It is mind-boggling how much time and energy some highly-intelligent, well-educated, and ambitious people put into finding creative ways to get OUT of public speaking. Public speaking is the number one tool of leadership. If you avoid public speaking at the high cost of your success, why not get the training you need to speak confidently […]
Read More...Public Speaking – Are You Afraid of Failure?
My brother, the legendary guitarist Robert Fripp says that with music as with speaking, “When you do something well, everyone says, ‘Oh, he’s a natural.’ ‘Oh, she doesn’t have to worry; this comes naturally.’ However, even when it appears effortless – even with natural talent – you still need the discipline of following the process […]
Read More...Why Do People Say “Yes?” The “6 Weapons of Influence”
Why do people say ‘yes’? How can we get them to comply with our requests? I asked my Fripp Associate David Palmer, PhD, MBA, CPA, an expert on negotiations and marketing. David Palmer has read more business books and management books than any other person I have ever met; without hesitation, he always refers to […]
Read More...Pretend You Own the Company
The most important thing your work can offer you is a chance to feel good about yourself. Do you see yourself as a productive, contributing member of your company? Do you know why your company exists? When you realize what your company offers to society, you’ll be able to understand what part you play. Work […]
Read More...Market Your Uniqueness
At one of my friend Gary Purece’s seminars, a man in the audience told him, “I’ve heard you speak about finding uniqueness, and, let me tell you, there is NO uniqueness in my life.” Gary smiled and said, “Yeah, you’re probably right.” (Gary is a world-class advertising, marketing, and public relations expert.) “No,” the banker […]
Read More...Be a Star in Your Private Life
It’s okay to be a star in public, but the most important role you’ll ever play is in your private life. When superstar speaker and author Scott McKain was an entertainment reporter in Indianapolis, one evening he and his wife Sherry were waiting for friends to join them for dinner. The friends arrived twenty minutes […]
Read More...If the World Were Perfect
Whatever you are about to do, ask yourself, “If the world were perfect, what would this particular thing look like or be like?” Of course, it can’t be perfect, but too many times we compromise on a compromise, rather than compromising on perfection. Choose your actions, not for how they affect today, but for where […]
Read More...Save 15 Minutes a Day – Gain 2 Weeks a Year!
Save fifteen minutes a day, and you’ll gain two extra weeks a year. How do you find the time to achieve everything you want to achieve? Suppose you were suddenly given the gift of two extra weeks each year to do anything you wanted. How would you spend this time? What would you want to […]
Read More...Mentors Come in All Shapes and Sizes, Formal and Informal
What is a mentor? According to Greek legend, the goddess Athene liked to come down to earth disguised as a man named “Mentor” so she could advise the young son of Ulysses. (The Greek root “men” means remembering, thinking or counseling; we still use it in words like “mental.”) Today, a mentor is an experienced […]
Read More...Life Lessons From the Movie Stars and Hollywood – #4
Write your own personal definition of success. My friend the late John Cantu was a humor writer and was co-producer at the legendary Holy City Zoo comedy club in San Francisco. Many great comedy stars got their start there. When he counseled young comedians and new speakers about their success, he always says “Don’t compare […]
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