I’m thankful for …
1) A 2-year-old grandson who runs full-tilt into my arms wearing his best ear-to-ear grin
2) forgiveness unexpected, undeserved
3) anything that makes me humble
4) Mondays
5) loyal customers who enroll their people after 4-5 years because “what I learned from you is still making a difference.”
6) discovery
7) a pulse
forwarded emails because I can delete them without having to read them
9) surprises
10) two daughters and a son who amaze and delight
11) detachment (I know, sounds too new age.  Deal with it.)
12) gender differences
13) conversation
14) anyone who is eager
15) haircuts that require a barber or stylist
16) exercise completed
17) my wife who has no concept of her power and influence (or maybe she does and enjoys playing with my mind)
18) spirituality (currently undefined)
19) transformations/epiphanies and mocha lattes (one often leads to the other)
20) Sweat however generated
21) anything that takes my breath away
22) now moments
23) the ability to occasionally make you smile
and, finally
24) a willingness to take chances, make mistakes, and take another run at it.

The next time you enter into a conversation, do yourself a favor: don’t talk.  Additionally, make no judgment or formulate an opinion about what you’re hearing.  Just listen…authentically.  It’s okay to acknowledge what you hear, but that’s all the verbalizing you’re allowed to do.  One additional request: look like you’re listening.

I can’t wait to hear what happens!

Because I provide presentation skills training to business professionals, you may feel it’s none of my business asking you about what business you’re in.  Bear with me, I have a very important point to make.

Besides, I already know the answer!

Regardless of your title and regardless of your company’s products and services, you’re in the sales business!  You may not be on commission.  You may be responsible for a specific function like purchasing, r&d, quality, public relations, or plant security.  but you’re first and foremost a sales person.

The implications surrounding your success and the company’s are profound!

How do you show or demonstrate respect?  I started listing ways in my mind and I immediately realized there are an infinite number of opportunities.  Some days we recognize, notice and act on them.  Some days we unconsciously choose to wait for others to give us a little. 

I’m going to go out on a limb and claim we don’t do enough of the former and tend to do too much of the latter.  It’s than darn fragile, never satisfied, always hungry ego again.  We’re singing it out with you, Aretha!

Giving respect is a powerful way to build relationships with our spouses, sons and daughters, customers, supervisors, and anyone who serves us.  Every Friday I try to make it easier for the garbage collector to grab and go.  I’ve gotten better at being more conscious and conscientious at doorways.  (It’s not all about me and my schedule!)  Listening has taken a higher priority than talking - in most situations.

I advise business presenters to “listen with their eyes,” to pause after an audience member asks a question, to at all times demonstrate to the listeners that they are always more important than you and your “stuff.”

If you get better at giving respect and no one has to spell it out for you, I’m guessing your relationships with improve, your audiences will respond more positively, and you’ll receive more respect than you’ll know what to do with!

            The last time you spoke to a group, what was the first thing you said?  If you are a typical presenter, you uttered something brilliant like:  “Hello, my name is ________ and I’m here to bore you right from the start.”  You might not have admitted it in so many words, but that was the net effect. 

             Why is it that most speakers don’t get it?  Why don’t they understand their first obligation as an effective speaker is to grab and hold our attention?  Why do they prefer to start out by stating the obvious?  (We know who you are already!)  Why do they prefer to slide into their topic by saying something imaginative like: “I’m here to talk about _______.”  (You still haven’t told us anything we don’t already know!) 

            Then to top off their spell-binding opening remarks they find something to apologize for like how nervous they get in front of an audience or how difficult the slides are to read or how they wish they’d had more time to prepare.  Nothing like lowering our expectations right up front!

             When it comes to speaking, and especially when it comes to starting a speech, you have a lot you need to accomplish.  But the overriding responsibility is to get us interested in what you have to say.

             How do you do that effectively?  Get to know us first.  A little knowledge can go a long way toward figuring out how best to start.

            Then take a chance.  Risk applying a little imagination and creativity.  Launch by saying something unexpected yet relevant.  Ask a challenging question.  Tell us a brief story.

            But regardless of the your choice, prove to us this stuff matters to you.

            Remember, you didn’t have me at “Hello.”