Manley is recognized as an award winning international keynote speaker and business leader, author, published outdoor adventure photographer and professional musician. He served two terms as the President of the National Speakers Association, St. Louis chapter.
Leveraging more than twenty years of business, professional speaking and adventure experience, he helps professionals breakthrough mindsets to step up and reach their next summit. As a result of his work, people have more focus, courage, commitment and momentum.
In fact he wrote a book titled, Reaching Your Next Summit! 9 Vertical Lessons to Lead with More Impact.
During Manley’s eleven years with Build-A-Bear Workshop, his leadership direction helped take the revolutionary retail concept from 40 stores to over 400 worldwide, realizing revenue growth from 55 million to over 474 million, and a successful IPO on the NYSE. He built an award winning reputation for implementing business solutions and support that produced measurable results every day. Manley’s leadership influence contributed to a workplace culture that landed Build-A-Bear on the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® List four years in a row.
It is this expertise that he shares by applying lessons learned in business and adventures to life’s daily challenges. The authentic, sincere and deep interpersonal connection Manley makes with your audience enables him to deliver practical and proven content to help organizations maximize their opportunities and develop their most valuable asset, their employees. Through custom developed programs and support ranging from 60 minutes to 12 months, he will leave you with many actionable techniques, frameworks, and insights. Most importantly, he can engage your organization in a way that sustains true results that last well beyond the presentation, and ultimately affect long term change.
Manley’s inspirational and content rich keynotes are brought to life through his national geographic photography and riveting stories culminating from a lifetime of adventure through 25 countries, to over 400 outdoor destinations. Manley vividly shares compelling lessons from his adventure and leadership experiences in a way that allows you to relate to your mountains. He will have you hanging beside him surviving in the Himalayas, struggling to communicate in Uzbekistan, and immediately transfer the experience to moving you forward in your courageous efforts.
Manley will challenge your mindset, arm you with ideas you can use, and inspire you to action.
On a personal note, he likes to sleep on the side of mountains. More shocking is that his wife has been putting up with that for more than two decades, and his two teens still kiss him on the cheek in front of their friends.
REACHING YOUR NEXT SUMMIT: 7 VERTICAL LESSONS TO LEAD WITH IMPACT, REGARDLESS OF YOUR TITLE
Reaching Your Next Summit is Manley’s signature keynote, focused on personal leadership, intentional relationships and peak performance. Attendees will walk away with a renewed sense of focus, commitment and momentum to realize the next level in their life and business.Program Overview
Professionals often struggle to deliver more value under tightening business constrains and rising expectations. Add the complications of regulations, engaging a multi-generational work force, constantly evolving technology, economic pressure, plus the chaos of day to day life; and you have a serious challenge.
After facing the same frustrations from the front lines to the executive level for more than 20 years; I believe the answer is in equipping individuals at all levels to think, act and influence as leaders in their environment. Manley’s Reaching Your Next Summit Keynote will help equip you lead on the edge, and realize more in your life and work every day.
Objectives
- Gain 7 leadership strategies that will empower every attendee to stretch their comfort zones and Lead Beyond Their Position.
- Discover the one area you must micro-manage to gain Clarity in the Chaos, Drive Focus and Build Momentum
- Drive innovation by encouraging individuals to step up, support others, and say what they see
- Identify 3 Critical characteristics you need to look for, develop and demand from yourself and every team member to achieve breakthrough results
- Engage, Equip, and Inspire attendees with multiple ideas they can use immediately to develop stronger relationships and increase their influence across vertical and horizontal boundaries
Attendees will gain tools they can use immediately to develop a leadership mindset that engages, equips and inspires both them and their team members to step up and lead regardless of their title. Expect team members to build relationships and serve beyond vertical and horizontal boundaries in their environment. Collaboration is just the beginning. With more accountability and increased commitment in the 80%, you will see results you can measure.
CHAOS AND MOMENTUM: HOW TO GAIN CLARITY, AND GET WHAT’S IMPORTANT DONE EVERY DAY
Program Overview
Do you know what you need to achieve, but get sidetracked by the inevitable storms of life? Staying focused on our goals, making consistent progress, and achieving our vision is a critical professional challenge that we all face.
In this program, Manley will outline a powerful framework that you can execute every day to get immediate results. You can learn how to gain laser focus, no matter what task you’re facing, and utilize your momentum in an effective way. Shut out the white noise of the world and keep moving forward!
Objectives
- Discover the one area that you must micro-manage if you want to achieve big-time breakthroughs
- Develop a daily process to keep you focused and moving forward towards your key initiatives
- Pick up techniques to break through the everyday resistance and get things done
- Learn how to save at least 17 minutes a day sifting through your Inbox
- Cultivate 5 Strategies to Sustain Momentum in every aspect of your life
Not only will you benefit as a leader from the actionable ideas and unique perspectives presented in this program, but your team will also be able to leverage these strategies to boost the value of your organization every day.
Are you building Momentum with every move you make or are you stuck in the storm of chaos, confusion, and miscommunication? Setting goals is the easy part. The real question is: are you and your teams achieving those goals in a satisfying way? Break free from the daily doubts, uncertainties, and mediocrity. There is no better time than now to execute your world-class vision!
In this program, you will gain insights into building a powerful framework to create and maintain momentum. Learn how to move from vision to velocity, stay focused, and get the results you have always wanted.
INFLUENCE AND LEAD YOUR TEAM TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH WORLD CLASS COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Program Overview
When organizations are asked how their individual teams could improve their overall impact on the business, a top response is almost always communication.
Exceptional business professionals understand the fundamental importance of communication skills; however, most professionals do not have an effective developmental path or the available resources to ensure that they and their teams are consistently improving their communication skills. If you can’t connect with one another or with the business as a whole, how can you possibly hope to communicate effectively with clients and customers?
Communication skills are the secret weapon of successful professionals, but it doesn’t have to remain a secret anymore. Arm yourself with a major advantage that will separate your team from the pack, ensure that you connect with your organization, and help you exceed expectations by constantly delivering high-quality results.
Objectives
- Avoid common communication mistakes and drive higher customer service metrics.
- Motivate your teams to strive for excellence every day. Connect with each individual at a much deeper level through the use of 4 key strategies.
- Learn how to transform your customers from aggravated irritants to loyal advocates by customizing your communication with each personality type in the most effective way
- Learn the 7 Sins and 7 Secrets that should be known before creating powerful PowerPoint presentations.
- Build key business alliances and develop advocates in unlikely places.
- Get alignment on key initiatives so the focus is unified and the goal orientation is clear for everyone involved.
- Learn how to connect with and influence your customers. Maximize your communication skills in every situation, whether you are in the boardroom or the lunchroom. In this laser-focused program, you will learn how to influence, lead, and inform others in order to drive innovation
