Exercise: How to Start a Speech

How to start a speech.  How do these five speakers capture your attention and engage you at the beginning of their talks?

Watch the first minute of each speaker.

How did they begin?  What was the first word?  What did this achieve?  Which speaker is hardest to stop watching after 60 seconds?

...and the challenge...  stop watching each after 1 minute...  it is too easy to get hooked and end up spending your next 90 minutes watching these 5 speeches...  Save that for later ;-)

The five speakers

• Seth Godin Blogger and Author
• Jeff Bezos Founder of Amazon
• Steve Jobs Founder of Apple
• JJ Abrams Creator of Lost
• Elizabeth Gilbert Author "Eat, Pray, Love"

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Seth Godin 


Seth Godin is an entrepreneur and blogger who thinks about the marketing of ideas in the digital age. His newest interest: the tribes we lead.

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Jeff Bezos



As founder and CEO of Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos defined online shopping and rewrote the rules of commerce, ushering in a new era in business. Time magazine named him Man of the Year in 1999.

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Steve Jobs



As CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs spearheaded a few of the most iconic products in technology, entertainment and design.

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JJ Abrams

 

Writer, director and producer J.J. Abrams makes smart, addictive dramas like TV's Lost, and films like Cloverfield and the new Star Trek.

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Elizabeth Gilbert

 

The author of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert has thought long and hard about some large topics. Her next fascination: genius, and how we ruin it.

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What other great speeches are you going to look at? Do you pay attention to how great speeches start?

Come to Barcelona Developer's Conference

I met Xavier Colomer this year.  He and his team are putting together Barcelona Developers Conference 17-19th November.  Come along if you want to:

• meet top development teams in Barcelona
• engage with the top programming talent 
• connect with entrepreneurs hiring tech teams... 

If you check out this year’s agenda, you’ll find everything from social media, to cloud computing to robotics and multimedia.  You can even find my own keynote on Entrepreneurship: Speaking as a Leader in Uncertain Times.

Entrepreneurs: If you have a new product to show off - list it now on the show and tell section.

This is a great local forum for making in-depth connections that will change your business and career in technology. There are still seats left – sign up before they are gone.

The event will be in the Museu Maritim de Barcelona - a building worth a visit in itself ;-)

The list of sponsoring companies include:

Tuenti

Spotify
Google
Microsoft

Fon
Eventuo
Vistaprint
Wuaki.tv


The confirmed keynote speakers includes:

Andre Vanyi-Robin
Pau Garcia-Mila
Rodolfo Tesone
Ellas 2.0
+ Spotify, Google, Tuenti development leads

The Myth of Balance in Life

I am reading Mitch Joel's blog where he tells a story of Patrick Pichette, CFO of Google, responding to a question: "Do you have work/life balance?"

With all of the perks, gimmicks and toys that seem to be part of the life of a Googler, and their commitment to 20% time to focus on areas of your own interest... this could be an interesting answer.

Patrick's answer:  "You don't take a job like this if you want balance".

I love the simple honesty.  It rings true.

Anything worthwhile comes with required sacrifices.  I wrote last week about choosing to suffer for 15 minutes each day.

The key is that the arrangement is a conscious choice, an open accepting of the realities of life.  Idealism creates a lot of suffering.  Patrick could be an idealist and say "I want to be successful at Google, and play golf off of a 3 handicap, and be home every day by 6pm..."  but then he would not be CFO at Google...

Reality can suck, but it is real.

Are you a Dog or a Wolf?

There are 2 types of life.  The Dog or the Wolf.

Are you a Dog or are you a Wolf?

Dogs are hierarchical social-status animals.  They hunt in packs.  They fight for power within their pack.  Their success or failure is entirely defined by their position within the hierarchy of the pack.  The higher up the social order, the longer they live, the more they eat...  and the more offspring they procreate.

Wolves are territorial animals.  They find their own territory.  They each are leader in their own territory.  They can all be successes in their lives.

Dog or Wolf.  Which are you?

The choice:  Wolf = Territory (create your own value system) or Dog = Hierarchy (measure against other's value systems).

Three Examples of Ice-Breaker Speeches

Andrew Dlugan provides an excellent overview of the Ice Breaker speech at his blog Six Minutes.  I recommend that you start by reading that post.


This is a good speech to practice 
- Introduce yourself: you are an absolute authority on this topic, no research will be needed.
- Conquer fear: get started on preparing a speech that you will give hundreds of times over the course of a life; when you meet someone new, when you move to a new team at work, when you start a new training course.

