Joel Mckerrow is the go-to speaker for Creativity Driven Transformation. He has spent the last fifteen years on global stages, captivating hundreds of thousands of people with his passionate performative style and highly inspiring keynotes. More than this, he teaches leaders and teams how to find creative breakthrough. Not just once. And not just those who we would say are “creative”. Joel can lead you and your people to being able to, on-cue, tap into creative-flow and then develop these inspirations into innovative projects.
From the Sydney Opera House, to Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Centre, to The Metropolis in Montreal Joel has presented at some of the most iconic venues around the world. He is a Creativity and Innovation Specialist, and is passionate about individuals and businesses learning how to transform stagnation into creative momentum. Joel champions the belief that CREATIVITY and STORY are far too important to be confined to those traditionally labeled as ‘creative’ or ‘story-tellers.’ Instead, they are the very factors that will lead to both professional and personal success.
An award-winning writer, keynote speaker, Master of Ceremonies and one of Australia’s most successful performance poets, Joel represented Australia at the Individual World Poetry Slam Championships, is an author with Penguin Random House and is the current VIC/TAS President of PSA (Professional Speakers Australia). He has worked with clients like Village Roadshow, Hager Electric, The Design Coach, Sydney Writers Festival, The Learning and Development Collective and MANY more.
Renowned singer Kate Cebrano describes Joel’s work as, ‘completely free, reckless and unbound in his expression.’ whilst the CEO of Village Roadshow lauds Joel as, ‘a true creative genius’ and says of his work with their executive, ‘His impact on my team was nothing short of extraordinary.’
Joel is the person you want, when you want to spice up your event. When you want that creative-edge to inspire. He will have people laughing, he will have people in tears, he will have people fist-pumping on their way out of the room. Most importantly, his work will bring about transformation for your people. Joel has spent the last fifteen years helping leaders, students, execs and whole teams get un-stuck, and he can do the same for you.
KEYNOTE TOPICS
Unleashing Creative Momentum:Â Turning Inspiration into Innovative Breakthrough
What if every person on your team could, on cue, tap into inspiration and turn it into powerful, game-changing, innovative solutions? Most of us don’t consider ourselves inherently creative, or see its value in our careers. Yet, according to the World Economic Forum, Creative-thinking is the NUMBER ONE, in-demand, soft-skill for the future of work. Indeed, in a world that is constantly changing, no matter the industry, learning how to Unleash Creative Momentum might just be THE single most transformative skill needed for your organisation.
Leading from the Inside: How Creativity Fuels Wellbeing in Leadership
As burnout and stress rise, leaders often feel drained and disconnected from their sense of purpose. This session is designed to address the increasing demands on leaders in today’s high-pressure business environments. A keynote that will not only explore how creativity can serve as an antidote for any leader striving for long-term resilience, fulfilment, and a deeper sense of meaningful work; but will also awaken each persons unique creative-self, no matter how dormant this self has been.
StoryWork: Engaging Narrative to Spark Change
The stories that we tell become who we are – both as individuals and within the cultures of our workplaces. The success of an organisation therefore rises and falls on the basis of the stories told within it and about it. Welcome to StoryWork—a powerful approach to leveraging narrative to ignite both personal and organisational change. In this keynote Joel will demonstrate how the right stories, told in the right way, can shift perspectives, build a sense of shared purpose, and create a culture of engagement and trust.
Testimonials
“Joel is a special human being who brings care and magic to everything he works on. Our community of storytellers are among some of the most creative people in the world, and he displayed a unique ability to inspire and move them deeply. “
“An extraordinary blend of warm generosity, deft poetry, powerful charisma and no ego. I left awed and authentically grateful to be in his presence. “
“Joel is a powerful presence in any room. He makes each individual feel seen, valued, and connected to a deeper place. His poetry is booming, spectacular; but his message even more. He is in the uppermost tier of speakers I’ve worked with, so much so that I hired him again, and again.”
“Joel is one of Australia’s most compelling speakers. His ability to capture the attention of an audience in a moment is remarkable and breathtaking.”
‘A poet who can move an audience to hold their breath, to hang on every word, or cause tears to tumble, as the master of words leads you on a journey, at times, in self-discovery. Â Joel encapsulates everything that Storyfest is. He engages and nourishes both the young and old with his performances and encourages them to discover their own voice.’Â
“The Centre for Public Impact invited Joel to come and work with us for a couple of hours and he did not disappoint! A diverse workshop of community members and local business people who had never written before were turning out poems and freely writing about their experiences. The group really enjoyed the session, and were inspired by both Joel’s performance poetry and the way he scaffolded their creative process. I have no hesitation in recommending Joel to others doing similar work.”
“Joel is a man of clear character and passion. His ability to connect and relate the creative process with meaning and relevance, is absolutely unique. Speakers such as Joel are a terrific gift to come by, for any audience within any industry.”