**
I have been very blessed in my career! I never knew any other way than to be myself, although one of my mentors told me in the early days I was different on and off stage and I vehemently denied it! However, his bringing to my attention made me determined to actually be the same on and off stage!
And 23 years ago, I didn’t even know what a speaker was when my first mentor said ‘you should be a speaker’! I said what’s a speaker! So I had no one to impress! And no preconceived ideas of how successful I needed to be or what I should do or be! I was just me sharing information I thought was really important!
When Dan asked me to contribute to this, I had just spoken at CAPS and realized in a blinding flash of the obvious that we are not ‘speakers’! we are experience creators, or we should be!!
To be uniquely you and an experience creator that has impact and is different these are the things I believe you need to do:
Be honest. About yourself and to yourself and others. If you try to pretend to be the guru who knows everything, no one will believe you anyway!! Really be an expert in something and then learn to be the best at it that you can be. Tell the truth about your number of jobs, always. And its a no brainer to be honest, ethical and have integrity with bureaus. ALWAYS. ie: Be trustworthy. That is worthy of trusting.
Know your stuff and study how to create an experience (that is group dynamics). I spent 15 years studying with Michael Grinder. He is a genius at non verbal communication and although I look and feel completely natural on stage there are a zillion things I do non verbally to create the right group dynamics to make the presentation work for this group. If you have seen what I have grown people do then you will understand the power of group dynamics. Each January Michael does a group wizardry course that is I believe essential for anyone who wants to be successful as an experience creator remember you are there to serve. We are in blessed and potentially powerful positions. Respect that and treat your audience with reverence. There is rarely a ‘bad’ audience, only a presenter who does not know group dynamics or who has to present really bad news and even then if they know group dynamics they can make it ok. Leave your ego at the door!
Use audience interaction where you have them look at each other and do stuff! Not just asking a question and having them call out, the more they connect, the better they can learn and actually have an experience other than just listening to you or being entertained. Think of a little exercise to have them comprehend the point you just made
work hard at being the same person on and off stage. This does not come automatically to me, I didn’t believe it when Michael told me I was different on and off stage! So I worked on it and now I believe I am pretty much same on or off, this of course means I am much more authentic. And I am always very honest on stage with the audience. I try to have a conversation with every one in the room at an individual level, I am constantly watching them to see where they are and what I need to do (more Michael taught me)
Tell your own stories and if they are not, acknowledge the source. It’s so boring to hear several speakers tell of an event as if it were their own experience and you know that amazingly 4 other people have had the exact same experience!! Look in everyday life for stories, and create something unique to say, it took me years to come up with only a few unique things but I worked at it very hard! People relate better to real stories anyway and your heart is in those have fun! My other mentor from the start told me that if I have fun, they will have fun. so I do! And they do. if you are focusing on them , know your stuff, your heart is in what you do, are breathing and speaking normally (not with pregnant pontifical pauses!) and you have fun; they interact and laugh, and you are being you, then you are doomed to success!
In other words…RISE up, be brave and be all that you can be!
R be real, authentic, yourself, come from your heart; let go of your ego
I have integrity and be interesting, use your own stories and be honest
S serve and honor, treat this calling with reverence
E be an experience creator and love what you do and let them know it!!
AGL Custodians P/L
For further information on Amanda please visit http://www.amandagore.com
