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1. Herbie's Helpful Hint
2. Who Said It?
3. III. Mishmash of Value:
1. Under Your Breath Still Counts
2. How Many People Did You Tell?
3. Outstanding at 29
4. TV Etiquette
5. The Question Heard Round the City
4. Case Study: Does PowerPoint Get in Your Way?
5. Live and On TV
6. Answer

I. Herbie's Helpful Hint (named after my Dad)

The New York Times says, “multitasking is going to slow you down, increasing the chances of mistakes.” Multi-tasking well is now officially a myth. Not possible to do multiple things at one time and do them well. Better to take one task, accomplish it, move on. My dad said that for years. Pick your expert: Herbie or the NYT.

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II. Who Said It?

"Ownership is not a birthright, It is a performance-based privilege just like anything else." (answer at end of newsletter)

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III. Mishmash of Value:

1. Under Your Breath Still Counts

One of the cable channels carries a really bad show called The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency. She was a model in the 70’s, now looking for fame in 2007 in Reality TV. When I am on the treadmill, even a bad show is a distraction. On the only episode I have watched, she had the opportunity to land a very large Australian account. She spent Day 1 auditioning her male models for the tycoon client. On Day 2 she returned for the final elimination. She was told she was not welcome in the building. Unbeknownst to her, the client had the backstage microphoned. He heard her complain about him the prior day.

Lesson Learned:

Would you lose a prospect or client if they could hear your comments under your breath? Even if they can’t hear them, those negative comments you say to yourself affect how you communicate.

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2. How Many People Did You Tell?

Recently I attended a dinner event. At the table, we were talking about the quality of food served there in the last year. One person noted how poor the food had been at the prior event. Had he told management, someone inquired. “No, but I told everyone else”.

Lesson Learned:

Just because you are not directly hearing negative feedback does not mean someone else is not hearing it. Do you have a method in place to assess client satisfaction?

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3. Outstanding at 29

For those of you over 29, can you remember where you were physically or mentally at 29? Trying to figure out what you wanted to be when you grew up?
I met an outstanding 29 year old and I wanted to tell you what made him outstanding. Josh Mandel is from the East side of Cleveland. At 29 he has graduated from OSU, completed his volunteer tour in Iraq, graduated from CW law school, got married, successfully ran for state representative.

Lesson Learned:

All that is impressive. What made him stand out was his ability to articulate his beliefs, opinions, and vision to create buy-in from the audience—whether or not they shared his beliefs, opinions, and vision. Can you articulate your vision to create buy-in?

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4. TV Etiquette

The first interview on the Today Show at 7 am is always their most important guest of the day. That is their highest ratings segment in one specific audience demographic. I was surprised to see Teresa and John Kerry. I was more surprised by her on-air etiquette. I always tell the guests on the cable show that I host to ACT interested in what the other guests have to say. Teresa was looking at the ceiling, looking all around the studio, looking at her nails, while her husband was speaking. Could she have looked any less interested?

Lesson Learned:

While being on the Today show may not be in your immediate plans, you may have the opportunity to be on a panel or introduce a guest. Feign interest, you never know when someone is watching you.

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5. The Question Heard Round the City

I try to attend several Akron Roundtable’s a year. At the end of each speaker, written questions are collected and the MC selects the questions to be asked.
You may have heard me say that as a speaker you are lucky if the audience remembers one thing about you. One particular speech was heavy with statistics. What I remember about this speaker was how one question was framed: “Without using statistics, can you answer . . .”.

Lesson Learned:

Your audience should not have to instruct you how to answer,
You should be able to speak in the language of all attendees-some statistics, some insight, some warm and fuzzy, some vision. And as an audience member, you are more empowered to request information than you may think.

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IV. Case Study: Does PowerPoint Get in Your Way?

Situation:

CEO with Fortune 500 company enlisted my help in a PowerPoint to be presented at corporate headquarters.

Process:

Opposite from many PowerPoint’s presentations, this one was too brief for the time allotted. The bigger weakness was that there was not a structured opportunity for the CEO to connect with his audience prior to the use of the PowerPoint, and following the PowerPoint.

Result:

CEO connected with audience members, fellow CEO’s who had started and built their companies. Could mean millions of dollars in the long run.

Lesson Learned:

PowerPoint presentations are like guns and cars. PowerPoint’s don’t kill audiences and messages; poor use of PowerPoint does kill. Connect with your audience as a person before and after your use of technology?

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V. Live and On TV

Civic Forum with Leslie as host on Time/Warner Channel 23 or 15

Upcoming Shows:

Week of April 15
Pennies for People
Mrs. Laura Hood
Students Kyle Gersman and Andrew Walsh
Coming up Coach Keith Dambrot and Barbara Danforth

 

Summit/Stark Counties: Show will air on Channel 23, 6 pm Sunday
TV Air DIGITAL tw1111: local on demand
Radio: WONE FM 97.5 Sunday 6 am, WAKR AM 1590 Sunday, 8:30

 

Bath, northern Summit and Cuyahoga County
TimeWarner subscribers: 9 pm M & W, Sunday Channel 15 or 23

In Person: Do You Need A Speaker?

 

Do You Know Your Competitive Edge?
Broadview Heights Chamber of Commerce
April 11, 2007

 

The Buzz About Brand
Chicago Title
April 16, 2007

 

Leaders Need to Speak
April 19, 2007 OWBA

 

Thomas Hine LLP Spotlight on Women
April 30, 2007

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VI. Answer

Randy Lerner, Cleveland Browns owner.

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