Your "P.O.C.K.E.T.S." speech at our annual meeting exceeded our expectations. I heard nothing but positives from everyone who attended. One of our petroleum marketers expressed it best, saying he was "spellbound."
Michael Bergdahl
Former Wal-Mart Executive, Author, Speaker and Coach
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Fee Range
$15,000Travels From
Pittsburgh, PA, US
Michael Bergdahl
Biography
His Background:
Michael Bergdahl is a professional international business speaker, author and turnaround specialist. Bergdahl worked in Bentonville, Arkansas for Walmart, as the Director of "People" for the headquarters office, where he worked directly with Walmart's founder Sam Walton. It was Sam Walton who gave Bergdahl the nickname, "Bird Dawg!" Previous to Walmart he worked in the FMCG Industry for PepsiCo's Frito-Lay Division in the sales organization and headquarters staff assignments. He is a turnaround specialist who participated in two successful business turnarounds as VP of HR at both American Eagle Outfitters and Waste Management. Bergdahl has more than 25 years of HR experience, and he has received the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) lifetime certification from SHRM. He is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology / Behavioral Science.
Walmart/ Sam Walton Authority:
Michael Bergdahl is considered to be an authority on the best practices of Walmart & Sam Walton. He has appeared on CNN, CNBC, CNN FN, MSNBC, CNN International, Univision, CBS National Radio, and Bloomberg TV. He has participated in internationally televised news debates on "Power Lunch", "On the Money", "Morning Call", and "Closing Bell". Articles written by him, and articles written by others about him, have been published in business newspapers and magazines around the world. He has written for Hardware Retailer Magazine (NRHA), Progressive Grocer Magazine, Sweden's Butikstrender Magazine, and the Retailer Association of India, STORAI Magazine. Bergdahl is the moderator of two LinkedIn discussion groups called, "Walmart's Best Leadership Practices" and "Sam Walton's Best leadership Practices" with a combined membership of more than 12,000 worldwide members including: Retailers, FMCG/CPG Product Manufacturers/Suppliers, HR Professionals, & Supply Chain Professionals, as well as a large number of current and former Walmart and Sam's Club employees.
His Books:
He wrote his first book about "The Strategies of the World's Largest Company", titled: What I Learned from Sam Walton: How to Compete and Thrive in a Walmart World (2004). His second book is written about "The Tactics of the World's Richest Man", titled, The 10 Rules of Sam Walton: Success Secrets for Remarkable Results (2007). Note: Rob Walton, the current Chairman of the Board of Walmart, and the son of Sam Walton, wrote the Foreword for "The 10 Rules of Sam Walton" book. Both of these books were published and distributed internationally by John Wiley & Sons, in English, in both hard cover and paperback versions. Translated versions of his books are available in Russian, Thai, Indonesian, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, and Spanish. Both of these books have also been published, in English, in India. His third book is a 50th Walmart Anniversary Commemorative Edition titled The Sam Walton Way (Brighton Publishing 2012). His fourth book, High Expectations Are The Key To Everything was published by Jaico Books in India in September 2013, and it was published by Motivational Press in the USA in 2014.
International Speaker:
Bergdahl has spoken professionally in cities on six continents including: * Brisbane, Australia * Beijing, China * Melbourne, Australia * Vancouver, British Columbia * Jeddah, Saudi Arabia * Quito, Ecuador * Toronto, Ontario * Caracas, Venezuela * Bogota, Colombia * Panama City, Panama * Cologne, Germany * Istanbul, Turkey * Malaga, Spain * Moscow, Russia * Port Douglas, Australia * Santiago, Chile * Durban, South Africa * Kiev, Ukraine * Mont Tremblant, Quebec * Valladolid, Spain * Skopje, Macedonia * Belgrade, Serbia * Port of Jiddah, Saudi, Arabia * Dubai, United Arab Emirates * Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia * Cape Town, South Africa * Guayaquil, Ecuador * Cancun, Mexico * Oslo, Norway * St. Thomas, Virgin Islands * Sydney, Australia * Stockholm, Sweden * Antalya, Turkey * and across the USA *.
Speeches, Master Classes, & Workshops:
Michael Bergdahl is a professional international business speaker with substance, who is one part business, one part inspiration, and one part storyteller. He presents Keynote Speeches, breakout sessions, half day programs, and full day Master Classes. He tailors his speeches to fit the conference theme. His Full Day Master Classes are designed to teach others the Best Practices of Walmart. In his speech, "Picking Walmart's POCKETS", Bergdahl unveils the best practices of Walmart, and the success secrets of Sam Walton. Audience members will learn the "Tactics of the World's Richest Man, Sam Walton", and the "Strategies of Walmart, the World's Largest Company."
His Audiences:
Michael Bergdahl has spoken at association conferences, public events, customer conferences, and private company meetings in the USA and Internationally to Retailers, Non-Retailers, Manufacturers and Suppliers. He speaks to a wide variety of audiences including Sales, Customer Service, IT, Supply Chain/Logistics, Franchisees, Financial Services, Real Estate Developers, Property Managers, Leasing Agents, Retail Managers, Brand/Marketing Professionals, Loss Prevention Specialists, Human Resources, Plant Managers, Engineers, DC Managers, Operations Managers, Product Manufacturers / Suppliers / Buyers, Pharmacists, Bankers, Credit Union Directors, Presidents, Entrepreneurs, College Professors, College Students & College Commencement, CEO's, CIO's, CTO's, and CFO's. He has spoken at events for Walmart's current suppliers, and its direct competitors, who are interested in improving their ability to compete successfully in a Walmart "Big Box" World!
