301 September 2013 - Behind the Podium

Volume 4, Issue 1 · September 2013

News and Information for the Speaking Community by SpeakerMatch

Speak Like A Leader Communication skills are vital to those who lead, and the language of leadership is different than everyday speech, one experts says. According to management consultant Brian Evje of Slalom Consulting, leaders can maximize their effectiveness by remembering these 5 tips: 1. KNOW THE PURPOSE One of your jobs as a manager is to understand the direction and purpose of the organization. Speak with that in mind.

2. PRAISE WITHOUT EXCEPTION If you say, "You did a great job ... but," you are really saying the job wasn't so good. If you are praising someone, never use the word 'but.'

3. SKIP THE SUPERLATIVES If you often say something is awesome, amazing, or incredible, everything sounds the same and loses meaning. Instead, say what you particularly liked about it.

4.

5.

Stop sounding like a Valley Girl When you raise the tone of voice at the end of a sentence, it sounds as if you are constantly asking a question. That mode of speech is often just a habit. It's fine for David Feherty on the Golf channel, but he's not a leader.

BE SPECIFIC In this lazy language, you might say, "It's sort of up to this team," or, "It's a kind of tough situation." Speak with courage. If it's up to the team, say so.

Quoted on Inc.com, Evje says leaders should speak deliberately, using concrete terms and accurate language.

A University of Chicago study of CEOs found that during recent years, three factors emerged to make a softer leadership style more attractive. The factors are interdependence, cynicism and the quest for sustainability.

Interdependence is a high ranking trait, because success is co-created with customers and vendors, sometimes even competitors.

Cynicism is a natural response to seeing other executives toppled because they ignored risk to maximize profits. Ideally paired with caution and openness, so people know what you are doing, and your values, so they appreciate the reason for doing it, according to INC. magazine.

The concept of sustainability has grown to include giving back to communities and supporting developing employees. It not just concern for the quality of life but also to improve performance.

The old style of leadership, all-knowing and all powerful, just doesn't work as well anymore.

1

What’s Inside Insurance you don’t need ...................... 2

Looming Confident ............................... 6

The 2-minute drill .................................... 3

6 Tips for Leading Your Team........... 7

7 Things About High-tech Leaders .... 4

The Accidental Entrepreneur ........... 8

Leadership Today ..................................... 5

Treating Others with Courtesy ........ 10

Letter From the Editor

Three Types of Insurance You Probably Don’t Need

Step Back For a Moment

When you consider buying insurance, the Consumer Federation of America advises you to forget the little policies. Look for comprehensive coverage for catastrophic loss.

Bryan Caplovitz As a small business owner, it can be difficult to pay attention to the basics of running a business and taking care of yourself. Step back for a moment, if you will, and look around… are you paying attention to how your business is running?

It’s so easy to get engrossed in a big project, or become over-focused on just a couple of areas (like sales) that you may not spend as much attention to other very important aspects of your business.

In this edition, I’ve tried to pull together some interesting and useful articles and tidbits from which small business owners could most benefit.

On this page I’ve got a quick overview of some common insurance options you probably don’t need to consider.

Page 3 has some advice for staying fit on the road, which can be very challenging for the road warrior.

Some of our usual contributors plus a couple of SpeakerMatch members help to round out this issue with some articles on leadership and entrepreneurship.

Granison Shines shares some common myths about leaders. And Tracey Fieber has some great tips for leading a team.

As always, there are many more tips that also serve as supporting beams. I hope this issue gives you something useful for your speaking business!

2

2

1. Credit life and disability insurance This coverage offered by credit card companies is cheap but only covers the loan balance if you die or become disabled.

It also may be a duplication of what you have elsewhere. You should have enough comprehensive disability and life insurance to pay all of your expenses and debt, say the experts at Kiplinger Personal Finance.

consider accidental death and dismemberment insurance. But remember, it only pays if your death or injury is caused by an accident.

2. Mortgage life insurance If you die with an outstanding mortgage, the policy pays off your loan. But your heirs can use the insurance for anything else.

Term life insurance would be a better choice to cover the mortgage and the heirs can decide if they want to pay off the mortgage immediately.

