On Tour

I will be blogging only from the PLI blog (www.PersonalLeadershipInsight.com) between May 16 and May 30. I will be on tour from Oklahoma City to Washington to Oregon to New Jersey to Tulsa to Chicago and back to Oklahoma City. The blog posts over there will include tips and strategies and content from my keynotes and workshops during this period.

Postings will resume here in June. Thanks!

The Personal Leadership Insight blog - www.PersonalLeadershipInsight.com

Tips from Steve Jobs

Bnet.com has a new video on the biggest reasons why Steve Jobs' presentations always rule!

http://www.bnet.com/2422-13722_23-192173.html

Five Offspring of Authenticity

The following list contains five results from a presenter being authentic:

1. Credibility - I don't care if your area of expertise is wide or narrow, I just care that you know what you say you know.

2. Authority - Speakers are questioned all the time. Authentic speakers are questioned less often.

3. Sincerity - In the era of botox, liposuction and "cheat your way to the top," sincerity is worth more because of simple supply and demand. The demand is high and the supply is short.

4. Consistency - Humans begin appreciating consistency from birth. A child loves peek-a-boo because of the consistency of you appearing each time. Make it a habit to be yourself.

5. Energy - It is physically and mentally draining to be fake - for you and your audience. Being authentic reverses this and encourages an energetic experience.

50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong

There was only one Elvis. He was paid a large sum of money to be Elvis and he will always be remembered. There are a million Elvis impersonators. They are paid small sums of money to be someone else and they will never be remembered.

Being an authentic presenter begins with you deciding who you are, understanding your uniqueness and working hard every day to bring the best of your genuine self to each presentation.

You have a unique path. No one in the world has ever walked through life just like you. Your audience deserves all of you, not some of someone else. Your stories. Your beliefs. Your shortcomings. Your expertise. You.

To tap into your inner-Elvis, answer the following questions as quickly and honestly as you can…

What is your greatest strength?

What do you most believe in?

Who are you in three words or less?

What do you know the most about?

What are three interesting personal stories?

Describe your favorite type of presentation.

Describe your favorite audience make-up.

If you only had only one thing to say to the world, what would it be?

The Power of a "Best" Friend

1. Be yourself.

2. If you can't be yourself, be someone better.

3. If you can't be someone better, hang out with someone who brings out your best - a "best" friend.

4. You will then be yourself and someone better.

5. Your "best" friend brings out the best in you because they expect to find it and they look until they find it. You should do the same - for yourself and others.