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The Buck Stops Here

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I am thrilled to announce that effective today I am the National President of Professional Speakers Australia.

I have always believed in professional associations and being a member is not enough. To me, it is important that you contribute to the industry to which you belong. I have served several positions but this is the top one.

The Buck Stops Here.

Our industry has challenges, our association has challenges and our marketplace has challenges. They are not to be shied away from but to be faced and dealt with as best as possible.

We have a great board and a strong team in each state, but still hard decisions need to me made and tough situations need to be faced. I am happy to delegate to get some of these things done but ultimately…

The Buck Stops Here.

Spiderman’s uncle said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

I think the reverse is also true. With great responsibility comes great power.

I now have a responsibility to use my presidential power in a way that supports and grows all of our members, the market place and our suppliers and customers. It won’t be easy, I may make mistakes but I will attack this role with enthusiasm and great joy knowing that at all times, The Buck Stops Here.

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Innovation is Alive and Well

Waiting for #Adele #melbourne #etihad

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You may be aware that Adele is touring Australia and performing to sellout stadiums of over 60,000 people. Tickets sold out super quick and many have been left wanting (even with ticket prices from $200 and up).

But some people have been innovative and got to see and hear the concert for a lot less.

A friend of mine in Perth used the natural acoustics of the Perth Arena and the fact that he lives near it to simply sit on his back veranda with a pleasant beverage and enjoy the concert without having to pay a thing.

My favourite story (and one that makes me think, “Why didn’t I do that?”) is one of my gorgeous wife’s friends took their daughter to a hotel complex right next to Etihad Stadium in Melbourne. They paid $99 for the nights accomodation and could then sit on the pool deck, see the huge Adele monitor down inside the arena as well as hear every song, every Adele comment and every joyous moment of the concert.

Innovation does not have to be complicated. Innovation can simply be taking advantage of existing conditions.

Innovation is far from dead in this country. It does not take massive resources, you don’t have to be a huge company, it can be simple things you do daily.

So how do you show that innovation is alive and well?

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Make it Fast by Going Slow

Ooops!

It seems I have caused myself a little damage. I was going for a short ride and right outside the front of my house, the back wheel slipped and I fell breaking my ankle.

I was going about 10 km/h, I was wearing full leathers and I was doing everything right. It is what you call an accident. (Not a purposedent!)

After four days in hospital, some ankle reconstruction surgery and some fabulous pain killers, I am now home recovering.

The prescription is six weeks without any weight bearing on my right leg.

SIX WEEKS!!

OK so it is a long time. My commitment is to be a patient patient. Too many people I know rush back early and do more damage and that is not what I want to do. I want to heal my ankle the first time and not have to go back for further treatment.

What about you? Can you be patient? Will you make it fast by going slow?

 

 

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Spending Time With the Future

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I spent time with the future this weekend.

Friday night, I hung out with my nephew chatting about all things that a young fella talks about. Watching movies, eating burgers and having a bit of fun.

Sunday morning I caught up with my friend’s son who wants to be a professional speaker when he grows up. I talked a fair bit but he shared some of his thoughts, asked some great questions and told me of his plans.

The future is in pretty good hands.

Both boys were a huge credit to their parents. They were respectful, polite and had a great sense of energy.

Too often we hear people talking about how the “younger generation” has it easier, are rude, have no respect, put whatever your thoughts are here. But maybe those ones are the exception to the rule.

What I heard was all about possibility, ideas, energy, enthusiasm, all without the heavy cynicism that many of us older people have.

From where I stand, the future is in good hands. It is up to us to make sure we operate in the best interest of ALL of our planet’s future inhabitants and not focus on a profit for the old farts who will soon be gone from this world.

So what are you doing today to make our world a better place for our future? It may even make things better for you too!

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You Are Not Alone

referral marketing

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Trying to achieve your goals and get the results you are after can be draining.

So often you feel like you are alone. It feels like it is you chipping away at a mountain of granite, hoping to make a break through any moment.

