Keynotes
Chris Trout's keynotes inform and inspire, reaching both head and heart to create a sustainable energy that changes lives.
Chris will tailor a keynote to remember for your event. See examples below for how his powerful message can be framed to best resonate with the needs, experiences and language of your audience.
Keynotes can range from 45 minutes (with an inspirational focus) to two hours (with a teaching focus).
Want a break-out session too? Chris has created a format that audiences love.
Chris' signature keynote...
Be Transformative! Tapping the power of strengths to foster resiliency and success
Every young person - especially the one who is making you crazy or tugging at your heart - is walking around right now with the strengths they need to be resilient and successful. Can you see them? In this dynamic and engaging keynote presentation, Chris weaves stories, research and audience participation to teach that the key to being transformative lies not in fixing weaknesses, but in growing these strengths. But understanding is not enough. In vivid and practical terms, Chris shares how to identify these strengths, even through the clutter of chaotic and challenging behavior and circumstances. But seeing is not enough. The next step is to communicate these strengths—specifically, authentically and effectively—so the young person can begin to use them as powerful tools for life. In addition to these new insights and skills, audience members will never again see themselves or others in quite the same way. Now that's transformative!
An example of a twist on this theme...
Be Transformative! Seeing Strengths in the Chaos of Deficits
Every young person - especially the one who is making you crazy or tugging at your heart - is walking around right now with the strengths they need to be resilient and successful. Remarkable research - in fields ranging from business and athletics to education and medicine - is all leading to the same conclusion: the key to success lies not in fixing weaknesses, but in growing strengths. Yet, too often we are distracted by behaviors that are disruptive, self-destructive and just plain annoying. In this dynamic and interactive session, Chris Trout challenges the audience to see beyond the distraction of deficits to the strengths young people have already used to overcome adversity. In addition to gaining new insights and skills to help young people see themselves as strong, capable and resource rich, audience members will never again see themselves or others in quite the same way. Now that's transformative!
Keynotes specifically designed for parent audiences...
Improvisational Parenting: hearing each child’s inner rhythm
Why do the how-to books ignore what parents already know: that what works with one child is useless with another; that the changing face of families has made everything from roles to rules more confusing; and that we just want our kids be able to thrive in a world with seemingly unlimited choices and challenges. In this engaging and interactive presentation, Chris uses jazz improvisation as a metaphor for the challenges and joys of playing to each child’s strengths. Like jazz, the key is to know the fundamentals (what do young people tell us they need most) and know the tune (above all, our children want to be “known"). Then we can joyfully improvise, playing to everyone’s strengths (including our own!), so each interaction is an opportunity for a new creation.
Life Happens! Parenting Resilient Teens
No matter how strong we are - emotionally, spiritually or financially - just the process of becoming a young adult is full of unexpected challenges. What can we do to equip our kids so they can bounce back from adversity—and even be strengthened by it? This fun, inspiring and practical workshop for parents explores what helps both kids and parents thrive—even when the road gets rocky. Topics include:
- The capacity to “see” what is going right and how to build on it.
- How to set limits without setting off fireworks!
- The balance between safety and independence
An inspirational keynote that speaks to all kinds of relationships...
Miracles in the Midst: It takes just a minute to make a difference
In this empowering and poignant presentation, Chris uses stories and research to help each person understand the tremendous impact they can have on another, whether that be a child, life partner, co-worker or clerk at the grocery. You will leave with a deeper awareness of who has made a difference in your life and how choosing to focus on strengths can transform every interaction and relationship.
For those who wish to focus on the personal development of audience members...
Got Strengths? So what's stopping you?
In this highly interactive keynote, audience members have the opportunity to identify and explore their innate and acquired strengths and how these have been expressed in their lives. This adventure begins with a focus on how our perceptions determine our actions, then moves on to the identification of individual strengths and an exploration of what the results can mean to our work, collegial relationships, parenting and personal happiness. While self-awareness and learning are the focus, the tone is light, fun and interactive.
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Breakout session...
Specific, Authentic, Effectively Communicated
This follow-up to Chris’ keynote presentation is your opportunity to ask the hard questions that come with every change in perspective. "What do you do when...?" "What about parents who...?" "I've tried that, but...!" Chris will respond with examples, stories and exercises to get down to the brass tacks of working from a strengths perspective. This session provides the opportunity to think specifically about the young people in your life, identify their critical underlying strengths, and strategize about how to teach them their strengths in your style, and in a way they can hear. Chris will also share strategies to sustain this perspective even in the face of little support, challenging circumstances and too little time. This session is when the “aha’s” become concrete, “ah, yes, I see what to do now!“