One IT dude's perspective on communicating with real people

Posts tagged linkedin

LinkedIn: Where Leaders Communicate

Aug22
2011 2 Comments Written by Rob Christeson

Editors Note: This post is an opinion piece on Toastmasters new branding initiative.

If I asked you wether you not you had already read the information on TI’s website about the rebranding, including how the tagline, Where Leaders Are Made, comes from I imagine I would see very few hands come up.

I’ve heard and read comments just this  week about how TI “messed up” by removing communication from the tagline. 

Oops. Maybe you aren’t reading it right. Why do I say that? Because communication IS in our tagline, Where Leaders Are Made. 

Don’t see it? Read it again – Where Leaders Are Made. Now let’s try an exercise. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Now open your eyes. Picture a leader you respect, admire, or simply choose to follow. Are you thinking of one now? Did that leader struggle to make their point? Did they fail to inspire with their words regularly? Did they usually seem scattered and disoriented when dealing with others? 

Probably not.

In being great leaders they were, by definition, great communicators. 

Prove me wrong. Pick someone you respect as a leader, someone you follow willingly, someone you emulate, and if they can’t communicate, comment with their name, and why it is that you do follow them. 

Remember some leaders use a different formula than 5-7 minutes. Some don’t even blog. If your favorite leader is a man of few words, like your Grandfather, and you followed him because he communicated with his actions, well…leading by example is communication.

Take a few minutes, and check www.toastmasters.org/vbp for more information, including a downloadable Brand Manual with more specifics. Look at slides 11-17 for details. 

By better understanding the connection you can answer those questions that may come when you say, “I’m a Toastmaster, Where Leaders Are Made.”   

Posted in Leadership/Supervision Tips - Tagged , , ,

Toastmasters 2011 Convention – E is for Excellence in Speaking and Leading

Aug18
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Rob Christeson

Dana LaMon in an Accredited Speaker and World Champion of Public Speaking. His session, E is for Excellence in Speaking and Leading was in front of a full house (over 400 seats plus SRO)

To get the greatest benefit from TM – you must be committed to excellence

Dana presented Eight Principles from his book, The Excellence Book: 104 Principles for Living and Working.

Improvement (#1) – To excel is to do better today than you did yesterday. It is from our mistakes that we learn. Striving for Excellence – is excellence over there, and me over here? You should be Striving in Excellence. Excellence starts within you. Is excellence to be the best? no. Excellence means using yourself as a measuring stick. And excellence means using your own judgement, not depending on someone else to judge you.

Use your evaluations in Toastmasters to help improve. Really use them, and make adjustments to your next presentations.

Development (#70) – Excellence seeks to discover and develop unused talents. As you start taking steps in development, you see new paths open up for future development. It’s never too late to get unstuck. Continue to work your Toastmasters manuals, and even repeat manuals when it can help you develop.

Movement (#32) – Excellence welcomes change. Callback to last night (Dave Logan) – “most of the world doesn’t welcome change.” We look to stay in our comfort area, whenever possible. Slight change results is small adjustments to stay comfortable, big changes tend to result in fighting change.

“When you change your environment, you change your opportunities.” – quote from Dana’s son.

Change bring chances, and not all chances are opportunities. Opportunity is coupling chance with your purpose. Lead with purpose. Be willing to show why you do what you do. Remember, you cannot have followers until you start moving.

Tenacity (#9) – A commitment to excellence prompts you to run a little harder in the face of opponents. Overcoming the doubt from others. Until you have the challenge, you don’t make the attempt.

Adjustments (#66) – Excellence makes adjustments where mediocrity makes excuses. As a blind person, Dana had the opportunity to make excuses. He heard, “He’s blind, he can’t.” so when he didn’t want to do something he could just say “I’m blind, I can’t”. Sometimes we get weak, and we make excuses. Age, gender, money, experience, time? Are you making excuses for not doing that next advanced manual? Joining the Speakers Bureau? Writing that article?
“You don’t have to see the ground to hit the ground. All you have to do is jump.”

Possibility (#95) – The realm of possibilities and field of uncertainty occupy the same space; their difference is in how you approach them. If you see uncertainty, you may be hesitant or reluctant. If you look out and see possibilities, you may say “yes.” Gives you the impetus to making things happen. Are you able to say “yes” when someone asks, “is it possible?”

