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Let it be clear

Funny how it happened. I listened to an applicant for half an hour, then explained how my business works. Of course she was interested to know how she will work. And I am interested to show how my business works. I thought knowing how the business works can help her see how she can be successful when she works with me. But then, the magic word came. She said she was confused.

I stopped. I have wasted my time. All the time, she was concerned about the the details. She wants me to explain how she will spent her day working for me. I was showing her the big picture, because I like her to see the big picture.

We must be clear always. That way we don’t have to waste our time explaining what interest us to the uninterested.

See more progress on: To be always clear when I communicate with people

I am happy facilitating my workshops and seminars

Last Saturday I conducted a teambuilding workshop for the officials of a Barangay in Pasay. I have conducted workshops for government agencies, but never for barangay officials. One friend told me that the most difficult group to handle are barangay officials. He said that many are know-it-alls, people who seemed to know all the answers and reasons why answers cannot be done. That comment was of course not encouraging.

The teambuilding was scheduled to start by 8.30am but the only two participants arrived on time. I was informed that there are 25 expected participants. The rest, 17 more, arrived five before ten. Not an encouraging introduction. And some others came before lunch time.

Three minutes after I started my self-introduction (there was no program and no one to introduce me), I got interruptions after interruptions. But that was not a problem at all. Having handled children before, I know how to handle interruptions. Sometimes adults act like children too. And I do understand why people interrupt me.

Before I started the afternoon session, one participant approached me. This was after I showed them the video on Susan Boyle’s audition in Britain’s Got Talent. She said that some of them first thought there was nothing they can learned from me. I simply smiled. That was not new to me. I have heard the same comment for the last five years. And I know that it won’t take them half an hour to realize that they are going to experience something different, moving, and inspiring.

They are used to lecturers. They are used to being bored by people with great credentials on paper. They are used to someone being introduced as the best in his field.

My friends said that it is best to wow the audience with your credentials. It is best to wow them with your introductions. It is best to start with a bang. And end with a big bang.

I don’t do any of these.

Please don’t tell people about how great I am. Don’t lie to them or you will not get my trust. Two weeks ago, someone introduced me as a motivational speaker, sought after by companies, booked for the whole 2010, that we are friends, and that he has known me for a long time. I can accept that I am a motivational speaker, but not the rest. That guy has seen me only twice for the last 30 days, has not seen me in action, and has no idea on how I conduct my seminars in metro manila or anywhere in the Philippines. I don’t want to start my seminars with a lie. I don’t want to start the seminar with ego boosting. Or even self-affirmation just to get my participants to listen. He reminded me of that marketing manager of a five star hotel whom I met last month. He said that he heard so many good things about me. Having heard that line for a hundred times, I asked him to mention one good thing he heard about me. Of course, he was not able to give one. He cannot even pronounce my name correctly. These guys must have read Dale Carnegie but never truly understood him.

Back to the team building workshop. During my icebreaker activity, some of them commented that they were experiencing that activity for the first time. And they were immensely enjoying themselves. Fore every activity I heard some of them said that they were learning a lot. They showered me with praises. Yes, praises still make me feel good. But I want you to know that I am more concerned about what they feel about themselves. My goal is to be invisible during my sessions and focus the spotlight on my workshop participants. The workshops are not about me. It is about them. I still look for the spotlight; Slowly, I am learning to surrender the spotlight to my workshop participants. I have directed plays before. And making people shine has always been in my DNA. I was just mis-educated and I am unlearning many things I have learned from others. It is when we are invisible that people start to feel us.

Out there seminar participants are spectators. On Friday, the same participants attended a session on Good Governance facilitated by the DILG. The told me they were bored to death. I was not surprised. Everywhere you have seminars that kill your brains and enthusiasm slowly. Speakers present mind-boggling theories, but don’t care about you. I have also bored some participants (and many of my students) in the past. After all, I have learned teaching from many boring teachers. But I don’t blame anyone; my learning is my responsibility. During the past five years, I taught myself to change my way of thinking, to set a high standard for myself, and to do things differently everyday. One powerful principle (not technique) I have learned is to make the participants shine during my seminars and workshops. Breathe life into them. Turn your participants from spectators to stars of the show.

Again, I expect someone to say that my principles are wrong. I don’t debate with theories. Bring my seminars to your organization, or bring your employees to my public seminar.

I can speak only from experience.

