Larry Answers Fan Questions #1
This is a great blog post from Larry Winget. I especially liked the Red Dawn reference at the end!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Dr. Rick Goodman
One of the says our team gets to know speakers (new and those we have worked with for years) is inviting them to participate in our sales meetings. We invite one speaker to conference in during our Tuesday morning sales meeting for 15 minutes to talk with the team. Speakers use this time in several different ways. Newer speakers to our bureau focus on what makes them unique and why we should recommend them to our clients. Speakers already with an established track record with our bureau use this time to reinforce their background and to get us up to date with what they are doing.
Today, the speaker invited to the sales meeting was Dr. Rick Goodman. We've worked with Rick several times over that past few years and have had great feedback from our clients. We've always positioned him for general audiences on the topics of Change, Negotiation, Conflict Management, Team Building and various Communication topics.
The purpose of his call with the team today was to talk about his return to a health care focus. The plus side of Rick in this area is his non-political approach to the changes in health care. He looks at both sides of the issue (from practitioner to patient to caretakers) and how it effects us all in very different ways.
He is unique in the fact that his track record by developing (and later selling) one of the largest health care practices in St. Louis, was vice-president of operations for Neurology Associates Group, Inc, (which grew to be one of the largest medical practices in south Florida) and in being on the medical staff or the St. Louis Rams and the St. Louis Ambush.
Whether you are looking for a program targeted specially for health care or a topic on Change, Negotiation, Conflict Management, Team Building or Communication, Dr. Rick Goodman is a someone you should consider for bringing to your team, organizaiton or association.
The purpose of his call with the team today was to talk about his return to a health care focus. The plus side of Rick in this area is his non-political approach to the changes in health care. He looks at both sides of the issue (from practitioner to patient to caretakers) and how it effects us all in very different ways.
He is unique in the fact that his track record by developing (and later selling) one of the largest health care practices in St. Louis, was vice-president of operations for Neurology Associates Group, Inc, (which grew to be one of the largest medical practices in south Florida) and in being on the medical staff or the St. Louis Rams and the St. Louis Ambush.
Whether you are looking for a program targeted specially for health care or a topic on Change, Negotiation, Conflict Management, Team Building or Communication, Dr. Rick Goodman is a someone you should consider for bringing to your team, organizaiton or association.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Answer the Hard Questions!
I was playing electronic solitaire mahjong tonight. The house was quiet with no sound really other than the clicking of the mouse and the quiet whir of the desk fan. While strategizing on how on what tiles to play together and when I found myself reflecting on the assessment I took yesterday. I was playing back what Scott Schwefel said about the assessment basically asks you the same question 25 times to get at an accurate reflection of the unconscious and conscious self. By asking the same question in various ways, it is able to get to the core of how you see yourself even when you don't know you are looking. It's probably the reason I'm still looking for the hidden cameras!
One of the hats that I wear at FIVE STAR is that I'm responsible for collecting information on new speakers and keep updated information on the speakers in which we have an established relationship. My mind then reflected on the Speaker Profile that we ask all the speakers we work with to complete. It's based on the questions we get from our customers when they are looking for speakers for their event.
There is one question that is on the profile that I consider one of the most important questions when evaluating new speaker, but I have found over the years must be one of the hardest to answer. So hard than only half of the people who complete the profile even answer the question. The question is "Speakers I am similar to." For speakers who we don't know and are sending this to us blind, outside of what topics they speak on and the background, it's probably the most important question.
It's important on several levels. First being, it gives us the expectation of what the person may deliver to the client. Especially if they are comparing themselves to someone we've seen. If the question is answered honestly, it can help with starting a momentum with the agents. Secondly, many times we have clients wanting a speaker that is outside their budget but one someone similar that is in their budget. This helps us in determining what speakers to consider recommending to the client.
Now back the other half that don't answer this question. Part of this group attempt to answer the question with an non-answer. "No one, I'm completely unique" or "there's no one like me out there." I say these are non-answers because it's avoiding the truth. While we all think we are unique, there's always SOMEONE that you are like even a little bit. In the 5 years that I have asked this question, I have yet to find anyone that said this that I couldn't compare them to in either delivery style, topic category or content.
I realize there is the main reason that this question get skipped or completed with a non-answer, fear. Fear that we will propose that speaker instead or worse with of them and the client will book the other speaker instead. While I won't deny that could happen, the real reason behind the question is to help get them proposed more!
What I also 'see' when it's not answered is that this speaker hasn't done their competitive analysis. In this industry speakers are always competing with another speaker somewhere. Depending on the topic, they could be competing with several hundred speakers.
My mind jumped to this while thinking of the assessment is that it always in the back of my mind on how to ask this question differently in order to get answer the question. I don't have the answer, but I would hate to add 25 more questions to the the already 8 page profile!
