclaimed author and a contributing editor to The Atlantic (he has written more than a dozen cover stories). He also writes for The New Republic. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and on the covers of Newsweek and Time.

In the tradition of Tom Friedman, Gregg’s new book, Sonic Boom, talks about how globalization is fundamentally changing the economy and creating unprecedented wealth and unprecedented uncertainty and angst. He posits that despite the financial meltdown of 2008, the world economy is getting back on its long term growth track and that continuing globalization, interconnectedness, and technological advances are making the world more prosperous….from the developed world to the emerging markets.

According to Gregg, the city of Shenzen in China has become the fourth largest port in the world in a single generation; Waltham, Massachussetts is New England’s answer to Silicon valley, even as it becomes more inhospitable to fading mercantile industries; Yakutsk, Russia, the coldest major city in the world is poised to be a major beneficiary of global warming; General Electric has moved from selling light bulb to jets to green tech. In his book and lectures, Gregg helps us understand the trends and economic developments that are fundamentally changing the way people work, communicate, and live.

Forbes Magazine called Gregg “the best writer on complex topics in the United States.”

Sought after by the media, Gregg has appeared on Today, Larry King, Nightline, CBS Morning News, All Things Considered, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and The O’Reilly Factor, to name few.”

Marshall Goldsmith's New Book, MOJO, and Special Offer

We hope you enjoyed Marshall Goldsmith's livecast presentation last month. His new book, MOJO: How to Get It, How To Keep It, and How to Get It Back If You Lose It will be released in February. For a limited time, Goldsmith and Leading Authorities will provide free copies of the book for up to 1000 attendees at your event.

"Mojo", as Goldsmith explains it, is that moment or feeling of moving forward, making progress, achieving goals, clearing hurdles, and passing the competition. In a difficult economy, nothing could be more valuable than recapturing the momentum-building energy of tangible success. Goldsmith's presentations are invaluable opportunities to explore these ideas, get practical tools for mastering change, and engage in one-on-one dialogue with a leading business thinker. He reveals how our mojo is impacted by identity, achievement, reputation, and acceptance. Participants will be able to define mojo, measure it, and keep mojo by letting go of the little stuff, avoiding pointless arguments at work, and steering clear of mojo-killers.

After the release of his last book, Goldsmith was in high-demand for events and meetings and we anticipate many requests with the release of MOJO. If you are considering booking Goldsmith, call me at 202-721-7675 to ensure a spot on his schedule.

Get Your "Mojo" Back with NYT Bestseller, Marshall Goldsmith

Leading Authorities is excited to announce exclusive representation of Marshall Goldsmith, corporate America's preeminent executive coach and one of its most popular speakers. Goldsmith has worked with over 120 major CEOs and management teams at the world's leading corporations, and he's been named one of the five most respected executive coaches by Forbes, a top-ten executive educator by the Wall Street Journal, one of the most credible thought leaders in the new era of business by The Economist, and one of the most influential practitioners in the history of leadership development by BusinessWeek. He was also recently selected for the Thinkers 50, an internationally recognized biennial guide of the world's top 50 business thinkers. Goldsmith is the best-selling author of What Got You Here Won't Get You There, a Wall Street Journal #1 business book and winner of the Harold Longman award for Best Business Book of the Year.

Goldsmith's next major book is MOJO: How to Get It, How To Keep It, and How to Get It Back If You Lose It. MOJO will be released in February, and for a limited time, Goldsmith and Leading Authorities will provide free copies of the book for up to 1000 attendees at your event.

"Mojo", as Goldsmith explains it, is that moment or feeling of moving forward, making progress, achieving goals, clearing hurdles, and passing the competition. In a difficult economy, nothing could be more valuable than recapturing the momentum-building energy of tangible success. Goldsmith's presentations are invaluable opportunities to explore these ideas, get practical tools for mastering change, and engage in one-on-one dialogue with a leading business thinker. He reveals how our mojo is impacted by identity, achievement, reputation, and acceptance. Participants will be able to define mojo, measure it, and keep mojo by letting go of the little stuff, avoiding pointless arguments at work, and steering clear of mojo-killers.

After the release of his last book, Goldsmith was in high-demand for events and meetings and we anticipate many requests with the release of MOJO. If you are considering booking Goldsmith, call me at 202-721-7675 to ensure a spot on his schedule.

