News and Information for the Speaking Community by SpeakerMatch

Volume 4, Issue 1 · September 2013

1

What’s Inside

Insurance you don’t need ...................... 2

The 2-minute drill .................................... 3

7 Things About High-tech Leaders .... 4

Leadership Today ..................................... 5

Looming Confident ............................... 6

6 Tips for Leading Your Team........... 7

The Accidental Entrepreneur ........... 8

Treating Others with Courtesy ........ 10

Speak Like A Leader Communication skills are vital to those who lead, and the language of leadership is different than everyday speech, one experts says. According to management consultant Brian Evje of Slalom Consulting, leaders can maximize their effectiveness by remembering these 5 tips:

1. KNOW THE PURPOSE One of your jobs as a manager is to understand the direction and purpose of the organization. Speak with that in mind.

2. PRAISE WITHOUT EXCEPTION If you say, "You did a great job ... but," you are really saying the job wasn't so good. If you are praising someone, never use the word 'but.'

3. SKIP THE SUPERLATIVES If you often say something is awesome, amazing, or incredible, everything sounds the same and loses meaning. Instead, say what you particularly liked about it.

4. Stop sounding like a Valley Girl When you raise the tone of voice at the end of a sentence, it sounds as if you are constantly asking a question. That mode of speech is often just a habit. It's fine for David Feherty on the Golf channel, but he's not a leader.

5. BE SPECIFIC In this lazy language, you might say, "It's sort of up to this team," or, "It's a kind of tough situation." Speak with courage. If it's up to the team, say so.

Quoted on Inc.com, Evje says leaders should speak deliberately, using concrete terms and accurate language.

A University of Chicago study of CEOs found that during recent years, three factors emerged to make a softer leadership style more attractive. The factors are interdependence, cynicism and the quest for sustainability.

Interdependence is a high ranking trait, because success is co-created with customers and vendors, sometimes even competitors.

Cynicism is a natural response to seeing other executives toppled because they ignored risk to maximize profits. Ideally paired with caution and openness, so people know what you are doing, and your values, so they appreciate the reason for doing it, according to INC. magazine.

The concept of sustainability has grown to include giving back to communities and supporting developing employees. It not just concern for the quality of life but also to improve performance.

The old style of leadership, all-knowing and all powerful, just doesn't work as well anymore.

Behind The Podium 2

2

Letter From the Editor

Bryan Caplovitz

When you consider buying insurance, the Consumer Federation of America advises you to forget the little policies. Look for comprehensive coverage for catastrophic loss.

1. Credit life and disability insurance This coverage offered by credit card companies is cheap but only covers the loan balance if you die or become disabled. It also may be a duplication of what you have elsewhere. You should have enough comprehensive disability and life insurance to pay all of your expenses and debt, say the experts at Kiplinger Personal Finance.

If you have a medical problem that prevents you from getting traditional life or disability insurance, this might be your single option. In this case, you might

consider accidental death and dismemberment insurance. But remember, it only pays if your death or injury is caused by an accident.

2. Mortgage life insurance If you die with an outstanding mortgage, the policy pays off your loan. But your heirs can use the insurance for anything else. Term life insurance would be a better choice to cover the mortgage and the heirs can decide if they want to pay off the mortgage immediately.

3. Dental insurance Most policies pay for cleaning and checkups every six months and annual x-rays. The premiums cost $180 to $600 per year, and most policies cap coverage at $2,000 for other dental expenses.

Three Types of Insurance You Probably Don’t Need

As a small business owner, it can be

difficult to pay attention to the basics of

running a business and taking care of

yourself. Step back for a moment, if you

will, and look around… are you paying

attention to how your business is

running?

It’s so easy to get engrossed in a big

project, or become over-focused on just

a couple of areas (like sales) that you may

not spend as much attention to other

very important aspects of your business.

In this edition, I’ve tried to pull together

some interesting and useful articles and

tidbits from which small business owners

could most benefit.

On this page I’ve got a quick overview of

some common insurance options you

probably don’t need to consider.

Page 3 has some advice for staying fit on

the road, which can be very challenging

for the road warrior.

