It Shouldn't Happen To A Speaker

Hi there!

You’ve probably here because, like me, you have seen quite a few speakers who you knew could have done a better job, or could have enhanced what they did, if only they had done this, that or the other. In fact, if you’re like me you have probably had something not go quite as planned whilst you were on stage in the past. For me, even though I have spoken professionally close to 600 times now, I am still surprised by what takes place, either when I am speaking at an event or if I am attending an event as a delegate. Whatever the reason for deciding to read this I hope that there might be something in there that will help you at some point in the future.

This is not an attempt to cover everything that a speaker might encounter, as it will only be those things that I’ve witnessed myself, and over time I will add my observations, confessions and suggestions to the next thrilling installment.

1) I’m not selling anything, promise

First up is not too bad, but it happened yesterday, so whilst it’s fresh in my mind I will get it down on paper (well on screen, but you get my drift). I was closing a conference for a Police Force and one of the speakers was covering personality types in his seminar. It was all very interesting, but when it came to one particular slide, which had a list of bullet points featuring what the outcomes could be when taking into account another’s personality type, the speaker read from the slide ‘Increased Sales’. There was no one in the audience that sold as they were members of the police force or support staff. The speaker did make an attempt at dealing with this by stating this could be replaced with ‘Better Communication’. It would not have taken him long to have replaced that bullet point to the one he spoke about. We must do all we can to keep as many audience members with us and a slight adjustment to the wording here would have stopped anyone thinking of anything other than what he wanted them to think about.

To download the rest of the FREE E-Book follow this link

What can we all learn from fish?

Fish: I love them and my wife does the most delicious fish pie too. Now, anyone with children might have the odd goldfish or two in the family home and we are no exception. We have two in our house and they go by the name of Wilma & John and they can eat for England. This morning was one of the days where I was not working in the morning so I could take it easy as I got myself ready. So there I was going through my usual routine of brushing my teeth first and through the mirror was Wilma and John trying to get my attention. There they were staring at me and moving both their noses (do fish have noses?) frantically in my direction. I ignored them. I went back into our bedroom and shortly after this I returned to get a shave, which I did in the sink. The same thing happened but I wasn’t having a pair of fishes (how many do you need to call it a school of fish) telling me what to do. As I had more time than I usually did this morning I decided on a bath rather than a shower. It was superb as I lay there, nice and relaxed, teeth cleaned, face shaved and……….hang on. There they were again. Wilma and John jumping about as though someone had dropped an electric iron into the bowl and were being electrocuted. I could take no more. I got out of the hot bath and reached over to where we kept the fish food, took some out and sprinkled some into the bowl. Peace at last.

Now I don’t know what it is you do or where you are in life, maybe you work for someone else, have your own business or its possible you are still at school. Whoever we are we need to get the attention of others. If we are in business we have to stand out from the competition. At work we have to be the one who goes the extra mile so when a promotion arises then you will be more highly thought of. If you are a young person then take a leaf (or possible a weed) out of Wilma’s and John’s book (bowl): get noticed.

As a motivational Speaker i'm constantly thinking about how iCan stand out and get the attention of those who might book me which is why I have recently had a new look to my website and a new speaker showreel.

Do have a great week and go on, get noticed.

iCan Speak

ICan Speak

One thing I was always told was that if there is something that I wished to do then I should find someone else already doing it successfully and model them. In fact it's what I have been doing a lot of my life. Whilst I was at the Yorkshire Post working as telesales canvasser I won an award for being the best on the team for the year. I won the award because I watched and listened to the best and essentially copied what they did. Of course with my own personality thrown in for good measure.

I now speak all over the UK, and in May the world (Switzerland) and many people contact me and ask me to help them along the way with their own speaking as I am now a very successful professional speaker. For that reason I have put my first 'iCan Speak' Training session together so that iCan not only share my presentation but also HOW I have managed to speak over 500 times since that journey begun in 2005.

It takes place on Weds 5th May at Shine in Leeds from 6-8pm. Click here for address.

There will also be representatives from The Professional Speakers Association and Toastmasters International, both of which were a massive help in my success, to say a few words about what they offer aspiring speakers.

Bonus Session: Lee Jackson will share his session "How to create exciting slides for your presentation".

