Sweet

My friend Heidi knew I was a Toastmaster and wanted to see if I could help her.  Her e-mail was a simple request.  “Hey I head up a group called Mompreneurs–about 15 women that have their own business and are also Moms.  They asked if I could bring in a speaking coach to help them refine their elevator speeches around their business and just gain some confidence around speaking about their business.”
Of course my reply was YES!  Yet how could I help them? 

I thought back to a District 26 Toastmasters Conference class conducted by Dana LaMon, the 1992 World Champion of Public Speaking.  Mr. LaMon’s,  “Hook, Hammer & Hinge” formula of attracting someone with a quote, statement or question, then transitioning to connecting by making a point and telling a story (from Bill Gove, CSP, CPAE), and then engaging by having a call to action,  could be shortened and used as a way to introduce yourself. After all an elevator pitch can be much like giving a Toastmasters 5-7 minute speech.  It requires writing, editing, practicing and perfecting until it comes out as a conversation.
We meet on the agreed upon day at a local community room in a fire station.   Being a sales and marketing professional for over thirty years I know how uninspired most “elevator pitches” can be.  I am sure you have had those same experiences at a networking event when you meet someone who says, Hi, I’m a Dentist.  Your first thought is RUN!  Yet if this person said something engaging like, Hi I’m Greg.  I help photographers get people to say, “Cheese” (pause)  “What’s that?” they say.  I fix people smiles with beautiful teeth, I’m your local dentist.  A smile appears on the person’s face and a conversation ensures.  Helping people smile is a better way to say you’re a Dentist than talking about flossing. 

After sharing this formula we worked on various ideas of giving value first, using humor to get people to open up and refining their message to a core idea.   I asked each Mompreneurs to get up in front of everyone and give their own pitch.  After each spoke, we did a round robin evaluation where I asked the Moms to share two positives aspects of each elevator speech for every one suggestion for improvement.

It was a fun ninety minutes.  I made some wonderful contacts and even received an assortment of candies in the mail to remind me of the gratitude of the Mompreneurs.    My friend even hired me to help her with some speech coaching.  I am grateful that District 26 conducts wonderful educational programs and brings in top talent to learn from.   I was grateful for the opportunity to help these Mompreneurs gain confidence in sharing their elevator pitches.  As in business and in Toastmasters, helping others achieve their goals can be sweet. 

Putting Smiles on People's Faces

Every year for the past several I have dressed up to play Santa Claus for my neighborhood toy drive or play the Easter Bunny for my Optimist Club Easter Egg Hunt.  I have enjoyed dressing up like Uncle Sam for the 4th of July neighborhood picnic and I decorate and create a haunted house for Halloween that usually hosts hundreds of neighborhood kids.
 

Why? Am I a crazy or just an unfulfilled actor?  Perhaps both, yet I do all these things because I get the earn the greatest currency in the word.  A smile.  A ray of sunshine that erupts from a child or parent when you create a special moment.   You get to give something of value to others without being forced to do so.  You get to create a bit of pleasure in a world often filled with discontent and unhappiness.

Doing something nice everyday to make others smile creates a positive emotional bank account that compounds daily.    Everyday I look for opportunities to get one person to smile.  It can be as simple as opening a door for someone or saying, "thank you.”

On a flight from Denver to Seattle I brought my trash up to the Flight Attendant and said, "Can I be your first customer?"  Laughing she said, "Yes and gave me the bag and said why not do them all." Not thinking I would do it, I began to walk the aisle where she laughed and caught me, saying," I was kidding." Doing small, seemingly insignificant acts of kindness makes others appreciate you and makes them smile more. Besides, it's fun.  So ask yourself,  have I made someone smile today?

 

The Power of an Optimistic Message

You have heard them before prior to a breakfast, lunch or dinner event.

Invocations that start meetings are usually heartfelt and tend to be religious in nature. They are an oratory grace before a meal. I was asked to give the invocation at an industry function recently. I never miss the opportunity to speak in public if I am available, so I said yes to the honor.

Yet, I wanted to share a more uplifting message without offending anyone's religious beliefs.  After some reflection, I contacted the person who asked me to recite the invocation and told him of my plan to do a positive affirmation rather than an invocation.  At first he was a bit unsure of my direction, yet after a few e-mail exchanges he accepted my idea as unique and positive.

To follow is what I recited;
"As we go forward from this successful convention, let us share with others the optimism we have shared these pass few days.  I would like to share with you a positive affirmation I recite daily.  It is known as the Optimist Creed.

Promise Yourself
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble."

