Jay Kiew: Stories That Stir Souls
Stats drive scores, but stories stir souls." This philosophy, born in the radio booths of Singapore and driven by a transition from comfort to total disruption, has delivered over $2 billion in transformational impact for global executives.
In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, Chris Shambra sits down with Jay Kiew, a world-renowned keynote speaker, author, and change strategist who has navigated the halls of power at firms like Deloitte and TELUS. But this isn't a conversation about corporate efficiency or digital roadmaps. This is a deep dive into "Change Fluency"—the adaptive capacity to translate life’s most difficult disruptions into our greatest opportunities.
Jay shares his raw and inspiring journey as a half-blind cancer survivor who "lost it all" before finding his true calling. We explore how change isn't something that happens to you, but something that can happen through you when you move from a mindset of survival to one of co-creation and possibility
10 Memorable Quotes:
"Stats drive scores, but stories stir souls."
"Change fluency is the individual's adaptive capacity to translate challenges into opportunities."
"Our greatest innovation isn't what we create, but how we create together."
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
"The goal isn't to control change but to sit in it with fluidity."
"Transformation doesn't have to be scary or happen to you, but instead it can happen through you."
"The language of change is the only language that will matter in an era of AI."
"He held space for me when I couldn't hold space for myself."
"Shift your focus from what is present to what is possible."
"The world is going through a hard time, but you can write the playbook to get through it."
10 Key Takeaways:
Defining Change Fluency: It is the "language of change" required as we head into the space of artificial intelligence.
The Four Change Mindsets: Your reaction to disruption depends on whether you view change as a threat or opportunity, and whether you are proactive or stuck.
Active Presence: True leadership requires leaning in to observe non-verbal cues and naming emotions rather than just being a passive observer.
The Power of Co-Creation: Based on the concept of Ubuntu, the episode explores why working together yields superior, more sustainable results despite the time and emotional complexity involved.
Strategic Foresight: To discover what is possible, leaders must combine scenario planning with "futurist thinking" to see threats and opportunities from different vantage points.
Strategy as Sacrifice: Design thinking requires the courage to say "no" and cut off current business units or emotional attachments to focus on one North Star.
The "What If?" Framework: Innovation begins with the ability to ask hypothetical questions that challenge current constraints, a skill Jay learned from his father during difficult times.
Relational Gratitude: Jay highlights the importance of individuals like Brian Chang, who provide empathetic space during "dark moments" without being deflective.
Sitting in the Tension: Change Fluency isn't about control, but the capacity to sit in complexity and uncertainty with fluidity.
Human-Centric Innovation: Digital disruption is a people opportunity; leaders must bridge the gap by helping team members find personal attachment to their mission.
About our Guest: Jay Kiew
Founder & CEO, Change Fluent
Jay Kiew is a multifaceted entrepreneur, keynote speaker, author, and expert in organizational and behavioral change. With 15 years of experience in organizational transformation and innovation strategy, he has driven over $2 billion in transformational impact across hundreds of organizations and top executives. He is the author of Change Fluency: Nine Principles to Navigate Uncertainty and Drive Innovation, which serves as the framework for his global consulting and keynote engagements.
Jay’s perspective on resilience and change is deeply rooted in his personal journey as a half-blind cancer survivor; diagnosed with retinoblastoma as an infant, he underwent the removal of his left eye. After immigrating to Canada from Asia and growing up in Vancouver, he became the world's youngest Distinguished Toastmaster at the age of 19. Today, he is a father of two daughters and lives in Brooklyn with his Shiba Inu, Brooklyn. Jay is renowned for his ability to help leaders move from a mindset of certainty to one of curiosity, teaching them to "speak the language of change" in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.