Teamwork (#43) – Team excellence requires a what’s-in-it-for-us rather than a what’s-in-it-for-me way of thinking. There is very little that you will ever do in your life that doesn’t involve working with someone else. In Toastmasters, we operate under what’s-in-it-for-you.

Love (#90) – Quality can be controlled and time can be managed, but people must be loved.Love includes, love shares, love encourages & love builds. Love is the connective force in relationships. The natural tendency of relationships is love.

Whether you are pursuing speaking, leadership or both, you must be committed to excellence. Your innate greatness is revealed through excellence.

Note on some of his techniques
Used a show of voices (“oh, yeah”) instead of a show of hands
Asked “is it possible?” then said, “men is it possible?”, “women is it possible?”, “toastmasters, is it possible?”, then “non-Toastmasters, is it possible?” After that yes (about 6 people) he said “lets get them some applications.”

Dana presented an amazing program. This one was worth getting on video or at least audio.

Posted in Public Speaking Tips - Tagged , ,

Toastmasters 2011 Convention – Board Briefing

Aug17
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Rob Christeson

Editors note: These are raw notes from the board briefing at the TI Convention. I’ll post updated info in the next week or so.

Today’s Toastmaster International Board Briefing had some very interesting announcements and some followup to previous announcements.

1. First, International President Pat Johnson addressed the coming dues increase – I felt her apology about the late notice was very sincere. She admitted they should have done better.

2. Immediate Past President Gary Schmidt discussed the strategic plan, including what has been achieved and what is yet to come.
- Growth and Retention
–promote youth programs – youth communication (a totally new program recently released)
– strengthen recognition programs
– refresh brand image
- Education Programs
–club level e-learning
– district financial system
– August and Mid-Year District Leader Training
- Revenue
– Dues Increase – to enhance services and support the strategic plan
- Global Impact – Innovate, Modernize, and Anticipate to Maximize the member experience
– Global Legal, Tax and Regulatory Compliance
– Digital content transition
–Enhanced Production and Distribution
– Mobile Web
Coming in the next two years
- 2011
–renew focus on leadership (define and improve program)
–reinvigorate mature markets
- 2012
– Modernize communication
– Improve club quaility
– <two items I missed>

3. Executive Director Dan Rex reported on
- 273,895 members
- 25,000 CCs
- 11,000 ACs
- increases in all CL/AL and DTMs
-
2008: Create the Future
Create the righ environment and teams
- create a strong leadership team
- control and reduce costs
- increase efficiency
- change culture
- build a strong partnership with the Board
- build capacity

Board
- Focus on strategic issues
- develop the first real strategic plan
- provide resources
- be ambassadors of change

2011 projects
- capacity building
- branding implementation (<$600M that other corporations pay)
- recognition (next year’s DSP – District Success Plan)
- district accounting system
- enterprise software
- policy and protocol
- global legal and tax
- digital content
- club level e-learning
- customer service extended hours (12 hours)- web chat in 2012
- customer satisfaction surveys
- member census
- enhanced PR and marketing for club and district leaders
- enhanced web services
- Mobile web
- in-person district leader training
- youth project
- region advisor year two
- Enhanced District Leader Handbook
- Enhanced Club Leader Handbook

3. International Presedent Elect Michael Notaro

First Vice-President John Lau

Second Vice-President George

Posted in General Posts - Tagged ,

Toastmasters 2011 Convention – Brand Workshop

Aug17
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Rob Christeson


I’ve posted on the new brand launch on our District 22 website:

http://district22.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/where-leaders-are-made/

Check out the Toastmasters Website for more information!

Posted in General Posts - Tagged ,

Toastmasters 2011 Convention – Tuesday Training and a Peek at Branding

Aug17
2011 3 Comments Written by Rob Christeson

The Toastmasters International Convention starts tomorrow!! It’s gonna be sweet!

Spoiler alert: This evening I snuck into the room where they are having the branding workshop tomorrow. I was able to see some of the materials, and the next issue of Toastmaster magazine looks awesome – the fonts, the color scheme, the look overall is really sharp.

I also had early access to the District store. I grabbed a full set of newly-branded advanced manuals and a pack of CCs, plus new pins for my leadership team and a new DTM medallion. I also picked up some nice gifts for my DEC team…at least those who attend our meeting on Saturday the 27th. :)

Speaking of the training, today was an awesome experience. In the morning we did our district presentation for our region, and District 22 tied for second. D25 had the best presentation, with their new take on district newsletters. Twice a month they publish “Hot Topics”, and their other newsletter is “Action Now”. Both are blog based and designed to be quick and informative for their district leaders and members.

