Speakers to Watch in 2016 | Trending Authors
Last year saw historic events take place around the world: From changing political landscapes in North America, to the global refugee crisis, drone technology going to mass market, to giant technology and e-commerce IPOs. But alas, 2016 is here! As a tribute to these new beginnings, throughout the week we will be featuring a selection of ‘Speakers to Watch’ in the year ahead; speakers who inspire, engage and challenge us. Today we take a look at some highly-anticipated new releases in the literary world which are set to hit the shelves in the year ahead: 
Dan Pontefract | Author & Chief Envisioner of TELUS Transformation Office
Dan is the Chief Envisioner of TELUS Transformation Office; a future-of-work consulting group that helps organizations enhance corporate culture, leadership, learning, work styles & collaboration practices. His acclaimed 2013 release FLAT ARMY: Creating a Connected and Engaged Organization showed how to create a culture of collaboration, engagement, and employee empowerment. This year Dan follows up with the spring release of The Purpose Effect: Building Meaning in Yourself, Your Role and Your Organization. In this book, Dan combines years of experience and research on employee engagement to create a work about three crucial areas of purpose: individual, workplace role, and organizational. When one area is lacking, this three-legged barstool starts to wobble, and the results range from disengagement to bankruptcy. 
A business leader that is committed to purpose will create purpose for their employees. An employee that feels their sense of purpose on the job will be an invaluable asset to productivity and success. An organization centered on purpose will benefit every stakeholder, from employees to society in general. This “sweet spot” of purpose creates a reciprocal relationship between all three areas, and sits at the center of Pontefract’s work.
Robert Herjavec | Business Leader, Bestselling Author & Star of ABC’s Shark Tank
Many people assume that effective sales ability demands a unique personality and an aggressive attitude. It’s not true, and Robert Herjavec is proof. Known as the “Nice Shark” on the ABC’s Emmy Award-winning hit show Shark Tank, Robert Herjavec is loved by viewers, who respond to his affable nature. He has developed an honest and genuine approach to life and selling that has set him apart from his cut-throat colleagues, and rewarded him with a degree of wealth measured in hundreds of millions of dollars. His two previous books Driven and The Will to Win, were simultaneous bestsellers on the Globe & Mail list and enjoyed rave reviews for the quality of their advice and the appeal of their writing style. 
In 2016 he will follow up with his May release You Don’t Have to Be a Shark: Creating Your Own Success. In the upcoming book, Robert transcends pure sales technique and teaches “non-business people” what they need to know in order to sell themselves successfully. We are each our own greatest asset and in order to achieve our goals, we need to be able to communicate with others, position ourselves and even look the part. Robert’s philosophy is simple: Great salespeople are made, not born, and no one achieves success in life without knowing how to sell. Entertaining, enlightening and effective, Entertaining, enlightening and effective, You Don’t Have to Be a Shark will reveal the secrets of one of North America’s most successful businessmen and prominent TV personalities. The advice in Robert’s book is delivered in a friendly, down-to-earth manner, and filled with anecdotes and observations to support its hard-nosed advice.
Hugh Segal | Public Policy Expert, Former Senator
Hugh is one of Canada’s best-known public policy experts. He is a former member of the Senate of Canada, a distinguished author, policy advisor and academic, who is currently the Master of Massey College. He has written several books on the Canadian Conservative Party’s politics and ideas, including the national bestseller No Surrender. 
His upcoming release, Two Freedoms: Canada’s Global Future examines the costs of allowing two freedoms (freedom from want and freedom from fear) to die or diminish. In addition to how a country can design a foreign policy that makes the pursuit of these freedoms real and practical. To design a genuine foreign policy of purpose and substance, a country must look at what it would mean for its diplomats, its military, its development aid, and its relations with important multilateral organizations like the U.N. To achieve a goal, a foreign policy needs good strategy, tactics, and design. These key elements are all found in Two Freedoms.