Risk taking and decision making in poker, business and life via Caspar Berry – Professional keynote and motivational speaker
The world is becoming an increasingly uncertain place with huge changes in terms of the global economy, political climate and international stability. There have also been massive shifts in how people work and the types of jobs available, much of which has been lead by substantial advances in technology and the dramatic digital transformation that is sweeping the globe. All of these alterations have also affected the travel and leisure industry including timeshare resorts and hotels. While there are certainly many challenges ahead, there are also many opportunities if you remain optimistic and ready to adapt to these changes.
In his superb recent presentation “Risk taking and decision making in poker, business and life” at RDO7, Caspar Berry discussed dealing with uncertainty, the mechanics of decision making, focussing on what we can control, understanding luck, the science of risk and what all these issues mean in terms of the way we change, innovate, lead and sell in business.
Rather than aiming to be absolutely certain about everything before making any decision, Caspar succinctly explained how some of the most successful people in life embrace uncertainty. These individuals, whether they are business leaders, sports people, world leaders or professional poker players, accept that absolute certainty about anything in life is almost impossible.
Following success at a young age in acting, Caspar decided to enrol at Cambridge University to study economics. After graduating, rather than continue with acting or following a “normal” career path, Caspar decided to take the risk of heading to Las Vegas where he became a professional poker player for three years. This alone is something that most people wouldn’t have done, but then Caspar is not like most people which is one of the reasons he has enjoyed such success in his life and now travels the world giving motivational keynote speeches!
While Caspar thought he understood the principles of risk and decision-making, it wasn’t until he played poker for three years in Las Vegas that he realised how little he really knew. During his time in Las Vegas though he learned a tremendous amount and became very successful on the poker scene. As he explained, poker is all about calculated risk and being able to read the situation. While it is impossible to predict which hand you will be dealt, or which cards will be left on the table at the end, just like in life it is important to accept this and adapt to the situation at hand.
We all take risks every day, whether that is flying to our next holiday destination, buying a new car or even stepping out own front door. With all of these risks comes the possibility of failure, but as Caspar suggests, one of the biggest failures in life is to never take a risk.
When we read about those that are most admired in history such as Abraham Lincoln or Steve Jobs, we often only hear of their successes. Behind all these successes were countless failures, crises of confidence and thoughts of giving up. What separates these individuals from everyone else who become forgotten in time is the fact that they were prepared to accept the risks and continue to persist in their pursuit of success despite the setbacks along the way. Without these kind of risk takers we wouldn’t have electricity, the internet, international flights or almost every other invention we now take for granted.
In the timeshare industry it is vital to accept that the world is changing and because of this the industry has to adapt. This will involve risks in terms of expenses, adapting resorts and trying new sales techniques, but a bigger risk would be to stay the same and expect to continue growing. Ultimately those who succeed in life and business are more optimistic, embrace uncertainty and are prepared for failures and setbacks if it means they keep striving for their goals.
Caspar’s speech was varied, powerful and interesting which in many ways is likely a testament to the many diverse turns that his life has taken before leading to his current career as international keynote speaker. Rather than a traditional pathway from education, to business, to professional speeches, Caspar’s life has been far more interesting. His presentation was imbued with the flair and substance that truly great speakers need to leave audiences feeling motivated and inspired.
Here at RDO we would like to once again thank Caspar for his excellent presentation at RDO7.
To find out more about Caspar, including how your organisation can book him for inspirational sales speeches, or staff training, visit his website: http://www.casparberry.com/
He is also active on social media so connect with him on his channels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conferencespeaker/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/casparberry
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/casparberry
If you would like to discuss anything with RDO regarding this blog post or other relevant topics, then simply add the hashtag #RDO7 or #RDOdigital to your tweet. Alternatively search #RDO7 or #RDOdigital on Twitter to see what else we’ve been discussing and you can easily get involved in the conversation.
The RDO7 conference 2016 was sponsored by CLC World Resorts & Hotels, Diamond Resorts International, Interval International and RCI at the Platinum level, and Dial An Exchange, Generator Systems and Shawbrook Bank at the Gold level. We thank them for their support.
