Talks

Nakedize founder Simon Hertnon enjoys the privilege of sharing his insights through speaking engagements, and has spoken at international conferences in the US and New Zealand. All Simon’s talks are tailored, but here are seven popular topics.

TalkHow the talk provides valueDig deeper
What is Optimal Knowledge Working? As many as 500 million people in the world are knowledge workers who ‘think for a living’. This talk clarifies who they are, what they (are supposed to) do, and the simple process they must follow to perform optimally.Introduction to Optimal Knowledge Working (course)
Why is it essential to become an Essentialist? Because time is limited, our achievements are shaped more by our choices than by our talents or accumulations. This talk clarifies the harsh reality of spreading yourself thinly, and the value of saying no to the things that don’t matter, so you can say yes to the things that do. Essentialism
Are you leading breakthroughs or busyness? Today, most leaders and managers advocate systems thinking, innovation, transformation, ‘Lean’-style efficiency, and work-life balance. This talk clarifies the gap between what leaders advocate and what they accommodate (siloed thinking, risk aversion, tweaking, inefficiency, and stressful workplaces), and how to turn it all around.Optimal Goals (consultancy)
What is transformation – really? Thousands of knowledge workers now have ‘transformation’ in their job title, job description, or both, yet hardly anyone knows what the term actually means. This talk clarifies precisely what transformation is and isn’t, how it is fundamentally different from improvement, and why modern technology makes it essential to transform (not improve) almost every type of human activity. This talk features material from Simon's forthcoming book, Clarifying Transformation.Strategy Essentials (course)
Improve or transform? Almost every industry is talking about transformation while steadfastly improving out-of-date systems. This talk clarifies the fundamental difference between improvement and transformation, and makes the case for the overdue transformation of your industry. This talk features material from Simon's forthcoming book, Clarifying Transformation.Strategy Essentials (course)
Is your organisation paying for too much information? Digital technology has exploded our capability to produce information, but not our capability to usefully consume it. The gap is called oversupply, and this talk clarifies just how big, costly, and wasteful the gap has become, as well as how you can turn the tide by changing your information culture. This talk features material from Simon's forthcoming book, The Price of Words.Strategy Essentials (course)
Is it possible to design an efficient document production line? When leaders become frustrated with the quality of the documents they commission, it is easy to blame the writers rather than the system in which they work. This talk reminds leaders and managers that systems do indeed govern performance, and that they are the ones who can most easily lift performance by replacing the accumulated (undesigned) writing system with one designed for optimal effectiveness and efficiency.Improving Document Production (course)
Timing and fees

Simon can tailor the length of his talks from a TED-talk style 18 minutes right through to a keynote 75 minutes, plus question time. Fees are by negotiation. Contact us if you are interested in having Simon speak at your conference, organisation, or event.