In a world obsessed with chasing the next big thing, I’m doing the opposite. Instead of scrambling to reinvent myself or my work, I’m doubling down—or maybe even going all in—on Personality Poker®.
Why? Because in my book PIVOTAL, I emphasize a crucial principle: innovate where you differentiate. Success isn’t about chasing every new trend. It’s about amplifying what makes the biggest impact. The businesses and individuals who thrive aren’t the ones constantly pivoting without purpose. They’re the ones who build on what works, refining and strengthening what makes them uniquely valuable.
Over the past 20 years, I’ve constantly searched for the next book to write, the next hot topic to explore, and the next speech to deliver. But I’ve come to realize that my true differentiator is my Personality Poker speech. It is unlike any other speech in the world.
The Power of Personality Poker
For years, Personality Poker has transformed teams, sparked innovation, and created unforgettable experiences. It’s fun. It’s powerful. And, most importantly, it sticks. People don’t just play it once and forget it. They remember their insights, their cards, and their takeaways for years to come.
But instead of just resting on its success, I’m taking it to the next level—refining, amplifying, and ensuring it reaches more people in even more impactful ways.
That’s the core lesson from PIVOTAL: Don’t abandon your differentiators—enhance them. Too often, businesses get distracted by “what’s next” instead of doubling down on what truly works.
So rather than looking for a new “shiny object,” I’m focusing on what differentiates me and delivers results.
Reinvention vs. Leverage
The business world often glorifies reinvention. We hear stories of companies that pivoted dramatically, completely transformed, or found success by shifting into entirely new markets. But for every success story, there are countless failures—businesses that abandoned their strengths in pursuit of something new, only to end up with less impact, less clarity, and less success.
That’s why PIVOTAL advocates a different approach. Instead of reinvention for the sake of change, the book helps leaders and organizations identify where they provide the most value and then build on that foundation.
This is what I’m doing with Personality Poker.
How This Applies to You
No matter your industry or role, the key is to identify, leverage, and focus on your differentiator.
1. Identify Your Differentiator:
In PIVOTAL, I outline the five Ds of Differentiation: Distinctive, Desirable, Durable, Dynamic, and Disseminated. The first three—Distinctive, Desirable, and Durable—help you gain clarity on what makes you special now and ensures it stands the test of time. How can you apply these to your business?
- Distinctive: What makes you stand out in a crowded market? What sets you apart from the competition?
- Desirable (Externally): What do you do that delivers real, lasting value? What keeps customers coming back? What makes your work uniquely impactful?
- Desirable (Internally): What do you love to do? What work energizes you? What has the potential to create the greatest internal value (financial and other)?
- Durable: What strengths or capabilities are difficult for others to replicate? What gives you a lasting competitive edge?
This framework helps ensure that you’re not just different for the sake of it—you’re building on what truly matters and has staying power.
2. Double Down on It
Once you’ve identified your differentiator, the next step is to double down and maximize its impact.
- Are you amplifying your strengths or getting distracted?
- Instead of reinventing, how can you refine?
- What existing success can you scale?
3. Eliminate the Unnecessary
Finally, knowing what to stop doing is as important as knowing what to do.
- What are you doing just because you feel like you “should”?
- Are you chasing trends that don’t align with your core strengths?
- Is your focus clear, or are you spreading yourself too thin?
The key is not to resist change—it’s to be intentional about it. The best businesses and individuals evolve by strengthening their foundation, not by constantly tearing it down.
What’s Next for Personality Poker?
This renewed focus on Personality Poker isn’t just a mindset shift—it’s a strategic move. That’s why I’m rolling out:
- A New Landing Page – A page designed to better tell the story of how Personality Poker creates lasting impact.
- A New Speaking Reel – A 3-minute video highlighting the energy, interactivity, and results of a Personality Poker session.
- More Fun Assets – Tools to help teams and leaders integrate these insights into their work.
- A Certification Program – I used to sell Personality Poker cards to anyone interested, but now they’re exclusively available to individuals and companies certified in the process or clients who hire me for a speech or program.
- New Deep-Dive Programs – Learning and impact shouldn’t stop when the speech ends; it’s when it really begins. Given this, we developed programs that help you create a culture of collaboration and innovation, leveraging the concepts of Personality Poker and my other innovation work.
Your Challenge
Take a moment to reflect:
- What’s working for you or your business right now?
- How can you refine and amplify it?
- Where might you be distracted by unnecessary reinvention?
The future doesn’t belong to those who chase every new trend—it belongs to those who boldly build on what makes them truly great.
And that’s exactly what I’m doing with Personality Poker.
Are you ready to double down on what works for you?
P.S. The infographic was created by Nate Dailey from Collective Next Graphic Facilitation Support. He drew it during a recent Personality Poker session. While I don’t use the labels “Analyzers,” “Creators,” “Managers,” and “Engagers,” the concepts behind them are quite similar.