Hoping it is the next swing that brings the results. No? Ok, the next swing!

Maybe the next swing …

Never forget, you are not alone. 

Whether you are running your own business, raising a family, working a corporate job or serving as a volunteer, you are not alone.

You are operating in a connected world, so why not use it? 

You know how when other people ask you for help you feel fantastic when you can contribute to them? Why not let others feel that way too. You just have to do one thing.

Ask for help!

Whatever you may want or need, ask for it. You may feel embarrassed, you may feel shy, you may feel like you “should” be able to do it on your own. The reality is you don’t have to.

So what do you need to ask for?

P.S. Let me practice what I preach. I would love it if you could refer me to someone who is organising an event and needs a host or MC. Typically the event will be for 200 people or more. Thanks for the referral!

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Sometimes You Have to Say “NO”

Facebook Phone No

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I have deleted the Facebook app off my phone. It is a huge relief.

Over the past few months I have become more and more disillusioned with Facebook.

It sucks up huge chunks of my day and I let it. I seem to pay more attention to it than I do my gorgeous wife. I will spend large amounts of time looking at it and then feel worse afterwards. My comparing and competing is at an all time high (that is, I look at what others are doing and think, “why aren’t I doing that”) and all the political rubbish was syphoning all the hope and positivity out of my life.

Something had to be done.

I deleted it off my phone and only access it for limited amounts of time during the day on my computer.

I feel so much better.

My hope has lifted, I am less concerned with other peoples business, my focus has returned to the actions I need to take, I engage more with my wife and my dog and I am continuing to look at what counts.

What you say No to determines your success far more than what you say Yes to.

I am slowly saying No to more social media and it is helping me get a clearer and healthier perspective on my world and the world around me.

Sometimes you have to say “NO”. What will you say NO to?

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Do Short Cuts Save You?

Over the weekend I was hosting and presenting at a clients promotional roadshow. On the Sunday the event was at one of the major events centres in Australia.

The centre itself is very impressive. There were friendly staff directing everyone to where they needed to go and happily helping you with whatever you needed.

It was a little different in the event room itself.

Don’t get me wrong, the staff were friendly but there was a major issue with the Audio Visual (AV) and the response was “lacking” at best!

Here is a summary of a few things that happened:

  • The lapel mic packs were the short range ones not the long range ones so they lost signal every now and again
  • My mic pack died five minutes into the welcome (Luckily I could turn it into a joke and got them to change it on the fly while I kept speaking)
  • The replacement mic pack popped and crackled every time I got loud and excited (I get loud and excited a lot!)
  • The main speakers mic pack popped and crackled every time she got loud and excited
  • The remote for the presentation struggled to connect and always seemed to have a time delay in pressing the button and advancing a slide
  • The AV system reset itself and the lights and screen flicked on and off for half a second just before the main speaker came on stage
  • The friendly staff member on the desk was incredibly junior and didn’t really know what was going on – they were out of their depth
  • The senior staff member was the duty manager and not an AV person

Do you get the picture?

At the lunch break we completely changed out the AV desk for the more powerful, long range mics and our team came up with a strategy for the presentation remote which seemed to work.

It felt like this shiny, pristine venue was trying to take a short cuts and cost cutting by having junior staff and lower end AV equipment. The outcome is an unhappy client who will be asking for a partial refund and who is also questioning the additional 10 days they have booked at that centre and any other work they may do with them.

Customer service MUST be a long term game. The short cuts you take can cost you dearly in the end.

What about for you? Do short cuts save you?

 

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Do You See the Full Picture?

Gutters roof
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A few years ago, we had the gutters replaced on our house. They came, measured the existing gutters, quoted for new ones and then we had the job done.

I have been cursing them ever since.

What they did was look at what we had and then replace it. What they didn’t do is look at the full picture.

