Roll with the Changes

Roll With the Changes

We have all had work weeks like the one concluding today.  It started with an early morning wake-up call Monday.  My wife Judy was scheduled to have knee replacement surgery that morning.  We got to the hospital at the appointed hour and were going through the pre op procedures and the surgeon came into the room and that’s when it started to be one of those weeks.  “We’re going to have to postpone the surgery because of the rash on your feet.”  It was a crushing statement made out of an abundance of caution and the need to prevent infection.  

So the day at the hospital turned out to be a day at the office but the news just kept coming.  A member of the staff called in sick and any time a small staff is down a person life becomes difficult.  The illness stretched to Wednesday and she still isn’t 100%.

The cable guy came on Wednesday as well making me three hours late to the office.  We now have internet service again but three hours late when you are short staffed almost makes life just slightly miserable.   Then came the email.

“Jim, we know this is short notice but could you go to Glenwood Springs Colorado this weekend.  An emergency has come up and the President Ken cannot go.”  So much for the weekend at home.  More hoops had to be jumped through both at the office and personally to make it work but by mid afternoon Wednesday the plane ticket in hand.  (Because of its location, Glenwood Springs requires a three hour plus drive from Denver.)  The weekend will bring the opportunity for a couple of public presentations and a banquet speech which is what I like to do. 

Life always has a lesson to be learned from the unexpected developments thrown our way.  The lesson this week is simple but sometimes difficult to put our arms around.  When you get a curve ball thrown your way do your best to take it in stride because an emotional reaction can be dangerous.  There is a reason for everything that happens to us it just sometimes doesn’t become immediately clear. 

It reminds me of my youth  and college days…when one of the mega bands of the time tried to tell us to  Roll with the Changes   Just having fun on a Friday

Have a Great Weekend.  Be well

What You Can Learn by Sitting and Watching

What You Can Learn by Sitting and Watching

The Iowa District of Optimist International sponsors a booth at the Iowa State Fair.  Each year Optimists from around the state staff the location in the Varied Industries Building that has been ours for 10 years as a marketing tool and a means to attract more people to the cause and our organization.  This past Saturday I was manning the booth by choice from 1:00-5:00 by choice and from 5:00-9:00 out of necessity.  Eight hours is a long time to watch thousands of people pass by and talk to dozens of them.  But it also was a classroom that would make a sociologist salivate with anticipation for an opportunity to study.

Some notes then from the Iowa State Fair classroom:

1.  There are generally three types of people at the fair.  Those with anticipation written all over the race, those who don’t give a rip and those who are bored and wished they were in some other place.

2.  There are the inquisitive types “what’s this all about” is a common saying while others are oblivious like the young woman who walked into one of the steel support beams in the building while texting on her phone.

3. There are the leisurely fairgoers who meander from one exhibit to another taking it all in while others never heard of the word meander and travel at break neck speed.  My sense is the first group has less stress in their lives than the second which could be a sign to us all that the occasional meander is healthy.

4.  There is the occasional friend or acquaintance who stops by to say hi which helps break up the day.  It also confirms the notion that “you never know who you will run into at the fair. And finally,,,

5.  Children are great teachers. The Optimists hand out Dum Dum suckers to young people and the not so young as a means to get people to stop by and hopefully listen to those of us staffing the booth give the sales pitch.  The children would come up to the booth having spied the suckers from across the way with eyes as big as apples.  “Can I have one?”

“Yes, just one and you get to pick which one,” if often the reply.  This usually results is some serious calculation over whether the “mystery” flavor or one of the traditional ones is selected. 

Then there are a lot of the big kids (adults) who swoop in don’t make eye contact, grab a sucker and continue on their way, believing somehow that that have gone unnoticed,

The children, though, are different because whether they can barely see over the table to get to the Dum, Dums or whether they are in middle school, they end their stop at the Optimist booth with two words, ‘Thank you.”

Maybe adults could learn something from them.  See you Thursday.

