Speaking from the Heart

FEAR is how most people would describe the emotion they most feel if asked to give a speech in front of a group or to give a presentation of any kind. My career as a Sales Professional requires me to present ideas and information in a clear and concise way. Whether it’s explaining a new product or educating customers. Speaking to groups large and small is always a bit nerve racking. I wanted to find a way to control the “butterflies” I always felt in my stomach when I spoke in public. I had the privilege of hearing Professional Speaker, Greg Grey, http://www.greggray.com/ give a talk entitled, Butterflies in Formation: Delivering Presentations with Less Anxiety and Greater Impact. Gregg’s style and professional and humorous presentation inspired me to seek the help I was looking for.

In 2005, I joined a new Toastmaster’s Club that was forming called the Chamber Ad-Liborators. http://chamberadlib.freetoasthost.info/ This Toastmasters Club is associated with the Chamber serving Broomfield, Colorado. I jumped at the chance to improve my speaking and listening skills. In the first year of being a member I earned my Certified Toastmaster’s Award,(CTM). This required me to complete 10 speeches in a basic Communication Program Manual. These ten assignments are designed to instill a basic foundation in public speaking. My communication skills were improved and my ability to express myself was greatly enhanced. Best of all I discovered several techniques to contain my butterflies. I was on my way to fulfilling one of my professional and personal goals.

Then an event that all of us have to go through at some point in our lives took the wind out of my sail. My Mother unexpectedly passed away on December 16, 2005. My family was devastated. Mom was the glue that held our family together. I had to fly from Denver to Los Angeles and console family and friends. When making funeral arrangements we came to the point where we were asked, “who would like to speak in memory of your Mother?” There was silence. Deafening, long, silence.

I mustered the courage to say I would speak on behalf of our family and try to memorialize my Mother in the loving a respectful way she raised her children.
It was the hardest speech I have ever given. Thankfully, I had learned the basic skills of public speaking which the Toastmaster’s experience had provided. It was not perfect, but it was heartfelt. I did cry at times as I spoke, yet I was able to “buck up” and deliver my words in a calm and loving manner. Now, almost any speech I give, I look forward to. I have command of those “butterflies” and I have control of the fear of public speaking.

For a Toastmasters near you visit; http://www.toastmasters.org/
The Broomfield Ad-Liborators meet Thursdays at 7:30am at Sill-Terhar Ford
150 Alter Street Broomfield, CO 2nd floor meeting room

Bees – Sharing Where the Honey Is.

I was watching the PBS program NOVA on TV one night. The featured was a program called, "Tales from the Hive". This program chronicles a year in the life of a bee colony with stunning images that take viewers inside the innermost secrets of the hive.

According to Peter Tyson the Online Producer of NOVA, a honeybee hive is far more than just a buzz of activity. In fact, the social organization inside a nest rivals that in the best-run corporations, with each bee and each cell possessing a rigidly specific function. If you're unfamiliar with bees, some of those functions, such as the "waggle dance," might leave you scratching your head in amazement at their sheer sophistication.

This “waggle dance” is a form of communication that gives one bee the opportunity to tell other bees where the best pollen is located. The dance informs other bees in the hive how far away the flowers are and what direction will get these bees to the nectar the quickest. The source bee will even let the other bees sample the nectar of the flowers they pollinated so the other bees will get a taste of it and excite other bees to seek these flowers out. I was fascinated by the level of communication these bees had developed over time.

Like bees the communication between a sales person and a buyer happen with it’s own sort of dance. Like the bees sales people want to spew features and benefits to a potential buyer. They dance around letting the buyer know so much about the “honey” they are selling. The only problem is the buyer is looking for something totally different than what they are selling. It is the sales person’s job to find out what the needs are of the potential buyer. But how?

By asking thoughtful questions. Not any old questions. But questions which will give a deeper understanding of what the potential buyer’s needs, wants and desires really are. I have never been able to figure out how to find out information by talking. Yet, so many sales people do just that. They ramble on about useless information as the buyer walks off. I have only received information by listening and asking additional questions to get information, and to get to the heart of what the buyer is looking for.

Once this dialog happens, like the bees, the exchange of important information can be shared. Like the bees you can share your nectar of information with others. Once the dialog begins you can use your expertise to guide and direct the buyer to your options. This gives value before getting it. Just remember not to sting a buyer with your information before you gather the nectar first.