Voice

Nothing Creates Spark Like Face-to-Face

January 25, 2018 • Career, Food for Thought

I’ve recently been reminded, after a busy few weeks of meetings, just how powerful face-to-face meetings really are. The energy that exudes from people is infectious. Extremely engaging conversations around a table have motivated me to want to leave and do big things (all the meetings have been positive of course!).

Nothing, even social media and the most slickest of technology platforms, will replace the spark that is created in face-to-face meetings.

Full stop.

[Or.. it could also just be because this new mama loves getting out of the house to be around a table of adults sans baby, to discuss big ideas…. it gets me all energized and amped-up!]

One of the things I love best about being in meetings is when you’re in a room with not necessarily like-minded people, but people who are similarly as passionate as you are about a topic. Hearing their different opinions and how they formulate their thought process is so valuable. Watching and listening to them express themselves has provided a whole other perspective to learn how to see the other side of an issue. I think this is a skill that is becoming obsolete in today’s society, don’t you think? #Empathy #Understanding

What is the quote? “The path to gaining respect is paved with knowledge and empathy.”

“The path to gaining respect is paved with knowledge and empathy.” – Evan Brown

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I also love how people around the table act as catalysts of inspiration for others. Hearing others share their ideas so passionately both through their words, their body language and their voice in person gets at me in a different way then watching people over a device for a meeting.

You can see it in people’s aggressive head nods or that glimmer in their eye when you’re discussing a topic, idea or issue that has really moved the table. The meetings I’ve been at recently, we’ve been able to productivity talk through issues, come up with solutions and brainstorm new ideas. These are things that are hard to do online when you’re on a Skype call or teleconference line, where you feel isolated.

As an example, at a recent meeting, an older gentleman shared his progressive, forward thinking ideas when he, so deeply and eloquently, imparted a line that stood out to me:

“Experience doesn’t make you look forward, it always makes you look back.”

It was one of those ‘ah-ha’ moments.

I was reminded in the moment that you don’t have to be a millennial to think young (yes, there are baby boomers out there who are forward thinking and young at heart, millennials!). Social media couldn’t have provided that type of moment for me to learn and understand from someone like this. It was a brilliant thought from someone who clearly had years of experience and wisdom.

I realize technology allows for more convenience, especially from the comfort of your own home or office desk, but the next time you have the option, seriously consider bringing your team in or suggesting face-to-face.

Yes, meetings be long, feel daunting (while your emails pile up!) and something we all sometimes dread, especially if the moderator or Chair doesn’t run an effective meeting by staying on time and on task with agenda items #petpeeve, but I guarantee, almost every time afterwards, you’ll feel good about the shared energy that came from a positive and productive face-to-face meeting.

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Start Putting Your Sh*t Out to the World

February 7, 2017 • Career, Communication, Food for Thought, Inspiration, Leadership, Lifestyle, Making a Difference, Public Speaking, Social Media

Through the personal work I do with my platform The Passionate Voice, I’ve always worked to help others, both personal and businesses, to harness their voice through social media work and in-person communications training. Helping them to learn how they can speak up, be heard and make impact in whatever industry they are in.

A perfect example of this is Ag Women’s Network. There are so many fellow women in agriculture/food and fellow bloggers and social media users who are putting themselves out there about the topics and issues that matter most to them. Its also an incredible personal development forum to learn from each other. I recently challenged these same women to blog (or start blogging!) with me in the personal #Blog452 challenge I’ve set for myself this year. One month in to 2017 and I’m happy to say, I’ve blogged every week!

I realize putting yourself out there to the online world takes confidence and guts.. and some would shy away from this. I also realize that there are a lot of ‘fence sitters’ who are watching others around them do what they wished they themselves would or could do. This isn’t a bad place to be in though so all the ‘fence sitters’ reading this, take this as your “call to action” post 🙂

Have you thought of starting a blog but held off, time after time, because you were worried what others would think or weren’t sure how to get easily started?

Have you been in a meeting and wanted to say something but feared what others would think and so you refrained from sharing your thoughts?

Have you wanted to give a talk at the front of a room but feared what the crowd may think of you and/or how you would be able to present in front of an audience?

Putting yourself out there to the rest of the world is not easy. Once you begin speaking your mind and showcasing your passion or what your good at on a platform, it is an outlet to be quickly judged by others. Not everyone can do it nor are you ever really ‘ready’ for what follows once you finally do put yourself out there for the rest of the world to judge.