Some of our usual contributors plus a

couple of SpeakerMatch members help

to round out this issue with some articles

on leadership and entrepreneurship.

Granison Shines shares some common myths

about leaders. And Tracey Fieber has some

great tips for leading a team.

As always, there are many more tips that also

serve as supporting beams. I hope this issue

gives you something useful for your speaking

business!

Step Back

For a

Moment

When you enter a store or a restaurant, it's easy to tell who is pleased to be working there. They greet you with a smile and serve you well.

What about a business where people rarely see customers in person? Does it pay to make their lives more pleasant?

According to some evidence, it does.

Companies that score highest in employee satisfaction, have low turnover. Reduced turnover means lower training and recruiting expenses. Quoted in USA Today, Jerome Dodson, manager of the Parnassus fund says reduced employee turnover "makes a huge difference in earnings."

Some say that excellent an employee experience translates into high stock prices for the benevolent corporation.

The oft-cited example is Google which saw its stock rise by about 700 percent since its

public debut in 2004. Wallowing as it is in cash, Google's offices have many areas designed to promote interaction. They have a great health plan, a college reimbursement plan, legal aid and more.

Some types of businesses -- grocery stores, for example -- typically have a lower profit margins and not as much money to work with for benefits.

Some low-profit margin companies still manage great perks. Marriott, for example, offers employee discounts at its hotels worldwide. Costco manages to pay employees well and have good benefits in spite of being in a low-profit margin business.

Dodson says the key factor in maintaining a solid, experienced staff is consistency and high performance. He says companies with high turnover tend to lurch from crisis to crisis.

Happy Employees Seem to Impact the Bottom Line

Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner.

Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and

confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory.

— Diane Arbus, American photographer and writer

Sep-

3

3

As a speaker, you may be on the road quite a bit, which makes it difficult to maintain a regular exercise routine. But don’t just decide your workout can wait! You can wake up your metabolism with this 2-minute drill. It's featured in the fitness book Belly Off! Diet, written by Jeff Csatari, the editors of Men's Health and fitness expert David Jack.

Though the drill was developed for men, the principles apply to women too. The authors suggest working out in the morning before work.

Perform this eight-callisthenic circuit at a work effort of 6 to 7 on a 1 to 10 scale. Do each exercise for 15 seconds, then immediately move to the next.

*Prisoner squats: Stand with your fingertips behind your ears, your chest

out, elbows back, and feet shoulder-width apart. Sit back at your hips and bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can without losing the natural arch of your spine. Keep your head up. Squeeze your gluteals and push yourself

back to start position.

**Mountain climbers: Start in a pushup position. Keeping your head in line with your body, bring your right knee to your chest. As you straighten the right leg to start position, bring your left knee to your chest. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet and "climb" alternating your legs back and forth.

***Body weight thrusters: Keeping your back straight and hands at your shoulders, bend at the knees into a squat, then explosively drive your legs straight as you extend your arms above your head.

No time to exercise? Try the 2-minute drill!

1- jumping jacks

2-prisoner squats*

3-high knee skips

4-side-to-side hops

5-pushups

6-crunches

7-mountain climbers**

8-body weight thrusters***

Behind the Podium (ISSN 1949-5544) is published 4 times a year as a resource for emerging professional speakers, business leaders, technical gurus, educators, and other subject-matter experts. Editor Bryan Caplovitz welcomes your input. Please e-mail any comments or suggestions to Bryan at: editor@speakermatch.com.

Behind the Podium publishes the opinions of experts and authorities from many fields; however, the use of those opinions is no substitute for accounting, legal, investment, or other professional services. Material may not be reproduced in part or in whole in any form whatsoever without the written permission of SpeakerMatch. SpeakerMatch is the world’s largest source for speaking opportunities.

Behind the Podium is published monthly, by SpeakerMatch, 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 1120, Austin, TX 78759-7944. $149/year, $24.95/issue (US funds). Periodicals postage paid at Austin, TX. Behind the Podium is a trademark of Simply Speaking, Inc. Copyright © 2013 by Simply Speaking, Inc. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SpeakerMatch Subscription Department, 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 1120, Austin, TX 78759-7944.