3. Dental insurance Most policies pay for cleaning and If you have a medical problem that checkups every six months and annual xprevents you from getting traditional life or rays. The premiums cost $180 to $600 per disability insurance, this might be your year, and most policies cap coverage at single option. In this case, you might $2,000 for other dental expenses.

Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner.

Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory.

— Diane Arbus, American photographer and writer

Happy Employees Seem to Impact the Bottom Line When you enter a store or a restaurant, it's easy to tell who is pleased to be working there. They greet you with a smile and serve you well.

What about a business where people rarely see customers in person? Does it pay to make their lives more pleasant?

According to some evidence, it does.

Companies that score highest in employee satisfaction, have low turnover. Reduced turnover means lower training and recruiting expenses. Quoted in USA Today, Jerome Dodson, manager of the Parnassus fund says reduced employee turnover "makes a huge difference in earnings."

public debut in 2004. Wallowing as it is in cash, Google's offices have many areas designed to promote interaction. They have a great health plan, a college reimbursement plan, legal aid and more.

Some types of businesses -- grocery stores, for example -- typically have a lower profit margins and not as much money to work with for benefits.

Some low-profit margin companies still manage great perks. Marriott, for example, offers employee discounts at its hotels worldwide. Costco manages to pay employees well and have good benefits in spite of being in a low-profit margin business.

Some say that excellent an employee Dodson says the key factor in maintaining experience translates into high stock prices a solid, experienced staff is consistency for the benevolent corporation. and high performance. He says companies The oft-cited example is Google which saw with high turnover tend to lurch from crisis its stock rise by about 700 percent since its to crisis.

Behind The Podium

No time to exercise? Try the 2-minute drill!

As a speaker, you may be on the road out, elbows back, and feet shoulderquite a bit, which makes it difficult to width apart. Sit back at your hips and maintain a regular exercise routine. But bend your knees to lower your body as don’t just decide your workout can wait! far as you can without losing the natural You can wake up your metabolism with arch of your spine. Keep your head up. this 2-minute drill. It's featured in the Squeeze your gluteals and push yourself fitness book back to start Belly Off! Diet, position. written by Jeff **Mountain Csatari, the climbers: Start in editors of a pushup Men's Health position. Keeping and fitness your head in line 1- jumping jacks expert David with your body, Jack.

2-prisoner squats* bring your right Though the knee to your 3-high knee skips drill was chest. As you developed for straighten the 4-side-to-side hops men, the right leg to start 5-pushups principles position, bring apply to your left knee to 6-crunches women too. your chest. Keep The authors your weight on 7-mountain climbers** suggest the balls of your working out in feet and "climb" 8-body weight thrusters*** the morning alternating your before work. legs back and forth.

Perform this eightcallisthenic circuit at a work effort of 6 to ***Body weight thrusters: Keeping your 7 on a 1 to 10 scale. Do each exercise for back straight and hands at your 15 seconds, then immediately move to shoulders, bend at the knees into a the next. squat, then explosively drive your legs *Prisoner squats: Stand with your straight as you extend your arms above fingertips behind your ears, your chest your head.

The Lighter Side After two visits and exhaustive lab tests, my new doctor said I was doing "fairly well" for my age. A little concerned, I asked him, "Do you think I'll live to be 80?"

Then he asked, "Do you smoke tobacco or drink beer or wine? Do you eat steaks and barbecued ribs? Do you spend time in the sun playing golf, sailing, or bicycling?" I said no to all.

Behind the Podium (ISSN 1949-5544) is published 4 times a year as a resource for emerging professional speakers, business leaders, technical gurus, educators, and other subject-matter experts. Editor Bryan Caplovitz welcomes your input. Please email any comments or suggestions to Bryan at: editor@speakermatch.com.

Behind the Podium publishes the opinions of experts and authorities from many fields; however, the use of those opinions is no substitute for accounting, legal, investment, or other professional services. Material may not be reproduced in part or in whole in any form whatsoever without the written permission of SpeakerMatch. SpeakerMatch is the world’s largest source for speaking opportunities.

Behind the Podium is published monthly, by SpeakerMatch, 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 1120, Austin, TX 78759-7944. $149/year, $24.95/issue (US funds).

Periodicals postage paid at Austin, TX. Behind the Podium is a trademark of Simply Speaking, Inc. Copyright © 2013 by Simply Speaking, Inc. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SpeakerMatch Subscription Department, 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 1120, Austin, TX 78759-7944.