Michael Bergdahl
Featured Video
Current: High Expectations Are The Key To Everything
Time 10:59
Michael Bergdahl
Featured Keynote Programs
Change/ Challenge/ Choice
Competition with manufacturers from countries like China and India is brutal. The manufacturing world as you’ve known it has changed and you and your team must be willing to Change also, if you intend to survive. The Challenge for manufacturers of products is what to do to re-level the playing field. In order to succeed you and your team must make the Choice do what’s necessary to reinvent your business, and the way people think, to remain successful.
The fact is that competition is more difficult than ever before. Those who are used to simply picking up the fruit of their labors right off the ground or from the branches within closest reach are finding that success today requires that people stretch and even climb up into the branches to gather the highest hanging fruit to succeed. Unfortunately, Change is always hard for people, which adds to the Challenge faced by organizations forced to make the Choice to reinvent their business in order to compete, survive and thrive in this complex and competitive world. As you think about global competition think about these quotes:
In this speech, Change/Challenge/Choice, Bergdahl will discuss the following strategies:
CHANGE
• Get Efficient - you’re going to need to produce more with less people.
• Benchmark Best Practices – seek out the ideas used by other manufacturers
• Innovate – grow revenue by getting creative with products, services and service enhancements, technology, strategy and tactics. Brainstorm new ideas – new markets, services, bundling products, delivery, in-sourcing.
CHALLENGE
• Continuously Improve – empower people to improve every area of your operation
• Increase Productivity – improve “internal and external” customer service
• Control Expenses - teach everyone in your organization to manage costs
CHOICE
• Continuously Learn – learn from and imitate the success of others
• Leverage People – tap into the creativity of your own people and change the way they think, focus everyone on your brand and a common agenda - “Your people make the difference.”
• Focus on your Competencies – play to your strengths and shore up your weaknesses
• Customer Partnerships – become the supplier of choice, by asking your customers what kind of products and services they need, when they need them and what you can do to partner with them.
Picking Wal-Mart's POCKETS
Picking Wal-Mart’s “POCKETS”
In this speech, using the acronym “ P.O.C.K.E.T.S.”, which stands for Price, Operations, Culture, Key Item Promotion, Expenses, Talent and Service, Michael Bergdahl describes several effective strategies competitors can and have used to counteract the inevitable pressure created by “big box” retailers. Finding Your niche in the market or “POCKET” is the key to Your survival! The key is to avoid the temptation to compete on price. You’ve got to make the commitment to differentiate yourself by finding your unique niche or pocket. Audience members will learn techniques other companies have used to compete, survive and thrive in a Wal-Mart World! Bergdahl also reviews a checklist of success strategies and tactics others can implement immediately. This speech is designed around Bergdahl's book, What I Learned From Sam Walton, How to Compete & Thrive in a Wal-Mart World.
The 10 Rules of Sam Walton
The 10 Rules of Sam Walton
Do you want to achieve greater levels of success in your personal and professional life? The answer of course is everyone does. In Michael Bergdahl's forthcoming book called, The 10 Rules of Sam Walton: Success Secrets for Remarkable Results he shares the success secrets of the world's most successful entrepreneur. In this speech, he will discuss Sam Walton's self professed ten rules for success which Mr. Sam embraced as he grew Wal-Mart from a single site to a 5000 store global enterprise. Audience members will take away success strategies they can use in both their personal and professional life.
Here are Sam Walton's 10 Success Secrets:
Rule #1: COMMIT to achieving success and always be passionate
Rule #2: SHARE your success with those who have helped you
Rule #3: MOTIVATE yourself and others to achieve your dreams
Rule #4: COMMUNICATE with people and show you care
Rule #5: APPRECIATE and recognize people for their effort and results
Rule #6: CELEBRATE your own and other’s accomplishments
Rule #7: LISTEN to others and learn from their ideas
Rule #8: EXCEED the expectations of others by setting high standards
Rule #9: CONTROL your expenses and save your way to prosperity
Rule #10: SWIM UPSTREAM, be different, and challenge the status quo
High Expectations Are The Key To Everything
This speech is designed to help audience members achieve their goals in life! Using a seven-step success strategy, loaded with content, his agenda walks audience members through a step by step model designed to reinforce the importance of “taking charge of your own life” and “controlling your own destiny”. He discusses the answers to several important questions: Why do some people always seem to land on their feet, while others fall down crippled under the weight of life’s obstacles? Why does one average person experience great success in life, while a similar average person achieves just ordinary results. When we see our peers, who have similar capabilities, getting promoted, we often wonder why them and not me? The most important question of all is: Why not you?
In this speech, Michael Bergdahl, a seasoned corporate executive with 25 years of HR experience, will answer these questions. Using a combination of “vivid, personal, inspirational stories” and “actual work-related examples” from his career working as an HR Executive for three Fortune 500 companies (PepsiCo, Walmart & Waste Management), he will discuss how high expectations really are the key to everything.
Speech Agenda:
- Create a Personal Strategy
- Control Your Own Destiny
- Choose to Make a Difference
- Overcome Your Fears
- Trust in Your Own Ability
- Avoid the Naysayers
- Believe the Best is Yet to Come
Michael Bergdahl
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