Thinking about this makes me happy today. And I thank God for giving me the opportunity to share my life to the barangay officials.

See more progress on: find at least one thing each day that makes me happy and record it everyday for a year

more seminars and workshops, more friends, and more prayers

They said that they are going to refer me to various companies. They offered prayer for me and for the success of my training programs. They asked God to use me so that I can inspire more people every time I conduct seminars and workshops. WIN Atrium is truly a blessing. For four Wednesdays, they inspired me while facilitating the Speak with Confidence workshop. It was moving to see them stand and hear them speak. They did not have the skills of toastmasters. But they have shown the seeds of passion and purpose. So, being reminded of what they “learned from Jef Menguin”was not only flattering. It was inspiring. Yes, these and more made me happy.

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I wasn’t able to write about it yesterday. I went to a prospect to present my proposal for a teambuilding program. When the COO introduced himself and asked me how I plan to handle the teambuilding workshop, I knew I need not present. We talked about the venue, even went to the venue in Makati.  Don’t get me wrong, but so far my best clients are those who don’t waste my time.

Based on experience, it is quicker to close a deal when I am talking to the decision makers. The most difficult audience to please are those who are simply tasked to look for speakers. They asked a lot of questions, often they request to see me for an interview, but 90 percent of the time, these people  don’t get the approval of their bosses. I suspect that after asking me so many questions, they still can’t explain to their bosses the training programs that I design and facilitate. Of course, they don’t really know what I do. They based their answers on their experiences with other speakers. And they expect me to be like them. So yes, I was also happy yesterday because I talked to a decision maker. I win 90 percent with a decision maker, and less than 50 percent with the others. (Sometimes, they eliminate me at once because I am “very expensive”. So far, however, no boss had considered my professional fee expensive. Given the unique and results-oriented programs that I offer, they at once understand that I am offering an introductory price, a very small portion when compared to the benefits they are going to get.)

I hope that everyone who requests for a training proposal will help me make an appointment with the bosses. Leaders don’t like to waste time. They respect mine too.

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The fourth batch of business writing workshop for Iplus (epldt) ended today. And yes, this batch made me happy too. I met new friends and I believe more opportunities will come. My seminars with these people are always easy to handle. You simply need to give them more than what they expect. And I am very sure that they did not expect too much.

Just like what I said before, though I gave them many techniques, the best thing about this business writing workshop is its focused on fundamental principles in communication. These principles will serve as seeds. These seeds will grow in them. Please don’t expect them to submit a flawless written work. I don’t teach perfection. I do emphasize results.

A salesletter that does not sell is not effective. An application letter that does not get an interview is just a piece of paper. Business writing is about building connection, adding value, and making change. It is about creating business for yourself and for your company. Learn the fundamental principles in communication and you will see never see communication the same way again.

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A friend called me up this evening. She said that she was getting frustrated. Managers told her that their staff did not learn anything. One thing, the managers were not in the workshop. They don’t see the slightest difference. I thought she should invite them also in their workshops. I am confident about this: these managers also have problems, sometimes even bigger problems, than their subordinates. You will find phony letters in their closets.

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Basta masaya ako. I am happy because I have shared something of great value to the participants. They have always said that they learned many valuable lessons. And I believe them. So yes, knowing that people are learning from you should me you happy. I am happy.

Jef Menguin
http://jefmenguin.com
askjef@jefmenguin.com

See more progress on: find at least one thing each day that makes me happy and record it everyday for a year

About Jef Menguin: You can bring his seminars to your organization today. Jef Menguin is a motivated speaker. He provides tools and technology you can use to move your people to where they are at now to where you want them to go. He conducts seminars anywhere in the Philippines. Call him today or visit his website-  http://jefmenguin.com for seminars and workshops.

What I have learned from my business writing seminar last Friday

My Observations:

1. Most of my audience are serious guys. I am not sure why, but maybe because there were those who didn’t know how to laugh. Three guys were very serious as if the business writing workshop was a factory procedure they need to master every step so no lives will be lost. There are only 13 participants, so more than 20% were really serious guys.

2. We were able to do more activities this time (the third batch) than the last two batches. The third batch, however, was less creative and enthusiastic than the first and second batches. Creativity and enthusiasm makes the participants learn faster. When creativity is restrained, I feel the tension in the room. Enthusiasm, or the lack of it, can really be felt.