Disclosure: This newsletter contains some affiliate links. While we only ever write about products we think deserve to be on the pages of our newsletter, SpeakerMatch may earn a small commission if you use our link and buy the product or service in question.

For more information, please see our Disclosure Policy at www.speakermatch.com/disclosure.php.

Subscription information: Dir ect subscription inquiries, payments and address changes to SpeakerMatch Subscription Department, Behind the Podium, 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 1120, Austin, TX 78759-7944. To resolve service problems, call (866) 372-8768 or visit our website at www.speakermatch.com. On occasion we make our subscribers’ names available to companies with products or services in which you may be interested. If you do not want to be included in these mailings, please notify us in writing.

Call us toll-free at: 1 (866) 372-8768 Outside the United States: +1 (512) 372-8768

He looked at me and asked, "Then why do you want to live to be 80?"

3

Sep-

3

7 THINGS NEVER TO BELIEVE... … About Leadership in the High Tech Industry

Y

ou've heard it all before, “the man, the myth, the legend!” Now what?

Unfortunately for some leaders “14thcentury thought leadership” still fuels the driving force of how and why things get done in organizations. And because of this, varying myths still permeate the high tech industry. Here are 7 of them that should never be believed regardless of whose mouth it comes from or where you read them.

in the person. Too often organizations place very successful people in leadership roles without being prepared. Just because one is good at his job does not mean he should be placed in a leadership position without the proper assessment.

person is good at their job position, they're often being promoted to a leadership position with out proper training in leadership skills development.

6. Women don't make good leaders.

In the professional arena, we have to look at women leaders like Oprah I have not met a “Great Leader” who was Winfrey, Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton, not charismatic. A leader must understand and come into reality about women that charisma holds a high value to their leaders. Women have shown great followers. In fact, the really “smooth” leadership ability in our society. leaders use his, or her, charisma to their 1. Leaders are only at the top of the advantage, as well as, for the advantage of 7. Leadership is a soft skill and is organization. the team; accomplishing great feats inside therefore not measurable. and outside their organization.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. I This may be true in some organizations, had to dispel this myth in its own article. but definitely should not be the norm. I've 4. Leadership is a rare skill that only a Trust me, it needed to be addressed seen this in some of my past consulting few are given. separately! To read the full article you can engagement with clients. Leaders should The only thing given in leadership is the Google – ‘Granison Shines’ and find it out be permeated throughout the entire position. The power and authority has to there in cyberspace or go to my website. organization given the varying skills of be given, or delegated, from someone of a individuals in the workplace. In fact, if you In conclusion, remember these 7 myths higher authority. Becoming a skilled really want an organization to thrive and are exactly what we’ve said they are leader only comes with practice and become “Great”, encourage leadership “Myths”. Don’t let anyone else tell you maturity as he gains more wisdom, skills training and development different. knowledge, and insight in the ways of throughout the entire organization. All too leading and directing people. often executives limit the growth of their 5. Good leaders are more educated. organization by not teaching leadership Granison Shines is a leadership development across the ENTIRE I know some leaders, although highly development specialist for Executive organization. educated, whose common sense and Leaders and Managers in the High-Tech notion to use this innate ability is shut off 2. Great leaders are born and not made industry. He provides Keynote by book knowledge and the alphabet soup Speeches, Educational Seminars, True... some leaders have a seemingly Educational Materials, and Webinars / at the end of their name. Don’t get it better notion of what it takes to be a Teleseminars for leadership and wrong, I do not knock education at all! In leader. Leadership is a learned skill, and management professionals in the Highfact, I went to college. Being educated anyone can learn how to lead and manage Tech industry. To find out more go to: more than someone else does not people with the correct training. www.GranisonShines.com . automatically qualify anyone for a Unfortunately, there are cases where the leadership position. Unfortunately, there title or position has been granted before are many companies that make this grave the leadership skills have been developed mistake. Too often, what’s seen is that if a 3. Leaders are not charismatic.

Our self-image and our habits tend to go together. Change one and you will automatically change the other.

Dr. Maxwell Maltz, surgeon, author

4

Behind The Podium

role to the other.