Disclosure: This newsletter contains some affiliate links. While we only ever write about products we think deserve to be on the pages of our newsletter, SpeakerMatch may earn a small commission if you use our link and buy the product or service in question. For more information, please see our Disclosure Policy at www.speakermatch.com/disclosure.php.

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Call us toll-free at: 1 (866) 372-8768 Outside the United States: +1 (512) 372-8768

After two visits and exhaustive lab tests, my new doctor said I was doing "fairly well" for my age. A little concerned, I asked him, "Do you think I'll live to be 80?"

Then he asked, "Do you smoke tobacco or drink beer or wine? Do you eat steaks and barbecued ribs? Do you spend time in the sun playing golf, sailing, or bicycling?" I said no to all.

He looked at me and asked, "Then why do you want to live to be 80?"

The Lighter Side

Behind The Podium 4

Y ou've heard it all before, “the man, the myth, the legend!” Now what?

Unfortunately for some leaders “14th-century thought leadership” still fuels the driving force of how and why things get done in organizations. And because of this, varying myths still permeate the high tech industry. Here are 7 of them that should never be believed regardless of whose mouth it comes from or where you read them.

1. Leaders are only at the top of the organization.

This may be true in some organizations, but definitely should not be the norm. I've seen this in some of my past consulting engagement with clients. Leaders should be permeated throughout the entire organization given the varying skills of individuals in the workplace. In fact, if you really want an organization to thrive and become “Great”, encourage leadership skills training and development throughout the entire organization. All too often executives limit the growth of their organization by not teaching leadership development across the ENTIRE organization.

2. Great leaders are born and not made

True... some leaders have a seemingly better notion of what it takes to be a leader. Leadership is a learned skill, and anyone can learn how to lead and manage people with the correct training.

Unfortunately, there are cases where the title or position has been granted before the leadership skills have been developed

in the person. Too often organizations place very successful people in leadership roles without being prepared. Just because one is good at his job does not mean he should be placed in a leadership position without the proper assessment.

3. Leaders are not charismatic.

I have not met a “Great Leader” who was not charismatic. A leader must understand that charisma holds a high value to their followers. In fact, the really “smooth” leaders use his, or her, charisma to their advantage, as well as, for the advantage of the team; accomplishing great feats inside and outside their organization.

4. Leadership is a rare skill that only a few are given.

The only thing given in leadership is the position. The power and authority has to be given, or delegated, from someone of a higher authority. Becoming a skilled leader only comes with practice and maturity as he gains more wisdom, knowledge, and insight in the ways of leading and directing people.

5. Good leaders are more educated.

I know some leaders, although highly educated, whose common sense and notion to use this innate ability is shut off by book knowledge and the alphabet soup at the end of their name. Don’t get it wrong, I do not knock education at all! In fact, I went to college. Being educated more than someone else does not automatically qualify anyone for a leadership position. Unfortunately, there are many companies that make this grave mistake. Too often, what’s seen is that if a

person is good at their job position, they're often being promoted to a leadership position with out proper training in leadership skills development.

6. Women don't make good leaders.

In the professional arena, we have to look at women leaders like Oprah Winfrey, Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton, and come into reality about women leaders. Women have shown great leadership ability in our society.

7. Leadership is a soft skill and is therefore not measurable.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. I had to dispel this myth in its own article. Trust me, it needed to be addressed separately! To read the full article you can Google – ‘Granison Shines’ and find it out there in cyberspace or go to my website.

In conclusion, remember these 7 myths are exactly what we’ve said they are “Myths”. Don’t let anyone else tell you different.

Granison Shines is a leadership development specialist for Executive Leaders and Managers in the High-Tech industry. He provides Keynote Speeches, Educational Seminars, Educational Materials, and Webinars / Teleseminars for leadership and management professionals in the High-Tech industry. To find out more go to: www.GranisonShines.com .

… About Leadership in the High Tech Industry

7 THINGS NEVER TO BELIEVE...

Our self-image and our habits tend to go together. Change one and you will automatically change the other.

