The “OWL” Method

A wise old owl sat on an oak

The more he heard, the less he spoke.

The less he spoke, the more he heard.

Wasn’t he a wise old bird?

This rhyme was often said by John Wooden, the greatest coach for the UCLA Bruins Men’s Basketball team. Wooden used to share this saying with his student-athletes to help them understand that listening is more powerful than talking.

It also, helped to remind me of using the OWL Method, Like the bird, the OWL.

The “O” which stands for "Observe."  Look at the world around you.  What stands out?

What grabs your attention? What’s ordinary, yet significant?  Your eyes have the opportunity to observe if you look.

I’ll skip over, to the “L” which stand for "Listen".  What do you hear now?  Are the sounds melodic or messy?  Do you hear that?  Are the sounds around you balanced or benign, or deep and disturbing?  Are your ears, open to the music in the air or do you even audience to the sounds around you?

Now back to the middle letter.  The “W” which stands for “Write”.  Write down what you see and hear.  The “W” unifies the “O” and the “L” and makes you more aware of the world around you. Write with an eye that describes what you see and an ear of what you hear happening around you.

Writing makes me a better speaker because when you write I clarify my thoughts. When I have clarity, I come to conciseness, which is being brief. This process gives a speaker the opportunity to be efficient with their words, yet get their point in an effective and memorable way.

The “OWL” Method consists of observing, listening and writing. and helps me unify my speaking to be a more effective communicator.

A wise old owl sat on an oak

The more he heard, the less he spoke.

The less he spoke, the more he heard.

Wasn’t he a wise old bird?

Design Master Feature and Interview

Thanks, Amatos Wholesale Florist​ for the nice feature on DESIGN MASTER. We think distributor partners like you are pretty special too!!! #flowers #wholesaleflorist #dmcolor https://www.amatodenver.com/video/cool-new-rose-variety-honey-hearts-2-2-5-4-2-3-2-2/?fbclid=IwAR2xEGgSYwt3CKjBdBNLciRCYheJUxEnWLWgFYjYNWug_OT-Tg8Q15zhuxg

A TALL MOUSE, a paperweight and an outhouse.

On my desk at work sits a variety of “chachkies,” a Yiddish word meaning trinkets. These were collected with others from my many years of business travel.  These dust-collectors remind me of the past, yet often inspire me to think about events and opportunities in the future.  Three pieces that stand out for me are a ceramic tall mouse, a stone paperweight with the words “Soring into the Future” embossed on it and a rubber outhouse I was handed at a trade show. 

The TALL MOUSE figure I bought from one of my customers in Southern California. Tall Mouse  Arts and Crafts was a four-store chain owned by Jim and Ricki Bremmer.  I was on a courtesy call with his buyer, Kim Donahue who told me the story of how the store got its name. In the mid-1960’s the founders of the company, Richard and Mariam Oehllam were at a New Year’s Eve party with lots of champagne. Party guests were milling around enjoying each other’s company, and they were talking about a name for the store when somebody suggested, “You need to invent a better mousetrap.”  Thinking a mouse trap a bit inhume, someone suggested that it would be better to just “build a better mouse.”  There happened to be a cartoonist at the party who quickly sketched several drawings of different mice, the long-legged mouse stood out and was purchased from the artist.  So basically, as Kim stated, “it is how all good ideas happen—a party, champagne, and a cartoonist!”

The tall mouse reminds me to be creative, to think differently and to not listen to the conventional wisdom.  To follow one’s passion, with vision and enthusiasm.

The paperweight with a stone base was a gift given after graduating from the 1993 Wholesale Florist and Florist Supplier’s of America’s Management Institute held at Cornell University.  Since 1982, there have been 37 Management Institute Institutes and I have attended 29 to date.  I love learning, networking with my industry peers, and experiencing new ways to apply these best practices to our business.  This educational event also helps me share the knowledge I learn with customers who appreciate the ideas I bring them as a valued and trusted advisor. 

This paperweight reminds me to continue to be a life-long learner and to “Soar into the Future” by continuing to grow, challenge and adapt to the changing winds of the marketplace.  It’s often be stated that the only one who likes change is a baby, with a dirty diaper. One should embrace change otherwise you’ll start to stink from within.

