Nothing is stopping you from Speaking Mastery but you – and what you don’t know.
Is there something stopping you from developing speaking mastery – either on the platform or off?
If you answered yes, you are not alone.
Over the years I’ve had both private clients and organizations come to me for help with all kinds of issues, most of which center around the inability to influence at the desired level. And I suspicion that they call me at the point at which they recognize potential loss.
Robert Cialdini, author of several books on Influence, wrote this:
“The idea of potential loss plays a large role in human decision making. In fact, people seem to be more motivated by the thought of losing something than by the thought of gaining something of equal value.”
And I believe that it’s when people consider the thought of potential loss that they are motivated to call for help.
Here are just a few of the many things I’m told by those who call.
Someone said to me: I’m head of a 9 region area and hold quarterly meetings. I know my stuff…I come prepared…and yet I feel as though I just can’t make an impact. In fact, sometimes, I can’t even get the attention of the group I’m supposed to be leading, let alone hold their attention.
Clearly, that person was having a problem getting noticed….being heard…even feeling visible.
Others have said to me, “You know, I’m good at what I do, but when I go into an interview or am in a sales call, and they start asking me questions, everything just seems to fall apart. My mind starts racing or I get a mental block, and it’s all down- hill from there.”
I’ve even had people say, “I’m great at speaking before groups! I get people excited – the energy in the room is pumping – the applause is great – but then I never get called back – and I don’t know why.”
Over the past 30 years, I’ve had all kinds of people come to me – smart, amazing, well educated people – come to me and say, “I need help. I’m the head honcho in the room and yet for the first 20 minutes I get treated like the one who should fetch the coffee and donuts. I don’t know where I need help, but I need something.”
At one conference I had a woman approach me and say, “I want a promotion I think should be mine, but I’m afraid that my hair might be holding me back.” Her hair?
Personally, I didn’t see a thing wrong with her hair other than it was red and curly…and quite beautiful, really.
I wrote a book a couple years ago where I interviewed some amazing leaders – one was Dr. Ruth Shaw – former CEO of Duke Energy… one of the largest utilities in the US and one of the Top 10 Utilities in the world. One of the funniest stories she told me was about a job interview she went on early in her career. She was interviewing for a dean’s job at a college – VP of Academics. She said, “Friends told me I needed to look older, needed to look older, needed to look older, so believe me, by the time I got there I was MUCH OLDER.” She told me she’d pinned down her wild Strawberry Blonde hair in a bun, wore a very frumpy suit and carried an umbrella.
She got the job but, in her case, her appearance had nothing to do with it. She didn’t fool anyone. Who she WAS simply shined through. On the way out of the interview, the man who had interviewed her said, “Tell me, do you always dress that way?” She said, “Well, no, as a matter of fact, I don’t.” He said, “Well, you never need to do it again on my account.”
She said it was a wonderful lesson on being yourself.
Sometimes people just don’t know what it means to be themselves. Or they don’t recognize their own strengths – nor do they know the little things that are standing in their way. They don’t know what’s stopping them from being their most influential, either on the platform or off.
I love helping people discover what’s getting in their way, and then help them make the changes that are needed.
To prepare for the launch of my Learn to Speak Like a Pro Speaking Mastery Retreat on June 21 – 23, I’d love to know what you think is getting in your way?
What’s holding you back from making the kind of impact you’d like to make?
What’s holding you back from developing irresistible influential?
What’s holding you back from commanding the fees you believe you deserve for your product or service or message?
Let me know and I’ll share some insights you might find helpful. Please…make your comments below.
If you’re tired of putting off and are ready to say yes to investing in yourself, then register today at www.learntospeaklikeapro.net/event …. and I’ll see you in June!
See you again next week!