Dr. Maxwell Maltz, surgeon, author

September 2013 5

The elusive qualities of leadership continue to fascinate us as we continue to speculate “are leaders born or made?” Are there specific events that thrust certain people into leadership roles either by personal desire or necessity? In a rapidly shifting global economic environment that is driven by accelerated technological advances, what type of personal characteristics will prevail for leaders of the new millennium? A first cut response might suggest that leadership will require a “technical guru” who is deeply immersed in the utilization of the latest technology can be an extremely influential leader who plays a major role in shaping the economic landscape for national and international corporations. Certainly one cannot argue that the ability the shape and influence the world around us are attributes of leaders. That is not the issue. The question remains, “how will leaders of the next century negotiate, influence and shape the future?

Today, more than ever before, potential leaders must have a central focus — or as Warren Bennis describes it, “a powerful point of view.” To turn an idea into reality may not require the charismatic charm frequently associated with leadership, but rather a humble “imperfect” human being who is very astute in pulling together the human capital required to move a “point of view” forward. The profile of a new leader is very different from the typical corporate leaders of the last century. During the 20th Century we desperately wanted leaders who had definite answers or solutions to problems. We tended to form opinions regarding our leaders and then wanted them to provide magic solutions to whatever challenges came our way. When they did not meet our expectations, we faulted them for being ineffective and went in search of someone else who could live up to our expectations. Role distinctions between leader and follower clearly existed and rarely did one shift from one

role to the other. In a diverse global economic environment, leadership will take on a very different meaning and the ability to “follow” at appropriate times during a given project will be a critical aspect for emerging leaders. We are changing and therefore we will gravitate toward different leadership styles. We are no longer searching for someone who has answers to our problems, but rather someone who will facilitate a process whereby we can find our own solutions. We have abandoned our search for heroes with magic solutions and are opting for people who can “get real.” Disillusioned by people and institutions that no longer serve us, we are starting to become comfortable with the notion of “personal empowerment” and are seeking strategic alliances with those that we trust and who share common goals. As our collective attitudes have changed, so will leadership practices. The most significant shift for leaders of the new millennium will be to abandon seeking power for personal gain, but demonstrate resourcefulness, trustworthiness and persistence for the common good of their constituencies. Personal power will be an added bonus for those that serve others well, but it will not be an end in itself! We have grown up and as a result new leaders must, and will, emerge who can operate in this new context!

By Marianne Matheis

Leadership Today

Keep the paperwork: Another reason a good filing system is crucial

When you designate a beneficiary for your IRA, make sure you have your paperwork properly filed and accessible to the heir.

The first, most important step a beneficiary must take is to present the IRA manager with proof that he or she is the beneficiary.

This is a situation when properly filed paperwork can save time and money. The heir must provide a copy of the signed beneficiary form. Don't count on the IRA manager to have one.

If the heir can't find the form, the IRA will then become part of the deceased's estate. The heir will be required to withdraw all assets by the end of the fifth year following the death. This will cost the heir plenty of interest that might otherwise accrue by making steady withdrawals over a lifetime.

Behind The Podium 6 Behind The Podium

6

The minute someone urges you to decide now, Norm Brodsky of Inc.'s Street Smarts advises one thing: Slow down.

Decisions that can impact your bottom line, decisions that could hurt people if things go sour, these are the decisions that take time and thought.

Don't rush into a decision before you consider all the relevant issues. Whether you're the business owner or a manager, you will make mistakes in your career, but none should be because you were forced to make a premature decision.

Most people spend more time planning

their vacations than their future, according to Peter Hawkins in The Art of Building Windmills.

Take the time. Some decisions should take you days or even weeks to study and make. With sufficient time you can fully understand the ramifications of your choices.

Advice can be crucial in big decisions. Get advice from other entrepreneurs and trusted business people.

Your employees may well have some good advice. See it from their perspective and make sure you understand all sides of the

situation. Be objective and listen.

Keep the big picture in mind. Always try to make sure it is a win-win situation. You can make sure of this by, again, looking at others' opinions.

Don't make decisions that impact another person. In particular, when making a decision for another person, be sure that they are part of the process. Without their input, they won't try very hard to make it work.

Big decisions can have a lasting impact on your life and your business. It makes sense to do your research before making them.

Check out the newest service from the creators of SpeakerMatch:

www.myleadguru.com

Enter the BETA Code btp1013 for early access!