If anyone is interested in attending and spaces are limited to 40 (and a number have gone already) then send an email expressing your interest to

Justine(at)Richardmccann.co.uk

Or register on Facebook here:

Or on Linkedin here:

Hope to see you there.

Its a Miracle

Its a miracle. And her name is Isla, our 3rd child and 2nd daughter. She was brought into this world just 8 days ago. I have only just found the time to sit down at my laptop and scribble a few words about the experience. As Isla was dragged (it was a cesarean section so she was dragged) from my wife Helen's body it occurred to me how in many ways the experience of birth is a lot like life. Isla had remained where she was for near on 9 months, happy as Larry (if she had been a boy), content with where she had found herself, unaware that just around the corner there was another world. A world that she could not possible imagine. A world that, whichever way she got there, was going to be painful. But in experiencing the pain and discomfort of her change in circumstance she would allow herself to be able to grow in a way that nature intended.

Of course she had no choice in the matter but we do have a choice in where we find ourselves. In life many of us remain in a place that we are not happy with and for some reason unable to find whats necessary to take that leap of faith, to do that thing that we are frightened of, to do that thing that may, at first, feel uncomfortable but in fact will take us to a place that we never knew existed. We need to get out, to step out, to climb or even be dragged out of that comfort zone in order that we can grow and get anywhere near our full potential. One things for sure, that little voice that you may think is yours, talking you out of doing those things that you are capable of, was not a voice you were born with. Its an accumulation of your experiences or the experiences of those around you as you grew. The most important conversation you will ever have is the one you have with yourself. Stop living a life sentence, start being alive. Be brave, be courageous, be the incredible miracle you always were from the moment you were conceived.

Apart from that, nothing much doing here. Is there much doing in your neck of the woods?

Here's my latest podcast about theft if you have 6minutes.

www.richardmccann.co.uk

iCan Podcast

Hi
I'm feeling rather pleased with myself as I have just created my very first podcast: I said that I would do so when a group that I created on Facebook had reached 4000 members and because we have reached that point I had to put my money where my mouth was. Actually, it was more of a case of putting the mic where my mouth was.

Heres the link: (You have to remember that we all start somewhere)
http://www.podcastfm.co.uk/files/809/mp3/now_thats_what_i_call_inspir.mp3

It does remind me of what I cover in my workshops and that is when we set a goal and we commit to making it happen then anythings possible. (well almost: I don't seem to ever be able to catch up with my emails)

Why not give it a go yourself with that thing that you have been putting off. Give yourself a date and say by this date I commit to doing X, Y or Z.

In 2009 I said that I would definitely speak internationally in 2010. Even if I had to pay the flights myself and receive no fee for the engagement. As it happens I will not have to pay for the flight and I will be receiving my fee and in May I will be speaking in the beautiful Switzerland.

Over and Out.

Positivity

I have just had someone take a look at my branding and we have now come up with some new designs which I’m pleased with. When I was younger I was often teased with names like ‘Duracell’. The battery with a copper coloured top. And before I go any further I have to point out that I have ginger hair. I hated it when I was younger but I love it now. Anyhow we now have a copper coloured top on all the new materials, business card, pop up banner, email signature etc.


The thing about a Duracell battery, and any other battery for that matter, is that they have both a negative and a positive and both are needed in order for it to work. As a motivational speaker I often talk about the importance of having a ‘Positive Attitude’ when those negative things happen in our lives. How much easier life could be if we accepted that we will have our fair share of both negative and positive events in our lives.

If I look back over my life I could probably draw a graph going up and down tracking the positive and negative life events which have occurred. After every negative thing which has happened there has definitely been a period of recovery until finally I would be in a good place again.

Last week it was announced that we are still in recession. There was definitely a negative flurry of headlines for a couple of days afterwards but what none of the headlines seemed to point out was that the negative growth experienced during the last quarter was less than the previous quarter which meant that if things continued at this rate we would soon return to growth. If the media had reported that we are now heading back to growth (which we are) and sang and danced about it as much as they do when they report something negative then possibly that would have encouraged people to get out there and begin spending again and we might have returned to growth even sooner.


As I said today when I gave my Thought Provoking Presentation at a networking event in the North East...Focus on the Positive.