Member of the Week for October 3, 2022 Al Comeaux

About Al Comeaux NSA-North Texas Member of the Week for October 3, 2022

Al Comeaux is a global authority on change from the inside-out, having lived, led and researched change from inside organizations large and small, disruptive and established, across numerous industries and countries. He’s held senior leadership positions at companies such as American Airlines, GE and Travelocity, and he’s championed vast strategic changes, including an IPO, reaction to a hostile takeover, a take-private/leveraged buyout, digital transformations, two startups inside large corporations, massive globalization, two 40 percent layoffs, as well as three CEO transitions, countless other executive transitions, four nationwide strikes and too many other changes to count. 

After helping lead a terribly unsuccessful change effort in the late 1990s, he set out to understand why some organizations’ change efforts succeed, while most fail. Now, after this 20-year journey, he’s developed Primed for Change, a disruptive new project created to prepare leaders to steer their organizations successfully through change. He regularly speaks, teaches, researches and writes about leadership and change.

Al and his wife Katie have two daughters and live in Ft. Worth, TX, where he is deeply involved in his family, faith, and community.

What audiences do you speak for?

I speak to corporate and association audiences made up of leaders and future leaders (and even whole companies) on the topic of leadership and change.

What led you to this career?

I failed at change as a leader. I hated it. I didn’t want others to suffer my fate. Then I learned that most changes fail (67%, according to McKinsey, who studied 1,000+ organizations). I came to recognize that successful change is determinate of business success or failure. So I studied leadership and change at companies that succeeded and failed, I led plenty more changes, and I read thousands of pages of literature on the topic.  Now I’ve set out to share the secrets to successful change. The greatest secret isn’t about strategy or execution (where most practitioners, consultants and academics focus); it’s about leaders’ mindset about something else entirely.

What’s exciting you about your business these days?

This week (first week of October), I’m launching my new online course, The Leadership Mindset! It’s for leaders and future leaders who want to work on their leadership skills by getting in the driver’s seat to simulate leading a change in their organizations. More at alcomeaux.com/the-leadership-mindset/

What’s one professional skill you’re currently working on?

Using humor to engage my audience and lighten my subject matter.

What’s your go-to productivity trick?

I use Shutterstock to find just the right images for slides and other needs. It’s extensive, cheap and easy. Save a lot of time.

Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?

Terry Jones was the founder/CEO at Travelocity and my boss there. He’s been speaking for decades, including while I worked for him. He taught me how to hold an audience, and how to prepare and focus heavily on what the client is trying to achieve. He’s a mentor now that I’m speaking.

What’s a mistake you made early on in your career, and what did you learn from it?

Trying to launch a speaking career at the beginning of a global pandemic. What did I learn? I guess I learned patience, and it gave me time to master my keynote (practicing it 2-3 times a day through the pandemic…my family also knows it, I think).

What’s a work-related accomplishment that you’re really proud of?

In my first full year as a speaker (post-pandemic), I’ve been invited back to speak at the same organizations and told I’m making a difference! Making a difference is what it’s all about.

What being a member of NSA-NT means to you (testimonial) 

I’ve learned so much about the speaking world, avoided huge mistakes (including saving thousands of dollars on things) by listening to advice from fellow speakers who are ahead of me on the journey. And I’ve enjoyed getting to know interesting people with great stories to tell.

Something personal you want us to know- can be about family, a vacation, a favorite food- anything you care to share.

I love to travel. I’ve been to 49 states, 45 countries (15 just for fun, 30 for work and fun). But that leaves almost 150 countries I haven’t visited (plus Alaska); there’s still so much to conquer! It helped that my wife and I worked for an airline for almost 20 years between the two of us, and I was once a “travel agent” with perks (as an exec at Travelocity). Favorite spot in the world: Cape Town, South Africa; it’s beautiful, affordable, whales, stunning wine country, with surfing and game safaris nearby.

Contact info and Social Media info:

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://alcomeaux.com/

Twitter: @alcomeaux

LinkedIn (Personal): https://www.linkedin.com/in/alcomeaux/

Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/82313338/admin/

Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/Alcomeaux