Leadership Today

By Marianne Matheis

The elusive qualities of leadership continue to fascinate us as we continue to speculate “are leaders born or made?” Are there specific events that thrust certain people into leadership roles either by personal desire or necessity?

In a rapidly shifting global economic environment that is driven by accelerated technological advances, what type of personal characteristics will prevail for leaders of the new millennium?

A first cut response might suggest that leadership will require a “technical guru” who is deeply immersed in the utilization of the latest technology can be an extremely influential leader who plays a major role in shaping the economic landscape for national and international corporations.

Certainly one cannot argue that the ability the shape and influence the world around us are attributes of leaders. That is not the issue.

The question remains, “how will leaders of the next century negotiate, influence and shape the future?

Today, more than ever before, potential leaders must have a central focus — or as Warren Bennis describes it, “a powerful point of view.”

To turn an idea into reality may not require the charismatic charm frequently associated with leadership, but rather a humble “imperfect” human being who is very astute in pulling together the human capital required to move a “point of view” forward.

The profile of a new leader is very different from the typical corporate leaders of the last century. During the 20th Century we desperately wanted leaders who had definite answers or solutions to problems. We tended to form opinions regarding our leaders and then wanted them to provide magic solutions to whatever challenges came our way.

In a diverse global economic environment, leadership will take on a very different meaning and the ability to “follow” at appropriate times during a given project will be a critical aspect for emerging leaders.

We are changing and therefore we will gravitate toward different leadership styles. We are no longer searching for someone who has answers to our problems, but rather someone who will facilitate a process whereby we can find our own solutions. We have abandoned our search for heroes with magic solutions and are opting for people who can “get real.”

Disillusioned by people and institutions that no longer serve us, we are starting to become comfortable with the notion of “personal empowerment” and are seeking strategic alliances with those that we trust and who share common goals. As our collective attitudes have changed, so will leadership practices.

The most significant shift for leaders of the new millennium will be to abandon seeking power for personal gain, but demonstrate resourcefulness, trustworthiness and persistence for the When they did not meet our expectations, common good of their constituencies. we faulted them for being ineffective and Personal power will be an added bonus went in search of someone else who could for those that serve others well, but it will live up to our expectations. not be an end in itself!

Role distinctions between leader and follower clearly existed and rarely did one shift from one

We have grown up and as a result new leaders must, and will, emerge who can operate in this new context!

Keep the paperwork: Another reason a good filing system is crucial When you designate a beneficiary for your IRA, make sure you have your paperwork properly filed and accessible to the heir.

The first, most important step a beneficiary must take is to present the IRA manager with proof that he or she is the beneficiary.

This is a situation when properly filed paperwork can save time and money. The heir must provide a copy of the signed beneficiary form. Don't count on the IRA manager to have one.

If the heir can't find the form, the IRA will then become part of the deceased's estate. The heir will be required to withdraw all assets by the end of the fifth year following the death. This will cost the heir plenty of interest that might otherwise accrue by making steady withdrawals over a lifetime.

September 2013

5

When making a big decision…

If you're pressured to hurry up, slow down!

The minute someone urges you to decide their vacations than their future, now, Norm Brodsky of Inc.'s Street Smarts according to Peter Hawkins in The Art of advises one thing: Slow down.

Building Windmills.

Decisions that can impact your bottom line, decisions that could hurt people if things go sour, these are the decisions that take time and thought.

Don't rush into a decision before you consider all the relevant issues. Whether you're the business owner or a manager, you will make mistakes in your career, but none should be because you were forced to make a premature decision.

Most people spend more time planning

Take the time. Some decisions should take you days or even weeks to study and make. With sufficient time you can fully understand the ramifications of your choices.

Advice can be crucial in big decisions.

Get advice from other entrepreneurs and trusted business people.

situation. Be objective and listen.

Keep the big picture in mind. Always try to make sure it is a win-win situation. You can make sure of this by, again, looking at others' opinions.

Don't make decisions that impact another person. In particular, when making a decision for another person, be sure that they are part of the process.

Without their input, they won't try very hard to make it work.

Your employees may well have some good Big decisions can have a lasting impact on advice. See it from their perspective and your life and your business. It makes sense make sure you understand all sides of the to do your research before making them.