Here are a 3 simple examples of how to introduce yourself:

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Structure: "How did I get here?"
Patrick from US Toastmasters



Would you like to meet Patrick?  How did his story engage you?  Are you interested in finding out more?  How could you use Patrick's structure to explain who you are?
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Structure 4 phases of my life:
Esha from Indian Toastmasters



Would you like to meet Esha?  How did her story engage you?  Are you interested in finding out more?  How could you use Esha's structure to explain who you are?

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Structure: One Recurring Theme: 
Betsy from Austin Toastmasters



Would you like to meet Betsy?  How did her story engage you?  Are you interested in finding out more?  How could you use Betsy's structure to explain who you are?

Are there any other good examples?  Please let me know.


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Another way to improve your confidence is regular practice.  I have been developing an online module of my Persuasive Communications seminar.  It is available here: Improve My Speaking. Feel free to share this resource with friends (and people who need it).

The Super-Power of Persuasive Communication

This is a guest post from Valerio Flumini.  Valerio is a business consultant.  He loves learning, problem solving and great people.  He combined all three during his MBA at IESE Business School in Barcelona; he will shortly start a new career at Averda.


The Super-Power of Persuasive Communication

Last night, I was watching an episode of X-men.

The X-Men are each gifted with one superpower.  Magneto has power to control, shape, and move metal.  Wolverine is indestructible.   Storm can control the weather and produce lightening bolts.

I was thinking: “If I could pick up one of these superpowers which one would I choose?” After reflecting for a while I came to the conclusion that the superpower I would desire most is that of Phoenix.  Phoenix has the power of mind control.

Mind control is the power to influence and persuade other people.  This is the single most useful super power that a person could have.

The single most useful super power

Imagine how sensational it would be to persuade companies to hire you; investors to put money behind your ideas or to get the most wonderful girl you know to come to dinner with you.

A moment later, I thought: “Hold on a second! That’s not a super power like passing through walls, transforming weather or manipulating metal!”

The super power of mind control can be developed.  The perfect example was a persuasive communications class I took during my IESE MBA. At the beginning of the program I was scared to raise my hand and say a single word; after 18 months I was happy to give speeches in front of 70 people and found myself relaxed during a conversation with the CEO of an important multinational.

This is a super power that I can choose to develop

There are tools and tactics that get people engaged and listening, there are ways to show my credibility, and there are ways to call for action.  These can be practiced.

Now the question is: “How much it can be improved? How far can I go?”

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I have been developing an online module of my Persuasive Communications seminar.  This module is currently free.  Check it out at Improve My Speaking.  Feel free to share this resource with friends (and people who need it).  

Choose to Suffer for 15 minutes

What is the best way to start a work day?

I get up, I stretch, I shower, I eat breakfast...  I get to my desk...  and then...  what is the best way to start?

I think I have it.

Choose to suffer for the first 15 minutes.  
Decide to do the most important, most scary thing and do it for 15 minutes.  Then stop.

Kilian Jornet

The rest of the day is easier now.

My aim for the next 30 days = choose to suffer for 15 minutes before opening email, twitter, facebook, linkedin.

What is suffering?
I am talking here about purposeful suffering.  Sticking a knitting needle in my leg is suffering, but without any purpose.  The part of me that I want to suffer is my ego - the little voice inside my head that doesn't like change.

Purposeful suffering is doing what your inner voice most complains about.   While I am doing it my inner voice hits me with its wave of negativity: "why is this important?  who is ever going to read this?  who are you to think you have something to say on this?"

There are three levels of inner criticism, negative self-talk:

1. Voice of Judgment:  "This is never going to be as good as Seth Godin's blog"
2. Voice of Cynicism:  "This isn't important; nobody is going to read this"
3. Voice of Fear: "who am I to be writing?  why would anyone read my writing?"

You know you are doing something that is Purposeful Suffering when you get the Voice of Fear engaged.

What do you think?  A good way to get a work day started?  Or just plain stupid?