If you actually read this whole thing, the essence of this blog post is . . . if you are hit with a hard question, use it as an opportunity to reflect on yourself and don't skip it or give a non-answer. You could be short changing yourself and blocking the success for which you are aiming!
One of the hats that I wear at FIVE STAR is that I'm responsible for collecting information on new speakers and keep updated information on the speakers in which we have an established relationship. My mind then reflected on the Speaker Profile that we ask all the speakers we work with to complete. It's based on the questions we get from our customers when they are looking for speakers for their event.
There is one question that is on the profile that I consider one of the most important questions when evaluating new speaker, but I have found over the years must be one of the hardest to answer. So hard than only half of the people who complete the profile even answer the question. The question is "Speakers I am similar to." For speakers who we don't know and are sending this to us blind, outside of what topics they speak on and the background, it's probably the most important question.
It's important on several levels. First being, it gives us the expectation of what the person may deliver to the client. Especially if they are comparing themselves to someone we've seen. If the question is answered honestly, it can help with starting a momentum with the agents. Secondly, many times we have clients wanting a speaker that is outside their budget but one someone similar that is in their budget. This helps us in determining what speakers to consider recommending to the client.
Now back the other half that don't answer this question. Part of this group attempt to answer the question with an non-answer. "No one, I'm completely unique" or "there's no one like me out there." I say these are non-answers because it's avoiding the truth. While we all think we are unique, there's always SOMEONE that you are like even a little bit. In the 5 years that I have asked this question, I have yet to find anyone that said this that I couldn't compare them to in either delivery style, topic category or content.
I realize there is the main reason that this question get skipped or completed with a non-answer, fear. Fear that we will propose that speaker instead or worse with of them and the client will book the other speaker instead. While I won't deny that could happen, the real reason behind the question is to help get them proposed more!
What I also 'see' when it's not answered is that this speaker hasn't done their competitive analysis. In this industry speakers are always competing with another speaker somewhere. Depending on the topic, they could be competing with several hundred speakers.
My mind jumped to this while thinking of the assessment is that it always in the back of my mind on how to ask this question differently in order to get answer the question. I don't have the answer, but I would hate to add 25 more questions to the the already 8 page profile!
If you actually read this whole thing, the essence of this blog post is . . . if you are hit with a hard question, use it as an opportunity to reflect on yourself and don't skip it or give a non-answer. You could be short changing yourself and blocking the success for which you are aiming!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Scott Schwefel
Let me start by saying in my 22 year career (OMG 22 years! Really??) I have taken pretty much every personality test there is out there. Especially after working for the American Management Association for 12 years. Reading the results of most of these assessments, I saw myself in part of what came back as a result, but they always felt stale, form letterish and a bit generic. Since high school I've been compared to various animals, so many four letter combinations that I could start my own language, former world leaders, an inverted check mark, so on and so on.
Today I took the Insight Profile. "Insight" full it definitely was!
Today, Scott Schwefel did a lunch & learn presentation for our team. His assessment was so dead on that I went back to my desk later just to look for the web cam only to realize I took the test originally in our old office space. (I'm still not convinced that there hasn't been some type of monitoring program set up as a in my computer! jk :)
Scott's presentation and explanation was entertaining as well informative. For his fee, you get a HUGE value and your team (or attendees) will walk away with information that will surprise. Right now his page on our site doesn't represent what he can do as well as it could .... but I'm working with him to make it better. Give us a call and we will get it together.
BTW, here's my color scheme!
Green – Show Me You Care
Blue – Give Me Details
Red – Be Brief, Be Bright, Be Gone
Yellow – Involve Me
Lunch Note: If you ever get the chance to eat at Wil Jenny's you won't be disappointed. Be sure to try the Jenny's Salad! For what could be a plain ordinary salad . . . it stands out from the crowd!
Today I took the Insight Profile. "Insight" full it definitely was!
Today, Scott Schwefel did a lunch & learn presentation for our team. His assessment was so dead on that I went back to my desk later just to look for the web cam only to realize I took the test originally in our old office space. (I'm still not convinced that there hasn't been some type of monitoring program set up as a in my computer! jk :)
Scott's presentation and explanation was entertaining as well informative. For his fee, you get a HUGE value and your team (or attendees) will walk away with information that will surprise. Right now his page on our site doesn't represent what he can do as well as it could .... but I'm working with him to make it better. Give us a call and we will get it together.
BTW, here's my color scheme!
Blue – Give Me Details
Red – Be Brief, Be Bright, Be Gone
Yellow – Involve Me
Lunch Note: If you ever get the chance to eat at Wil Jenny's you won't be disappointed. Be sure to try the Jenny's Salad! For what could be a plain ordinary salad . . . it stands out from the crowd!