Stage Tips

How to Look Confident Even If You’re Not Here are a few things to think about of Video Marketing for Dummies, says before you appear in front of an audience, building credibility is vital. Here, in part, if you’ve got some jitters. are his three points of credibility.

down with bullets will organize your thoughts and remind you of why you are the right person to be there.

Check your posture. Good posture exudes confidence.

3. Rehearse the role you'll be playing.

Professionals make presentations look easy. That's because there is a lot of rigorous rehearsal behind the performance.

Take it slow. If you're nervous, slow down or your voice will go up a few notes and you'll talk faster than you realize.

You'll sound less professional.

1. Confidence comes with being authoritative. Before speaking, find three known people or entities that support your expertise or point of view. You'll feel like there's an army behind you.

2. Document your expertise. Everything you've done before has led you to this Smile. Especially when introduced and moment. People are desperately seeking when the audience laughs, smile. It's easy experts and leaders but are often to get a stressed look on your face so take skeptical at the beginning. Before a a breath and smile. meeting, make a list of 10 insights you Writing for Inc.com, Kevin Daum, author have about the situation. Writing them

If your documentation is solid and well constructed, and you trust the material, focus on how you present yourself and the information. Practice the delivery out loud several times.

Preparation will make you feel secure even in unknown situations.

Check out the newest service from the creators of SpeakerMatch:

www.myleadguru.com Enter the BETA Code btp1013 for early access!

6

Behind The Podium Behind The Podium

6

6 Tips for Leading Your Team to Top Performance

By Tracey Fieber At the core of every successful company is a high-effective team. As a business leader, one of your main responsibilities is working with your employees and getting them motivated and able to accomplish the goals that you’ve set out for them. This isn’t a process that’s set in stone, and as such there are countless different ways that you can go about improving morale and performance.

making things too serious though, as this could unintentionally create a hostile environment.

3. Know When to Listen

Leading your employees to optimal performance may seem like "Mission Impossible," since not all employees can or want to be led to achieve optimal performance. As a leader you must realize that not all employees want to be or can be superstars in your organization. In order to become a superstar, an employee must have talent, knowledge and skills, and most importantly the desire to shine.

see the targets that they’re trying to hit.

5. Encourage Communication The strength of your business doesn’t lie with one or two employees, or even in your extensive knowledge and skills, but instead in the collective capabilities of your entire team. By encouraging communication through your company, you’re helping push the sharing of information and knowledge, and encouraging each and every team member to grow.

6. Celebrate Successes When your team successfully reaches their goals, be sure to recognize their accomplishments.

By showing that you appreciate their efforts and dedication to the organization, you’re setting them up to want to continue to perform at their highest level, rather than the apathy that ignoring their achievements would produce.

With just a little effort, and by successfully As a leader, you probably spend a good implementing these six tips, you can help amount of time talking. You may be push your team to top performance: talking with other members of management, working with stakeholders 1. Convey Your Goals outside of your company, or simply Your team will never be able to perform at delegating tasks and responsibilities to their absolute best if they aren’t really your employees. Sometimes however, sure what they’re striving for. Take the maximizing your team’s success involves time to effectively convey the sitting back and listening a little. By organization’s goals to your employees, allowing your employees to share making sure that each team member feedback, you’re increasing their level of knows how their actions fit into the bigger involvement in the business, prompting picture of your company’s success. them to take a stronger interest in results.

2. Be Competitive

4. Keep Things Simple

A little friendly competition in the workplace is rarely a bad thing. By having intra-office and intra-department competitions, your employees are more likely to push themselves the extra inch in order to perform just a little bit better than their coworkers. Be sure to avoid

If you want your employees to reach the goals you’ve set for them, make sure to lay out the path straightforward and directly. By avoiding making tasks and goals more difficult than they need to be, you’re removing the potential for confusion, allowing your team to better

September 2013 September 2013

Leading your team to success isn’t the easiest responsibility of a small -business leader, but it’s one of the most important. Luckily, there are a number of different ways that you can successfully go about encouraging your employees to strive to perform at their peak. By following these easy tips, you can help your team increase their drive and work to generate the best results for your company.

Tracey Fieber helps business owners simplify, automate, and grow their businesses and their lives.

Tracey's leadership, communication, and coaching techniques help her clients take massive leaps forward.

