Monday, 25 September 2017

The Other Side

I had the good fortune to hear Travis Bell, The Bucket List Guy recently.

He has some excellent processes and ideas on how to formalise creating and achieving bucket list items.

It is way more effective than that thought that "one day" you will achieve some dream.

The one key point of Trav's that I really love is about the impact of achieving what is on your bucket list. Because it is not about the item. It is not about getting a photo of having achieved it. It is not about boosting your ego by achieving it. It is not even about bragging rights for having achieved it (let's face it, most of our friends will say "that's nice" and move the conversation on.)

What Trav says is that achieving your bucket list item is all about who you become on the other side of having achieved it.

Having proven to yourself that you CAN reach this goal, and having the inner satisfaction of knowing all the battles you have faced to get there. The internal reward of who you become on the other side of your achievement is what makes it all worth while.

So Dear-Reader what do you need to put on your bucket list?

Warwick In Action

Warwick Merry - The Get More Guy, is your high energy, results focused, action oriented, no holds barred tour de force Master MC, keynote speaker and Exhibiting Specialist. He ensures your attendees Get More from your event. His MC work is like insurance for your event. It guarantees things will run smoothly and on time. As a speaker, he is like a dose of sparkling mineral water – a bubbling, burst of healthy, sustainable energy for your attendees. If you need a burst of inspiration, cogitation and celebration at your next event you MUST book The Get More Guy, Warwick Merry.

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Monday, 18 September 2017

The Art of Polite Debate

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It's official, we have lost the art of polite debate.

The evidence is littered across the pages of Facebook, scattered in the comments on YouTube videos and evident in any of our recent vision of political discussions.

There are two impediments to our ability to debate politely: 1) Our Target and 2) Our Beliefs.

Our Target
Our target has shifted. In the past it was simply the person with whom we were talking. Now it is anyone watching. So our arguments have to be inflated, exaggerated, entertaining, influencing and somewhat over the top. Not for the person we are debating but for anyone else who may be watching.

Our target has also moved from the subject matter to the individual. A healthy, logical argument would attack the subject and poke flaws at the process or logic that was used and during the discussion, offer an alternate, more robust and more logical method to come to a conclusion.

Now it seems the first step (or if you are lucky, the second step) is to attack the individual. When I say "attack" I really mean it. The abuse and vitriol that is used is astonishing and all it does is make the person being attacked more defensive and closed minded in their beliefs.

Our Beliefs
The Josh Wheedon film, Serenity, has a fantastic scene where the older cleric discusses how the government operative has a blinding belief that drives him and nothing can stop him because of the strength of his belief.

We see this every day.

Logic no longer has a place in many discussions, let alone debates. Some people's beliefs are so strong that they can not even consider the undesirable impact of their beliefs. Their belief is so strong that they struggle to see why anyone could have a different perspective from theirs. Their belief is so strong that their mind is closed. Closed even to different approaches that may make their lives better.

So what can we do?

There are a couple of key elements to a healthy, polite and respectful debate:

Attack the subject and not the person - even if you think the other person is wrong, even if you don't think they deserve it, treat them with courtesy.
Base your argument on proven facts - opinions are great but some are wildly inaccurate and damaging. Facts will always serve you well.
Be passionate about your position. Facts alone won't do it but be careful not to be blinded by passion.
Be willing to be wrong. If you are not willing to even consider the opposing view point, how can you hope for your opposition to be open to your perspective.
Listen to what is being communicated. If you are unable to listen, your debates has just become a shouting match.
Don't let your beliefs stop you from seeing the truth. The facts and truth have a power to them that beliefs never will. Sometimes you need to get out of your own road.
Let it go. Sometimes there are debates you will never be able to take part in (let alone win). These are the ones you have to walk away from. Adding fuel to the flame will only build a bigger fire and risk you getting burnt. Choose your debates wisely.

No matter what you debate, you can always do it politely and with respect while being passionate about your position.

So Dear-Reader, when you next are having a discussion or passionate conversation, how will you practice the art of polite debate?

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Tuesday, 12 September 2017

Extreme Self Care

One thing I work on with all of my mentoring clients with is Extreme Self Care.

That is, putting significant effort into making sure your needs are met and that you get what you need to protect yourself as you grow.

Most commonly this is the old story from the flight attendant telling you to put your own mask on before trying to help others. But it is more than that. It is standing up for yourself and even fighting for yourself when you need to.

I have a situation like that at the moment.