We saw some terrific incentive programs, as well as an innovative idea for using FaceBook by D16 in Oklahoma. They are publishing a short “What I learned in Toastmasters today” on their FB page.

In the afternoon we had finance training. Yahoo! That’s all on that.

Later we had our round table discussions. I sat in on discussions about communications, training district leaders, club support, and training club officers. Great discussions and some interesting ideas from other districts.

Also, our lunch session included hearing from our President Elect Michael Notaro. Focus, Fun and Follow-up were his keys to success. Focus on membership building and club building, every day. Fun – recognize, recognize, recognize. Follow-up – every task should have a date, and an expectation that that date will be met.

Tomorrow…stay tuned!!

Posted in General Posts - Tagged ,

Waiting vs. Failing

Jul30
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Rob Christeson

Have you ever told your boss, “I’m waiting on [somebody] to get back to me?” The question is, can the boss tell the difference between you waiting and you failing?

I’ve never had a boss respond positively to that kind of statement. Do you know why?

1. Waiting implies inaction. No…actually waiting says “I’m not taking any action at this time.”
2. When your next action is to wait on someone else, it sounds like you’re passing the buck. Oops…you are passing the buck.
3. Waiting means you have no plan for your own next action, until you get the thing from what’s-his-name.

Once, a long time ago, when I used the “I’m waiting” answer on my boss, I learned fast and quick what a mistake that was. My boss told me, “Rob, when you say ‘waiting‘, I hear ‘failing‘.”

“But, I am waiting!!!”

“Not anymore, Rob. Go do something.”

What do you do?

#1 – Don’t wait, follow up. – “Hey boss, I followed up with Mike this morning and…”

#2 – Don’t assign work without a due date, or expected response time. – “…he said he would have the documents to us by 0800 tomorrow…”

#3 – Have a next step for yourself. – “…once I have them, I’ll have the summary to you by noon.”

#4 – Be ready for “what if…?” – “If I don’t have them by 0800, I’ll be parked at his desk until he’s done!”

Lots of people fall into the “I’m waiting” trap everyday. If you adjust how you handle the wait and how you communicate it, you’ll receive fewer stern looks from the boss, and you’ll avoid that perception…you know, the one where the boss wonders are you waiting, or are you failing?

Posted in Leadership/Supervision Tips - Tagged , ,

Get Motivated – Bill Cosby Style

Jul26
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Rob Christeson

At the Wichita Get Motivated seminar, Bill Cosby one one of the featured speakers of the day. Much of what he said was fantastic. But was really unique was who he brought on stage.

Because he was one of the later presenters in the day, people were primed to volunteer. When Bill said that he wanted to bring two people on stage, some voices called out “me” and similar requests. Bill’s response? (paraphrased) “I already have them picked out.”

He brought up two people, a young woman and her mother. He told us a brief story of how he met the young woman (who worked) at the hotel, and how she had made an impression on him. He asked her to tell the audience what her plan was. She responded “I’m going to be a Physician’s Assistant” (also known as a PA).

Then, Bill asked the mom what he had said to her. After some cajoling, it came out that BIll though she should pursue her dream, which was to be an Orthopedic Surgeon.

He mentioned that in their conversation yesterday, her concern was the time that it would take to reach that goal. At 22, the prospect of being 26, 28 and 34 before she reached that goal. (Bill mentioned all of those ages, but focused on the final #, 34).

Pay attention to this: His response? “You’re going to be 34 either way.” He then asked her if she wanted to be 34 and regret what could have been?

He not only was able to get her to commit to pursuing her dream, he also had her mother commit to keeping the pressure on. Plus, he had the audience cheering and supporting her as well.

The main point he supported throughout the presentation was to be a “Do It.” person.

Bill was funny (duh), relevant, and motivational. Easily worth the price of admission…

Posted in Leadership/Supervision Tips, Public Speaking Tips

Live an interesting life

Jul24
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Rob Christeson

If there is one thing that clearly applies to both speaking and writing, it is that you need to tell interesting stories to be successful. This may lead you to ask, “how do I tell interesting stories?” I’m glad you asked!

To tell interesting stories, you need to do one of two things:

1. Plagiarize.
2. Do interesting stuff.

Seems like a no-brainer, right?