What I want for Barcelona 2021

What I want for Barcelona in 2021:

• Startups are a cool thing to do
• There are lots of startups
• Weather attracts, but passion and action keeps people in Barcelona
• Comfortable Inaction is viewed with contempt.
• The sun still shines just like today in 2011
• City's around the world turn to Barcelona Activa as an example of how to foster Entrepreneurship in a city
• Potential entrepreneurs take action (launch your Minimum Viable Product; there is too much "networking" and too little "launching" at the moment)
• "Trilingüisme" works.  Catalan is a living language.  Spanish is spoken well.  Written and spoken English is fluent in all parts of society.
• Increased chance of meeting people who can help you (top global serial entrepreneurs, top global angels, top innovation VCs, top teams of Facebook, Google, Amazon stop by Barcelona on a regular basis to catch up with the local scene; Active Capital Partners' Venturepreneur Community is the largest and most active in the world)
• Most Entrepreneurs are Serial Entrepreneurs building scaleable businesses
• People care about what entrepreneurs are doing (as opposed to treating as unemployed); big companies + government value innovation (at same price, preference is for younger supplier)
• Verne Harnish and Gazelles puts on their anual Growth Summit to a record attendance of 10,000 growth entrepreneurs from around the world
• Palau de La Musica, Liceu regularly attract the worlds great musicians
• Architects are not called Architects if they have not spent 6 months living in Barcelona
• Terence Robinson has launched his "Connection/Learning Space" - a central hub where anyone can drop in and be connected to others that share their passions, interests.
• Farley Duvall's White Bull Summit attracts 5000 attendees
• Xavier Colomer's Barcelona Developer Conference bring the top technology pioneers from around the world to Barcelona
• Zero waste - the city has eradicated plastic packaging, all excess foods are composted.  The bin in the kitchen is a remnant of the past.
• FC Barcelona picks up the Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League trophies.  Leo Messi is still here.
• IESE Business School remains amongst the top Global Business schools; engagement between LaSalle, UPC, UB, ESADE, IE, Pompeu Fabra creates Barcelona as a worldwide centre of excellence in Teaching, Values Driven Business, Leadership and Entrepreneurship.
• Global Entrepreneurship Week is a massive citywide celebration of innovation
• Ellas 2.0 gives female entrepreneurs great role models and massive self-belief
• The Citizens of the city understand Pay It Forward. Schools transmit these values. Society values this attitude. 
• Optimism is contagious, Pessimists are ignored.
• City government and Police focus on eliminating petty crime, pick-pockets and establishing a safe street life
• Petrol and Diesel cars no longer circulate within the city
• There is a statue of Steve Jobs outside the Barcelona Activa Building at Llacuna 162.

What have I missed? What is your Barcelona 2021?

1 Day Listening Challenge

Pay €10 every time you use the word "but..."

"But" is justification.  It is proving that I am right.  It is refusing to accept that my model of the world might need to adapt to a new and changing world.

Who's Listening?

Could you do this tomorrow?

If you can't manage the whole day, how about one meeting?  Could you set this as a personal growth challenge for one hour in one meeting tomorrow?

"No Feedback on Feedback"
Last week I had 150 senior managers on a 5 day seminar.  Florian Mueck introduced the concept of "no feedback on feedback".  It became a chant by mid-week and an ingrained habit by the end of the week.  Participants listened to the meaning behind the communication - they were no longer dedicating any of their brainpower to showing why their past action was valid, only in accepting how that action was received by others.  (They are under no requirement to change, just to accept without justification).

The only remaining question
Which charity will you give your donations to?   One idea for this week: Lance Armstrong Livestrong organisation Improves the Lives of people affected by cancer.

Human Stupidity: Can we Reduce Stupid Action?

This is a Speculation on Human Stupidity.

What is the probability that a given human will do something stupid?

I believe there is a simple mathematical relationship that can predict the likelihood of human stupidity, or its specific realization The Stupid Action (SA).

Where PSA is the Probability of Stupid Action (SA).

Human Stupidity runs in reverse proportion to an individual's level of self awareness, self esteem and experience.

Calculating the Probability of Stupid Action (SA)

The likelihood of Stupid Action (SA) can be predicted by looking at

1. SelfAware = the deviation between a person's view of themselves and how other's see them; 
2. SelfEsteem = the deviation between how they feel inside and the image they are trying to project outwards and 
3. Experience = the accumulated hours of deliberate practice they have attained in a specific domain of human competence.

Stupid Action: The Danger Zone
Hence we can predict that an individual with 1) no habits of self-reflection, 2) feeling bad after watching their favourite sports team lose and 3) working in a domain in which they have very little practical experience is almost certain to do something deeply stupid.

To reduce likelihood of stupid action (SA), we can 1) place mirrors in the room, 2) compliment the individual on a recent achievement and 3) motivate the individual to care and practice.

Refining the Equation
I am currently working on an improvement of the Human SA Equation.  I welcome all input, reflections and thoughts that can contribute to this debate.  What other factors contribute to Stupid Action?  Have you witnessed Stupid Action today?

