Let's Rehearse!

If you're like me, you feel anxious when you haven't had a chance to rehearse before a presentation. Your mind is constantly turning to its presentation page when you hit your pillow. You get up the next day and the alarm bells are going off that there is an issue you've not yet focused on.

There it is. It's time to rehearse.


But who is your audience? You could gather your peers or supervisor into the seats in front of you and talk through - even speak through - your message. Yet, you'll no doubt claim they have better things to do with their time. So now what? Your significant other? Friends? Will they know what to say about what's working and what isn't? Do you trust their sense?

One Hour Presentation Review
Consider setting aside one hour for a third-party review. BDB services lets you select what you will spend that time on - determining content, framework of message, delivery, connection, impact you wish to make. Or if you'd like, just be open to what comes up that will give you improvements and allow you to look forward to the presentation you have coming up.


Small Group Presentation Review
Is your practice group or firm wanting to enrich the power of its existing presenters? Perhaps each of them would appreciate having a resource come to them for a limited block of time. Observe each speaker in 30 - 60 minutes blocks of time, share what's working, provide tips and let the others observe before they also get coaching. What a great use of half or full day training - individualized focus while enrichment with others's presentation style!

Let's rehearse. It's the number one way to create confidence in what you have to offer - seek the feedback that compliments your particular style.

Contact me for details at merri@bdbcommunication.com

A community service that works - securely

If you're in professional services, you can mix recycling your computers with creating community good will. Although many of us are concerned about personal information getting into the wrong hands, the risk/responsibility increases with client data stored on our hard drives. When we replace our hardware every 3-4 years, we must be cautious. Thank goodness Columbus has a place we needn't be concerned about data security.

The Community Computer Alliance, started by Dan Hurst, bridges the gap between technology and community. This non-profit organization recycles all computer hardward, softward and accessories. With the mission making technology available to the community that needs it most,  CCA takes your old computers and components and refurbishes them, then donates computers to low income families, disabled individuals and senior citizens.

6 Steps to Developing Business with Public Speaking

The last thing an introvert wants to hear is the value of public speaking. Yet as business developers, they confess, the best way to gain sales is through relationship creation. And standing in front of a group to help them experience who we are is a huge relationship enhancer, and the best use of our time. All it takes is practice. Practice done perfect isn't expected. Practice done well is worth exploring.

Problems at the Podium

I have a keynote to deliver this fall that I've known about for a few months. Back when it was scheduled I did my research. Now it's time to create the outline, the framework and put it into action.  In summary, plan, prepare and practice!                                                                   I know my approach to public speaking is different from most presenters.

For Lawyers - 4 Guidelines for Improving your Professional Pace

Not to be confused with PACE University, whether online or in New York - which has a school of law- or with the P.A.C.E. program of Houghton University, which boasts a management degree for working adults, pace in this blog post has to do with speed appropriate to the moment.

For decades now females have entered the business and professional world thinking they need to increase their pace to keep up with their male counterparts. Whether in the corporate setting or otherwise, there is a sense that a quickened pace rules the culture.

In sales, the driven often rise to the top quickly. One mark of who they are rests with their speed - accelerated compared to others.

Yet pace, in all its NASCAR glory, has little to do with high speed when creating success. Ironically, high speed has many things to do with creating failure.

Print Resources for Self Growth

Here are 4 of the best resources I have grown from over the course of my professional career. Lawyers, how would these apply for you?

Think & Grow Rich by Napolean Hill
From this book I was inspired to create Master Mind groups, some that I now call Business Owner Accountability Groups (for the small business owner) and Solo Practitioner Accountability Groups (for the lone attorney).

Readers also get motivation in necessary business traits like decision-making, organized planning, mental toughness, etc. Its a classic still on my shelf and often reviewed today! A relevant read for the attorney.

The 12 Bad Habits that hold GOOD people back by James Waldroop and Timothy Butler
Subtitled, overcoming the behavior patterns that keep you from getting ahead, this book is a comprehensive study on the 12 common patterns we fall into and cases of professionals struggling through them.