After I descended the stage and sat at my table I was approached by several of the Servers who waited on the tables.  "Excuse me sir, may I ask if you wrote that or is it available somewhere on-line?” one asked.  I shared that it is on-line and they could download their own copy.  Here’s the link; http://www.optimist.org/e/creed.cfm

I felt I had connected with these folks since I am sure that they hear hundreds of invocations at all the events they work.  After the event, it was rewarding to receive praise from my pears for my invocation.  Yet, it was gratifying to know that the Servers at the event were moved and asked for their own copy.  Invocations are great opportunities to practice your public speaking.  When asked, take that opportunity.  What positive message are you sharing that others want a copy for their own?

 

Some Airlines Get It.

Some Airlines Get It.

Monday morning I had a 6:15am flight on Frontier Airlines.  The plane was loaded with passengers and was about ready to depart when the Captain addressed us over the intercom and said we had a mechanical problem. A tire had to be changed.  I am grateful they found that on the ground and not in the air.  A bit frustrated, the other passengers and I deplaned and found a restaurant in the airport to get some breakfast.  About two hours later I re-boarded the plane and had an otherwise uneventful trip home. 

Today, I received an unexpected $50 voucher from Frontier Airlines and this e-mail.   “We apologize that Frontier flight 416 on 05/27/2013 was delayed due to maintenance. We regret the inconvenience our delay caused you.  Our records indicate that you are a valued SUMMIT member of our Early Returns program and because of this we have issued compensation based on the extent of your departure delay, as well as to show our appreciation for being a loyal Frontier customer.  Your business is very important to us.  We hope to have the opportunity to restore your confidence in our service onboard future Frontier flights.

Sincerely, Lori Junker
Customer Relations Manager
Frontier Airlines Customer Care Team

Here is my reply back to Ms. Junker,

Thank you for the $50.00 voucher.  I appreciate the gesture.  It is I who should be thanking Frontier Airlines.  You see you got me home safely to my family.  Yes, it was an inconvenience to be delayed for several hours.  Yet, you had a Captain who made an important decision to fix something before there was a problem.  You had a courteous crew and group of gate agents who did their best to reroute those who had connecting flights.  I was just going home to Denver.  Your airline cared enough to say they were sorry and I appreciate that. Problems happen and Frontier Airlines and their team fixed it.  I know the e-mail states the voucher is Nontransferable, however, if possible please pay it forward and donate it to a soldier or his family so they can reunite.  I can think of no better thing to do with this voucher since the event happened on Memorial Day.  Some companies get customer service and few airlines ever do.  Today, you proved that Frontier Airlines does get it.

I am loyal customer of Frontier Airlines www.flyfrontier.com

 

 

 

Oh, the Places I’ve Been

I was recently invited to a party that asked the guest to bring their “bucket list” of things they wish to do or places they wish to go before they say their adieu to this world.   I thought before I can do this wish or goal list, I should reflect on the things I’ve done and the places I’ve been and celebrate those before contemplating on what I wish to do going forward.  Here is a listing of places I have been.

Ancient Places

Cahokia Mounds (near East St. Louis) The Cahokia Mounds are the largest group of mounds north of Mexico. Monks' Mound, a rectangular, flat-topped earthwork, 100 ft high with a 17-acre base, is named for Trappist monks who settled there in the early 19th century. Hopewell (near Chillicothe, OH) From about 200 B.C.E.. to C.E.. 500, the Ohio River Valley was a focal point of the prehistoric Hopewell culture. The term "Hopewell" describes a broad network of beliefs and practices among different American Indian groups over eastern North America.

The Great Serpent Mound, Peebles, OH  is a 1,348-foot-long, three-foot-high prehistoric effigy located on a plateau of the Serpent  Mound crater along Ohio Busch Creek in  Adams County, Ohio.

Mesa Verde National Park (near Cortez and Mancos, CO) Mesa Verde ("Green Table"), the most notable and best-preserved cliff dwellings and relics in the United States, covers four archaeological periods. From approximately C.E.. 600 through C.E. 1300 people lived and flourished in communities throughout the area, eventually building elaborate stone villages in the sheltered alcoves of the canyon walls.

Revolutionary War Battlefields & Sites-Boonesborough, Boston, Lexington, Concord, Valley Forge.

Civil War Battlefields-Chickamauga,  Franklin, Gettysburg, Kennesaw Mountain,  Perryville, Petersburg,  Shiloh, Spring Hill, Stones River, Thompsons Station, Tupelo.

