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You Must Have A Safety Cushion to Prevent Pain

As the Dread Pirate Roberts said, “Life is pain… Anyone who says differently is selling something.”

That being the case, I had a good dose of life on the weekend!

We were at the shed and while my gorgeous wife and our friend went into town, I thought I would pop up the ladder and do a couple of things that needed to be done.

So often we have talked about how important ladder safety is, particularly as the shed has a concrete floor. In fact, I was joking with my personal trainer about it a week or so ago as it is one of the main reasons men over 55 are admitted to hospital!

Anyway, I set the ladder. The kitchen bench was in the road so I positioned the ladder into what I thought was a safe place. As I was about two and a half metres in the air, it turns out that position was NOT safe.  The polished concrete did not give enough resistance to the feet of the ladder and I am a heavy bloke so, at the end of the day, the laws of physics stayed true and gravity worked!

On the way down I grabbed at the bulkhead over the kitchen (which I successfully pulled down), grazed my shin, landed on my feet with my forearms on the bench all while forcing the knife block into the microwave and bending two of the knife handles in the process. The ladder itself can now go around corners so it will be recommissioned as a climbing frame for beans, roses or some such plant.

With loads of broken glass from the microwave, my first check was had I cut myself. The answer was NO!  Phew!! Then it was time to sit, calm down and assess the situation.

Turns out all I got was a bruised ego, shin, hand and forearms and one hell of a fright. Yay for me!

So we know have a new protocol for climbing ladders.

  • It is not to be done if only I am there
  • Ladder must be stable with safety person holding it
  • Must have better ladder
  • Where possible, have a huge bed of cushions underneath
  • If in doubt, don’t

So Step one, get a better ladder. This is what I will use from now on (ignore the wheels, they are coming off!) Super stable and with working platform!!

What about you? You probably don’t climb ladders. Maybe the risks you are facing are not physical. Maybe it is financial, project based, competitive risks or something completely different.

What are your protocols for managing risks? How can you make sure you have a massive bed of cushions to minimise your negative impact and/or pain?

PS The Latest Episode of the Get More Success Show is all about dealing with Uncertainty and how to thrive in it. Evan Leybourn is the head of Business Agility Institute. Check out our conversation here. 

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What Are You Laughing At?

I love the idea that life is far too important to take seriously.

Let’s face it, no one gets out alive (although we act like we are invincible) and some people are waaaaay too serious.

Laughing does amazing things to your body. It releases some fabulous chemicals and drugs that help you relax, de-stress and shift your perspective on to what is truly important for you.

Whether you are laughing at yourself, cat videos on the internet, classic comedy sketches, Australian Politics (don’t get me started), US Politics (just … don’t…), funny songs, family interactions, some other bloke being hit in the testicles (it’s always funny when it happens to someone else) or just laughing for the sake of it, it is so important to have a laugh.

Sometimes you have to laugh in the middle of a meeting. You know those ones that if you don’t laugh you are going to cry?

I am often laughing on stage – regardless of how serious the event is. The delegates love it, the organisers know how important it is and the person who signs the cheque loves the energy it brings to the event and the number of people who then make the commitment to come back next time.

I recently had the good fortune to be interviewed on the Laughter Channel Podcast. The host, Pat Armitstead, grilled me about comedy, laughter, influences and the importance of laughter. You can listen to our episode here.

But for you, Dear Reader, what are you laughing at? How are you incorporating some laughter in to your day?

 

PS If you are super keen you can watch the video of the interview here.

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Less is More

I am currently in Perth presenting this evening and then tomorrow in Adelaide as part of a whirlwind tour as President of Professional Speakers Australia.

As I was soaring across our great land (in the same way that bricks don’t * ) I happened to look out the window.

Something struck me with the simplicity of this fluffy white view. It was stunning yet it was also featureless. It was simply cloud and sky and I paused to marvel at it.

With the ever increasing complexity of business, life and even the speaking industry, sometimes it is the absence of features that makes things so fabulous. Ever reminding us that Less is More.

Where do you need less in your life and what can you appreciate more?

*Apologies to Douglas Adams!

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Can You Help Me?

Image: ShutterStock

Like all businesses, you need to constantly monitor your marketing activities and see what results you are getting. If it is working, keep doing it. If it is not working, stop and look for something else to do that will bring better results.

As part of my marketing, I am putting together a new portfolio document. Now while I could write many things about how good I think I am and what elements of what I do that I think my clients get value from, it is far too insular to be accurate.

If you are reading this, we have a relationship.

Maybe you saw me speak, host an event, listened to my podcast or an interview I did. Maybe you read my book or participated in an online session.

No matter what it was, I am wondering if you can help me?

I am putting together some thoughts or ideas that others have about me and what I do. So if you have a word, a statement, a sentence, a quote of mine you like, or simply a reason someone should hire me, I would appreciate you emailing that to me. You can make it anonymous or I am happy to attribute your comments. Just let me know what you would like.

This way I can put some genuine client commentary into my marketing portfolio document and not just padding and made up marketing tosh!

Don’t worry, I will let you know when it is done so you can see what I did with your comment.

Thanks so much for your help. I appreciate it.

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Be A Better Speaker

I had the privilege of hosting TEDxMelbourne on Friday. The theme was “The Stuff of Dreams” and we had 19 speakers presenting to 1,400 Dream Makers in the audience. By all accounts, it was a fantastic day.

For many people, performing on the TED or TEDx stage is a speaking goal. Quite a few people ask what should they do to be a better speaker to get there.

Just so you know, it’s NOT picturing the audience in their underwear – 1,400 people in their finest lace, boxers or super white cottontails would be quite distracting!

For me, there is ONE THING that will make the biggest difference.

While mind maps, watching videos of yourself, watching videos of others (including other TED talks), rehearsing in front of a mirror, performing tongue twisters, not moving at all, moving more, having longer pauses, being funnier, being more serious, interacting with the audience, and visualising are all valid ways to improve your performance there is ONE THING that will have the most impact.

That ONE THING is of course, speak more.

Take every opportunity to present. Whether it is at your local sports club awards night, a Rotary club (they always need speakers) or volunteering to present at a work meeting, presenting more makes you better. The more you present, the more comfortable you are on stage. Yes there are other techniques to fine tune what you are doing, but getting up there and doing it is the most important thing.

If you speak more, you can’t help but be a better speaker.

 

BUT WARWICK I WANT TO KNOW MORE!! 

Tune in to RRPFM this Friday at 11am Melbourne time for the award winning Taking Care of Business show where I will be guest host. 
I will be talking to Zerafina Zara from Forte Presence and Russell Pearson from Crimson Fox on what else you can do to be a better speaker.
Email me any questions you have and we will incorporate it into the show!

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