Here are a few things to think about before you appear in front of an audience, if you’ve got some jitters.

Check your posture. Good posture exudes confidence.

Take it slow. If you're nervous, slow down or your voice will go up a few notes and you'll talk faster than you realize. You'll sound less professional.

Smile. Especially when introduced and when the audience laughs, smile. It's easy to get a stressed look on your face so take a breath and smile.

Writing for Inc.com, Kevin Daum, author

of Video Marketing for Dummies, says building credibility is vital. Here, in part, are his three points of credibility.

1. Confidence comes with being authoritative. Before speaking, find three known people or entities that support your expertise or point of view. You'll feel like there's an army behind you.

2. Document your expertise. Everything you've done before has led you to this moment. People are desperately seeking experts and leaders but are often skeptical at the beginning. Before a meeting, make a list of 10 insights you have about the situation. Writing them

down with bullets will organize your thoughts and remind you of why you are the right person to be there.

3. Rehearse the role you'll be playing. Professionals make presentations look easy. That's because there is a lot of rigorous rehearsal behind the performance.

If your documentation is solid and well constructed, and you trust the material, focus on how you present yourself and the information. Practice the delivery out loud several times.

Preparation will make you feel secure even in unknown situations.

When making a big decision…

If you're pressured to hurry up, slow down!

Stage Tips

How to Look Confident Even If You’re Not

September 2013 7

September 2013 7

At the core of every successful company is a high-effective team. As a business leader, one of your main responsibilities is working with your employees and getting them motivated and able to accomplish the goals that you’ve set out for them. This isn’t a process that’s set in stone, and as such there are countless different ways that you can go about improving morale and performance.

Leading your employees to optimal performance may seem like "Mission Impossible," since not all employees can or want to be led to achieve optimal performance. As a leader you must realize that not all employees want to be or can be superstars in your organization. In order to become a superstar, an employee must have talent, knowledge and skills, and most importantly the desire to shine.

With just a little effort, and by successfully implementing these six tips, you can help push your team to top performance:

1. Convey Your Goals

Your team will never be able to perform at their absolute best if they aren’t really sure what they’re striving for. Take the time to effectively convey the organization’s goals to your employees, making sure that each team member knows how their actions fit into the bigger picture of your company’s success.

2. Be Competitive

A little friendly competition in the workplace is rarely a bad thing. By having intra-office and intra-department competitions, your employees are more likely to push themselves the extra inch in order to perform just a little bit better than their coworkers. Be sure to avoid

making things too serious though, as this could unintentionally create a hostile environment.

3. Know When to Listen

As a leader, you probably spend a good amount of time talking. You may be talking with other members of management, working with stakeholders outside of your company, or simply delegating tasks and responsibilities to your employees. Sometimes however, maximizing your team’s success involves sitting back and listening a little. By allowing your employees to share feedback, you’re increasing their level of involvement in the business, prompting them to take a stronger interest in results.

4. Keep Things Simple

If you want your employees to reach the goals you’ve set for them, make sure to lay out the path straightforward and directly. By avoiding making tasks and goals more difficult than they need to be, you’re removing the potential for confusion, allowing your team to better

see the targets that they’re trying to hit.

5. Encourage Communication

The strength of your business doesn’t lie with one or two employees, or even in

your extensive knowledge and skills, but instead in the collective capabilities of your entire team. By encouraging communication through your company, you’re helping push the sharing of information and knowledge, and encouraging each and every team member to grow.

6. Celebrate Successes

When your team successfully reaches their goals, be sure to recognize their accomplishments. By showing that you appreciate their efforts and dedication to the organization, you’re setting them up to want to continue to perform at their highest level, rather than the apathy that ignoring their achievements would produce.

Leading your team to success isn’t the easiest responsibility of a small

-business leader, but it’s one of the most important. Luckily, there are a number of different ways that you can successfully go about encouraging your employees to strive to perform at their peak. By following these easy tips, you can help your team increase their drive and work to generate the best results for your company.

Tracey Fieber helps business owners simplify, automate, and grow their businesses and their lives. Tracey's leadership, communication, and coaching techniques help her clients take massive leaps forward.

