SPEAKER SAVVY -- Talk Like You Mean It

I just spent a half-hour interviewing one of my favorite author/speakers, Mark Sanborn, who has a great new book out called You Don't Need A Title To Be A Leader. He's also a past president of the National Speakers Association, so I took the liberty to ask him for the advice he gives to people who want to become professional speakers.

Mark told me the biggest mistake would-be speakers make is to work up some clever topics or catchy titles, when they should figure out what they're passionate about first. Figure out what your message is...then start writing.

Once you decide what your message is, Mark Sanborn then says it's just as important to identify who will pay you to talk about your subject. You might be passionate about being a pet owner, but there aren't many groups who will make it profitable for you to speak about it professionally.

Your marketing and networking will be much more successful if you take care of those first two things. Message, market, money, in that order. (If you're ready to make a serious move into the world of professional speaking, I can help. Email me at mark@marktalks.com.)

LIVING SAVVY -- A Lesson For Everyone

Scott Adams, the creator of the popular "Dilbert" comic strip, revealed an amazing story last week--and provided a compelling lesson for everyone to use in his or her own way.

Scott lost his voice 18 months ago. It's a rare disorder called spasmodic dysphonia, where the part of your brain that controls speech just shuts down. Permanently. There's no cure, but there are options (because, apparently, people with this disorder can sing but they can't talk.)

Rather than give up, Scott tried a number of new tricks to reprogram his brain and regain his speaking voice. He tried daily affirmations. He used self hypnosis and voice therapy exercises. He tried speaking in different pitches and foreign accents. For 18 months, Scott worked on a "cure" until one day, he spoke.

He was helping out on a homework assignment when he realized that he could speak perfectly when rhyming. He repeated the rhyme over and over, remapping his brain, until his speaking voice returned. Not 100% but close enough for celebration.

What an amazing story! Here's a lesson for everyone who encounters obstacles, big and small. What have you done to overcome adversity--and how far are you willing to go when others tell you there's no hope?

LEADERSHIP -- Mentor or Coach?

Many of my clients have been asking whether they need a mentor or a coach. My answer is...BOTH!

There's a big difference between a mentor and a coach, but each one is invaluable to your growth as a leader and your success as a person. A mentor is an experienced leader in your field who can show you the ropes as well as offer you his wisdom. A coach won't try to tell you how to handle things--he'll ask you the right questions so that you'll discover the answers for yourself.

It's like being in a Broadway musical where the choreographer shows you the moves while the director asks you what you think about your character's motivation. Both roles are necessary for a successful production, and neither should intrude on the other's territory.

Make sure your mentor and coach are in place before your curtain comes up!

LIVING SAVVY -- A Little Failure Never Hurt Anyone

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. -- Robert F. Kennedy
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. -- Winston Churchill

I'm always interested in observing how people handle setbacks. My son, Drew (the 10-year-old Mad Scientist) is such a perfectionist that if something in one of his projects doesn't turn out right, he throws everything down and walks away. For about a day. But then he invariably picks up the project with renewed enthusiasm and, more importantly, a better sense of how to succeed.

That's the key. Maybe kids get it instinctually and only lose that persistence after years of failure without perspective. Here's something I once read in the Wall Street Journal that provides that encouragement everyone needs:
"You've failed many times although you may not remember. You fell the first time you tried to walk, didn't you? You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim. Did you hit the ball the first time you swung the bat? Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also struck out a lot. Babe Ruth struck out 1330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs.R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on. English novelist John Cracey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books. Don't worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try."

A life with little failure is a life with little risk. We were designed to take chances--it's when we start accepting the results that we really fail.

SPEAKER SAVVY -- The Lost Art of Interpersonal Communcation

I'm disturbed about a story I read in Forbes over the weekend that shows a trend among younger employees to rely on email and text messaging to communicate not only with co-worker...but with older bosses, who can't understand why their young recruits, for all their brains and technical skill, hardly ever come over and actually talk to them.

We're running into a critical time in the business world where the next generation of leaders might not have a clue how to interact face-to-face, a skill that most experts will tell you is a key to success. Here's an example from the Forbes article:

"Ruth Sherman, a communications consultant says common complaints about younger workers range from lame handshakes and poor conversational skills to super-casual attire and personal use of company e-mail. Some show up at job interviews in tee shirts. What the Gen Yers don't see, she says, is the meaning and value of gestures and other nonverbal skills that don't come through in a text message."

Advice to the under-30 people who aspire to management--want to get a huge leg up on your competition? Learn how to handle in-person interaction. Understand that there's a difference between chatting with your buddies and talking to the CEO. Use complete sentences in your written correspondance and remember that Googling doesn't necessarily qualify as research.