We have two pieces of spouting coming off the roof and onto another section that is the roof for the double garage and a bedroom. This flows into a gutter which has only one down pipe. Every time we have a strong rainfall (like last night) the gutter overflows on the building side of the gutter.

What this means is that we have had some interior waterfalls – mainly in the garage but once in the spare room.

The gutter people did not look at the big picture. The did not consider what we NEEDED versus what we HAD.

I see this in business all the time. Suppliers not considering what is in the best interest of the customer and focussing only on what they can sell.

As an MC, I see it in conferences way too often. The speaker sticking with their usual program rather than considering who is in the room and what their client actually wanted to achieve. 

What about you?

Do you consider the needs of those around you? Do you take the time and look at the FULL picture?

 

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What’s Your Hobby?

This week is a special week.

It is a special week because both of my hobbies start again. 

As I have commented before, I study with Impro Melbourne and sing with Mood Swing and this week we are back into rehearsals to get ready for some upcoming performances.

I have always been a fan of having a hobby. There are many different research papers showing that early retirement can lead to an early death and I believe that some of that is due to retiree’s not knowing who they are outside the work environment. I have seen this frequently for men in business. 

Their identity is wrapped up in what they do rather than who they are.

Having a hobby can help combat this. Hobbies also tap into your passion and can energise and stabilise your emotive state while dealing with the other situations life throws at you.

By the way, a family is not a hobby! A hobby has to be something you do for YOU. Something that inspires YOU, challenges YOU, pushes YOU and delights YOU.
Like my hobbies, they can also contribute to your professional life but that is not the primary reason to choose a particular hobby.

So, what’s your hobby? When do you start?

 

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Do You Rock?

2017-01-22 Chris Wilson

Over the weekend my vocal coach, Zerafina Zara, and I went to see one of Australia’s music legends, Chris Wilson.

Musically, he was amazing. I am yet to see anyone play harmonica better than he does and his raspy vocals inject such soul into his music. To be honest, the drummer and the guitarist were also fantastic.

But here’s the thing. Being a great muso is not enough!

Many may argue that is “should” be enough but the reality is, being a muso alone is not enough. When I put my event professional hat on and consider a performance as a Master MC, I think you need to be more.

My personal philosophy is that ANYONE who steps on stage to be in front of an audience, regardless of whether you are a rock star, a CEO, a speaker or a bride giving a speech, you must be Yourself, Amplified.

You have to be yourself because authenticity is essential to connecting to you audience and you have to be amplified as your work has to come across strongly and be able to break through any resistance. Your amplification of energy and confidence will do this.

Chris’ first bracket was fine. Good music performed will but he didn’t connect to the audience. This was contrasted with his second bracket. He chatted to us, made some jokes and told a story. The difference in energy in the room was noticeable. 

The key element of success in any presentation or performance is to remember that “It is all about the audience.” They have to be connected with you, emotionally and energetically. You can do this via a good great introduction, looking at the audience, playing with the audience, acknowledging they are here and what it took for them to get here, or including them in your story.

When you connect with the audience, the whole place ROCKS! Your music and your message gets across easier, your fan base love you a little bit more and your event raises the bar that little bit higher.

So when you present, do you engage with your audience? Do you make them want to see you again?

Do you rock?

PS Here is a bit more of Chris for your enjoyment!

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Are They Accredited?


January is Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) month and I am thrilled to say that I have held this level of Accreditation for the last two years.

But what does that mean?

Like many professionals in our lives, accountants, lawyers, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, IT professionals and speakers, their professional bodies set a minimum required skill set as well as significant professional and ethical standards that must be met to receive a level of accreditation.

From personal experience, achieving CSP was incredibly difficult. It is a global designation and it is a top level of accreditation awarded by member bodies of the Global Speaker Federation.

As with many industries, there are a handful of people who don’t have the accreditation but they are still excellent at what they do. The accreditation is the guarantee that someone else has done the due diligence and that the professional you are considering has the skill for the job.

