Michael McQueen keynote speaker headshot

Michael McQueen

  • Keynote Speaker
  • Futurist and Trends Forecaster
  • Based in Australia
  • Showreel
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Michael McQueen has built a career on staying ahead of change before most people even notice it’s coming, a skill that has recently earned him a ranking of #12 among the world’s top futurists. Organisations including Google, Toyota and Mastercard have called on him to help them navigate uncertainty and position themselves ahead of the curve, a track record built on genuine pattern recognition rather than guesswork. That reputation has made him one of the most trusted voices globally on where industries, consumer behaviour and workplaces are headed next, and why those shifts matter for the people leading through them.

As an author, Michael has published ten books, and his most recent release was singled out by both Malcolm Gladwell and Adam Grant as one of the top five must-read new leadership books, remarkable praise from two of the most respected names in the genre. In late 2023 he added another title to that list with Mindstuck: Mastering the Art of Changing Minds, a landmark bestseller exploring how people’s beliefs actually shift and what that means for leaders trying to drive change. His thinking is regularly sought out by major media outlets, with his commentary and insights appearing in Forbes, The Guardian and CNN.

On stage, Michael has reached more than 500,000 people across five continents since 2004, sharing platforms with figures like Bill Gates, Mel Robbins and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. That body of work has earned him formal recognition too: he was previously named Australia’s Keynote Speaker of the Year and has been inducted into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame, one of the highest honours available anywhere in the professional speaking industry.

Based in Sydney, Michael continues to work directly with event organisers and global brands who want a speaker capable of translating complex shifts in technology, culture and consumer psychology into practical, genuinely actionable guidance their teams can put to use immediately, long after he has left the stage.

Keynote Topics

Influence 2.0

Mastering the art of Opening Minds

Nothing changes until minds do. While persuading others has always been challenging, it has never been more difficult. In this era of high turbulence and low trust, many traditional influence techniques are increasingly ineffective. We can easily fall into the trap of using 19th and 20th-century tactics to try to change 21st-century minds

This practical, thought-provoking keynote draws on the latest discoveries in neuroscience and behavioural psychology to explore:

  • Why people are not actually afraid of change – and the surprising truth about what really drives resistance in individuals and teams.
  • How to spark the sort of curiosity that leads to bold, game-changing ideas.
  • A counterintuitive and research-backed approach to defusing defensiveness.
  • How to help others embrace new possibilities and perspectives while affirming their dignity, agency, and autonomy.

Audience members will leave this presentation with a clear action plan for navigating uncertainty and emerging stronger than ever.

Whether you aim to influence customer choices, team dynamics, or organizational culture, this keynote will give you the tools for powerful, lasting impact.

Preparing Now for What’s Next

How to thrive in an age of uncertainty

It’s been rightly said that the pace of change has never been this fast, but it will never again be this slow. We are living in a transformative era and smart leaders know that now is the time for audacity, adaptability, and agility.

Enormous opportunities lie ahead for those who can identify the trends of tomorrow and gear up for them today.

In this fast-paced & compelling keynote presentation, audiences will discover:

  • The key trends that will shape the coming decade with a specific focus on the impacts of GENERATIVE AI, DATA ANALYTICS and SPATIAL COMPUTING.
  • The role GEN Z will play in redefining industry norms and consumer expectations.
  • The common CULTURE and MINDSET TRAPS that will set any organization on a collision course with obsolescence – and how to avoid them.
  • PROVEN and PRACTICAL STRATEGIES for staying one step ahead of change and REMAINING RELEVANT.

Audience members will leave this presentation with a clear action plan for navigating disruption and emerging stronger than ever.

Preparing Now For What’s Next is an ideal stand-alone conference keynote or an extended half or full day program.

Mastering the Art of Momentum

The secret to achieving effortless and enduring growth

We all love being on a roll, in the zone and firing on all cylinders – that flow-state sensation where everything just seems to work.

But what happens when the groove becomes a rut, inspiration evaporates or your mojo disappears?

Enduring success and growth for any business today is dependent on building and maintaining unstoppable momentum.

In this inspiring keynote presentation, audiences discover:

  • The art and science of momentum – where momentum comes from and why it makes all the difference when you’ve got it working for you
  • A practical and powerful formula for building momentum individually or in a team
  • How to get into a flow state of peak productivity on a daily basis
  • The role that focus and consistency play in ensuring a groove doesn’t become a rut over time

Audience members will leave this presentation with a clear action plan for achieving effortless growth and maintaining it over the long haul.

Mastering the Art of Momentum is an ideal stand-alone conference keynote or an extended half or full day program.

Teaching for Tomorrow

How to equip today’s students for the future

Students in classrooms today will enter a world very different to the one their teachers and parents have known.

In light of the uncertainty that lies ahead, it is more important than ever that educators keep their finger on the pulse of technological and societal trends in order to help students prepare for them.

In this practical and highly relevant keynote presentation, audiences will learn:

  • The key social and technology trends that will shape the future including artificial intelligence, robotics and automation
  • The skills and competencies that young people will need in order to be future-fit
  • Why and how education practices and paradigms must evolve in the coming years
  • A range of proven and practical strategies for making classroom learning relevant to the next generation of learners

Audience members will leave this presentation with a clear action plan for engaging today’s students while equipping them for tomorrow.

Teaching for Tomorrow is an ideal stand-alone conference keynote or an extended half or full day program.

Testimonials

“Michael’s presentation and insights were truly fascinating.”
Intercontinental Hotel Group

“Michael’s presentations are entertaining & relevant for all businesses.”
Deloitte

“The best presentation of its kind that I have seen! Michael’s depth of knowledge and applicable stories were fantastic.”
Marketing Manager, Pepsi

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