Speak From Your Heart To Capture Their Heart

Tonight I am delivering another presentation on the Ripple concept and actually facilitating a modified version of my 8 Minute Ripple Connection Event. I am very excited to have the opportunity to speak to the Austin chapter of the International Special Events Society (ISES) and give my take on a better way to network. In fact, if successful, I hope to leave this particular audience with a deeper more meaningful appreciation of my tag line - Stop Networking. Start Connecting.

I was walking with my oldest son Zachary recently who, by the way, thinks that any day I am going to become super rich and famous and be known all over the world because I speak and write book(s). Anyway during our little walk to the park he asked me how I can find the "courage" (I was impressed with his word selection) to get up and speak in front of so many people "all the time." He said he would be scared to do it. Though I appreciated his perception that I was speaking all the time (I am not...wish I was doing more actually), I stopped and tried to imagine things from his nine year old little shoes. Here's his dad that seems to be gone a lot speaking, traveling, selling books, doing something that for a nine year must be pretty cool but frightening at the same time.

I smiled and revealed to him that I do get scared almost every single time I get in front of an audience. He seemed to really like that...like somehow it made me more like him - which is truer than one could imagine. I told him that I am passionate about helping people understand and maybe (hopefully) learn something from my message. Though I am always "scared" each time I get the opportunity to present somewhere, I try and always remain true to the message in my heart and speak from there.

"You mean you just speak from your heart?" (I wish I had a picture to adequately show his little face of amazement at that moment.)

"Yes I do. And when people do that you capture a lot of hearts a long the way."

"You know dad maybe that's why people like you. And when they like you you realize there's nothing to be scared about. Right?"

"Right."

With that he gave me a huge hug as if to tell me he understood and he was off. At that point in the conversation the jungle gym seemed to be calling his name. Serious talk time was over and now he needed to go play and terrorize his little brother Josh.

It wasn't until hours later that I realized Zach was trying to get to know more about me. It wasn't necessarily just a father son kind of exchange but he was doing exactly what he sees me doing with others. He was finding his way to find a connection point with me. My fear and his perceived fear of getting up and speaking, whether in front of a conference or the kids in his third grade class sort of seemed the same. He seemed to like that.

Now I may never be rich nor famous outside of the minds of my two little boys but that's okay by me. I do what I do because I love it and hopefully I inspire some folks along the way. At the bare minimum, I just hope that I keep inspiring two little boys to reach for their dreams because no matter how far out of reach they might seem, they are definitely never out of reach. The life I lead is proof of that!

Ripple On!!!

Want Job Security? Become a Utility Player Pt. 3

In the first two segments of this series, I focused on why being a utility player can certainly increase one's chances of keeping their job if, and more likely when, their company is faced with tough economic conditions. Companies need and want people on board who will show a willingness to learn and do more and not simply retreat to the comfortable excuse of 'it's not my job." It's the utility player that stands out, demonstrates value and avoids the horror of being expendable when the corporate ax starts looking for dead wood.

So we get why being a utility player is important to the company, but what does it mean to the company's customers? Well that's when a utility player really shines! You see nothing in business happens without a customer. Customers need products. Customers need services. Customers have questions. Customers have concerns. Customers have needs that they don't even know they have yet. No matter what the case, utility players understand and appreciate the fact that the customer will always need something and they are willing to step up to the plate and help no matter when and where they are called to do so.

What if you were to approach your job and your customers with this simple phrase: "Whatever you need, feel free to call me and I will do everything I can do to help." Would you be viewed differently? Would your customers think positively or negatively about you? Even if you don't have the necessary skills, access, information or whatever it is that they need, you have something....a willingness to help. People remember that. People value that. People love and respect that.

So you say, "Steve you silly boy, I don't work with customers. I am held deep within the bowels of my corporate structure and never see the client. How can I possibly step up and be a utility player for those customers I never touch?"

To which my response is....nothing happens in a vacuum. We all work with customers. The only difference between you who may be locked deep inside the walls of your corporate fortress and me, the one who deals with the public virtually every day is not so different. We both serve the customer. The only difference is you serve your internal customer (co-workers, boss, managers, suppliers, vendors, etc.) and I server the external customer (those people who write us checks for the products and services we sell).

Being the go to person for either the internal or external customer is a powerful position. Utility players like you and me want to step up and play those positions if and when we are called upon to do so and sometimes....even when we aren't called to do so. Remember, utility players see a need, a gap or a something that just needs to happen and they don't wait for direction...they simply step up and take action. It's through these kinds of actions that both our customers and corporations begin to realize and appreciate the value having someone like us around.

As we draw this series to a conclusion I have a challenge for you. Ask yourself what it is that you could be learning, doing or attempting right now to add value and worth to your contribution to your organization right now? The answers are there if you Grasshopper are willing to hop a little further down the path to seek them out.

The challenge isn't really the question but the answer. And ultimately are you really willing to step up to the plate and be the utility player your management team, corporate ownership and ultimately your customers need you to be?

The answer can only be yours to give.

Ripple On!!!


P.S. If you liked this series and would be interested in learning more about becoming a utility player for your company or perhaps you lead a team and need some inspiration along this line for your team, we should talk. I have both personal coaching programs and corporate day trainings that I give in this area. Feel free to email me at steve@ripplecentral.com

Another Steve Take On Networking

So I was honored to be interviewed recently by fellow BLOGGER, Twitter Buddy and all-around nice guy Josh Hinds on the subject of networking. You can check out Josh's excellent blog and my interview by clicking here.

I also want to give a special shout out to Thom Singer for encouraging Josh and I to connect. Thanks Thom! Josh is fantastic and I look very forward to becoming friends with him so I truly appreciate encouraging the connection.

Ripple On My Friends!!!


P.S. I will return to do my third and final installment of Want Job Security? Become a Utility Player this week. Stay tuned!