Putting yourself out there doesn’t necessarily mean big, elaborate gestures. It can be the smallest, most simple step. It can be finally putting up your hand at a meeting and saying something. It could be sending that email to the person you’ve always wanted to contact with. Joining a committee, board or team after thinking about it joining. It could mean FINALLY starting that blog/website to showcase your talents and what your good at in hopes that one day you’ll be recognized for those talents or to positively make a difference.

“Putting yourself out there doesn’t necessarily mean big, elaborate gestures.” #PassionateVoice

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Putting yourself out there is never easy. But it is SO worth it once you do. Trust me, this is something I’ve struggled with in doing my work at The Passionate Voice. These posts don’t just write themselves… and many of my posts have sat in draft form until this year when I committed to 2017’s #Blog452Challenge.

But I promise, just go ahead and test the waters and you’ll see what I mean.

Really, what’s the worse thing that could happen….. besides crappy tweets from people or hearing crickets because you don’t think anyone is reading? In all seriousness, what really is the worse thing that could happen?

If anything, as I’ve personally learned, you’ll be mad at yourself that you didn’t put your sh*t out there SOONER.

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Audience Engagement: 4 Ways to Be The Best Speaker

May 11, 2015 • Communication, Inspiration, Leadership, Public Speaking

I look forward every year to Leadercast, an event which is fairly new, held in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to the live event, it is also broadcast to millions of people around the world via webcast. I’ve watched the livecast the last two years and even blogged about the key take-aways from last year’s event (“Taking Personal Inventory.”) I always love the motivation the event provides from the world-class line-up of speakers they feature and the quotes/key messages on leadership they deliver are valuable reminders.

This year, I unfortunately wasn’t able to make it, but my husband and his workplace participated last week. When I asked him with enthusiasm, what speakers he enjoyed most, I was surprised at his answer. It turns out that many of the speakers he (and I for that matter) had expected to be phenomenal, because of their resume and list of accomplishments, fell flat compared to some of the other speakers who were more unknown, but did an amazing job at keeping the audience engaged. These speakers were effective in delivering presentations had many key messages that hit home with the audience.

This surprised me, because like many others, when you have an expectation of a speaker, and they fall flat in their delivery when they have so much to say… or could say… its a disappointing experience. After hearing from my husband what the exceptional speakers did to “stand out” compared to others who fell flat, I realized it came down to 4 key traits in their delivery that helped them to keep the audience engaged, including my husband.

Don’t Use Notes, Be Animated: I admit it, I am guilty sometimes of using notes when really, notes are just a safety crutch. If you’ve practiced your presentation enough than you don’t need notes as you know what stories to tell and your slides have the appropriate cues to prompt you where/when needed to tell such stories. When you don’t use notes (and aren’t standing behind a podium if necessary), the crowd gets a full view of who you are. You are more likely to be animated (use your hands, gestures and better body language) while you present which entertains the crowd far more than watching someone stand and read notes.

Have Key Messages & Take-Aways: The best presentations are structured around main themes/messages so when the presentation is done, the audiences know the “3” things they covered or the “4 themes” discussed as an example. If, by the end of your presentation, you’ve left the audience confused as to what your views are on the aforementioned topic, or they feel they didn’t learn anything from your presentation, then its a lost opportunity. Try and structure key messages following the “Rule of 3” as its easier for people to memorize things in 3’s (I should have taken my own advice for this post! Ha!)

Tell Stories that Portray the Value of your Key Messages: Nothing is worse than watching/listening a presenter who reads their slides verbatim. We can clearly read what you wrote on the slide. A better, more memorable experience is to tell a personal story relating to the key message you are trying to make a point about. The story will not only entertain the crowd but makes it easier for the audience to remember the point you are trying to make and the key messages you want to leave with them.

Practice, Practice, Practice: This one seems easy, I know, but so many presenters don’t do this! While the use of a teleprompter may be the real reason some of the Leadercast speakers delivered flawless performances, the reality is that the best speakers know that the art of public speaking and the best delivery doesn’t begin at the microphone. It begins weeks, if not months in advance of a presentation. They work to develop what their theme is; what their key messages are; they craft an eye-catching powerpoint (if they need one); they decide what stories they want to share; and how decide how they want to deliver the presentation before they rehearse by themselves time and time again until they have content/delivery nailed down.

By following these 4 tips the next time you present, your experience will not only be more enjoyable for you but I can guarantee you, your audience will be more engaged (and appreciative!) and you may just get another call for a follow-up presentation!