The words of the old saying, “Behind every great man is a great woman” really needs to be reconsidered, especially in my case. The woman in my life is not ‘behind me’ in any way. She is with me every step, and often trail blazes towards our preferred future. If there is any greatness in me, Melissa deserves much of the credit.
I posted on my Facebook page last year that each December 1st would be “International Sideswipe Day.” This is a day to remember those whom we have lost, share our grief, and encourage one another that there is hope after loss. I was blown away at the responses I received. It can be overwhelming to hear the pain that people go through each day. Some of your stories took my breath away; you have faced so much and you continue to push forward. It’s simply inspirational.
We have all heard the quote by Harry S. Truman “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” I enjoy reading, and often turn off the tv to curl up with a good book in the evening before bed, or read in the early morning while my family sleeps.
But one of my nagging frustrations is that I don’t retain as much as I should. I underline, make notes in the margins or ponder a really provocative idea, only to forget it the next day (or later that hour!). I have come to realize that I remember best what I have repeated. Let me explain.
Have you ever tried driving in the middle of a snowstorm or dense fog? If you have, you know that with limited visibility you have to trust the road ahead, and hope that the cars ahead of you have bright taillights!
Do you ever feel like your life is in a fog? Are you unsure and anxious about the future of your career, family or relationships?
Whenever I feel boxed in I remind myself of these four simple truths. They have worked for me, and I know they can and will work for you!
The greatest sin you can commit as a communicator is to waste another person’s time.
It’s simply not acceptable…and won’t be tolerated for long.
So whether you are speaking in the boardroom, at a tailgate meeting or in a packed auditorium, here are three ways to ensure that your audience hears, understands and then responds to the message you’re sharing.
Do you get exhausted with all the voices vying for your attention everyday? I do! We tune in to some, and tune out the rest. But there is still an underlying ‘white noise’ that clouds our ability to discern what is important and what should end up in the trash.
As a communicator, I need to clearly hear what is vital so I have something life-changing to pass on to my audience.
So, how do I make sure that my message is worth listening to? ie. How do I filter out the noise?
3 keys to beat procrastination
There is a myth that ancient maps included the phrase “There be dragons” in the far reaches and uncharted territories. While it makes for a compelling story, it’s simply not true. Maps did not include dragons (at least maps that have been uncovered so far). But be sure there are dragons in the unknown. They …
Have you ever been in a meeting and thought, “What’s the point of this presentation…?” Or perhaps you were at a conference where the speaker rambled on and on without saying much of anything? I heard a sermon this summer where for the first 18 minutes the speaker told the audience that speaking wasn’t his …
Read more “How To Win Over Your Audience in One Minute or Less”
Like millions of people around the globe, my TV consumption in the last two weeks has consisted of watching world class athletes compete at the Olympic Games in Rio. Normally I would not be caught dead watching hammer throw, team pursuit or race walking, but every four years national pride and curiosity take over and …