By Tracey Fieber

6 Tips for Leading Your Team to Top Performance

Behind The Podium 8 Behind The Podium

8

You’re a motivational speaker or trainer; you pride yourself on the quality of your content, your ability to deliver, and your continuous content revisions for a variety of speaking engagements. While you may be represented by speakers’ bureaus, you call the shots as to pricing, availability, and compatibility with a prospective audience.

You’re independent and you know the benefits of independence. It’s one of the reasons you belong to SpeakerMatch. You get to choose when, where, and what gigs interest you. But did you realize that when you hired yourself to be an independent speaker, you also became an entrepreneur? Like it or not, this means you’re in charge—of everything.

“No, no, no, I’m just a speaker, a trainer, one who wants my independence,” you say. “I just want to speak, not run a business,” you plead. I understand how you feel. That’s how I felt when I began speaking. I just wanted to tell my tale and help others by sharing my knowledge. However, what I found out along the way was a very different story. I had become an entrepreneur again. It wasn’t out of choice, for I too had only the desire to speak. I had become the accidental entrepreneur.

If you are a speaker, then you too have become an accidental entrepreneur. That means for this venture, you are CEO, CFO, VP of Sales, VP of Marketing, Promotion Director, Bookkeeper, and every other role that’s required to make any business operate. Get used to it because until you reach the point of success where somebody else wants to manage you and your business, the person you see in the mirror is the one who will be handling every aspect of your speaking ventures.

It’s both a blessing and a curse. You don’t

have to report to anyone. There are no deadlines except those set by you, and you don’t need someone’s approval to speak what your heart tells you to say.

On the other hand, it’s lonely. Because there’s no one to report to, there’s also no one to provide feedback until you bring someone else into the picture. The only review of your speeches is the video you shoot each time you speak. Not working for a training company, not being owned by a particular bureau, and not having deadlines means you could be giving Rotary Club speeches for a long time.

Without somebody pushing you to improve, challenging you with timeframes and goal achievements, it’s difficult to drive yourself to break out of the speaking for free circle. And, while you may want to speak about what your heart tells you, an event planner will give feedback that might require you to speak with a different twist.

Whether you’re handling every aspect of your speaking business or using assistance, you are now thrust into a position of leadership. As a leader, you will face challenges you may not have expected. Rather than be put off by this, embrace the role and learn how to handle it.

I have been an entrepreneur for over 30 years so when I wrote my first book, started a publishing company, organized my own promotion, and then launched myself into the speaking industry, I knew what I would be facing.

Now, as an entrepreneur coach, I see people confronting the very same challenges in a variety of businesses, especially the speaking industry. In my latest audio program, Navigating

Leadership for Entrepreneurs, I’ve identified 11 Keys, which if addressed properly will ensure your enjoyment of being a leader and entrepreneur. In this short article, I can only touch on your upcoming challenges and briefly suggest how to address them. I cover each of these 11 Keys in great depth in the audio program.

1. Everybody starts with a dream of

what their speaking career will be

about, look like, and what level of

success they expect. Dreams are

great and I recommend dreaming

big!

2. However, to achieve your big

dreams, you must change those

dreams into achievable goals.

Each goal has various elements to

it that need to be put on paper so

they can be continually reviewed.

Write down your goals.

3. You’re taking a risk by choosing

to go it alone but without risk,

there is no reward. So, good for

you that you’ve decided to take

the risk. Now get comfortable

with it.

4. Be prepared for changes along

the way. The only sure thing in

business is that change will

always happen. If you expect

change to be headed your way,

you won’t be surprised when it

shows up.

5. You will have many decisions to

make along the road to speaking

success. From finding your niche

to creating your marketing

THE ACCIDENTAL ENTPRENEUPENEUR

BY LARRY JACOBSON

September 2013 9

September 2013 9

materials, from website creation

to SEO, from setting your fees to

creating of products, and the list

goes on and on of decisions you’ll

have to make before you’re paid

to speak to big audiences. I highly

recommend that you set

priorities on what is important to

you regarding time frames,

budgets, and your own definition

of success.