Otherwise, you're going to spend most of your career stuck in a cubicle. With a serious case of Blackberry Thumb.

MEDIA SAVVY -- There IS Such A Thing As Bad Publicity...

...when it comes to ballot measures that require lots of positive opinion to pass. Take notes, because here's a classic example of how not to handle a PR campaign.

Here in Sacramento, the big measures on the ballot this November are designed to set up a temporary sales tax to raise money to build a new downtown arena for our NBA team, the Kings. The campaign has had several setbacks, from a lack of communication between the owners, Gavin and Joe Maloof, and city leaders, not to mention brownfield cleanup issues and a general perception that the Maloofs are wealthy enough to pay for their own arena.

Needless to say, tongues were wagging yesterday when a new nationwide TV ad for Carl's Jr. debuted, featuring the Maloof brothers chowing down on hamburgers at the family's Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. "Net worth: $1 billion," flashes on the screen. The brothers wash down the burgers with a bottle of 24-year-old French bordeaux, poured by a woman in a slinky dress. The ad closes with: "The Carl's Jr. $6,000 combo meal, exclusively at the Palms."

This is a serious lack of judgement by the Maloofs. Why take part in a high-profile TV commercial flaunting your affluence so close to an election that asks voters to fund a $600 million arena and entertainment complex for you? What, they couldn't have waited three weeks?!?

When you're trying to influence public opinion, you need all the positive mojo you can create. In the case of Gavin and Joe Maloof, they just blew a layup at the end of the 4th quarter.

LEADERSHIP -- That's What Friends Are For

Today is "National Boss Day," so I thought I'd toss out a little out-of-the-box question for your management types out there. Is it OK for the boss to be a buddy, too?

You've heard the warnings before--"Maintain a professional distance so friendship doesn't cloud your judgment." Which sounds good in theory...but too many managers take it to the extreme, and studies show that most people think their boss is the person they'd least like to spend time with. So is there a happy medium?

Yes. John Maxwell says it best: "The best leaders are the ones who forge personal ties with their team and interact with each member in light of their specific preferences and desires. Employees respond to the care they receive from a boss. When treated with human dignity and kindness they gain energy and positive emotion, but when treated like a pawn of corporate production, worker motivation nosedives."*

Great leaders know how to create friendship and respect within their organizations. Which means you can step out with your employees without stepping over the line.

*This excerpt is used by permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell's free monthly e-newsletter 'Leadership Wired' available at www.maximumimpact.com.

SPEAKER SAVVY--Preparing For The Big One

My wife was asked last month to give a speech at an important women's retreat in November, and at the risk of sounding like a proud hubby, I know she's going to make a dynamic presentation. So why is she going to succeed when most people fail.

First, most people who are asked to give a big speech put off working on it right away. They rationalize that they've given speeches before and done OK so they figure they'll just wing it. My wife is a naturally gifted speaker, but she knows how much work it takes, so she started preparing months out.

Second, most business people write a speech based on a specific topic--my wife is crafting a speech based on her audience. She's interviewed a number of the people involved in this retreat and will have a personalized presentation that will make the audience feel much more involved.

Finally, while the majority of speakers run through their talks just enough times to have the main points memorized, Sally has talked through her speech a number of times with all kinds of people and is now polishing it to perfection. (She's heard me say a thousand times, "Practice doesn't make perfect--PERFECT PRACTICE makes perfect!")

My wife is going to be a big hit because she's not taking her presentation or her audience for granted. Take a tip from my blushing bride--mastering these performance basics will give you a solid speaking base to build on for the rest of your career.

LIVING SAVVY--Positively Monday

Most people will tell you that Monday is the worst day of the week. Why? Because Monday means back to survival mode. They drag themselves through the workday so they can relax in the evening. They endure the week so they can celebrate on the weekend. They work all year so they can go on an exhausting vacation. If you stretch the logic, they put up with life so that they can finally relax when they're dead!

Why try to compartmentalize your joy? Doesn't it make more sense to look for opportunities every day rather than plan them in short bunches? Stop postponing life--instead, tell yourself that Monday is the beginning of your celebration, not the end.

A simple attitude adjustment will not only make Monday your favorite day of the week, it'll also put you far ahead of the gloom n' doomers stumbling and grumbling through the workday!

LEADERSHIP--Hire Slowly, Fire Quickly

One of the most important lessons I learned during my leadership years was how to hire and fire people. My mentor promised me that those two things would shape my success or failure as a leader...and they did. Because at first, I hired too quickly and fired too slowly.

