Don’t you get tired of attending meaningless conferences?
Ones that have great promise but very few diliverables; not necessarily, because the presenters are unqualified or stupid. But simply because they are out of touch with the circumstances of their audience. Have you ever noticed how (experts in the field) major in generalizations or concepts rather than practical realities, facts and helpful examples? Nothing is as powerful as a personal example or lived experience when communicating with your audiences. They need something they can relate to, and implement in their own context. After attending one such conference and pondering the dejected, bewildered and perplexed faces of the attendees, I vowed never to fall into the trap of presumption. If your audience doesn’t leave informed and encouraged you have missed the mark. Actually it all comes down to how astute you are – how well you can read your audience -how willing you are to ask question in a way that won’t make the audience feel foolish if they ask. Some people have it and some don’t – that ability to really understand what people need, want and hope to gain by listening to you!
Archive for August, 2009
A special appeal!
Friday, August 21st, 2009From eight million to where?
Friday, August 14th, 20092.86 million unemployed a year ago 8.8 million at the end of June 2009!
How much worse these numbers get depends largely on you! I know many will stand offended at this statement. Human nature always likes to blame someone else – it takes the pressure off. Realistically speaking the answer for unemployment rests largely with us. After all individuals are the innovators and the creators. This is the time to re-invent ourselves. Perhaps this is the time to think about what you have really wanted to do all these years. Imagine if your work could be fun, fulfilling, and purposeful?
It can happen for you but you have to make it happen. It is time to unleash the gifts and skills you have never used. Create new pathways in your brain. Stop thinking along the same old lines – this is the time to rely on your creative skills – companies don’t innovate, people do! Get going – start new thinking – it’s time!
Competitors or contributors?
Thursday, August 6th, 2009Recently I realized how much we need ongoing conversations and interaction with one another to innovate and create. Creativity never happens in isolation. The idea of partnership has been around a long time but in my mind it is not effectively harnessed to benefit community. Often people forge partnerships to achieve their own ends . I am talking about different kinds of partnerships - selfless partnerships! When we partner to explore ways to benefit our communities, we become powerful agents of change. When meeting with people to engage in conversations about partnerships and how we can resource our communities, I immediately know why they are part of the conversation by the questions they ask.
When the questions are all about how they can add value to the process, you know you have a good partner. When the conversation is about what they have achieved in life, in business, about their successes - in other words when the conversation is ’self centered’ then you know you don’t have the right person. Unfortunately we still function in a paradigm that is all about ‘us.’ Few of us have made the transition to all about ‘other’s.’ The interesting thing about ‘all about other’s’ and the community as a whole, is that whatever you freely give, has a way of coming back to you in many different beneficial ways. It is the life principle of give and it shall be given….. When will we realize that putting up fences, hedging our bets, circling our wagons, will only hinder us from receiving all of the creative experiences and innovations that only come from the living stream of selfless community partnership conversations.
Competitiveness has to be the one sure thing that kills creativity and innovation!
Gabriella Van Breda