An Impressive First Impression

Each one of us has had this experience at one time or another.  We are introduced to someone and we are not sure what to make of that person.  For a lot of us it stops there and we can lose a great opportunity to get to know someone who could easily become more than just a passing acquaintance.  The individual could become a great friend, perhaps a mentor in an area of our lives that needs that kind of help, or someone who is worthy of a step back on our part and an expression of , "Wow."

So it was the weekend of August 14-16, 2015 as I traveled to Santa Maria, California for the Pacific Southwest Optimist District Convention.  I was introduced to a man by the name of Dana LaMon and I wasn't sure what to make of him.  But having counseled others not to prejudge people based on first impressions, I decide it best to take a dose of my own medicine.

Turns out Dana LaMon is the type of person all of us should be introduced to at one point in time in our lives.  Confident, yet, humble.  Intelligent but unwilling to flaunt it. A person who carefully chooses his words so that the exact intended meaning in a sentence is delivered.  Mr. LaMon is all of those and more.  He is an accomplished motivational speaker, runs a successful business, and has community service running through his veins.  He is an author.  He told me he likes to listen to people so he can study them and draw conclusions about the human condition so it can be incorporated into his presentations as a speaker and a trainer.  It provides him with knowledge few others    He listens to people but doesn't watch them.

Dana LaMon is blind.  I had to reserve judgement right after meeting him as I said in order to practice what I preach.  I am really glad I did.  Dana was elected as the governor of the Pacific Southwest District last weekend with the full support of convention delegates and after just two days with him I concluded there are great things ahead of him. (He;s already flown a plane and confesses to not just think outside the box but to Be outside the box)

We can all learn something from any new person we meet at any given time if we avoid the knee jerk reaction and the temptation to prejudge.  If we don't hold back we could be robbing ourselves of a tremendous opportunity to learn from others and to experience the beginning of a long lasting, positive relationship.  I look forward to lmy next encounter with Dana LaMon.  www.danalamon.com

Be good this weekend and meet someone new.  Be well.

Improving the Work/Life Balance in Your Life.

So how did you score on the test from last Thursday?  Do you have a perfect work/life balance?  Are there times your personal life seems to be crowded out by the demands of your profession?  Do you answer, "What personal life?”  The suggestions include here may not work for everyone but they have consistently worked for me. Sharing experiences, it is said, is how we learn and maybe change the way we approach a hurdle in life.  So here are a few techniques.

1.  Set aside some quiet time.  We compartmentalize our lives in large part based on the appointments on our calendars.  But do to have some time written down so the only word there is "me?"  This simple step in and of itself will force you to put down the phone, ignore texts and emails, and other interruptions from the office and elsewhere. It allows you to recharge your personal batteries, relax, and take stock of the day.  I find it easiest to do this simply by staring out the window.  Some may scoff at this step but I have found it to be some of the most inspirational time I spend each day.

2. At the end of your work day, force yourself to do something non work related.  I go home and cook and have found in very therapeutic. My mind is off the office ( it has to be otherwise I might burn dinner) for the better part of an hour. It's also normally followed by a walk with the dogs sans smartphone.

3.  An off the wall idea helps greatly.  I was at a four day conference this past weekend along the central coast of California and it was a grueling four days of presentations, speeches and having to be "on" all the time.  I insisted to those who were taking me to the airport that we leave early enough for a quick dip in the Pacific.  It allowed me some space to think when the only sounds around me were children having a great time at the beach and the waves crashing ashore. The Pacific ocean may not be an option for you but my guess is something is nearby that would fit the bill.

4.  Volunteer for something on a regular basis.  Mine is divided between activities involving g my faith, working with portion of the next generation that is struggling, and Optimist International.  If I am focused on those things, the office becomes secondary. And we all should know that volunteer work is healthy for mind body and soul.