Monday, May 10, 2010
10 Years at FIVE STAR
Today I celebrate my 10th year at FIVE STAR.
The industry has changed so much since when I first started. No more VHS tapes and miles and miles of press kit files. Good bye to big boxes being carried to the post office.
During the past ten years I have seen, spoken to and gotten to know some really great people. I'll never forget when Chubby Checker sang to me "Hey Good Looking" when I called about a date or recently when LaDonna Gatlin shared a lullaby when she was holding one of her grandchildren and talking to me about an upcoming program. Arnold Shaprio gave me the honor of holding one of his Oscars. (Yes, they really are that heavy!) Jim Tunney has accused me of stealing his Super Bowl ring, only to found it later in his luggage!Sharing pregnancy and early motherhood stories with Christine Cashen. Swooning over Yossi Ghinsberg and Richard Paul Evans. I've hit the town with Rory Rowland and The Scary Guy. Danced and laughed with Brinnon & Marks, David Naster, Mark Mayfield, Juliet Funt, Michel Aronin and Tom Ryan (who tried to break my camera in a hotel lobby in San Antonio) I've broken bread with the likes Ken Kragen, Jan McInnis and Randy Snow to name only a few. I've been inspired by Alan Law, Tim Sanders and Brian Tracy (again to name only a few). Got to meet and/or talk to personal heroes like Alan Bean and Rick Searfoss. I have had the honor of managing and working with some really great people (and speakers) like Brian Biro, Justin Berry, Emory Austin, Jim Jacobus and Don Reynolds. Not to mention founding the Dick Ruhe Admiration Society. I've shared OCD stories with Kent Rader and Kelly McDonald (yes, my calendar is on May right now!)
Last, but definitely not least, Harris Faulkner. If it were not for her, my family would most likely not know the love of God in our lives. Her book and story changed my life forever in ways I'll never know.
Best of all, I've had the honor of matching these wonderful people with some of the greatest companies that give us the honor of working with them year after year after year. I'd mention their names here, but I haven't gotten their permission and don't want to overstep their trust. If you are reading this . . . you know who you are! Without you, I wouldn't have the richness that is my life. So a big thank you to you as well.
Thank you all (those mentioned above and those I left out - you know who you are!) for your love, support, friendship and for just being who you are!
(Blogger Note: I know that there are tons of other people (and their support teams) that have touched my life in the last ten years and I apologize now if I didn't mention your name specifically.)
The industry has changed so much since when I first started. No more VHS tapes and miles and miles of press kit files. Good bye to big boxes being carried to the post office.
During the past ten years I have seen, spoken to and gotten to know some really great people. I'll never forget when Chubby Checker sang to me "Hey Good Looking" when I called about a date or recently when LaDonna Gatlin shared a lullaby when she was holding one of her grandchildren and talking to me about an upcoming program. Arnold Shaprio gave me the honor of holding one of his Oscars. (Yes, they really are that heavy!) Jim Tunney has accused me of stealing his Super Bowl ring, only to found it later in his luggage!Sharing pregnancy and early motherhood stories with Christine Cashen. Swooning over Yossi Ghinsberg and Richard Paul Evans. I've hit the town with Rory Rowland and The Scary Guy. Danced and laughed with Brinnon & Marks, David Naster, Mark Mayfield, Juliet Funt, Michel Aronin and Tom Ryan (who tried to break my camera in a hotel lobby in San Antonio) I've broken bread with the likes Ken Kragen, Jan McInnis and Randy Snow to name only a few. I've been inspired by Alan Law, Tim Sanders and Brian Tracy (again to name only a few). Got to meet and/or talk to personal heroes like Alan Bean and Rick Searfoss. I have had the honor of managing and working with some really great people (and speakers) like Brian Biro, Justin Berry, Emory Austin, Jim Jacobus and Don Reynolds. Not to mention founding the Dick Ruhe Admiration Society. I've shared OCD stories with Kent Rader and Kelly McDonald (yes, my calendar is on May right now!)
Last, but definitely not least, Harris Faulkner. If it were not for her, my family would most likely not know the love of God in our lives. Her book and story changed my life forever in ways I'll never know.
Best of all, I've had the honor of matching these wonderful people with some of the greatest companies that give us the honor of working with them year after year after year. I'd mention their names here, but I haven't gotten their permission and don't want to overstep their trust. If you are reading this . . . you know who you are! Without you, I wouldn't have the richness that is my life. So a big thank you to you as well.
Thank you all (those mentioned above and those I left out - you know who you are!) for your love, support, friendship and for just being who you are!
(Blogger Note: I know that there are tons of other people (and their support teams) that have touched my life in the last ten years and I apologize now if I didn't mention your name specifically.)
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