3. I thought some participants were still expecting the more serious, lecture type, 1001-techniques to business writing approach (of course, they were polite not to say this). While most of the participants were enjoying the creative writing activities, I observed that there were two guys who were writing because the group must do the creative writing exercises. Given the choice, they would have been out of the room and did her business somewhere. Well, not really a bad idea. But you see, there are many people out there who want to go straight to the point, though they don’t know yet their point. They want to learn the techniques without asking why.

4. Activities really work even for the serious guys. Slowly, they opened up and shared their ideas. Well, I must also accept that they were just required to attend the seminar. They just complied. They must have some pending jobs. Though they know that the seminar will be for seven hours, seven hours training is really long for those who didn’t want to be there.

So, what did I learn from this workshop?

1. The icebreaker is really important. They need to talk to each other before we start everything. True, sometimes icebreakes are time consuming. But what is the use of having more time for the rest of the activities if they will not be comfortable asking questions, sharing thoughts, exchanging silly and brilliant ideas. It is easier to be yourself when you know that people next to you can accept you.

2. The Power of Change Talk may be placed at the end of the first day session. Put it as a challenge talk and an invitation for them to come again the next day. They are not yet ready for the big idea, no matter how powerful. The discussion on the three fundamental principles of communication is already powerful. Highlight this discussion.

3. I must create an activity that will highlight ethos, pathos, logos. It can be a writing activity or any activity that will make them move, speak, and think.

4. I must sell every minute to them. I preached that we must be silent about the features and focus on the advantages and benefits. I must do the same. Every activity must be giving them good reasons to stay and look forward to the next activity.
5. Or much better, simply to play music, and allow them to talk to each other.

6. Or consider giving an energizer 15 minutes before I start the discussion. The participants stay in the room anyway. This means that I can do a lot of engaging activities aside from watching something which may also tire them.

7. Count the stories you tell. No matter how interesting, when stories are not relevant to the subject, keep it to yourself.

8. Remember, there is no perfect presentation. The last one cannot be exactly the same. or even much better than the first one.(Jope was surprised to know that the second one is different from the first – he forgot that the course was not about business writing, it was about the audience.) I can only introduce new activities to illuminate further the writing principles. I do not work for an assembly line. I am a rockstar. When I sing, the song (though the lyrics is still the same) breathes its own life. Every song is for myself and for my audience. I am no longer the same person as yesterday and my audiece are no longer the same as well. My passion is to make them happy. Some of them will be happy to gain new knowledge, enhanced their skills, change their attitudes, gain more confidence and friends, express themselves, etc. We can make music together and I can do that best with my audience. So, yes, there are no perfect presentations which may cater to every audience. But I am a rockstar and that will be enough for me. For now.

9. Always be grateful. Our audience need to know that we are there for them. So, keep on saying thank you. Or keep showing your gratitude to them.

Thank you.

Jef Menguin
http://jefmenguin.com
askjef@jefmenguin.com

See more progress on: Become a very effective and dynamic trainer

About Jef Menguin:  Jef Menguin is the training director of Growth Orientors HR training Consultancy. GOHRTC  provides companies soft skills  training interventions that develop and enhance the skills of people to increase organizational excellence and increase revenues.  Jef is a motivated national speaker, a training consultant, and a trying hard blogger. Jef Menguin resides in Metro Manila, Philippines.

Simplify, Simplify

What are the skills I need to learn this week? I will try the skill of simplifying things in my life. I have just read Four Hour Work-week. Wow, that means that there are just 29 more books that I need to read at the end of this year. I have placed in 43 Things this one goal of reading 30 more books before 2009 ends.

I can begin in my room. I know I will have enough space before this week ends. There are many things there which I can already throw and even give to charities. There are many unused materials that I keep and not used.

Some of my books will have to go too. I am looking for two public libraries: The Quezon City Library and the Antipolo City Public Library. I am thinking that I will just give those books so more people can benefit from them. I no longer read most of these books anyway. There are thousands of other books there waiting for me. I need to free some space so new ones can come.

So, yes, one skill that I will develop for myself today is… making things simple.

Jef Menguin
http://jefmenguin.com

See more progress on: To learn new skills every week

About Jef Menguin: Jef Menguin is an inspirational speaker, a team building facilitator, a training consultant, and a trying hard blogger. He designs and facilitates workshops for companies in the Philippines. Visit his site at http://jefmenguin.com