7

THE ACCIDENTAL ENTPRENEUPENEUR

BY LARRY JACOBSON You’re a motivational speaker or trainer; you pride yourself on the quality of your content, your ability to deliver, and your continuous content revisions for a variety of speaking engagements. While you may be represented by speakers’ bureaus, you call the shots as to pricing, availability, and compatibility with a prospective audience.

have to report to anyone. There are no deadlines except those set by you, and you don’t need someone’s approval to speak what your heart tells you to say.

Leadership for Entrepreneurs, I’ve identified 11 Keys, which if addressed properly will ensure your enjoyment of being a leader and entrepreneur. In this short article, I can only touch on your On the other hand, it’s lonely. Because upcoming challenges and briefly suggest there’s no one to report to, there’s also no how to address them. I cover each of one to provide feedback until you bring these 11 Keys in great depth in the audio someone else into the picture. The only program.

You’re independent and you know the review of your speeches is the video you benefits of independence. It’s one of the shoot each time you speak. Not working 1. Everybody starts with a dream of reasons you belong to SpeakerMatch. You for a training company, not being owned what their speaking career will be get to choose when, where, and what gigs by a particular bureau, and not having about, look like, and what level of interest you. But did you realize that when deadlines means you could be giving success they expect. Dreams are you hired yourself to be an independent Rotary Club speeches for a long time. great and I recommend dreaming speaker, you also became an big!

Without somebody pushing you to entrepreneur? Like it or not, this means improve, challenging you with timeframes you’re in charge—of everything.

2. However, to achieve your big and goal achievements, it’s difficult to dreams, you must change those “No, no, no, I’m just a speaker, a trainer, drive yourself to break out of the speaking dreams into achievable goals. one who wants my independence,” you for free circle. And, while you may want to Each goal has various elements to say. “I just want to speak, not run a speak about what your heart tells you, an it that need to be put on paper so business,” you plead. I understand how event planner will give feedback that you feel. That’s how I felt when I began might require you to speak with a they can be continually reviewed. speaking. I just wanted to tell my tale and different twist.

Write down your goals. help others by sharing my knowledge.

Whether you’re handling every aspect of 3. You’re taking a risk by choosing However, what I found out along the way your speaking business or using to go it alone but without risk, was a very different story. I had become assistance, you are now thrust into a an entrepreneur again. It wasn’t out of there is no reward. So, good for position of leadership. As a leader, you choice, for I too had only the desire to you that you’ve decided to take will face challenges you may not have speak. I had become the accidental the risk. Now get comfortable expected. Rather than be put off by this, entrepreneur. with it. embrace the role and learn how to handle If you are a speaker, then you too have become an accidental entrepreneur. That means for this venture, you are CEO, CFO, VP of Sales, VP of Marketing, Promotion Director, Bookkeeper, and every other role that’s required to make any business operate. Get used to it because until you reach the point of success where somebody else wants to manage you and your business, the person you see in the mirror is the one who will be handling every aspect of your speaking ventures.

it.

It’s both a blessing and a curse. You don’t

8

4.

Be prepared for changes along the way. The only sure thing in business is that change will always happen. If you expect change to be headed your way, you won’t be surprised when it shows up.

5.

You will have many decisions to make along the road to speaking success. From finding your niche to creating your marketing

I have been an entrepreneur for over 30 years so when I wrote my first book, started a publishing company, organized my own promotion, and then launched myself into the speaking industry, I knew what I would be facing.

Now, as an entrepreneur coach, I see people confronting the very same challenges in a variety of businesses, especially the speaking industry. In my latest audio program, Navigating

Behind The Podium Behind The Podium

8

materials, from website creation to SEO, from setting your fees to creating of products, and the list goes on and on of decisions you’ll have to make before you’re paid to speak to big audiences. I highly recommend that you set priorities on what is important to you regarding time frames, budgets, and your own definition of success.

6.

the way. I was unprepared when I left to sail around the world but my passion drove me and I learned as I went. And here on dry land there’s help for you. For example, SpeakerMatch Radio programs and articles are a great source of information. And there are plenty of coaches that can provide motivation and expertise.

9.

Let your passion guide you. Don’t let fear or any other obstacle stand in the way of your achievement. Your passion is far stronger than your fears or discomfort.