What ways do you suggest that we test this hypothesis?  Is it a general equation, or do we need to develop context specific equation (for instance the Probability that someone will say something deeply stupid in front of an MBA class)?

Body Language. We do not Move the World with Words Alone

This is a guest post from Tony Anagor who has been working with me this week in IESE.

Tony has built a multi-million euro event management business in Barcelona.  3 years ago he told me that he had found his true passion.  He works with individuals to clarify their purpose and give them the belief and confidence to take action to achieve their goals.  Connect with Tony on LinkedIn.


Can we talk?

I have been passionate about the art of communication for many years.

My journey began 29 years ago when I witnessed one man completely mesmerize an audience of 8000 people for 12 hours a day during a 3 day personal development weekend.  Today Anthony Robbins is world famous and has changed the lives of 1000s of people.  But... how does he do it?  Communicating with passion that’s how!

"Your body is your autobiography in motion"

Communication was never on the school curriculum when I was a child. I learnt the theories of Pythagoras.  I spent a whole term musing over the law of Parabolic Motion, and as interesting as it was, I use none of that knowledge today. Today I find myself fascinated at how a person can walk into a room and with just their body language announce “ here I am” whilst others can shuffle into a room and whisper  “oh there you are”.

The art of communication is often looked upon as a soft skill that attracts varying levels of importance in an academic curriculum. There is nothing soft about an orator who can whip a nation into a frenzy of emotion using a carefully written speech rich in metaphors and alliteration. Communication is a PRIMARY skill and should be given its due respect in our modern day education system.  Simple things like eye contact, breathing, hand movements and a smile can give 80% of yourself away to a keen communication skills expert. As Leil Lowndes says in his book How to Talk to Anyone: “ your body is your autobiography in motion”.

We do not move the world with words alone

Consider for a moment the unassuming diminutive shuffling figure of Gandhi, how was the world so enamored by his equanimity? How did he instil his message in others with such conviction? The next time you see a clip of his speech, watch how he uses his smile and his eyes.  Take a look at Ronald Reagan, we can debate his politics, but he transitioned from an actor to become president of the USA, next time take a look at his eye contact and his smile.

If we begin to notice and analyse the people around us who we admire for their communication skills, we will see that they use their bodies just ever so slightly differently to most people; we call it charm, X factor or charisma.

If I wished to become a pilot I would have to study and undergo hours and hours of practice and training.  Having qualified, it would be incumbent upon me to invest time in keeping my skill level updated to a globally accepted standard.

I wonder how the world of politics and business would be today if we did that with our communications skills.  Some people in positions of influence have not updated their skills since they were toddlers.

My first tip to making the step towards improving your communications skills is to buy a very simple book called Talk Language By Alan Pease.  I read this book 29 years ago and I was hooked!

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Visit Conor's Improve your Speaking page here on the blog.

Connect with Tony
Tony works with individuals to clarify their purpose and give them the belief and confidence to take action to achieve their goals.  Connect with Tony on LinkedIn.

The Wisdom of Steve Jobs

Today, Steve Jobs "slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God".

I heard the news as I arrived to IESE Business School this morning.  I walked into the coffee bar on the north campus, and all the conversation was about Steve.  He has affected our lives.  My friend Raul writes his thoughts on Steve Jobs:

"I am not sad, because Steve lived, he found himself in this world, he did not live another person’s life. He loved. He created. He inspired us all, and he will be with us forever."

My first computer was a Vic 20.  My second computer was a Commodore 64.  My third computer was a Macintosh.  Apple has been a daily part of my life for the last 24 years.  I am writing this now on my MacBook Pro.  I ran yesterday listening to my iPod Nano.

He was the Leonardo DaVinci of our century.

Here are my 10 favourite Steve Jobs quotes:

1. “Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
2. “We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die, you know? And we’ve all chosen to do this with our lives. So it better be damn good. It better be worth it.”
3. “My job is not to be easy on people. My jobs is to take these great people we have and to push them and make them even better.”
4. “I’m as proud of what we don’t do as I am of what we do.”
5. “Why join the navy if you can be a pirate?” 
6. “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
7. “In most people’s vocabularies, design means veneer. It’s interior decorating. It’s the fabric of the curtains of the sofa. But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a human-made creation that ends up expressing itself in successive outer layers of the product or service.”
8. “I’m the only person I know that’s lost a quarter of a billion dollars in one year…. It’s very character-building.”
9. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
10. “I want to put a ding in the universe.”

Thank you for making computers user friendly.  Thank you for showing how technology can have personality.  Thank you for never letting anything Apple be any less than beautiful.