Places-Jamestown, Williamsburg, Mt Vernon, Monticello, Washington DC, The Alamo, Independence Hall, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, World War Two Memorial, Korean War Monument, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arlington. The Smithsonian, Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Henry Ford Museum, Betsy Ross House, USS Arizona, Fort Laramie, Mt. Rushmore. Lincoln Birthplace, Truman Library & Home, Nixon Library & Home, Gerald R Ford Library, Reagan Library, Warner Brothers Studio, Universal Studio, Walt Disney Studios, NBC Studio, Hwy 1, French Quarter, National Mall, Las Vegas Strip, Times Square, Nashville, Hollywood, Disneyland, Disneyworld, Epcot, Taos, South Beach,  Civil Rights District in Atlanta, Time Trials at the Indy 500. 

Toured: Markers Mark, Woodford Reserve & Jack Daniels Distillery.  Budweiser, Coors and New Belgium Breweries.

Race Tracks: Santa Anita, The Red Mile & Kneeneland

Rafted: Middle Fork of the Clark River, Salmon River, Arkansas River.

Natural Wonders-Death Valley, Devils Tower,  Haleakala, Volcanoes National Park, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, Yosemite, Glacier, Great Smokey Mountains, Everglades, Redwood National Park, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mt Evans.

Professional Baseball Parks-All stadiums except Miami, DC, Pittsburg & Toronto. Surfed California and Hawaii.

I have visited all 50 states, four Canadian Provinces, three Mexican States and visited Chichen Itza & Castillo San Felipe del Morro –“El Morro’ in Puerto Rico

I’ve traveled from the Golden Gate to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. From Key West to Honolulu and Anchorage.  Attended great concerts, seen and meet famous people and celebrities.  I am sure I have left some out, yet these places and people were all seared on my mine as special. 

Places I want to visit; Israel, Masada, Jerusalem, Rome and Pompeii, Athens & the Oracle at Delphi, Troy, Easter Island, Machu Picchu, The Serengeti, The Pyramids of Giza and Thebes. The Louvre, Agkor Wat, The Great Wall of Chin, The Louve.

Of all the things done and seen perhaps the greatest is looking into the eyes of parents who loved and nurtured, a beautiful wife who make me laugh, loving children that continue to amaze me and grandchildren who I see boundless possibilities in.  All possible by living in the greatest and most moral county ever established by men.

Next, working on this year’s to do list…

 

Acts of Kindness



 

My Tire Sensor light illuminated on my car this morning.  I pulled over to check the left rear tire.  I could not see anything wrong so I drove slowly to the closest tire dealer.  The good folks at Discount Tire in Lafayette, CO at 740 US Highway 287 checked it out.  It just needed air.  They checked my other tires.  I was in and out in a few minutes.  They would not take anything for filling my tire.  The sensor light went off and I was back to my day.   The sensor light was a good reminder to check my personal gauge.  What have I done to make someone’s day today? Open a door. Say Thank You, Smile.  Kindness, Pass It On!

Hush

In art it’s called, “negative space.” 

In music it’s called, “a place to rest.”

In public speaking it’s called, the “pause.”

No, not a dogs feet, nor a Southern Father. 

The “pause” is the silence between two sections of speech that allows the listener to catch up, reflect and to connect to the importance of what is being said.

Think of the last time when someone like your Mom, your Wife, or your Kids were baking cookies.           Now inhale, and take a deep whiff of that freshly baked dough, slowly,… release your breath.  Are you holding onto every morsel of memory?   Off course you are.  The “pause” in public speaking is the aroma of the cookies baking.  That “ah” that you experience after you take a deep breath.

Why do you fear the “pause”?  Is it anxiety?  Perhaps in the chaotic, cacophony of your everyday life, you grab every opportunity to be heard, then, like water you rush to fill the void.  Why not use and savor the silence?  Using a “pause” in public speaking is a skill that you can practice and become comfortable with.

I had the opportunity to do a speech from the Advanced Communication Series of Interpretive Reading.  The first project is “Read a Story”.  The speech objectives were to understand the elements of reading, analyze a narrative and plan an effective interpretation.  I choose to recite Leonard E. Read’s classic, “I, Pencil.”  The story is written in the first person from the point of view of a pencil and gives a superb case study for free markets. 

The original version of this story is 2,313 words long.  Reading at my average speed of 145 words per minute I would normally complete this story in about 16 minutes. Yet, the time allotted for the speech was 8-10 minutes.   With editing and keeping the author's intention intact, I revised this story to under 1,400 words.  The real challenge, even with editing was giving myself enough time to add well placed “pauses” to increase impact, tension and move the story along with vocal variety.  A tough task yet, a challenge accomplished.

Well placed “pauses” immerse your audience into the void of silence to influence and indicate the importance of what you are saying.  As Darren LaCroix, 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking and Keynote at the District 26 Fall Conference stated many times, “Stage Time, Stage Time, Stage Time”.  You can practice using the “pause” each time you take the stage.

Happy Hush!