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Electric Impulse Communications, Inc. Newsletter
January 2008
I. Herbie's Helpful Hint (named after my Dad)
Only my Mom called my Dad Herbie. My Dad always made sure that her car had a full gas tank. He always both marveled and teased me about my ability to drive on vapors. He used to say there was so little gas in my tank, it was only vapors. It especially bothered him when I would let the gas tank get low in the winter.
Lesson Learned:
The other night I was on my way home with very little gas. I tried to talk myself into driving past the gas station and waiting until morning. But then I heard my Dad's voice in my head reminding me to keep the tank full in the winter. And I filled it. What can you do -literally or figuratively - today to be better prepared for tomorrow?
II. Mishmash of Value:
1. Psychic Paycheck
Paul is the day time Maitre D at The Akron Hilton. Last year he was named employee of the year out of all of the employees in all of the Hilton properties. Recently I wrote him a thank you note for overseeing a project. The next time he saw me he thanked me for what he called his psychic paycheck. Worth more to him, he said, than his regular check.
Lesson Learned:
Employees, clients, waiters, salespeople CEO's: everyone appreciates the words thank you. Did you realize that some even see it as a paycheck, or even better?
2. An Olympic Slot at 40
Dara Torres was the first American swimmer to compete in four Olympics, from 1984 to 2000. She has won nine Olympic medals, including four gold. At age 40, fifteen months after giving birth, she broke her own American record. She will be 41 at the time of the Olympics, competing in a sport where 25 is considered old. She has nine "coaches", professionals whose job it is to help her compete at her best: her coach, a sprint coach, a strength and conditioning coach, a nutritionist, two stretchers, a physical therapist, a masseuse, and a nanny.
Lesson Learned:
This former and perhaps future Olympian is pushing the peak age of her performance. And it's taking nine people to help her get to the medal stand. Do you have nine people in your life helping you reach your peak performance?
3. Why Will Smith is a Star
Just ask Will Smith why his fame is of cyber proportion, and he'll tell you. He told Sixty Minutes and the whole world the two reasons he made it to the elite rank of superstar: his exuberance for life and his work ethic. Think about it, can you watch Will without smiling? He claims when others are vacationing he is working, when others are home he is working. And we think luck just happens.
Lesson Learned:
I would add preparation. When he went to Hollywood, he and his agent studied the ten largest grossing movies of all time. Then he made sure he chose scripts that included the characteristic of those movies. The New Year is a perfect time to check yourself: do you have an exuberance, a love for what you do, do you have a killer work ethic, and are you more prepared than anyone else in your field?
III. Case Study: Speaker Control
Situation:
Because I write many ceremonial speeches, I am often invited to hear a client give the speech that we collaborated on. Always a thrill for me it is more exciting to hear a client give our speech, than to give a speech myself!
Process:
This particular evening, two speakers gave the keynotes. One I had worked with, one I had not. To go further with this story you need to trust that I can be an objective observer. My client collaborated with me and with his input and direction, I wrote a speech that sounded like him, even better. He practiced the speech, even going to the venue in which he would be speaking.
What Happened:
My client rocked the ballroom. The audience members laughed with him and cried with him. It was a lazor sharp address. The other keynote speaker prepared differently. It was a sincere and heartfelt talk. It was also unorganized, unfocused.
Lesson Learned:
Start with the end: think about how you want to be perceived, what do you want the audience to say about you after your speech? Do you want them to say, WOW. Or do you want them to say that was a nice speech?
IV. Live and On TV
Civic Forum with Leslie as host on Time/Warner
Upcomming Shows:
Greater Cleveland Sports Commission Week of February 3
Guest: David Gilbert, CEO
Upcoming Shows:
Understanding Presidential Politics
Professor David Cohen, The Bliss Institute
Go Red-Women and Heart Disease</p>
Summit/Stark/Cuyahoga Counties: M & W 9 pm, Sunday 9am
Channel 23 in former Adelphia areas Channel 15
TV Air DIGITAL tw1111: local on demand
Radio: WONE FM 97.5 Sunday 6 am, WAKR AM 1590 Sunday, 8:30
In Person - Come and Join Us
Can we keynote an event for you?
February 6, 2007 noon
Portage Career Center
How to Create and Craft a Credibility-Building, Confidence-Enhancing, Power-Projecting, Result-Driven Presentation
February 21, 2007
Precision Printing 8:00 am
The 10 Rules of Professional Presence
March 4, 2007
Lake County Journal
Leap Ahead in 2008 with Great Marketing