Some of Ed’s Sessions

This session dedicates itself to the proposition that we live in a world of not just abundance, but superabundance! Accepting this idea challenges us because it insists that we rethink long-held previous beliefs. Not everyone can integrate it into their thought processes, but those that do see the world entirely differently than they had before. If you believe you are open to unlearning some old ideas and learning some new ones, you are invited to participate in this session, delivered by Ed Kless, co-host of The Soul of Enterprise with Ron Baker.

Superabundance: Why time-prices will change your view of the world

This session is dedicated to the possibility that a professional firm will be more effective for its customers if it begins to sell not hours or services, but access to the brains of the professionals. Creating subscriptions for access is hard work and not for everyone because it requires professionals to think differently than they have in the past about what it is they really do and sell. If you think you have what it takes to make this shift or are just curious about it, you are hereby invited to open a dialogue about how best to alter this language.

Selling Your Brain NOT Your Time: Subscription pricing for accounting professionals

With the increased velocity of technological advancements, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, all of us at Sage are well aware of the challenges you face. Oddly enough, these technological advances require us to better hone our relationship skills. Today, more and more accountants and firms recognize the need to take this transformational journey to remain relevant. Making this transformation is not easy, as it requires professionals to think differently than they have in the past. If you think you are ready to make this change and develop your future-ready advisory skills, we are offering this three-hour live workshop led by VeraSage Institute Senior Fellow and award-winning speaker, Ed Kless. He will show you how to better serve your customers by understanding what it truly means to be a consultant. In this workshop, you will gain a thorough understanding of consulting assumptions and goals, authenticity, and effective questioning to strengthen your consulting skills.

From Compliance to Consulting

Confessions of a Metaconsultant

This session dedicates itself to the proposition that we can increase customer success by embracing more principles of consulting theory and practice. Accepting these principles challenges us because it insists that we rethink long-held previous beliefs. Not everyone can integrate them into their practices. If you believe you are open to unlearning some old ideas and learning some new ones, you are invited to participate in this keynote.

This session is dedicated to the possibility that the majority of leadership thinking is wrong as it is ultimately based on manipulation - trying to “get someone to do something.” Coming to terms with this idea is difficult and not for everyone because it requires us to examine some of our most deeply held beliefs and either dismiss them or at least think differently about them. If you are interested in having a conversation about healing leadership, you are invited to attend this session. This material is based on the work of Howard Hansen and Steve Geske.

Healing Leadership

Innovation Beyond Technology

This session is dedicated to the possibility that innovation goes beyond just technological developments. Technology is important, but it is only a small part of innovation. For innovation to be more fully complete we must look at other areas including the internal processes of the organization and most importantly the very language we use. Innovating like this is hard work and not for everyone because it requires deeper thinking than is most often thought. If you believe you can attain this level of thinking, you are invited to attend this session.

This fun (yes, economics can be fun) and interactive gathering is dedicated to the possibility that the basic tenets of economics are, in fact, in the grasp of the non-economist. The challenge is that some of these ideas are counterintuitive. In addition, while economics is usually reported in the media by citation of facts and figures, much of the real value of an economy remains silent and unseen. During this gathering, Ed Kless, himself a non-economist, with your help, will demonstrate these principles. Some of the ideas will resonate, some will cause dissonance, and all of them will challenge your thinking and provide you with new ammunition in the fight to save our economy and world.

Note: this session can only be delivered in person.

Economics in One Game: In Defense of Business

Why Put a Canary in a Coal Mine? - Measure what matters

This session is dedicated to the possibility that a firm can increase their financial performance by changing measurements used from inwardly facing to measurements that look outside the firm. Changing these metrics is not easy as it requires firms to think differently than they have in the past. If you believe you can think a bit differently about your firm’s measurement systems, you are invited to attend this conversational session.

This session will be dedicated to the possibility that organizations that get great at developing scope documents create greater success for their customers. Creating a truly great scope document is not easy as it requires more energy to be expended earlier in the implementation than is usual. If you think you have the capability to sharpen your scoping skills, you are invited to participate in this gathering about how best to create a scope document.

Scope: It is not just mouthwash

Shut Up and Eat Your French Fries! - Asking Effective Questions

This session is dedicated to the possibility that professionals can greatly increase the value they provide to their customers if they hone their skills at asking better, more effective questions. Developing and enhancing this skill is not easy because it requires us to rethink the paradigms and prejudices of the past.

This session is dedicated to the possibility that many myths exist about business and it would be better to rid ourselves of these ideas. Thinking about these myths is hard because it requires us to examine some of our most deeply held beliefs and either dismiss them or at least think differently about them. If you are interested in having a conversation about business myths, you are invited to attend this session.

Top Ten Business Myths