10. You are an entrepreneur and that means you are a leader. Much of my focus is about teaching you to lead yourself. But you will also be leading others. From your Webmaster to printer of your one-sheet, from photographer to speech editor, you must lead with certainty, kindness, good intention, and clarity. In other words, don’t yell at your Webmaster because they used a font you didn’t like if you didn’t clarify your desires in the first place.

8. Stick with it. Perseverance is a Every entrepreneur experiences trait that is best learned from fear and you are no exception. In practice. Create a promotion fact, as a speaker, you belong to schedule, create a checklist of all the elite group that experiences more fear than Without somebody any other demographic group. You’ve felt it before pushing you to improve, going on stage. Expect it in the running of your challenging you with business too. Recognize timeframes and goal it, embrace it, and make it work for you. Fear achievements, it’s difficult to is simply nature’s way of drive yourself to break out of making you focus on the 11. And lastly, remember that task at hand. It sharpens you chose this role. You the speaking for free circle.” your senses and makes you elected to go independent. more alert. It gives you You may not have known that strength that can be used to the tasks that need doing you also became an accidental meet deadlines, deal with including keeping your speeches entrepreneur and that meant change, and laser-focus your relevant, promoting your talents, being a leader. But now you energy. updating your website, and the know. list goes on. Follow forums, ask Don’t be deterred because you questions, and use the tools that You can now proudly announce that you don’t know what you’re doing are indeed an entrepreneur and a leader. are available to you. Invest in with respect to running your own When you choose to embrace this idea, your education from taking you will more successfully lead yourself speaking business. You don’t speaking seminars to learning and others. And you are now free to have to be an expert to begin about entrepreneurship. unleash your entrepreneurial spirit! something, you can learn along

“

7.

Dedicate yourself to the success of your speaking career.

A California native, circumnavigator and adventurer Larry Jacobson is a recognized entrepreneurial and leadership expert. As well as having 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, he is an avid sailor with over 50,000 blue water miles to his name. Larry is author of the award-winning bestseller, The Boy Behind the Gate, which recounts his six-year sailing odyssey around the world, and author of the new audio program, Navigating Leadership for Entrepreneurs. Larry is a motivational speaker, writer, and entrepreneur coach. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and welcomes new clients and inquiries at http://larryjacobson.com.

September 2013 September 2013

9

DO YOU TREAT OTHERS, EVEN STRANGERS, WITH COURTESY?

BY PATRICIA FRIPP, CSP, CPAE I like to say, “A stranger is a friend, or a customer, you have not met yet.” My friend Jane Jenkins Herlong is a humorist, speaker, and author. You may have enjoyed her comedy and songs on Sirius XM Radio and Pandora. I share this story from her book, Bare Feet to High Heels – You Don’t Have to be a Beauty Queen to be a Beautiful Person. Jane reminds us to treat others, even those we have not met yet, with courtesy.

Hey, Sweet Thang!

by Jane Jenkins Herlong Every time I hear the words, “sweet thing,” I think of my pal, Red. One hot July day in the little town of Gaffney at the South Carolina Peach Festival, I met Big Red.

sent me pictures of himself posing with Playboy bunnies at various NASCAR events. We were both looking forward to seeing each other at the Miss Southern 500 Pageant.

thought that was weird since pageant contestants are never allowed to receive calls. Answering the phone, I heard the familiar, “Hey, there, Sweet Thang!” It was Red.

Labor Day weekend arrived and all of us queens met in Darlington, South Carolina, for the festival. The director of the pageant warned us about a pesky character who loved beauty queens. I thought, Well, that takes care the entire male population.

“Well, darlin’ I just talked to your chief judge. You see, me and him go way back. I told him you was a real sweet thang, and you had always been nice to me. I told him that he should pick you tonight to win. He told me you was gonna win, and so I just wanted to be the first to congratu late our new Miss South Carolina. Bye, now.”

“You don’t have to be a beauty queen to be a beautiful person.”

I dropped the phone.