5.  Use all of your vacation time every year.  Nothing is so important at the office to warrant not taking time off. 

I do check the work email several hours after leaving g the office just to make certain there are no surprises the following morning. But the above suggestions are designed as a way to help disconnect in a healthy way from the profession we have been called to.

Until Thursday, be well.

Are You Working Too Hard and Too Much?

The school year begins in less than two weeks in Iowa.  In other states its already underway.  Which seems to make the following rather timely.  I didn't go looking for this but rather it was something contained in the dozens of emails that come my way each day at the office in the newsroom.  But it struck a cord with me because too often these days there are too many people who have found themselves way outside the norm for work life balance.   So the following test from Women's Health Magazine may be of interest.  Just follow the instructions

  Rate how well each of the following sentences describes you, using a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being the response if the statement doesn't apply to you and a 4 if it really applies.  Total up your points and compare the score with parameters set up in the Results segment below.

1. I live for survival mode, racing against deadlines.
2. I've got more big projects going than the President.
3. At any one moment, I'm on the phone, checking my inbox, updating my to-do list, etc.
4. I over promise more than deliver.
5. I feel guilty if I don't reply to a work e-mail ASAP.
6. The night-shift cleaning staff at the office knows me by name.
7. It's hard to relax and unplug-even on vacation.
8. I spend way more time working than hanging with friends or family.

RESULTS:

8-16: Congrats! You're a master of work-life equilibrium. 

17-24: Warning! The job is starting to take over your world. 

25-32: Red alert! You're steamrolling toward extreme burnout with a stress level that is off the charts.

If you fall into the latter two categories there will be some tips in Tuesday's blog for how to regain the Work-life balance.   If you have already mastered it, I'd like to hear your suggestions via the comment

option below.   Enjoy the weekend....and leave the office behind.

Making Your Presentation Unique

I have learned throughout the years there are means for making your presentation stand out among all other presentations and it doesn't require a lot of work in advance of when you speak.  There are also means for making it appear you are in command when you are in front of a group of people whether it be 15, 30 or 300.  Some thoughts, then along those lines.

Video clips are becoming easier and easier to incorporated into a presentation and I have used them from day one.  They provide a break from the slide to slide routine of a Power Point presentation. They provide a degree of entertainment.  They can provide a tremendous learning tool and a connection to what you are trying to explain especially for those of us who are "visual learners. "    A two minute video clip also gives the speaker a two minute break to collect his or her thoughts and set the stage for the next segment of the presentation.

Tell a story.  People have an easier time grasping a comment if they can relate to something you are talking about.  I spoke to a conservation group one time and told the story about looking for salamanders in a creek near my home to make the point about how area landowners protected the land and water so the water was habitable.  A woman after the presentation thanked me for the story and told me about looking for frogs in the creek near her home.  A story helps a speaker make a connection with the audience.

"And now for something completely different" is a phrase made popular by the British Comedy Troupe Monty Python a few decades ago but it can really make your presentation memorable.  I gone to the back of the room to speak and have found more people paying attention when I am there as opposed to being in front of the room.  I have asked small audiences to come out into the hallway to make a point during a class.  I have used props that provide a visual demonstration of a point or help an audience connect some dots.  And of course getting audience participation beyond raising a hand and asking a question is a tool everyone should use to raise up the level of engagement....even if its a banquet speech.

People will find public speakers engaging, information and worth their time if they find there are nuggets of value that they can take away from an event.  By employing these about ideas I believe you will find more people wanting to hear your remarks and more people talking positively about them once you are finished and they are on their way home.  They'll be exited and you will have one of those feel good moments that can sometimes be elusive in this day and age.

The blog is back Thursday.  Be well.

Last Minute Prep Tips for Public Speaking

You have worked tirelessly over the past several weeks getting ready for you presentation.and finally the day has arrived,  Here are some tips for making the day go as smoothly as possible that I have found helpful.

