Dr. Ken Dychtwald
World Authority on the Aging of North Americans
Style
Superb platform skill. Thought-provoking and fascinating. Customized presentations.
Books
Profile
Futurist, best-selling author, psychologist, gerontologist, entrepreneur and public speaker.
Over the past 30+ years, Dr. Ken Dychtwald has emerged as North America´s foremost visionary and original thinker regarding the lifestyle, marketing, healthcare and workforce implications of the age wave. He is a psychologist, gerontologist, documentary filmmaker, entrepreneur and best-selling author of fifteen books on aging-related issues, including Bodymind, Age Wave: The Challenges and Opportunities of an Aging Society, Age Power, The Power Years: A User’s Guide to the Rest of Your Life, Workforce Crisis: How to Beat the Coming Shortage of Skills and Talent and his latest – a children’s book Gideon’s Dream: A Tale of New Beginnings. His new book is entitled With Purpose: Going From Success to Significance in Work and Life. In 2007, he had his debut as a documentary filmmaker and host with the highly rated/acclaimed PBS special “The Boomer Century.” His new PBS special “With Purpose” will be airing nationwide in late February/early March, 2009 to coincide with the book release.
Ken Dychtwald has served as a fellow of the World Economic Forum and he is the recipient of the distinguished American Society on Aging Award for outstanding national leadership in the field of aging. American Demographics Magazine honored him as the single most influential marketer to baby boomers over the past quarter century. His article in The Harvard Business Review, “It’s Time to Retire Retirement,” was awarded the prestigious McKinsey Award, tying for first place with the legendary Peter Drucker.
In 1986, Ken became the founding President and CEO of Age Wave, a firm created to guide Fortune 500 companies and government groups in product/service development for boomers and mature adults. His client list has included more than half of the Fortune 500. His explorations and innovative solutions have fertilized and catalyzed a broad spectrum of industry sectors—from vitamins and cookies to automotive design and retail merchandising to mutual funds and health insurance.
During his career, Dr. Dychtwald has addressed more than two million people worldwide in his speeches to corporate, association, social service, and government groups. His strikingly accurate predictions and innovative ideas are regularly featured in leading print and electronic media worldwide, including: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Financial Times, Fortune, Time, Newsweek, Business Week, Inc., U.S. News and World Report, The Economist, HK Daily News, South China Morning Post, The Standard, The Straits Times, 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, Today Show, PBS, NPR and BBC.
Through his highly acclaimed presentations, his breakthrough research and consulting initiatives, and his leadership within both the social science and business communities, Ken Dychtwald has dedicated his life to battling ageist stereotypes while promoting a new, vital and meaningful role for life’s second half.
Clients Comments
I have been learning from Ken Dychtwald for years and am convinced that he is today's most innovative and original thinker on this important subject.
President Jimmy Carter
Topics
- RETIREMENT AT THE TIPPING POINT: NEW FUNDING, NEW TIMING, NEW PURPOSE
- Based on highly acclaimed Age Wave research, this NEW presentation reveals how four generations of Americans are altering the funding, timing and purpose of retirement. This mind-stretching program will explore the following: Who has suffered the most loss during the past year and how long do they think it will take to get it back. Why the retirement clock is being re-set to at least age 67 and how that could be good for everyone. What are the key lessons learned from the financial crisis and how will people’s behavior and attitudes toward money and retirement be changed? What is the #1 retirement “wildcard?” How the sandwich generation has morphed into multigenerational “Rubik” families and the vast implications of this for all generations. A vision of retirees’ changing role in American life - from lifelong learning and legacy to mentoring and philanthropreneuring. How financial professionals can most effectively help people fund their new retirement hopes, dreams and purpose.
- FOUR GENERATIONS RETHINK WORK, RETIREMENT AND SUCCESS
- We are living in the midst of unprecedented demographic, economic and social changes that impact nearly every aspect of our personal and professional lives. Increasing longevity and insufficient savings mean that older workers will be working longer and shrinking their retirement. Mid-career workers are trying to reboot their enthusiasm for a longer and more demanding worklife as they simultaneously try to fund their future retirement. Young workers are struggling to enter the workforce during tough economic times. What makes each of the four working generations tick – and perform at their best? What are they looking to get from - and give to – their jobs? How will they measure success in this new era? This presentation will explore these issues while showing how to retain and attract valuable talent and enhance productivity through programs such as: creative use of flexible work arrangements, innovative learning and mentoring opportunities, sabbaticals, retraining, re-careering, flex-retirement and creative compensation and benefits programs.
- RETIREMENT WAKE-UP CALL: THE FUTURE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
- How has today’s financial crisis altered the relationship between client and financial advisor? Based on research findings from numerous highly acclaimed Age Wave studies on retirement and financial services, this presentation sheds light on which aspects of the financial services industry are dying and which are coming alive. It outlines the “new” retirement-related needs, worries, and aspirations – and how financial services firms and advisors can re-establish trust with the wary public. Meet the “Ageless Explorers,” the “Comfortably Contents,” the “Live for Todays” and the “Sick and Tireds.” Learn how each group feels about their lives, their prospects for fulfilling their hopes and dreams for retirement and what role financial planning, employer support and/or government policies have played in getting them to where they are today. This presentation also covers how the emerging adult lifestage demands of careers, parenthood, eldercare, grandparenthood, singlehood, disability and rehirement will affect savings and retirement funding.
- LIVING WITH PURPOSE: RETHINKING SUCCESS
- Success is defined differently at different moments in life. As a child, it has a lot to do with pleasing our parents. In our teens, it’s often about academic achievement and popularity. As a working adult, success is often about balancing the challenge of creating a healthy family while building a satisfying career. But what’s next? Healthy living and modern medicine have given our lives longevity, but how do we make the most of all that time? Is it too late to go back to school, start a new and gratifying career (or turbo-charge your current one), fall in love again, reinvent yourself? Since happiness is about more than what's in the bank, what are the essential components of an all-weather, successful “life portfolio” - with a significant investment in head, heart, spirit and civic engagement? This hopeful and motivating new presentation answers the essential questions: what is success now and what is the new purpose of life’s second half?