Any Time, Any Place, Under Any Condition
Any time, any place, and under any condition. I'm ready to play!
That's the theme my team used for the last two years I coached high school basketball. Our goal was to be ready to play whenever and whoever came our way. If we kept that focus, we would always be prepared. We didn't win all of our games, but we always were in the frame of mind to compete.
The same is true for you as a business professional. You never know when you will be asked to promote yourself or your company. If you're not prepared to speak extemporaneously in the elevator (you know, that good old elevator speech), on the golf course, or on an airplane, you may lose the opportunity to meet a new client.
The same is true for you as a Toastmaster. Have you ever been to a club meeting when a speaker didn't show and they needed a backup? Are you ready to step in? How about Table Topics? If you are called upon, can you confidently speak for just two minutes?
A week and a half ago was a perfect time for me to practice what I preach. I had competed in my Club Humorous Speech competition two weeks earlier. I had a conflict for the Division contest, so I offered my spot in the Area competition to our third place winner. She never showed. The contest chair asked since I was there if I would give my speech. I hadn't thought about that speech in two weeks! What's more, I wasn't really fond of it anyway. I heard a voice echo in my head, "Any Time, Any Place, Under Any Condition. I'm ready to speak!" It was my voice. I hate it when that happens!
"Okay, I'll do it", I told the chair person. Now, I had about 30 minutes to figure out what I would speak on! Fortunately, I keep a few stories in my head just in case. One was a very recent one where our new dog Captain Jack escapes from the house. It was pretty funny, which is always good in a humorous speech! I found a prop that I could use in the kitchen of where we were meeting. I pulled together some transitions as I watched the other contestants. I committed to the story and just went out to entertain. In the end I won the contest, but that's not the moral of the story. The moral is that because of getting good advice from a basketball coaching mentor on "Any Time, Any Place, Under Any Condition", I was able to transfer that wisdom to my speaking. What about you?
If you consider yourself a true pro, whether as business person or Toastmaster, you need to be prepared to speak at any moment. This means practicing, testing, and being disciplined. You never know when "Any Time, Any Place, Under Any Condition" means now!
To watch my speech, click here.
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Articles from My Blog
To read all my blog posts from According to Dan, go to http://blog.danweedin.com on a regular basis. Better yet, subscribe to a feed and have them come right into your e-mail. |
Defining My Focus
You may have noticed a change in the title of my blog to "Speaking to Influence". Business professionals need to influence others whether in sales, marketing, employee communications, or interpersonal relationships at work. You will find the workshops and presentations that I will be offering will focus on helping you improve those presentation skills, so "Speaking to Influence" was born.
In addition, it's the title of the book I'm writing. My goal is to have it completed by my birthday, December 31. Now, all of you can hold me accountable! For those of you who were in my Varsity Speaking Academy - YES - I bought the URL! Now I just have to put up a page for it. That's next on the agenda.
Finally, you will also see a new list of workshops aimed at improving your business skills. They will range in topics from extemporaneous speaking, PowerPoint Presentations made better, conquering that fear of speaking, and learning how to make money as a speaker and trainer. Keep reading this newsletter and my blog for breaking news!
Thanks to all of you for your continued support. |
Build Your Business Credibility
Building your credibility is a vital part of growing your business. One of the best ways to do this is being quoted in major publications in your industry. Easier said than done, right?
I've recently found a valuable partner in getting me lined up with the best journalists in the world. PR LEADS sends you qualified leads from journalists and writers who need quotes from experts like you. It's a powerful way to create a body of work and gain credibility. You could never do this by yourself.
Learn more about the wonderful service Dan Janal at PR LEADS has for you. Click here and explore the possibilities. You won't be disappointed. |
 Panic to Power
Swift & Simple Speaking Strategies Anyone Can Use
Join three world champion speakers and myself to learn how to overcome your fear of public speaking. To learn more, click here.
"This CD... will take you to the next level in your speaking ability. After listening to all of the Panic to Power stories and the strategies... I CAN'T WAIT till my next speaking opportunity!!"
- Mary West, Director of Marketing, The Snow Group |
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StartThinking About 2009!
It's never too early to start planning your professional development goals for next year. My workshop and speaking schedule for 2009 will be out within the next 3 weeks.
You will have the chance for several Super Early Bird discounts. Plan on transforming your most important business skill to earn more money, become more confident, and have more fun in your career and life!
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