6. Every entrepreneur experiences

fear and you are no exception. In

fact, as a speaker, you belong to

the elite group that

experiences more fear than

any other demographic

group. You’ve felt it before

going on stage. Expect it in

the running of your

business too. Recognize

it, embrace it, and

make it work for you. Fear

is simply nature’s way of

making you focus on the

task at hand. It sharpens

your senses and makes you

more alert. It gives you

strength that can be used to

meet deadlines, deal with

change, and laser-focus your

energy.

7. Don’t be deterred because you

don’t know what you’re doing

with respect to running your own

speaking business. You don’t

have to be an expert to begin

something, you can learn along

the way. I was unprepared when I

left to sail around the world but

my passion drove me and I

learned as I went. And here on

dry land there’s help for you. For

example, SpeakerMatch Radio

programs and articles are a great

source of information. And there

are plenty of coaches that can

provide motivation and expertise.

8. Stick with it. Perseverance is a

trait that is best learned from

practice. Create a promotion

schedule, create a checklist of all

the tasks that need doing

including keeping your speeches

relevant, promoting your talents,

updating your website, and the

list goes on. Follow forums, ask

questions, and use the tools that

are available to you. Invest in

your education from taking

speaking seminars to learning

about entrepreneurship.

Dedicate yourself to the success

of your speaking career.

9. Let your passion guide you. Don’t

let fear or any other obstacle

stand in the way of your

achievement. Your passion is far

stronger than your fears or

discomfort.

10. You are an entrepreneur and that

means you are a leader. Much of

my focus is about teaching you to

lead yourself. But you will also be

leading others. From your

Webmaster to printer of your

one-sheet, from photographer

to speech editor, you must

lead with certainty, kindness,

good intention, and clarity. In

other words, don’t yell at your

Webmaster because they used

a font you didn’t like if you

didn’t clarify your desires in

the first place.

11. And lastly, remember that

you chose this role. You

elected to go independent.

You may not have known that

you also became an accidental

entrepreneur and that meant

being a leader. But now you

know.

You can now proudly announce that you are indeed an entrepreneur and a leader. When you choose to embrace this idea, you will more successfully lead yourself and others. And you are now free to unleash your entrepreneurial spirit!

A California native, circumnavigator and adventurer Larry Jacobson is a recognized entrepreneurial and leadership expert. As well as having 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, he is an avid sailor with over 50,000 blue water miles to his name. Larry is author of the award-winning bestseller, The Boy Behind the Gate, which recounts his six-year sailing odyssey around the world, and author of the new audio program, Navigating Leadership for Entrepreneurs. Larry is a motivational speaker, writer, and entrepreneur coach. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and welcomes new clients and inquiries at http://larryjacobson.com.

“ Without somebody

pushing you to improve,

challenging you with

timeframes and goal

achievements, it’s difficult to

drive yourself to break out of

the speaking for free circle.”

Behind The Podium 10 Behind The Podium

10

I like to say, “A stranger is a friend, or a customer, you have not met yet.” My friend Jane Jenkins Herlong is a humorist, speaker, and author. You may have enjoyed her comedy and songs on Sirius XM Radio and Pandora. I share this story from her book, Bare Feet to High Heels – You Don’t Have to be a Beauty Queen to be a Beautiful Person. Jane reminds us to treat others, even those we have not met yet, with courtesy.

Hey, Sweet Thang! by Jane Jenkins Herlong

Every time I hear the words, “sweet thing,” I think of my pal, Red. One hot July day in the little town of Gaffney at the South Carolina Peach Festival, I met Big Red. It‘s right easy to catch a visual on this one … Big Red. First of all, you know he is big, and second, his hair is a deep shade of Tang. With a name like his, you can bet he is packaged extra friendly.

I heard Red, not to be confused with heard of, before I ever saw him. A blast from an “ooohga horn” heralded his entrance onto Main Street in Gaffney, South Carolina. Around the corner, Red maneuvered his late-model white Cadillac with blood red, leather interior. Before I knew it, he was swinging queens around, calling us all “sweet thang” and handing out packs of Big Red chewing gum and silver dollars.