Each of us wants to accomplish certain things over time, yet we all fall behind based on the above patterns. Until we are aware of and address these patterns we will not accomplish what we want. Pick up this book for your own reference.

The Power of FOCUS by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt
Subtitled How to Hit Your Business, Personal and Financial Targets with Absolute Certainty, one of the key chapters for me is about habits - those we strive to practice and those that perpetuate the patterns that hold us back.

Among other things, our creation of habits is key in our ability to focus, especially in multi-tasking environments or those with huge time commitments such as the attorney world.

self-promotion for introverts by Nancy Ancowitz
Subtitled the quiet guide to getting ahead, Nancy understands what is at risk for the introvert who owns a business or is responsible for business development. Without excusing the introvert for resisting self-promotion, Ancowitz instead helps us focus on those things we are naturally good at and suggests how to use them to develop business.

Full of techniques and tips, this will help avid readers put actions in place while helping them feel better about promotion. Lawyers are most commonly introverts, so this is a great resource!

For more book recommendations, visit my LinkedIn page: www.linkedin/in/merribame

Lawyers: Take a fearless and searching moral inventory.

Not only do addicts work the 12 steps, so do their personal development supporters.

I learned this recently after lunching with a friend who told me of her journey with self assessment. She is now on the 4th step, the one that takes tremendous courage and objectivity. Taking a fearless moral inventory of ourselves helps us break down barriers, and it helps the AA member move forward in their program.

What does this have to do with attorneys? Everything. Just like in other professions, the more we manage ourselves, the better our influence with others. The 4th step is pivotal for courtroom influence, office/firm effectiveness and client development. Without it, we flounder.

After my luncheon with the above friend, I decided to take a fearless moral inventory of myself, only to find there are key issues I need to address.

Flexibility

In many ways I am a control freak. Starting with organization and/or time management, I prefer things to have structure, for I know I work best within defined structures. Yet, I often am in unstructured environments that others don't want structured. The lesson for me here is to give up the need to control and become flexible. Today I make a point to allow myself to adjust as needed. Big lesson for me, yet one that I've already seen beneficial.

For instance, the more days off I take (I'm a workaholic) the steadier my business. This doesn't make sense to me, yet it tells me I need to just let go and trust. This will continue to be a tough lesson for me, yet the more I note the benefits in being flexible, the greater my motivation.

Vulnerability

Along with my need to control is my need to explain my expertise. I know where this comes from. It's a barrier pattern called, Never Feeling Good Enough that plays in my head. It's my own experience that when given constructive criticism, I feel deflated instead of educated. Not everyone responds this way. Nor should I.

What I know about vulnerability is, the more often I admit mistakes, ask for help, or seek perspective the better equipped I am in the future. Yet when I offer apologies, I often fall into the trap of explaining my actions. Unfortunately, my apology appears ingenuine - and it probably is. If I were to simply apologize, offering no excuses, I am closer to building trust, feeling less anxious and on the path to moving forward. Vulnerability is essential for leaders, followers, business builders, professionals, parents and educators. Vulnerability is the key to my own humility which is crucial for understanding and love.

Preparedness

I must take the time to think, to reflect, to observe and to understand. When I do, I prepare myself to self-manage. Instead of constantly running and doing,  this practice allows me to be grounded in what's going on around me and how I'm contributing.

Not to be contrary to flexibility, the more prepared I am with handling unplanned circumstances, the better equipped I am for mentally being flexible. When I taught high school, it used to really throw me off if, while in the middle of a classroom activity the fire alarm would sound. My first instinct was usually - why weren't we alerted?! Didn't administration respect us enough not to interrupt our efforts?

Although at times the alarms were due to true emergencies, sometimes I had simply failed to remember earlier communications of upcoming classroom disruptions. This led to lack of preparation on my part. My busy schedule has usually prohibited preparedness - thus to be better prepared I need to take control of my schedule.

Taking a fearless and moral inventory of ourselves requires reviewing the things that upset us, then taking responsibility for what we need to correct in ourselves. Not easy, yet when we take this step, just like addicts, we will move forward in our own development.