Embracing Experiences Start to Finish, Beginning to End

To become mindfully aware of our surroundings is to bring our thinking back to our present moment reality and to the possibility of some semblance of serenity in the face of circumstances outside our ability to control. 
~ Jeff Kober

Timing isn't everything, and yet, timing is telling.

We get excited, distracted, disappointed, and disengaged in what seems like an instant.

With so many things we could do and experience, how do we embrace the experiences from start to finish, from beginning to end?

It's possible, and even probable if we are willing to consider and act in good faith...

Part of the opportunities we have now is that there are so many choices for where/how to spend our time. Part of the challenge of those seemingly endless choices is realizing that there may have been another choice that would have been an even better fit for our desires and interests.

In order to embrace the experiences from start to finish, from beginning to end, first, make a choice, and be fully committed to thinking it will be enjoyable/purposeful, and feeling good about the upcoming adventure. outing or meeting, second, share with your host, your plus-one, or good friend/family member what you are doing and the reason you decided to do it, third, be fully present for what you selected and fully engaged in the idea/theme or purpose, so if there is a dress code, agenda item, speaking part or anything else, decide that you are "in" and be ready, fourth, and finally, make no excuses, and go all in fully meaning your time, interest, focus, conversations, participation and everything else is all about where you are, the reason you are there, and the people who are there (not those who "missed out".

By not waffling, not jumping from place to place, not planning your get-away, you can, and likely will, fully "be", and when you allow yourself to be, you are you, fully, fabulously, and frankly in a way that you do not have to protect, explain or second-guess. And, after all, when you can be unabashedly you, you can embrace the experiences from start to finish, from beginning to end!

#ProfessionalDevelopment #PersonalDevelopment #KIND #Leadership #EmotionalIntelligence #PerformanceCoaching #Growth

Public Speaking Tip: How to SUMmarize Your Talk Well

 A good headline is far more than a summary. It has to characterize, in a few brief words, the most important themes and news items of the article it accompanies. 
~ Parker Conrad

Have you ever been in a presentation and wondered what was covered when you were nearly at the end of the talk?

It's likely because of a few reasons, and one of the most common misses is that a speaker, a presenter, does not summarize what was covered to bring the information together before closing the engagement.

The parts for which to prepare your talk, training, or pitch include the following and this month, the focus is on the 5th:

1. Open

2. Preview

3. Body

4. Interaction

5. Summary

6. Close

The last months covered the OPEN, the PREVIEW,  the BODY, and the INTERACTION, so the SUMMARY is where the SUM of the experience allows for everyone to come together through:

S - Stating what was covered by reviewing the agenda items and the purpose/goal/objective to make certain that was all accomplished

U - Unlock the audience's ability to talk by addressing questions and confirming you provided what was being sought

M - Move through to the close gracefully and energetically

When you SUM up the presentation with an effective summary, you get yourself ready for a powerful close (which we will cover next month)!

#publicspeaking #ProfessionalDevelopment #PersonalDevelopment #KIND

TAP into Presenting Ideas Positively

When we have an idea, we often want to share it, right?

Other people, though, may not have the same idea, or even be ready to "hear" our thoughts.

What to do?

Please consider these three steps to TAP into Presenting Ideas Positively: Transition, Admission, Position!

T - Transition - Use a word or phrase that is simple and reflects thinking of the other person or people, such as "Considering
 you are looking to...", or "Respecting you have done some research..."
This allows for thought, time and connection.

A - Admission - Give your perspective and own it with something like "I have been thinking about it, too...", or "I am hoping you are open to...
This means you are not dancing around something.

P - Position - Share you idea clearly, in one or two options, without apology or caveats. Something such as "Would you please consider doing X or Y, instead?"
This shows you are asking, not telling,and choices mean you are also open!

When you attempt to TAP into positioning positively, you often don't offend, create conversation, and end on an idea that is workable for all!

Public Speaking Power

Public Speaking Power

It is consistently noted that public speaking is the top fear for Americans. And yet you may want to successfully speak in public personally and/or professionally. For such formal requests for public speaking, there are four types of engagements:

Speech - written ahead of time and read/delivered at a podium or in one location.

Presentation - prepared ahead of time with some slides to support the messages for the audience's benefit.

Talk - bullet points prepared and ready to share with a lot of audience interaction and/or buy-in.

Conversation - Leading a discussion with expertise for the audience and expert to learn.

 

When you are asked to participate, ask:

• The amount of time allowed for you
• The likely size of the audience
• The demographics of the audience
• The goal of the engagement
• The types preferred (Speech, Presentation, Talk, Conversation)

Regardless of which type you are delivering, the three things to ensure for success are:

1) Be the expert

2) Get out of your own way (it's not about you or your day, rather it is about #3)

3) Put the audience first

With these quick tips in mind, you'll have fun, and importantly, your audience will be better for learning with/from you in the way that is best for the opportunity...without fear on your part or theirs!