So do you do the due diligence on all of your suppliers? Whether they are fixing your house, compiling your accounts or hosting your next client event, do you minimise the risk of drama and maximise the chance of success.

Do you ask yourself, “Are they accredited?”

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New Year – So What!

2017-target-small

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By now you will have seen all the “New Year, New Goals”, “Make 2017 Your Own”, “Get Things Done in 2017” kind of posts.
January is the time of year that Gym business make their money and in a couple of weeks people stop coming and it all goes back to normal.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of goal setting and creating a vision for yourself, your business and your family. But it also creates a lot of discomfort too. Some people are comparing themselves to the Facebook life of others and thinking “What a crap year I had last year, why will this year be any better”. Others feel like they are impostors and maybe this year they will get found out.

Here is what works for me.

It is nice to have annual goals but chances are they will change well before you get there. My gorgeous wife and I have a THEME for the year. This becomes our focus.

We also examine the year just gone. What are the great things that happened to us, that we did, that we experienced.

Then we focus on the day ahead of us.

The simple adage of “learn from the past, plan from the future but live in today” is a powerful way to live your year and your life, one day at a time.

 

PS My latest edition of the Get More Success show has a great discussion on Impostor Syndrome. You can listen to it here.
PPS You can use this Regular Results Review one pager to capture lessons from last year and plan for 2017.
PPPS I have TWO mentoring spots open. If you are interested in having some Success Mentoring get in touch.

 

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Summer Wonderland

Last week I was lucky enough to give away a holiday for two people, including tickets to the Super Bowl in Houston, worth over $20,000. It was all part of Air New Zealand’s new launch of Dave, the Frequent Flyer (That’s him pictured above – click on him to see him in action).

I like Air NZ. They are very clever but show it with a great sense of humour and humanity.

Dave is great way to show an alternate way for long haul travel.
Their new Christmas message (basically, it’s really hot in the southern hemisphere over summer, so no snow for us) is a fabulous mix up of the cheeky personality of Julian Dennison (the kid from Hunt for the Wilderpeople) and fabulous music from Ronan Keating. Click the image below to see the short film – it’s worth it.

They frequently have fights with other airlines on twitter. Recently it was with Aer Lingus. The best thing is that with their fights, everyone wins!
So much of their work is not a blatant promotion of their airline but generating fun while reminding you of what they do.

So how do you bring humour and humanity to what you do? How do relax and just enjoy the Summer Wonderland?

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All Set?

This is the venue where I am hosting the 2016 Professional Conference Organisers Association Conference.

Everything is good to go.
The venue is all dressed up.
My run sheets are finalised.
Introductions are all complete.
Speakers have been briefed.
All the AV is sorted and I have spoken with the AV team.
I have posted a lot on the App so people know who I am.
Over the welcome networking I have been chatting to people for a warm start.

I am all set.

It is amazing how the better the preparation I do, the better my performance.
The more I put into an event, the more the delegates and the clients get out of it.

What about you?

Do you do enough preparation, planning, and pre work to ensure you are a success?

Are you all set?

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What Do You See?

 

future-vision-small

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Having a Vision for the future is so important. It drives your actions and desires and gives you a reason to do what you do. It helps define your “Why.”

Of late, we have seen politicians the world over trying to create a vision of the future (even if that vision is based on useless foundations).
Although, it has been missing in Australia for some years. We lack a vision of what the future Australia will look like and how we should work for it.

It’s not just politicians. We also need a personal vision. What do we want our future to look like? Where will we be, what will we be doing, who will be with us, how will we achieve fulfilment?

Too often people bumble along in their lives and never achieve the fulfilment they crave. Part of this reason is that they have not defined it.

Do you have a vision? Do you work for this vision and know that it is worthwhile?

By the way, it is OK if you don’t have a vision. All you have to do now is create one.

Sometimes it is as simple as taking a check point and reviewing how far you have come and where do you want to go. This Regular Result Review is a great tool for that.

When you look to the future, what do you see?

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