Everyone was pretty much running for cover except me. He may have acted like a bulldog, but to me Red was all puppy. We wrote each other several times, and he

sent me pictures of himself posing with Playboy bunnies at various NASCAR events. We were both looking forward to seeing each other at the Miss Southern 500 Pageant.

Labor Day weekend arrived and all of us queens met in Darlington, South Carolina, for the festival. The director of the pageant warned us about a pesky character who loved beauty queens. I thought, Well, that takes care the entire male population.

The director said, “His name is Red Robinson. Do not speak to him. Speaking to him may keep you from winning the title of “Miss Southern 500.” What? Not sweet, innocent Red. No way was I going to avoid him.

Minutes later, I heard Red wheeling his white Cadillac through the parade route trying to find me. I hopped down off my float and gave him a big ol’ hug.

Fast forward with me, one year later. It is Saturday morning we are in TV rehearsals at The Greenville Memorial Auditorium. That night, a new Miss South Carolina would be crowned. We were all clueless about who was in the lead except for the preliminary winners.

My thoughts were interrupted with a shout of, “Miss Charleston, telephone!” I

thought that was weird since pageant contestants are never allowed to receive calls. Answering the phone, I heard the familiar, “Hey, there, Sweet Thang!” It was Red.

“Well, darlin’ I just talked to your chief judge. You see, me and him go way back. I told him you was a real sweet thang, and you had always been nice to me. I told him that he should pick you tonight to win. He told me you was gonna win, and so I just wanted to be the first to congratu late our

new Miss South Carolina. Bye, now.”

I dropped the phone.

Red was the last person I thought would know one of the judges. Did it really make a difference in my winning the pageant? Probably not. It made me feel good, though,

knowing I treated him like my parents taught me. Actually, Red

taught me a lesson. You never know who will cross your path in life, so treat folks the same way you want to be treated regardless of who they are.

Humorist, Amazon “Best-Selling” author, speaker, and professional singer, Jane Jenkins Herlong, CSPfinds the funny in dysfunction. Jane helps audiences confront negativity with grace and humor to increase performance and productivity as she did overcoming being labeled Dyslexic and other challenges. From the tomato fields of Johns Island, South Carolina to a Miss America runway and beyond, Jane’s funny original, Southern stories and award-winning singing helps audiences learn life-skills and the healing power of laughter when dealing with stressful issues thrown at their field of

(Continued on page 11)

DO YOU TREAT OTHERS,

EVEN STRANGERS, WITH COURTESY?

BY PATRICIA FRIPP, CSP, CPAE

“You don’t have to be a beauty

queen to be a beautiful person.”

– Jane Jenkins Herlong

September 2013 11

September 2013 11

dreams. You will love this farm-girl’s Southern-style recipe for balancing your own personal journey with a sense of humor, hope and heaping helping of folksy wisdom. For more information visit: http://www.janeherlong.com

Thank you Jane!

My brother, the legendary guitarist Robert Fripp, says, “Courtesy is an inward grace, which extends outwards to others.” Courtesy might be a given when we interact with friends and co-workers; let’s extend this to strangers, our customers and potential clients.

Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker Patricia Fripp is hired by individuals and companies who realize that powerful, persuasive presentation skills give them a competitive edge.

(Continued from page 10)

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QUESTION OF

THE MONTH Plan-ahead Calendar Festivals, large and small, in North America

Oct. 5-6, Cohocton NY Fall Foliage Festival. More than 50,000 will attend the two-day event, the 46th annual. Includes a parade and 200 food, antiques, arts and crafts booths.

Oct. 11-19, In Canada, the Kitchener-Waterloo Octoberfest will attract 700,000 visitors. Located about 60 miles from Toronto, the festival features more than 70 events. It biggest parade is held on Canadian Thanksgiving Day, Oct. 14. For a schedule of events. oktoberfest.ca.

Oct. 13, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, estimated attendance 850,000. Beginning in Chicago's Grant Park, the flat, fast 26.2-mile course attracts everyone from elite athletes to novice runners and champions from all 50 states and 120 foreign countries. For more information: chicagomarathon.com.

Oct. 16-19, East Texas Yamboree, 74th Annual. About 100,000 visitors are expected at this family festival, yam contest, barn dance, live music, more. yamboree.com