1.  Get you where you are giving the remarks early.  I advocate no less than half an hour so you can get a "lay of the land", and to make certain all of your audio and video requirements you made to your host have been met.  If they have not, there is still time to make some last minute adjustments.  You can't do that if you walk in the door as the event begins

2.  Work the room.  I learned this from my mentor Michael Angelo Caruso (www.michaelangelocaruso.com) who advises to get out into the audience before the event begins and talk to people.  Just introduce yourself and thank them for coming because in perhaps just a small way they came to see you.  This also helps develop rapport with the audience before you begin.

3. Look Sharp.  This is old school because I am old school.  I am the speaker so I an going to dress appropriately.  If its a blue jean crowd in the audience, I am at least going to have on  dress slacks or khaki and a button down shirt.  If the audience is dressed that way, I'm pulling out the sport coat.  And if the men and ladies are in business casual mode, I have on the suit and tie. You are the speaker and a whole lot of eyes are going to be fixed on you.  Look your best.

4.  Be Yourself.  You are not Jack Canfield or Tony Robbins or any of the hundreds of others accomplished public speakers out there.  This sounds simplistic buy you are you.  To be perfectly honest, you may actually have some attributes they don't have which makes you unique.  The audience can tell when you are faking it.

5.  Have Fun.  Do not take yourself too seriously.  I enjoy being in front of people and talking to them, maybe teaching them something they did not know and occasionally making them chuckle or laugh.  Public speaking should be fun and enjoyable and not an exercise that is like  having a tooth pulled without Novocaine.

6.  By all means remember this one.  GO TO THE BATHROOM BEFORE YOU SPEAK!  You have enough things to remember without being uncomfortable.

This series on public speaking wraps up next week with some tips for making your presentation stand out from all the others but here are two thoughts to consider.  If you want a chuckle...check this out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PHnRIn74Ag  ( don't worry its harmless) And  plug before I go.  I would be happy to come you your organization or company to provide a seminar on public speaking & effective means of communicating your message.  Shoot me a note or give me a call and we can discuss.  www.jimboyd.homestead.com  Be well.

Public Speaking Preparation with the 4,2,1 Approach

There are two types of people in general when it comes to public speaking.  This deduction has not been determined by any scientific study but rather observations over the years.  You have on the one hand the person who as soon as they get confirmation they will be speaking, they begin plotting out what they are going to say.  Then there is the other group in which a person doesn't sweat it and at the "last minute" slams together some thoughts and notes and makes the presentation.   I advocate the 4-2-1 approach to preparation which over the years has made it very easy for me to get ready for remarks whether they are at a banquet, in a motivational setting or in seminar.

Four represents four weeks out from the day I am going to speak.  This is when I begin to gather thoughts, do research on the topic I am going to cover and begin blocking out major segments of the address.  As the spirit moves I begin to write.   But this is not the time to panic if the infamous writer's block creeps in.  Put the computer down and go walk the dog.  (If you don't have a dog you should get one because the benefit far outweigh any negatives).You'll be surprised how the simple exercise actually helps the creative juices flow and you'll be surprised how the simple act will make you want to go back to the computer.   Plan to have your writing done in 14 days from when you begin.

This brings us to the number two representing two weeks before your deliver your remarks.  Start reading your speech aloud so you can hear how the words flow.  If there is an area that just doesn't sound or feel right consider revising it.  If it doesn't feel or sound good to you, your audience will likely feel the same way.  The practice of reading the speech out loud also helps with memorization/familiarization of the text.  There is nothing worse than someone who reads a speech and you don't want to be that someone.  You will be surprised how much of what you have written you will remember after first writing it and then reading it repeatedly.

One, as you have probably figured out is one week before your presentation.  This is when practicing without reading your script should begin.  This immediately lets you know where there are weak spots that need to be addressed and where you are already nailing it.  This should be a daily exercise as well because, again, every time through your document or slide presentation  increases familiarity.  It will also reduce anxiety.

So now that you are ready to give that presentation they will be talking about for days what should you do on the day of the event.   See you Thursday.   Be well