Recent Reviews on Three of Our Best Speakers

In the past few weeks we've received rave reviews for three individuals worthy of dropping you a note about: former CIA and NSA director General Michael Hayden, former Kellogg's CEO and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, and Matthew Bishop, the American business editor of the Economist. With new ideas and new perspectives, all three speakers notably change the dynamics of a meeting.

General Michael Hayden is a riveting speaker-- thoughtful, provocative, and funny. His stories and anecdotes about his history in the intelligence community are fascinating, and offer relevant lessons for everyone in business today. He takes the audience on an engaging trip around the world, and whether exploring America's challenges and opportunities, revealing what it takes to manage and lead one of the most diverse and complex organizations in the world, or offering insight to what the years ahead will bring, General Hayden keeps the room hanging on every word.

Carlos Gutierrez, former CEO of Kellogg's, recently gave one of the best speeches on leadership and business lessons I have ever seen. He's had a storied career--the son of Cuban immigrants, he got his start by delivering cereal in Mexico before rising to become one of the country's most respected and successful CEOs. Gutierrez reveals that the greatest successes and failures of his career were really about leadership and people issues--hiring the right people, developing great teams, and communicating effectively. Perhaps what sets Gutierrez apart from many speakers is the length he goes to customize his speak. Each talk is uniquely prepared, increasing the take away and the connection with the audience.

Lastly, I was excited to hear Matthew Bishop, American business editor and New York bureau chief of The Economist. At a CEO breakfast in our DC offices, Bishop proved his breadth of knowledge on financial trends is second to none, and his insights on the path forward for industries, business, and the broad economy are thought provoking, bold, and a cause for optimism. Bishop's book, The Road From Ruin: How to Revive Capitalism and Put America Back on Top, is already getting a good bit of attention, and his profile is sure to rise upon its release on January 26.

These are only three of the newest speakers at Leading Authorities, but given the recent reviews, worthy of a note to you. Please don't hesitate to contact us to discuss how Leading Authorities can help you design your next great event. We are exited about working with you in 2010.

Matthew Bishop Follow-Up

For those of you that were unable to make it this morning, we hosted an interesting breakfast with Matthew Bishop. Matthew Bishop’s breadth of knowledge on financial trends was second to none, and his ability to clearly explain the historical context behind our current challenges was flawless. His book, The Road From Ruin: How to Revive Capitalism and Put America Back on Top, will be out January 26. If you would like a copy, please shoot me an email.

A quick recap of his 4 signposts to recovery:

• Create a new economic model based on the rational and realistic ways that people make decisions and institutions work.
• Fix global imbalances by getting away from the US dollar as the world reserve currency
• Put long-termism back into capitalism. Rethink fiduciary responsibility.
• Create a financially literate citizenship

His final thought:

“I worry that people are back to business as usual, thinking ‘we got away with it’. It’s a dangerous mode of denial. If we don’t update the capitalist system, we are going to regret it.”

If you were here this morning, I’m glad you were able to attend the discussion, and I’ll touch base in the next week or so. If not, I hope you can make it to our next event. If you are interested in more info on booking Matthew Bishop for your organization, or would like to hear more about our other speakers on the economy, please call me at (202) 721-7675.

Healthcare Reform: Then and Now: New Speech From Ron Brownstein

In the last 60 days, many of our clients have been asking for someone who could lend insight into the current healthcare debate in Congress. Ron Brownstein is the political director of the Atlantic Media Company and a frequent guest of Meet the Press, This Week with George Stephanopolous, Face the Nation, and the Newshour with Jim Lehrer. He has been receiving rave reviews for his consistent analysis and dedication to customizing his message to each audience. In every non-partisan speech he gives, Ron specializes his talk to help organizations connect the dots and understand the various implications the new policies will have for their industry.

In a lively and illuminating talk, Ronald Brownstein traces the similarities and differences between President Obama's push for fundamental healthcare reform and Bill Clinton's failed effort to restructure the system in 1993 and 1994. By exploring both the continuities and changes in the political and economic climates since 1994, Brownstein offers a fresh and engaging perspective on the likely outcomes of today's legislative struggle over remaking one-sixth of the American economy.

For more information about Ron Brownstein or others, comment or call!