The mindset to pivot: a conversation with Cornell Thomas
Ahead of his three appearances at IMEX America, Cornell Thomas shares why trust, resilience and positivity all begin with mindset, and what basketball and improv have taught him about communication, adaptability and human connection.
You’re taking to the stage three times at IMEX America, exploring trust, change, resilience and positive thinking. What connects these topics for you, and what can attendees expect from your sessions?
The main thing that connects all the topics I’ll be speaking on is mindset. Change, resilience, and positivity all stem from the mind. How you navigate life's obstacles is a direct result of the type of mindset you have. For example, do you see the glass as half empty or half full? Do you tend to focus on the negative or the positive?
Attendees can expect high energy, humor and realness in my sessions.
At Association Focus, you’ll explore how associations can lead with truth, trust and curiosity in uncertain times. What do leaders need to do differently to build trust?
I believe the definition of trust varies depending on your occupation, but at its root, trust comes from communication, empathy and transparency. Leaders sometimes forget how important all three of these components are in building trust within their associations and organizations.
The session promises practical action as well as discussion. What kind of culture enables association communities to communicate openly, remain curious and build trust?
A positive culture breeds trust. It’s hard to trust in an uncomfortable or volatile environment. People need to be able to interact openly and freely without the fear of being judged, ridiculed, or taken advantage of. I think that’s a direct result of the culture leadership provides and reinforces.
Your session, The Art of Pivoting, feels particularly relevant to event professionals, who are often adapting in real time. What separates simply reacting to change from turning it into an opportunity?
It depends on how you view the situation that’s causing you to pivot. Most of the time, when you’re running an event, there will be a situation or two, maybe more, that forces you to adjust. For example, a speaker might go over their allotted time or a presentation may not work.
At that moment, the situation has already happened and there’s nothing you can do to change it. People who are skilled at pivoting will already be moving toward the next solution, while those who aren’t will remain fixated on the problem.
“The power of positivity” can sound simple, but staying positive when plans unravel, pressure rises or something fails is much harder. What does useful, realistic positivity look like in those moments?
First, it’s about realizing what positivity isn’t. Positivity isn’t the absence of human emotion. You’re 100% allowed to feel upset, angry, frustrated and annoyed.
Positivity, in my mind, means allowing those emotions to be fleeting. It’s realizing that, at the end of the day, those emotions aren’t going to serve you. At some point, you have to pick yourself up and move forward, because the world isn’t going to stop while you sit and stew over whatever put you in that negative place.
We don’t control every situation that happens, but we can control the narrative we tell ourselves about it.
You’ve been a basketball player and coach, studied improv at Upright Citizens Brigade, and spent 13 years speaking about resilience around the world. Which parts of those experiences will attendees see coming through on stage at IMEX America?
All of them, to be honest.
My time as a basketball player and coach taught me that the best teams usually share a few key intangibles: great communication, trust and the ability to work through tough challenges together. I’ve been part of some very talented teams that never won a championship, and some less talented teams that exceeded expectations and won championships because they had those intangibles.
Improv is surprisingly similar because of the trust and communication needed to create a scene together. The basis of improv is a concept called "Yes, and," which means accepting what your scene partner gives you and then building on to it. If you aren't paying attention or willing to work together, the scene will fall flat.
Listening and communicating, verbally and nonverbally, are two skills that coaching and improv have helped me sharpen.
Every experience has shaped who I am today, and I’m sure IMEX will be no different. The people I meet and the connections that stay in my Rolodex for years to come will continue to help me grow as both a person and a presenter.
One of my favorite parts of speaking is the human connection and meeting people from all over the globe, and IMEX is an amazing platform to do just that.
When you’re not speaking, what are you looking forward to experiencing at IMEX America, and what do you hope to make time for while you’re in Las Vegas?
There's an amazing speaker right after my presentation, Angela Gargano, who I’m excited to see. I also get to present with Monica Cohen and join a panel moderated by Rachel Benedick, so that alone is exciting. Then throw in another 10,000-plus people at the event, and it's safe to say I can't wait!
Cornell Thomas at IMEX America
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