Whenever I had an opening, I tried to keep our corporate momentum going by filling the position immediately. Big mistake. But an even bigger mistake was hoping that bad performers or bad attitudes would get better simply by the power of my management skills.

I quickly realized that great leaders are prepared for turnover. I started recruiting and training replacements on a regular basis--and even then, I took my time and hired only when I knew I had the right person for the job. And if an employee was becoming a liability, it was important to get them "off the bus" as soon as possible, as Jim Collins advises in his masterpiece, Good To Great.

Building an effective team is your most important responsibility and the most expensive decision you make as a leader. Remember, hire slowly, fire quickly.

MEDIA SAVVY--Paperless Promotion

When it comes to establishing a media presence, sometimes a lack of experience can be a good thing. I have a client that is virtually starting from scratch...not even a press kit. That's the bad news. The good news is that my client will immediately be able to benefit by using the Internet to hold an online press kit.

Why is this beneficial? You're using technology to make your organization's promotion more efficient and less expensive. You create a destination for web traffic. Photos and files are stored online and downloaded at the user's convenience. Your online press kit gets submitted by a click instead of a stamp. It cuts down on your publishing expenses and uses much less storage. Information and photos can be updated immediately and with the same high quality as traditional methods. (And since the people downloading your online press kit really want your information, the likelyhood your PR gets used increases dramatically!)

Sure, a formal, hard-copy press kit is still an essential promotional investment--but since virtually everyone uses the Internet these days, desing an online press kit and make your web site work for you.

BUSINESS SAVVY--The 30-Second Resume

Recently I was invited to lunch with a networking club called LeTip (they're mostly an East Coast/West Coast organization, but you can find the nearest chapter HERE.) One of the things the new members (and guests like me) were required to do was take 30 seconds to talk about themselves and--hopefully--share something interesting about themselves.

For me it was easy. After all, I'm a professional speaker. But for the other people put on the spot, it was sheer torture.

You may have heard salespeople talk about their "elevator speech," a short and intriguing personal introduction that gives just enough information about what they do that hooks the listener into asking for more. (I use a variation on this called my "kitchen speech" that I use at parties.)

Here's an example: "So....what do you do?"
"I'm a paid assassin."
"Reeeeeeally?"
"Yes--business leaders hire me to knock off inefficiency and low morale at work!"

Come up with your own 30-second resume...something so unique that people will be begging to know more about you (and more importantly, how to buy what you're selling!)

SPEAKER SAVVY--Find Your Fire

I watched the pilot episode of the new ABC comedy "Men In Trees"...cute! It stars Anne Heche as a successful relationship coach on her way to a speaking engagement in a tiny Alaskan town swarming with men. Lots of funny stuff and some really good acting--but one thing stood out.

Anne Heche is a world-class speaker.

The show opened up with a series of clips from her presentations and Heche was obviously coached by somebody who really knows the speaking profession. (Here's how realistic Anne Heche was last night...I wanted to hear more. I was actually disappointed that they didn't let her finish!)

What really struck was the look in her eyes. She was glowing, confident, sparkling--the woman was en fuego! The pilot light was on and it was blazing. She reminded me of legendary women speakers like Patricia Fripp who find their fire, the thing they're passionate about, and deliver that passion with style and substance.

It's my job to train people to find that same fire when they speak. Check out my website at MARKtalks.com for more information.

MEDIA MATTERS--How To Be Monday Morning Quarterback On The Weekend

Let me be completely transparent here...I'm a HUGE Ohio State Buckeyes fan, so the big win over Texas ("Bevo--the Other White Meat!") Saturday was thrilling. So forgive me for indulging in a little post-game revelry.

As impressive as Ohio State QB Troy Smith was on the field, he really stood out in a quick sideline interview after the game that was a perfect example of how to play defense when talking to the media.

The ABC reporter asked Smith about his last-second decision to throw deep to his #1 wide receiver in one-on-one coverage--here's where Smith gets a broadcast Heisman. He said, "Well, Coach Tressel had a great game plan, and I really appreciate the confidence he has in me and my teammates...but the credit should go to my offensive line, they gave me plenty of time out there today."

A less savvy guy would have given away his team's strategy. The Buckeye QB deflected the question by sticking to his script and avoiding a slip of the tongue. Somebody in Columbus made sure this young man was well coached on and off the field.

The lesson? Don't be baited by the media into blurting out a spontaneous response when a measured, consistent message will protect your interests. Make sure you control the interview and you'll score a touchdown every time.