Red was the last person I thought would know one of the judges. Did it really make – Jane Jenkins Herlong a difference in my winning the pageant? Probably not. It made me feel good, though, knowing I treated him like my It‘s right easy to catch a parents taught me. Actually, Red visual on this one … Big Red. First of all, The director said, “His name is Red taught me a lesson. You never know who you know he is big, and second, his hair is Robinson. Do not speak to him. Speaking will cross your path in life, so treat folks a deep shade of Tang. With a name like to him may keep you from winning the the same way you want to be treated his, you can bet he is packaged extra title of “Miss Southern 500.” What? Not regardless of who they are. friendly. sweet, innocent Red. No way was I going Humorist, Amazon “Best-Selling” author, to avoid him.

I heard Red, not to be confused with speaker, and professional singer, Jane heard of, before I ever saw him. A blast Minutes later, I heard Red wheeling his Jenkins Herlong, CSPfinds the funny in from an “ooohga horn” heralded his white Cadillac through the parade route dysfunction. Jane helps audiences entrance onto Main Street in Gaffney, trying to find me. I hopped down off my confront negativity with grace and humor South Carolina. Around the corner, Red float and gave him a big ol’ hug. to increase performance and productivity maneuvered his late-model white Cadillac Fast forward with me, one year later. It is as she did overcoming being labeled with blood red, leather interior. Before I Saturday morning we are in TV rehearsals Dyslexic and other challenges. From the knew it, he was swinging queens around, at The Greenville Memorial Auditorium. tomato fields of Johns Island, South calling us all “sweet thang” and handing That night, a new Miss South Carolina Carolina to a Miss America runway and out packs of Big Red chewing gum and would be crowned. We were all clueless beyond, Jane’s funny original, Southern silver dollars. about who was in the lead except for the stories and award-winning singing helps Everyone was pretty much running for preliminary winners. audiences learn life-skills and the healing cover except me. He may have acted like a power of laughter when dealing with My thoughts were interrupted with a bulldog, but to me Red was all puppy. We stressful issues thrown at their field of shout of, “Miss Charleston, telephone!” I wrote each other several times, and he (Continued on page 11)

10

Behind The Podium Behind The Podium

10

(Continued from page 10)

dreams. You will love this farm-girl’s Southern-style recipe for balancing your own personal journey with a sense of humor, hope and heaping helping of folksy wisdom. For more information visit: http:// www.janeherlong.com Thank you Jane!

My brother, the legendary guitarist Robert Fripp, says, “Courtesy is an inward grace, which extends outwards to others.” Courtesy might be a given when we interact with friends and co-workers; let’s extend this to strangers, our customers and potential clients.

Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker Patricia Fripp is hired by individuals and companies who realize that powerful, persuasive presentation skills give them a competitive edge.

September 2013 September 2013

11

TIMELY PUBLICATION / PLEASE RUSH

Postmaster: Publication — Periodicals Mail Moving? Send us this mailing label and your new address.

4807 Spicewood Springs Road Suite 1120 Austin, TX 78759-8444 www.speakermatch.com

Gift Subscriptions? Send the recipient’s name and address along with your check or call (866) 372-8768. One year, 4 issues, $149.00.

SpeakerMatch is the world’s largest source for speaking opportunities.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH Are You Thinking About Tax Time Yet?

Plan-ahead Calendar Festivals, large and small, in North America Oct. 5-6, Cohocton NY Fall Foliage Festival. More than 50,000 will attend the two-day event, the 46th annual. Includes a parade and 200 food, antiques, arts and crafts booths.

Oct. 11-19, In Canada, the Kitchener-Waterloo Octoberfest will attract 700,000 visitors. Located about 60 miles from Toronto, the festival features more than 70 events. It biggest parade is held on Canadian Thanksgiving Day, Oct. 14. For a schedule of events. oktoberfest.ca.

We hate to remind you, but most of the year has gone by, and it's time to wonder how good your records are for tax deductions. If you get the first 10 months in order, it will be easy to finish the year in January. You could also decide to spend money on taxdeductible items before the end of the year.

Our question: Do you keep your records distributed on your computer, or have a list in a note book, or do you just throw your receipts into a desk drawer?

Oct. 13, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, estimated attendance 850,000. Beginning in Chicago's Grant Park, the flat, fast 26.2-mile course attracts everyone from elite athletes to novice runners and champions from all 50 states and 120 foreign countries. For more information: chicagomarathon.com.

Oct. 16-19, East Texas Yamboree, 74th Annual. About 100,000 visitors are expected at this family festival, yam contest, barn dance, live music, more. yamboree.com