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Aerial view of Central Park and Times Square, New York City, at sunset.
When PCMA Education Conference 2017 opens at the New York Marriott Marquis in the heart of Midtown Manhattan on Sunday afternoon, attendees can expect to encounter something new — maybe just a tad uncomfortably so.
From the physical space to the schedule to the interactive session designs, EduCon has been designed to push boundaries, even as it lets in a little fresh air and breathing room, according to Carrie Johnson, PCMA’s director of education content. “Our ultimate goal is to provide a comfortable place to practice uncomfortable things,” Johnson said. “Because that is the ultimate path to growth.”
Convene’s editors have been talking to featured presenters during the past few months. Here is a roundup of links to our PCMA Education Conference Preview interviews. Click on the speaker’s name to go to the full interview. All of these speakers will be presenting at the Marriott Marquis — and if you aren’t going to be able to make it to New York City in person, you can still register for the online Education Conference LIVE .
Main Stage, “Designing for Behavior Change,” Sunday, June 11, 4:30 p.m. — Matt Wallaert, a behavioral psychologist who has launched and sold two of his own startups, and continues to work on several others — all centered on the idea that changing behavior can give individuals equal opportunity to contribute to society in a meaningful way.
Interview highlight: “What’s funny is, if you go look at the people who are really successful at conferences, they’re not the ones who rush from session to session to session. They’re the people who make time for creative collision.”
Julliard Complex, “Revamp Your Event With the Design-Led Futures Studies Approach,” Tuesday, June 13, 9:30 a.m. — Elliott Montgomery, assistant professor of strategic design, The New School/Parsons School of Design
Interview highlight: “Preparing for the future isn’t about understanding the present conversation. We often fall into the trap of thinking about the futures that others are already talking abou.”
Main Stage, “Extreme Focus, Extraordinary Results: Modern Teamwork,” Tuesday, June 13, 4 p.m. — Sarah Robb O’Hagan, marketing expert, author, sports executive, endurance athlete, and one of Fast Company‘s “Most Creative People in Business.”
Interview highlight: “When you don’t take risks, it’s because you’re scared of failing. But if you don’t fail, you can’t grow and certainly develop the self-awareness and resilience that is needed to be a strong leader in the workplace.”
Main Stage, “Pitching Disruptive Ideas,” Wednesday, June 14, 8:15 a.m. — Luke Williams, executive director of the W.R. Berkley Innovation Lab at NYU’s Stern School of Business and the author of Disrupt: Think the Unthinkable to Spark Transformation in Your Business.
Interview highlight: “The problem with problems is they’re seductively clear. They’re screaming for attention, which typically means in an organization, the problems are the only things getting any thinking attention. The richest areas for growth and innovation are the seemingly unbroken aspects of the situation — the areas where absolutely nothing appears to be wrong.”