How do you do it? How do you have interesting experiences that translate into interesting stories? How do you live an interesting life?

Here’s a shock: you already do.

Don’t believe me? Here are the two things you can work on:

1. Figure out what’s already interesting
2. Do more interesting stuff

To figure out what you already do, you’re going to need to keep some type of journal. Write about some of the things that you do, and write about some things that you know. Think about times where something happened that relates to your topic.

For instance, when I write about speaking I try to remember times when <insert topic here> happened to me. Then I use that story to help make my point.

To do more interesting stuff, you need to mix it up a bit. Here are a couple of examples:

If you like to go to Starbucks or Barnes & Noble to relax and use the Internet, change it up. Try Buffalo Wild WIngs or a local sports bar. See what’s different and listen to what people around you are saying.

Take a different path home from work. Drive through areas you haven’t seen before (advanced scouting for safety is okay).

Try a local weekend vacation somewhere just an hour or two from home. See what is there locally to do and try it.

Not all of these ideas will generate stories every time, but if you try new things, you’ll have new experiences and you’ll have new stories to tell.

Most importantly, don’t be afraid to try new experiences.

One time I was in Orlando with one of my LTs (Lieutenants) for some training. During one of the evenings we saw these two giant crane arms with a rubber band stretched between them. In the center was a two seat contraption that allowed the riders to go about 300 feet in the air, while twirling upside down and back all the way. No chance I do something like that myself. But my LT insisted we go, and no man should ever chicken out in front of an LT. We went on the ride and I was totally hating him at the start. But, by the time we snapped to the top, I was loving the ride and enjoying the view.

Definitely  a new experience for me, and it can be worked into a topic on overcoming your fear if I want to.

Are you living an interesting life?

Posted in Public Speaking Tips, Writing Tips - Tagged

Your Audience is not an Abstraction

Jul22
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Rob Christeson

Have you ever thought of your audience in the abstract, such as ” group of students”, “job seekers looking for advice” or “managers needing training”?

Of course this can be a good first step toward thinking about a topic for that group. But if you really want to connect, you have to dig deeper.

For instance, if my group of job seekers is 23-29 years old, I probably don’t need to spend much time describing job boards, since they may not even know what a paper resumé is. But for the 44-59 crowd, it means a different approach.

To connect, identify your most likely audience members, such as Cindy, the 24 year old USC graduate, Mike the 27 year old who was recently laid off and Mary, the 26 year old Administrative Assistant – all looking for interview advice.

Get past the abstraction and speak to real people. After all, abstractions don’t clap…

 

Posted in Public Speaking Tips - Tagged

Primer: Make a to-do list

Jul21
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Rob Christeson

Tonight’s exercise: Make yourself a big audacious to-do list.

No. Not a “get the groceries, wash the car, do 17 push-ups” kind of list. Instead, spend the next 5-10 minutes brainstorming things you’ve always wanted to do, but didn’t have time for. Think Big!

Here are some examples:

Learn a foreign language
Rent a Ferrari
Finish your Associates Degree
Go to China
Take a cruise
Start your own company
Get married

You get the idea. Once you’ve made your list, go on to the next step.

Pick three items from the list, and describe how you would do it if time, money, and other people were no object.

Examples:

Go to China
- I’d pack just a carry-on bag, and plan to buy more luggage on the trip
- I’d leave tomorrow on a first class flight
- I’d see all of the sights – The Great Wall, Hong Kong, and Disneyland
- I’d buy a travel guide to make sure I didn’t miss anything

Start your own company
- I’d quit my current job
- I’d start a website and a blog to advertise and connect with my customers
- I’d print up some nifty business cards. That’s right: nifty.
- I’d get a storefront to sell my <stuff>.

Learn a foreign language (say, Italian)
- I’d buy an “Italian word-a-day calendar”
- I’d buy Rosetta Stone and do an hour every day
- I’d find someone Italian I could practice with
- I’d label everything in my house with the Italian word for that object

Now that you’ve done that, take another look at your list. Some things seem out of reach (i.e. flying first class to China tomorrow), but some things are in reach, like buying the travel guide, printing some nifty business cards, or getting a word-a-day calendar.

Pick one of those small steps and add it to your real to-do list for tomorrow. Have fun with it, and take one step closer to a real adventure!

 

 

 

Posted in Writing Tips - Tagged ,
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