What THEY say after you're done talking.

After my presentation last Saturday a woman came up to to comment on something I'd shown the group about peeling a banana. It was just a little thing, really. But this woman was moved... by something I didn't do to move people but to illustrate a point. You just never know.

She said that her sister had cerebral palsy and the woman believed her sister could learn to peel a banana using the trick I had demonstrated in my session. She was moved to have learned something that might help her sister be just a little bit more independent.

I just opened and peeled the banana from the flower end rather than the stem end. (Try it sometime. You just squeeze the tip and the banana opens right up.)

I was inspired to share this by a post in Darren LaCroix's blog here http://www.humor411.com/blog/2008/03/what-do-people-say-after-you-give-a-presentation/

The Toastmaster's Convention was HOT!

and I'm not just talking about the 110 degree temperatures.

There were so many great events, learning opportunities, and people at the convention I'm still processing everything that happened. Every Toastmaster owes it to him or her self to attend at least one International Convention.

By the way, that's me with the 2007 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking, Vikas Jhingran,

The three elements of personal and professional change that I talk with people about are: 1. Do Something...Different! (Go to Try Outs!) 2. Meet New People! (Get Help!) and 3. Tell New Stories!

The convention had all three elements.

It was my first time so it was something different. Another something different was attending the 1st ever Edgenet Summit on Tuesday August 14, just before the Convention. I also volunteered to help out at the convention...a great way to learn something new and meet new people. Always volunteer!

I met new people from all over the world, Australia, Bahrain, England, Germany, Russia what a great experience.

New stories? Yes I can tell you about the people I met, those I got to know better, and the kindness of strangers.

All in all a Grand Toastmasters Adventure In Phoenix, Arizona.

World Champions of Public Speaking

David Brooks and Darren LaCroix are two of Toasmasters International's World Champions of Public Speaking.

David Brooks won in 1990 and Darren LaCroix in 2001. Both are part of a group of 5 World Champion speakers known as World Champions' Edge.

If you are interested in great products to help you become a better speaker check out their products by clicking in the links section of this blog. Those links will take you to David and Darren's resources pages.

Check out their Champ Camps (Great name!). Also, Darren's "The Path to Powerful Presentations" (AKA "How I Went from Chump to Champ") and David's "The Elements of Eloquence". Great products about public speaking and mentoring.

Meet new people

I've never been a fan of what you might call traditional networking. All the frantic card swapping and elevator speeches leave me cold. I know this isn't what the top gurus concerning networking, like Susan RoAne, actually advise anyone to do, but it is what I've seen all too often.

No, I'm talking about -well- just meeting new people. Maybe someone who is doing something that you want to try to do. Or getting into a community of practice. That might be a bluegrass jam if you play guitar or mandolin or banjo. Or Toastmasters or an NSA (National Speakers Association) chapter meeting if you want to try professional speaking.

Another idea is to give valuable service to people and organizations.

Get out there. Meet new people. They may lead you right where you want to go.

Lance & Scott

Did you ever come across something you were just busting at the seams to tell people about?

Well, I’m in real danger because I’ve just found two items I can’t wait to share. Here’s number one.

If you’re a Toastmaster, (You ARE a Toastmaster aren’t you?) then by all means contact Lance Miller the 2005 World Champion of Public Speaking, and buy his CD "Building a Championship Club". It is Simply Amazing! It is geared for club officers but all Toastmasters will be inspired by Lance’s ideas in this CD.

Here’s one of those ideas: Colonel Sanders’ secret recipe. Hmm? Lance says the secret to Colonel Sanders is that the 13 herbs and spices aren’t the secret. The secret is to do the ordinary extraordinarily well. Wow!

I would add to that to do that consistently.

Find out more at www.lancemillerspeaks.com.

Speaking of doing something ordinary extraordinarily well, and extraordinarily consistently, what would you say about a guy who has worn a nametag all the time, everyday since November 2, 2000?

Well, Scott Ginsberg has done just that. He is now the world’s leading authority on…nametags. (Question…What are you the world’s leading authority on? That’s the question I started asking myself today.)

Nametags! But Scott’s expertise is not limited to nametags. His expertise is approachability. Scott Ginsberg now owns that word in my mind.

Scott posted his e-book, "234 things I’ve learned about creating, delivering and marketing speeches" at SpeakerNetNews (What? You’ve never heard of SNN? Go to www.speakernetnews.com/ ) in the compilations section. Again, Wow!

Here’s one: “190. Write everything down – stories, content, facts, quotes, jokes, one-liners, everything! If it goes unrecorded it becomes unmemorable.”

And here’s one from his special report: "Let Me Ask Ya This…55 GREAT Questions to Ask Someone You Just Met". “44. If you could hire any actor to portray you in a movie, who would you choose?”

You don’t want to be unmemorable!

Check out Scott's blog too at: www.hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com


Oh, one more thing…My answer to number 44? Dustin Hoffman.

DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!