Mike Elias
Some people just know how to put on a show.
That’s what Michael Elias is great at, from his early days at Silverstein & Associates to founding Kinetic Story to his current role as Sr. Program Manager, Global Summit Customer Keynotes for Amazon Web Services (AWS). Mike is a five-tool guy who is brilliant at crafting messaging, scripting keynotes, directing video production, and polishing executive presentations.
Mike and I first worked together when he was at Intel Corporation and later on projects for Philips - Healthcare. I’ve always admired his creativity and fluency with technology messaging. Mike is also a wonderful person and I knew there would be more to learn when we caught up for coffee at Fresh Flours in Phinney Ridge.
Here's some of what I learned:
1) Keynotes are now like TV: Executive keynotes have evolved with the uptick in virtual events. Unlike with in-person events, presenters don’t have a captive audience and distractions are a click away. Executive keynotes today are shorter, more focused, and the production mindset is more like creating a television show.
2) Production lead times are longer: With the increase in pre-produced elements for virtual events, production timelines have increased because there is more scrutiny of every aspect of the script and show elements. For example, if legal needs seven days for each review and there are four legal reviews, that’s nearly a month in the production timeline. Mike and his team have creatively found ways to find efficiencies and stay on schedule in this new reality.
3) Team leaders determine culture: In a big company, the work environment and employee experience (positive or negative) are often determined by the leadership style of the senior person in that group. One team can have a positive culture, while another team in the same company can have a different culture, based on the team's leadership. When considering joining a new team, get a sense of the leadership style of the senior executive to see if it’s the right fit for you.
4) Ace your role to support the team: Success in a collaborative endeavor requires everyone on the team to know their role and play it well. This earns trust and allows the team to achieve greater heights than any one person can reach alone. Mike has a fun example of this from coaching his 11-year-old daughter’s soccer team. At that age, the best players are the ones who have stopped surrounding the ball and have figured out where to be on the field based on their position. When that happens, the field expands, performance takes off, and scoring opportunities abound.
Mike’s versatile skillset and experience at some of the world’s leading tech brands make him a uniquely talented guy. It was great to catch up and learn more from the Oz behind the the curtain. Thank you Mike!
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