Spanish shoemaker Camper made headlines in San Francisco when the company opened its unfinished store to customers, simply calling it “Walk in Progress”. Customers were invited to draw on the unpainted walls and shoes were displayed on top of packaging containers. Customers loved it and the most popular message written on the walls was “Keep the store just the way it is.” …
How to survive presentation nightmares (without Einstein’s help)
Urban legend has it that when Einstein was on the speaker circuit his faithful driver, Harry, learned his speech word for word. Einstein’s driver also happened to look like him. On a whim, at an evening presentation, Einstein and his driver decided to swap places. Einstein donned the chauffeur’s cap and jacket and sat in the back of the room. …
Love, learn, leave…
Recently I received a scathing email about a supposed single misprint in our book. The writer concluded by saying they were so happy that they had only borrowed the book from the library, rather than purchased it. OOUCHHHH! Reading the email on the train to work, I felt I was being punched in the guts. I might even have sworn aloud…OK …
Three hacks to instantly transform any presentation
I’m a great fan of the Lifehacks website – a goldmine of productivity and lifestyle tips. A life hack is a tip or trick that will helps get things done more efficiently and effectively. Life hacks are often practical, sometimes funny and sometimes plain hair-raising! Applying this philosophy, I wondered what are some presentation hacks we could use? As so often working …
Real leaders don’t cry(?)
Recently in a workshop a leader was moved to tears while narrating her story. She apologised and received a very positive response from the group. Immediately the leaders wanted to talk about how to handle vulnerability. One leader said sometimes he’s so passionate about what he’s saying that he tears up. He questioned if this was appropriate. Recently, Michael Clarke, Australia’s cricket captain, broke …
From resolution to reality: Make 2015 your year to shine
New Years come loaded with promise: the promise of fresh starts and new beginnings. I personally love new beginnings: sunrises, that first cup of coffee – you get the drift. New Years however can be epic new starts, often pre-loaded with both optimism and cynicism. After all, research indicates a mere 8% of people achieve their resolutions! So how can we make …
Blockbuster and lackluster
Yes, it’s that time of year: the tinsel is out, carols are playing and countdown clocks with the number of days until Christmas are popping up everywhere. Like we could forget! It’s also the time of year when I get reflective. If I were to describe 2014 in one word it would be Blockbuster. It’s been very exciting with lots of repeat business with existing …
#putoutyourbats : When words aren’t enough
For a few days last week the entire country was on a knife’s edge, watching reports on the wellbeing of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes, who was in hospital after a freak blow to his head during a cricket match. Suddenly, the wait was over – but not in the way we hoped and prayed for. Last Thursday visibly distraught cricket captain …
What’s your ‘impact per minute’?
We recently concluded a phenomenally successful series, training speakers on how to craft and deliver a TED talk. During the process Jon Yeo, the curator of TEDx Melbourne, challenged the speakers to think about their impact per minute. Impact is the cognitive or emotional ‘a-ha’ moments you create as a speaker. Without impact points, a presentation is dead in the water and …
The most powerful form of influence
What do you think most people would do if they found $40,000 on the street? This is exactly what happened last September to Glen James, a homeless Boston man who found a backpack with over $40,000 in it. James flagged down a police car and handed in the backpack. The police located the distraught owner, an overseas student and reunited …