Which brings me to the third object in this grouping, a rubber outhouse.  This was a promotional giveaway at a special event show from a waste management company.  In the party, wedding event business if you don’t have a necessary room close by, your event might turn out crappy.  This “stress reliever” is intended to be squeezed when one was feeling overwhelmed and needed to redirect their angst.   I walked up to the folks who were standing in front of a gleaming, outhouse on wheels.  And said, “How’s shit going?” One replied, “Pretty regular” and we all had a good laugh.  A salesman threw me this rubber outhouse and said, “squeeze this the next time you go.  It will help with the experience.”  More laughter. 

The rubber outhouse reminds me to have fun and laugh in your business.  As I have often stated, “I’m going to FUN If it’s work find someone else.”  It also reminds me to, GSD = GET SHIT DONE.  Crude perhaps.  Yet in business, if you don’t GSD you go HUNGRY. 

Three simple souvenirs which sit on my desk.  They remind me to continue to be creative, think differently, to continue life-long learning, to get shit done and have fun doing it. 

Growing Up With Flowers

I

n 1991 a group of Young Executives from the Wholesale Florist and Floral Supplier Association, WF&FSA, created a flower education program called, "Growing Up With Flowers" Flower Industry friends, Laura Kantakis, John Dillon, Lee Sorensen, Lisa Allensworth, Gregg Wilke, Katy Miller, Dave Garcia, Eric Levy and Kenny Hopkins and I worked together with little funding and lots of enthusiasm to create a flower education program for youth, with the result of hopefully increasing demand for flowers with a positive educational experience. In 1993 a Wholesale, Retail, Educators Guide and a Coloring Book were unveiled. This video was created in 1995 and "The Flower Song" which I wrote, was included to help interested parties to begin their presentation and to get the attention of pre-school and kindergarten students. PDF's of the original guides, coloring book and this video are all available. DM me for your copy. The materials may be dated yet sharing the beauty of flowers with kids never gets old. #flowers #GrowingUpWithFlowers #WFFSA

Promoting Your Toastmasters Club Via Radio.

You work hard building your club and creating a dynamic meeting environment.  Things are going great and your club meetings are exciting, fun and your members are improving their skills.  Yet, even the best of clubs lose close to one-third of their members yearly. It’s all part of the life cycle of a Toastmasters club.  Members come and go for many reasons and that is why good clubs are constantly recruiting new members. 

Kim Monson is a member of Liberty Toastmasters in Denver and she is also a drive time radio show host, and half of the “Americhicks,” on KLZ 560 AM from 6:00 to 7:00 AM.  Her radio program focuses on public policy issues and includes a diverse range of topics which features local and national personalities. 

Kim observed the membership falling and approached the club to see if we would consider being a co-sponsor of her radio show.  During a club business meeting, the members agreed to promote the club with the help our sister club, Liberty Toastmasters-North in Longmont, to share in the investment and promote both clubs. 

Several times a week a recorded Toastmaster Ad is played, and at least monthly members are interviewed and even have the opportunity to participate on the radio show by practicing their Table Topic skills, “live” on the air.  After the program airs, each participant is sent their portion of the recorded program to share on their personal social media or in e-mails. This amplifies the investment and helps promote the clubs.  As Liberty Toastmasters President, I have been interviewed on the program about our uniquely themed club, and have been invited as a guest co-host several times.  Yet, more importantly, we have invited listeners to attend our meetings and to practice becoming better speakers and leaders via Toastmasters.

Wonder if this investment has panned out?  So far, the results have been promising.  After the first radio program aired, a couple from Parker attended a meeting at the Denver club.  When introducing themselves, these guests shared they heard about us on the radio. Wow! It worked.  The following week the Longmont Club had a similar experience when a gentleman attended from Fort Collins after hearing the interview on the radio. Wow again!

We continue to invest some club dues in public relations and recruitment and now have proof that radio does reach potential new members. Plus, we have a wider reach of potential new members across the entire front range.  If you are looking to grow your membership and who isn’t, you may try this unique approach. 

10.29.18:Brad Beck with Liberty Toastmasters on the Americhicks 

https://soundcloud.com/the-heart-of-the-matter/102918brad-beck-with-liberty-toastmasters