Business, Career and Community Resources
You Are a Public Speaker
Did you know that public speaking is not an art and it is not a calling. It is what we all do when we convey a thought, an idea, an expression, an experience and a feeling.
Every time you speak in a meeting, provide a solution to someone for a problem they are trying to solve or even better, proactively create content for a future customer, you are speaking.
Consider this perspective, when you are reading a book the author is speaking to you. When you view a social media post or watch a video, the content creator is talking to you. When you watch a commercial the actors are talking to you. Get the picture? When you interview for a job you are speaking to the recruiter, hiring manager and perhaps even other leaders who wish to evaluate your compatibility with the role. Your body posture, your facial expressions and your written communications also function as a form of speaking. If you are concerned with how you are being percieved remember that most people have a healthy fear of speaking publicly, which means you are not alone.
Need to improve ypur public speaking? Repetition is key. There are a myriad of free resources available online on platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn as well books and videos at your local public library. If you are really interested in taking your public speaking to the next level you may also find ogranizations like ToastMasters valuable. Working with a mentor can be a game changer, too. Just make sure they are willing to give you specific feedback on what you need to do to improve any proble areas in your speaking delivery.
We are all public speakers. So go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back because you were built for this. You too can command stages, meetings and crowds through the sound of your voice. You were born to speak. Embrace it and prepare to be the best speaker that you can be. Need more help with public speaking? Ready to improve your approach to public speaking? We can help. Please contact us today.
Do You Know Any Introverts?
If you are not an introvert this post may not be for you. However, if you are interested in learning more about common misconceptions about introverts, please stick around to read more.
To all of my lovely introverts – I see you and I hear you. If you have ever felt this sentiment, “I accept others as they are, why can’t they accept me as I am?”, your voice has been heard loud and clear. Cultivating a welcoming environment for introverts has not always been the meat and potatoes of company strategy. I believe it is time to turn the page.
It can be challenging to be on the other end of a conversation with people who have a louder presence in the world. [Introverts] are usually mistaken for being aloof, withdrawn, nonchalant, too quiet, siditty (up on our high horse), uppity, noncommittal, calculated, and so much more. You may have even noticed that the very essence of quietness can come across as threatening or negative given the right circumstances, yet we all stand to learn so much more about people when we let them speak 🗣️
Now to my fellow extroverts, if you see your introvert clients, colleagues and inner circle existing in their natural state, usually lending a listening ear and observing, do not assume that they are not interested, engaged, or excited. They are simply being themselves. On behalf of all the introverts out there, I simply ask that you accept them for who they are because they do accept you for who you are.
Honing quietness is just as important as speaking up. Creating an environment where all people can thrive will allow introverts to feel more at ease while continuing to produce quality work and leadership. Forcing them to be someone who they are not – having a louder prescence – will only stifle progress, collectively. If you think putting an introvert on the spot is developing them as a speaker, it’s not. Introverts perform exceptionally well when they are given the time and space needed to curate their thoughts and prepare to speak as they wish. Trust me. They will let you know if they need something or wish to be heard. How do I know? You guessed it…I am an introvert.
Professional Development – Are You Wasting Your Time?
As we settle into another school and professional development season, many professionals will take a critical look at their career and where they expect to end up. All too often our professional development goals are tethered to the current jobs that we work.
I invite you to consider professional development from a lens of what you need in your life to help you get to the next level before you book that next conference. I want you to truly consider where you see yourself within the next 5 to 10 years and if you are currently taking steps to get there. For many of us professional development means studying modules online and taking a quiz afterwards with no additional recourse to display to what we have learned. Yet, for others it means jumping in headfirst into a new initiative learning by trial and error and wearing the scars of the event like a badge of honor. While both approaches can certainly build your professional experience, I challenge you to think about which one makes the most sense to truly improve your knowledge and skill set in your desired area of interest.
When you take the time to learn a new skill whether it is in person or online, I want you to think about how you plan to implement what you have learned. I want you to see the future with you utilizing that new skill you just learned to help improve your life. We may think about separating work and life while trying to find that negligible work life balance that we always hear about. Does it make sense to separate your work and life in every single aspect?
Let us look at an example in the field of process excellence. This is a study of how to streamline and continually improve any given process. If you were to take a course in process excellence as your professional development and then leave it on the shelf to use only at work, you are deeply missing the opportunity to improve your life overall. If you took the time to complete that process excellence course and your professional development leads you to a career where your process excellence skills are used day in, and day out would it make sense to implement consistent use of the new skills you have learned? Could you use process excellence to improve your weekend around-the-house task list? Perhaps you could streamline and improve the efficiency in how you support your family?
Consider your professional development and what you plan to get out of it. How will you evolve and how will you ensure the tools that you have learned will remain sharp?