Jul 24, 2020
When the going gets tough people need inspiration and information more than ever. Traditionally, keynote speakers have done a great job in helping organizations with growth, engagement, and messaging. Not only have they been conduits of inspiration and motivation, but being experts in specific fields, they really provide timely and much needed information for professional growth. However, change is part of life and we find ourselves in a period of tremendous change and uncertainty. So, what do we do to inform, inspire and empower our groups and teams in today’s world?
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Feb 5, 2020
So, we are in the meeting business, and we know that meetings can be powerful platforms for organizational success and growth. They are opportunities to exchange ideas through hearing from some of today’s greatest thought leaders that can inspire and motivate individuals and organizations to take the next steps toward greater success. Great meetings can also be conduits to share the organizational objectives and recognize the positive efforts of the entire team. But, in reference to the sometimes daily, non-productive meetings that are a waste of everyone’s time, we need to take a look at how they are not achieving the best outcomes for the organization. We think there is value in looking at the non-stop meetings in relationship to the larger annual meetings and conferences. Both, if they are not well-planned, well-orchestrated and well-evaluated and then re-structured, are simply a waste of time and energy for everyone.
When my children were younger, when someone asked them what their dad did, they would always say, “He goes to meetings.” To them that was all he did. They didn’t realize that ideas and planning require buy in and without meeting with colleagues, clients, and management, people can’t be on the same page. However, as Steven G. Rogelberg says in his book, The Surprising Science of Meetings, “ Meetings are essential to teams and organizations.” Rogelberg is on a mission to fix the bad meetings that waste our time, bore us to death, and frustrate success.
I think we are all for fixing bad meetings. If we have to attend them, then let’s look at ways to respect other’s time and make them more efficient and engaging. According to Rogelberg, it really is up to the leader of the meeting to improve the quality of the meeting. He suggests asking the team what he or she is doing well in the meetings, what’s not working and what can be done differently. Asking people to weigh in on meeting effectiveness can change the entire experience for everyone.
The leader can change and create a positive, more effective meeting though what Rogelberg calls separation, standing and shrink. Separation is setting the stage and creating warmth, and presence, by recognizing the value each person brings to the meeting. When people enter the room, they feel welcomed and visibly notice the energy created by the leader. Standing refers to “ditching the chairs.” Simply put, sit down meetings take longer than standing meetings. It all comes down to respecting people’s time. Finally, shrinking the meeting size. The more non-essential people, the less productive. Have a rule that you don’t include “spectators.”
I can see a world where people are actually excited about going to a meeting. Through reading Rogelberg’s science-based research, we can make meetings more effective and welcoming for all.
Call us to arrange a conference with Professor Rogelberg!
Aug 29, 2019
The Value of a Speakers Bureau to You
Do you think you are saving time and money by doing the work of finding a speaker yourself?
Do you trust the Internet as a source of knowledge over an expert?
The answer to both is a resounding NO and here’s why:
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Jul 2, 2019
My daughter asked me what I do at work.
So many of us have that little 8 second plug about what we do to pitch to potential clients, but recently Simon Sinek and others have asked the question, why? Why do you do what you do?
Sinek says, “People don’t buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it.”
I know that I help clients find just the right speaker for their budget and meeting objectives and handle all the negotiations, paperwork and the details associated with hiring a speaker for a meeting or event. But so do other speaker bureau agents. So, why do I do this and how am I different from the others?
I really could do something else, so why do I do this particular job? The first thing that came to mind was, “I love my job.” But, that’s not my why, so I decided to make a list of the reasons why I do what I do, and this is how it looked:
- I really do like to help people solve problems
- I know that Inspiring and motivating others makes a difference in their lives
- I truly believe in the power of words
- People need positive messages in order to grow
- We should never stop learning!
- Soft skills are critical to success in business and in life
- I really like people and believe in building relationships not just business contacts
So, the next time someone asks you what you do, think about your reasons for why you do it. Communicate those reasons to your customers and business interactions and you may just find that clients will begin to identify with you on a personal level. The result will be the creation of a unique relationship of respect, loyalty, and shared values. Stand out from the rest with authenticity and clarity of purpose.
Speakers Network Worldwide has a clear understanding of our “why.” Call today and we would be happy to talk about it with you!
Jan 4, 2019
“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” - Edmund Hillary
One of the biggest things I have learned isn’t that life is full of summits and valleys. We all have those summit experiences where we stand at the top and breathtakingly stare in awe of an accomplishment or an unspeakable gift. And, we all have those valley times when we just look up wishing we were at the top of the nearest mountain looking back at a trial or tempest being experienced in our lives. (more…)
