Interview with Daniel Freidland - speaker at the PSW Convention

Professional Spa & Wellness Convention returns to Professional Beauty in London on February 28-29, 2016, once again attracting some of the most senior speakers in, and outside of, the industry. We talked to Daniel Friedland, President and Chief Executive, SUper Smart Health about the topics, presentations and the key issues facing the sector.

- What made you want to deliver a keynote on the topic of Neuroplasticity, Neuroleadership and Peak Performance Programmes for Spas?
When you know how your brain works, you can work it to thrive in life and to lead well in the world - from within. Historically spas have been a place where you come to relax and rejuvenate, but there is now great opportunity for spas to increasingly also be places to learn and grow. It has been shown that you can rewire your brain throughout your life, in a process called neuroplasticity. Spa leaders, who work under stress, can sustain wellness and peak performance once they discover these transformative neuroscience-based skills, and so can their clients

- How would you describe your presenting style?
I love to connect with the hearts and minds of people. My presentations are a mix of science and story, with practical insights, skills and practices to enrich attendees' lives and the lives they influence.

- What makes a good presentation at an event like this? What does the speaker need to deliver to make it worth the audience's time and money?
An outstanding presentation inspires with actionable content, or a clear roadmap towards this, that can help facilitate meaningful change.

- What do you plan to cover in your presentation?
I'll be sharing a neuroscience-based framrwork to develop high performance conscious leadership. Conscious leaders have great self and social awareness. They inspire with vision and purpose, taking all stakeholders into account. They lead well under stress, with courage and authenticity, and relate well to others. They also create thriving cultures that provide outsatnding client service and outperform on results. More than anything, they led with a creative mindset and are in service of something larger that themselves.
Attendees will be provided with an overview of key skills and practices that facilitate concious leadership, including mindfulness. These skills and practices catalyse growth, especially in the midst of stress and self-doubt. This enables leaders to thrive and to make a bigger difference in the lives of their colleagues, clients and loved ones at home.

- To what extent will the presentation be tailored to the spa and wellness industry?
The conscious leadership concept is higly applicable to the spa and wellness industry where, ironically, leaders experience a high level of stress. It's paramount for leaders to lears skills that cultivate conscious leadership in order to create an actively engaged and thriving culture. Doing so facilitates wellness for them and their empoyees, so they more fully deliver on the wellbeing promise to their clients.

- What do you hope delegates will take away from your keynote?
I'd like delegates to leave feeling inspired and with a sense that they have a roadmap to leading well under stress. I would also like them to see the opportunities inherent in offering neuroscience-based wellness programmes to their clients.

- How widely do you think conscious leadership is practised?
Research suggests that many leaders have a reactive mindset; responding to stress, challenging relationships, uncertainty and volatility in the workplace and marketplace and a feeling of being overhelmed. This, in part, explains the epidemic of burnout business. Researgc by Gallup shows that more than 90% of leaders feel some degree of burnout, with one-third decribing their burnout as extreme. Leaders who are reactive tend to promote a culture of disengagement that, according to Gallup, results in increased absenteeism, decreased turnover and anerosion of productivity, profitavlity and customer satisfaction.

- What do you enjoy about speaking at events like the Professional Spa & Wellness Convention?
These events are wonderful opportunities to connect with and inspire leaders who are doing great work to build a better future by spreading wellness in the world.

Click here for the full Convention programme