The Adapter’s Advantage: Mark Schulman on Unlocking Your Rockstar Attitude
Welcome to The Adapter’s Advantage: Breakthrough Moments that Lead to Success.
In this episode, we welcome Mark Schulman, rockstar keynote, performance driver, and drummer for P!NK! With more than 30 years of drumming experience, performing for sold-out audiences all over the world, he has a wealth of inspirational stories and advice that everyone can learn from.
Listen as he discusses his career with artists such as P!NK!, Cher, and Billy Idol; how he transformed from being a cellist to a drummer and then to a keynote speaker; the importance of collaboration; and the significance of attitude and how it drives behaviors and outcomes in life.
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When someone feels like you are truly there to be of service to them, and you put their well being above and beyond your own agenda, then you are really making a difference. Then you are truly helping.
Mark Schulman looks and sounds like a rockstar drummer. What a lot of people don’t realize is he grew up playing cello. While he said he “was born a drummer,” he didn’t pick up the sticks until he was 9. And since then, it’s been a wild ride.
Over his 30-plus years drumming, he’s performed with bands and artists such as Foreigner, Cher, Simple Minds, Billy Idol, and P!NK! As a member of those bands, he learned quickly the importance of collaboration—that each person’s role, no matter how minute, is critical. And that applies to every type of group dynamic.
Equally important is one’s attitude, Schulman says. You may not be able to control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude. Your attitude can then change your behavior, and your “behavior determines the outcomes of your life,” he says.
Listen as Schulman, a former keynote speaker at Allego’s 2023 S3 event, shares his story about becoming a drummer, his experiences working with different bands, lessons he’s learned about team success, and advice for giving engaging presentations.
Episode 59: Unlocking Your Rockstar Attitude | Mark Schulman
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From This Episode
Host Mark Magnacca: “What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about getting and keeping an audience’s attention?”
Mark Schulman: “One is I truly believe that everything I do is to be of service. So, when I do my little mantra, prayer, whatever you call it, before I go on stage, everything is directed toward the audience.
“I say, ‘I want the audience to get as much out of this as they possibly can. I want them to really resonate with the messaging, so they can walk away feeling like they have rock and roll swagger, and they have learned some really absolutely usable content. They’re energized, and they’re motivated.’
“So, I don’t talk about me. It’s never about me. It’s always about them.
“The second thing is a trick I learned from one of my speech coaches, Patricia Fripp. She said, ‘When you’re walking around and you’re looking at the audience, you’re looking at one person, then you’re looking at one person, then you’re looking at one person.’
“So what I’m actually doing is I’m having a conversation with one person and one person. … It really is about the personal connection.”
About The Adapter’s Advantage
Our podcast features leaders from sales, training, and industry who share their personal journeys of transformation and how they are adapting to an ever-changing environment. As your host, I’ll introduce you to some of the most interesting and inspiring people I’ve met over the last 20 years.
The conversations dive into the ups and downs of their journey. Our guests focus on inflection points—the aha moments that, in retrospect, had a critical impact on their success. These interviews will leave you with practical, real-world advice that you can apply to your life.
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