SPEAKER SAVVY--Potty Mouth

Thanks to CNN anchor Kyra Phillips, we all know that her sister-in-law is a "control freak." It happened yesterday as the cable network was airing President Bush's speech in New Orleans on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Phillips took a bathroom break where she confided to a co-worker that she worried about her brother's marriage. One problem--Kyra didn't realize that her microphone was still on. (Here's the audio:)

Just another example of why I advise everyone who is even near a microphone or a camera--always assume it's ON and you're LIVE! Yes, I know that it's really the sound engineer's fault for not turning her off, but you should still make it your responsibility to check before you say or do something that'll end up on the Drudge Report.

LEADERSHIP / MEDIA MATTERS--The Disaster Continues

Sometimes you see something that just makes you shake your head and wonder how some people get into leadership positions. I was flipping through the Sunday morning chat shows when I overheard this stunning statement on Fox News Sunday:

"We promised you an interview with New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas, but he apparently overslept this morning. Not only did he not make it to our studio for this interview, but we also understand that he missed a briefing on Hurricane Ernesto this morning."

Obviously, this guy missed a major PR opportunity. But compounding his blunder by missing a emergency planning briefing almost a year to the day that his city was almost wiped out by Hurricane Katrina is unconscionable.

As a leader, everything you do is a lesson to the people you work for (or in this instance, the people you promised to serve.) When you show passion, they'll likely show the same passion. When you show you care, they'll care, too. But when you're too lazy to show up for something vital, don't expect your staff to give a rip, either.

LIVING SAVVY--The Most Important Question You'll Ever Ask

Jack Canfield, the guy who puts together all those terrific Chicken Soup For The Soul books (and America's Success Coach,) just sent me an e-mail with a powerful tool that will instantly make you a more effective person. Here's the email:

In the 1980s, a multimillionaire businessman taught me a question that radically changed the quality of my life. So what is this magical question that can improve the quality of every relationship you are in, every product you produce, every service you deliver, every meeting you conduct, every class you teach and every transaction you enter into?
Here it is:
“On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the quality of our relationship during the last week?”
Any answer less than a 10 always gets this follow-up question:
“What would it take to make it a 10?”
This is where the *really* valuable information comes from. Knowing that a person is dissatisfied is not enough. Knowing in detail what will satisfy them gives you the information you need to do whatever it takes to create a winning product, service or relationship.

Take it to heart--and start asking that question today!

LEADERSHIP--Making Chicken Salad Out Of...

21st century leadership takes a bad situation and turns it upside down to the organization's advantage. (I hope someone at Albertson's is reading this and taking the lesson to heart...)

Alana Lipkin has been banned from a couple of supermarket chains simply because they have guarantees that any mispriced items are free--so she goes in to find those errors to get the stuff for free, as advertised.

The knee jerk reaction was to punish this woman for using a legal loophole for her own benefit. But when there's a wrinkle in your plans--try a little steam before you hit it with the iron. If the powers that be were smart, they'd hire Alana as a consultant to go store to store looking for loopholes so they can fix the problems.

Sometimes you need to reward the people who raise the red flag...it's a way to say "thanks for helping us improve!"

MEDIA MATTERS--All The World's A Stage...With A Camera Waiting For You

When you're in the public eye, making a lot of public appearances, you had better be sure about your public statements. Because chances are there's a camera and a microphone there to record you.

Here's the latest trend on the campaign trail from National Review Online:

"...an ongoing challenge for candidates. In both parties, most major campaigns now hire “trackers” – people with videocameras who record what opponents say and do in public. The practice is ethical, provided that the trackers neither misrepresent themselves nor stalk candidates in private or closed events. Candidates now have to watch themselves, or their words will rapidly become ammunition for attack ads."

If you're the CEO or spokesperson for any organization that might have inspired opposition, don't be surprised to see this tactic at your next speech. (Here's an example of how to handle it with class and a sense of humor!)

SPEAKER SAVVY--Don't Be A Slouch

You'd think that anyone willing to go on camera for an important interview would do everything in their power to look good. New clothes, clean teeth, fresh makeup--it's all good until they sit down. And..........slouch.

It amazes me how many people slouch. Maybe they didn't have parents like mine who constantly reminded me to sit or stand up straight. It may have been torture back then, but as an adult, my posture is powerful non-verbal communication that shows I'm confident and in command.

Here's a trick TV anchors and some radio DJ's use to get the proper position so that they come off looking and sounding sharp--sit on the edge of your seat with one foot placed well in front of the other. Try it! It really makes a difference. (And if you're worried about double-chins, lean forward just a little bit more. It'll give you a jawline Kirk Douglas would be proud of!)

Remember, your message--and maybe your reputation--might depend on a little more backbone.