Naturally I have considered the situation from a customer service perspective as well as from a brand impact perspective. I have even received external advice on the situation to take any personal opinion out of the situation. The outcome is that I will be enforcing a cancellation fee.

The reason? I am worth it and so is my business.

It is worth fighting for. It is worth delivering good service for. It is worth practicing extreme self care for. It is also worth respecting.
It is not the easier path but it is the more worthwhile and rewarding path.

Dear-Reader where do you need to practice Extreme Self Care?

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Monday, 4 September 2017

Grabbing Attention

I was at the Integrate Trade Show in Melbourne this week. A show all about Audio Visual for conferences, corporates and large areas.

So many exhibitors had spend huge money on their stands showing off their latest and greatest technology. Some of the big brands built two story exhibitions with screens and logos everywhere.

It was a huge waste of money.

These same brands looked like they spent very little money on creating an atmosphere for the visitor or training their staff on how to approach and interact with the visitors.

Create LED had a different approach.

They had a much smaller presence. A simple black cloth background. A different display using one unique product, their Air Magic Box and staff who smiled, engaged with people who walked past and created a pleasant experience. Click on this link or the image above to see it in action.

Their return on investment would have been significantly greater than that of the big name, multi-storied booth exhibitors. Mainly because they focussed on what counts, the Visitor and not themselves.

Grabbing the attention of a visitor is not all about you. It is mainly about the visitor. What is something new and unusual for them that will get their attention and start a conversation about their interests and needs?

This works not only at trade shows, but also in one on one conversations at networking events, presenting at conferences or your traditional marketing pieces.

So Dear-Reader, how do you get their attention?

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Monday, 21 August 2017

What Are You Looking For?

I happened to notice Winston the Wonder Poodle basking in the sun a couple of days ago. Now this spot is in the kitchen just under the cook top. It is not the most comfy place to rest but it was the only place in the house where the sun was coming in.

Winston is a sun lover. He will frequently track down the most obscure place where there is a glimpse of sun so he can rest in it and keep warm. He knows what he is after and he tracks it down.

What are you looking for?

It is four months and four days until Christmas day. The year is effectively two thirds done. Have you gotten the results you are after?

Isn't it funny that those who feel that they have achieved more actually knew what they wanted in the first place. They knew what they were looking for, made plans and took action to get there.

If you truly want to achieve some fantastic results by the end of the year, how will you do it and who will help you get there?

What are you looking for?

If you are looking for a mentor/coach, I have some good news, there are two spots available in my mentoring program. To help you get results by Christmas 2017, I am offering these spots, with a three month commitment at my association price of $650 per month. Contact me via my website for more information or to book in.

Regardless of the steps you take, you MUST take steps. Knowing what direction to take the steps in to get you closer to your goal makes all the difference.

So Dear-Reader what are you looking for?

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Monday, 14 August 2017

YES - It's an Act of Love

YES - It's An Act of Love

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For a country with three of the top ten most liveable cities, it is a shame that our politics don't match. Particulalry when it comes to Marriage Equality.

Our politicians have decided not to do the job that we elected them to and get us to do an Australian Idol kind of vote that is non-binding (ie they don't have to act on the results in any way) and could possibly be illegal (there is a case before the High Court as we speak). If politicians want to know what the public think, an opinion poll would be more statistically accurate and cost about $100 million less. (Polls show up to 72% of Australians support marriage equality)

Putting all that to one side, what we are talking about is legislating love. That has never worked and has never served the people when it has been tried. My gorgeous wife is of Sri Lankan descent. In a not too distant past, some governments would have stopped (or tried to stop) our "inter-racial" marriage.

Everyone has their own opinion and will vote how they choose. But I am not clear on what voting against marriage equality will gain.

Couples will still live together, will still love each other, will still raise families if they choose, still pay taxes, still go about their normal lives - regardless of the outcome.

But voting against it means that their spouse will not be recognised under law. So should their spouse die, they will be faced with reams of paperwork to access what current married spouses take for granted.

This happened to Lara Ryan and I couldn't imagine the turmoil. In a Facebook post she talks about how she had to:

Get police permission to write "Spouse" on incident reports
Cross out boxes for Husband and Father on the birth certificate of her newborn
Scream in an emergency room, "She's my wife - I know it's not legal but she's my wife"

Because GLBTIQ marriage is not recognised in Australia, should you get married overseas, you cannot get divorced here (because we don't believe you got married!) Recently the United Nations said that Australia is in breach of human rights because of this because one person had to apply to them to try and get some kind of closure on their marriage. Our government is still considering this breach.

