As Chairman of Collaborative Cures, and founder of the global running series Run In the Dark, Mark Pollock has been involved in starting collaborations worth over $100 million on his mission to cure paralysis.
He has served on the Global Futures Council on human enhancement, the Advisory Board of Cybathlon, was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leaders, is a Wings for Life Ambassador, and was on the board of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.
Mark is currently studying for a professional doctorate in elite performance (sport) at Dublin City University.
In 2010, he published Making It Happen, challenging his readers to stop making excuses, to identify what they want out of life, and to start ‘making it happen’. Through his step-by-step plan, he shows the reader, through his own story and other case studies, how small steps can lead to big achievements.
He has also been involved in the documentaries Blind Man Walking (2010) – which followed his south pole race – and Unbreakable – The Mark Pollock Story (2014), which tells the story of Mark’s rollercoaster life, including his near-death accident, his rehabilitation, and his search for answers in the world of technology.
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Corporate
It can be difficult to deal with change and uncertainty; your employees won’t be able to wing it. They need a high-impact catalyst to help them act with courage. Mark is that catalyst, and he has been asked by global leaders to support their teams to adapt to change and remain resilient.
He is now a highly sought-after inspirational speaker. In 2018 he gave his TED talk titled ‘A Love Letter to Realism in a Time of Grief’ in collaboration with this fiancée Simone. It has since been viewed over 2 million views.
Using his hard-earned expertise, Mark has inspired millions of people worldwide to achieve more than they ever thought possibly. He works directly with companies, but also speaks at events such as the World Economic Forum and at Davos.
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Keynote Speaker
“The reason to bring in a speaker is to move the audience emotionally. It can never be about the speaker, rather it must be about engaging the audience to help them achieve more than they thought possible – that is what I am to do every time.”
Mark’s keynotes are delivered in 30-60 minute segments and are split into two parts: a keynote followed by a Q&A.
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Keynote Topics
Adversity and Challenges: Maintaining a Resilient Mindset Under Pressure: We don’t always choose the challenges we face. But it is what we do about them that counts. Deciding to be a competitor, realist, or collaborator offers your people a chance of maintaining a resilient mindset under pressure Mark[‘s keynote uses the power of active decision making to deal with challenges to help your people be more resilient.
Leadership and Motivation: Leading Through a Crisis and Developing Intrinsic Motivation to Move Forward: Uncertainty and change can induce a crisis and it’s difficult to lead in such circumstances. By providing your people with insights into the attitude, decisions, and resilience of others, you will help them to develop the intrinsic motivation to move forward. This keynote delivers deep insights for leaders to navigate through uncertain moments.
Mindset and Performance: Challenging Expectations to Perform at a Higher Level: It can be hard to deliver a world-class performance; your people won’t do it by change. Mark’s keynote on mindset and performance is a catalyst to help your people act with courage. He challenges them to examine expectations of themselves and others in order to perform at a higher level.
Collaboration and Teamwork: Creating and Motivating Dispersed Teams Across Disciplines and Geographies: Galvanising a disparate group of people around a common goal is not always easy. Yet it’s when we collaborate that major breakthroughs happen. Mark’s keynote on collaboration and teamwork provides your people with insights into how high-performance teams get things done when others can’t.
Human Enhancement: Exploring the Intersection Where Humans and Technology Collide During the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Exploring the intersection where humans meet technology is essential for businesses to maintain their competitive edge. By raising the consciousness of your people to the human dimension of the fourth industrial revolution, you will empower and encourage innovation at the edge. Mark provides your people with insights into the transformative intersection of technology and humans as he looks for a cure for paralysis using AI, robotics, neuromodulation, and VR/AR.
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Masterclasses
As well as his keynotes, Mark offers a ‘Challenge Is The Opportunity’ masterclass. Delivered in 45-60 minutes, the masterclasses are split into three parts: a short keynote, an interview with the client or event host, and a Q&A.
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Masterclass Topics
Turning Challenges Into Opportunities: The Resilience Cycle: The positive mental attitude industry requires us to be optimists, yet optimists rely on hope alone and leave themselves open to becoming demoralised is the best-case scenario doesn’t play out. In contrast, realists manage to confront the brutal facts whilst also keeping hope alive. Mark focusses on how to adapt and build resilience, providing participants with a deeper understanding of how to rapidly adapt to change and deal with uncertainty. Participants are encouraged to reflect on how to:
– Respond to expected and unexpected challenges
– Confront the facts of their current reality
– Anchor themselves with a sense of control
– Chart a path through uncertainty
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Exploring Performance Potential: The Competitor’s Mindset: In a world where challenges are inevitable, some people are held back whilst others are propelled forward. Either we sit on the side lines, or we step into the arena and compete. Competitors find a way to pursue success and risk failure; they define themselves by their willingness to try. Participants are encouraged to reflect on how to:
– Embrace a competitor mindset to reach their potential
– Use clarity, commitment, and connection for optimal performance
– Create the conditions to enter the high performance flow state
– Treat recovery as a peak performance non-negotiable
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Collaborating to Solve Complex Problems: The Trust Imperative: It is easy to work in isolation as soloists. Yet it is when we find a way to galvanise a disparate group of people around a common goal that we have a change of major breakthroughs. The question is though, how do we create the conditions for people to collaborate? Participants are encouraged to reflect on how to:
– Choose to be a collaborator not a soloist
– Create the conditions for collaboration
– Build trust with other people
– Develop high-trust teams
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Clients
ABN AMRO, AMG Petronas F1, Apple, Avolon, Bank of America, Bank of Ireland, Bayer, Brunswick, Canon, CDB Aviation, Cisco, Davos, Deloitte, Diageo, DJO, Dr Martins, Dropbox, European Investment Bank, EY, Facebook, F.ounders, Fujitsu, Goldman Sachs, Google, GSK, HSBC, ITV, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, Kuehne+Nagel, Latham & Watkins, LinkedIn, Mars, Mercedes F1, MetLife, Microsoft, MSD, National Geographic, Nestle Nespresso, Pfizer, PRIMIS, Prudential, PWC, Red Bull, Royal Geographical Society, Salesforce, Shell, Siegel+Gale, Sogeti, Swiss Re, Talks@Google, TED, Temenos, UBS, Udemy, Unilever, Vodafone, Wired, the World Economic Forum, Workhuman, X (Twitter)
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To check fees and availability for Mark Pollock, contact Great Business Speakers on 0044 (0)1753 439289