A gay couple married in the UK came to Australia for their honeymoon. Tragically one of them died here. Under our law they were not considered married so the surviving partner could not sign next of kin documents or take the appropriate action at a time of great grief.

These are just a few of the issues that are faced by our lack of marriage equality. All because their committed relationships are not recognised by our laws.

Oh, and the impact on non-GLBTIQ people if GLBTIQ people get married? NONE. (Well except for missing out on some fantastic celebrations). According to the multiple other countries that allow everyone to get married, there has been no devastation, no corruption of the innocent, all that has happened is that anyone can now take the steps to get married.

Voting Yes on our non-binding plebiscite is a vote of love. It is a vote for other peoples love as well as your own. It is a vote for allowing basic rights to those that have been denied them. It is a vote of tolerance. It is a vote of consideration. It is a vote to allow people to show publicly what others already know. It is a vote for our country to move forward.

Some people will vote No for religious reasons but I don't understand that. Most religions I know of are founded on love. Nearly every holy scripture, regardless of religion, will have a quote saying that love is the foundation of life (or something to that affect). While you may not agree with marriage equality, who are you to impose your will on another who will keep loving their partner regardless of what you think? Wouldn't it be an act of love to contribute to their security, their happiness, their love?

Let's be super honest, the sanctity of marriage has long past. We have TV shows where people get married without having met the person before. Celebrities get married for a matter of hours, not even days. It is not uncommon for people to have been married multiple times (I am up to my second but that's where it ends for me!) It is a great institution and a display of commitment, but let's not say it is something it is not.

In a world where we see hate in action on a daily basis, surely it is time for a strong act of love.

PS Shaun Micallef puts forward one fo the best arguments on this subject. It's worth the three minutes to watch it.

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Tuesday, 8 August 2017

The Most Important Sale

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All the sales trainers I have ever had the good fortune to learn under have constantly said that the most important sale is the first sale, and the first sale is always to yourself!

If you don't believe in the value of your product or service, how can you then sell it to others?

What they didn't say is that you don't just make this sale once. You will need to make this sale over and over again.

So many people make you doubt yourself, your product, your service, your price, your delivery method, your expertise and they do it, not to attack you, but to better position themselves in the negotiation.

For example, on Friday I was referred to an organisation that was hosting a two day conference for 200 CXOs on the following Wednesday and Thursday. After an initial email briefing where they requested a "strong and experienced MC", I sent them a high level proposal.

Sunday they got back to me saying that it was a lot more than they had budgeted and in fact their budget was a third of my quoted price. They felt it was an easy gig. Very straight forward simply introducing people and asking a few questions.

This is where the doubt started to creep in.

Fortunately I know there is no such thing as an "Easy MC gig".

Now most professionals (be they MCs, speakers, sports people, business people or whatever) make things look easy. Maybe they make it look effortless rather than easy. The reason for this, is they are good at what they do because they work at it.

As I advised this prospect, while it may seem easy, I have spent over 20 years honing my skill to make it look easy. So when the AV fails (as it will), when a speaker finishes in half the time and I step in with relevant and meaningful questions, when the audience is about to go to sleep and they need to be energised, when one of the strong minded CXOs takes over the microphone during question time and starts waffling on with no question in sight or when a sponsor needs some attention, I will have you covered, no matter what - THAT is what you are paying for.

My delighted clients, repeat clients and referring clients show me that my fee is fair and that I deliver great value for that fee.

So I had to decline that prospects offer to work for 1/3 my usual fee.

What about you Dear-Reader? Have you made that most important sale?

Even if you are not directly in sales, it is important to know that you add real value to those around you. If you need it, collect some testimonials, quotes or evidence of that value so when you are starting to doubt yourself, you can look at the proof of the value you offer.

The first sale is always to you and you need to be sure you can keep making that sale time and time again.

You are too important not to make it!

Warwick In Action

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Monday, 25 September 2017

The Other Side

The Other Side

Monday, 18 September 2017

The Art of Polite Debate

The Art of Polite Debate

Tuesday, 12 September 2017

Extreme Self Care

Extreme Self Care

Monday, 4 September 2017

Grabbing Attention

Grabbing Attention

Monday, 21 August 2017

What Are You Looking For?

What Are You Looking For?

Monday, 14 August 2017

YES - It's an Act of Love

YES - It's An Act of Love

Tuesday, 8 August 2017

The Most Important Sale

The Most Important Sale

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