Author: mjaysonmeyer

Everyone has a great idea inside them — that dream or passion project you simply can’t stop thinking about. But when it comes to executing that great idea, even the best would-be companies and inventions can die on the vine because you simply don’t know how to make your dream a reality. Even large companies can face this kind of challenge. Fortunately, there’s something you can do about it!

Whether you’re already working with a company or you’re an individual trying to make it with a big dream and a passion, here are the three key tips for turning your ideas into reality — a.k.a. going from a dreamer to a doer.

1. Become Obsessed With Your Vision

As a dreamer, you likely have so many ideas swirling around your head at all times. In order to become a doer, you’ll have to get specific about the dreams you’re going to focus all of your time and attention on. These specific dreams will become your vision!

Don’t just spend a few hours a day or week thinking about your vision, though. Become obsessed with it! Make it your pastime, your hobby, Tinker with it night and day so that you are thoroughly familiar with it. This doesn’t mean spending 24/7 in your office, though; in fact, spending time with your vision can be an exercise in creativity! The more you think about your big idea and have fun with it, the more it will stick with you (and you, in turn, with it).

As you begin to take little steps toward your desired outcome, always keep your vision close to your chest, and make sure you never forget your “why.”

2. If You Can’t Find a Way, Make a Way

In some situations, the dream that you’re trying to make a reality simply hasn’t been done before. Perhaps there are even people in your life telling you that your idea will never work and that you shouldn’t try. But don’t worry – stick with it! Remember, nothing is truly a failure if you learned a lesson from it, so don’t be afraid to persist. You don’t want to stop short of the proverbial finish line when you’re only a few steps away.

When dreamers look for a way to make their goals happen but can’t find it, they often give up. Doers, on the other hand, will simply make their own way and forge a brand new path for others to follow. You have to be willing to go outside of the norm, sometimes, and that’s okay.

3. Believe in Your Potential

The other fun benefit of not seeing failures as, well, failures — but opportunities? You become way more confident. When you realize that failure isn’t an option, and start to fully have faith in yourself, you’ll feel unstoppable. And remember to celebrate all the little victories along the way. Even if they feel small or inconsequential, they’re actually unlocking your next level of potential.

Remember, this isn’t “blind faith.” You have every reason to believe in your ideas and abilities! Once you realize that, you might just notice your mindset starts to shift in an exciting way.

At the end of the day, no one path to success looks the same. And even then, everyone’s “success” may look different, too. But the only way to achieve success is to actually take steps toward it. While every step may not be what you planned or how you planned it, every avenue is a learning and growing opportunity. What big idea do you want to make a reality? What is your first step to becoming a “doer” not just a “dreamer?”

Looking for ways to improve your communication, boost your confidence as a leader, and engage with your organization (and community) on a new level? Public speaking is the answer.

This may not be your favorite form of communication — but by honing your speech skills, you will be able to execute your vision on a larger scale than ever before. The best part? These tips aren’t just for keynote speakers. They’re useful for CEOs, team leaders, and anyone in your organization looking for ways to get meaningful messages across in clear, accessible ways.

Ahead, five ways you can improve your public speaking skills — starting today.

Be a storyteller

The first step on your journey to better public speaking? Stop thinking of yourself as an orator, lecturer, keynote speaker, or whatever the occasion might call for. You’re a storyteller, first and foremost!

According to Jennifer Aaker, a marketing professor at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, stories are more memorable than facts alone — up to 22% more memorable, in fact. That’s significant! Most people probably don’t see themselves as natural public speakers, but we’ve all told a story before: a funny anecdote to a friend, a teaching moment to your child, a spooky tale told around a summer campfire. By tapping into your storyteller side, you can help make the public speaking process a little easier.

Even settings that seem more formal or fact-focused can benefit from story elements. For example, if you’re making a financial presentation, you may be able to illustrate key findings with a story about how they impact your organization on a more personal level. Of course, you don’t need to forego exciting figures and important data entirely — but by bolstering your speech with a humanizing story, you make it that much more powerful!

Be kind… to yourself!

We tend to be our own worst critics, especially when it comes to public speaking. Though this type of communication can be nerve-wracking, it’s helpful to remember that everyone’s been there, in some or another. Look at it this way: when you’re an audience member, are you picking apart every detail about the speaker in front of you? Or, more likely, are you trying to absorb what they say — maybe even getting lost in your own thoughts about your next meeting, or upcoming projects?

The bottom line: no one will ever analyze you quite as much as you analyze you! Once you embrace this, you’ll be able to relax and engage with your audience on a new level.

Keep logistics in mind

It’s easy to forget presentation and technology logistics while you focus on the material of your speech, but this is an important step, too! You don’t need to use props or an elaborate slideshow to make your speech more engaging — but if you find it helpful to illustrate key concepts, you’ll want to ensure that the setting of your speech is compatible with whatever software you decide to use. (The last thing you want before a big speech is technical difficulties!) A few more considerations:

• How easily your presentation flows from point to point
• The amount of information on each slide (it’s best not to “overcrowd” a page, even
  digitally)
• How you plan to speak and control your slideshow at the same time. Don’t be afraid to rehearse this for a smooth presentation day of!
• 93% of communication is non-verbal. Sometimes, it’s less about what you say and more about how you say it!

Know your audience

While certain speech practices work across the board (such as the power of storytelling!), you’ll still want to refine your approach for your specific audience. Consider factors such as:

• Whether you’re speaking virtually or in-person
• The level of formality of your event
• How well you know your audience
• The audience size

Chances are, you’ve been part of many different audiences — keynote speeches, quarterly presentations, school orientations, you name it. Harness these experiences to inform your approach. For example, what did you like (or dislike) about a memorable guest speaker? Where
possible, jot down notes about speeches that captivate you in the moment, so you can employ those strategies when it’s your turn. You’ll thank yourself later!

Knowing your audience is also about making your audience more important than the words you are using. Connect deeply with the audience and they will retain more and be more engaged.

Learn by example

Speaking of speeches that inspire — if you want to seriously expand your communication skills, learn by example! You wouldn’t write a book before reading a few first or make a delicious dessert without embracing your sweet tooth from time to time. The same idea applies to public
speaking. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to access engaging speeches you can learn from, whether you find buzzworthy talks online or welcome a guest speaker to your organization! On that front, Jayson Meyer is more than happy to help.

With experience delivering encouraging, effective messages on a variety of topics — from maximizing revenue to motivating employees — Jayson is ready to support your team and share valuable public speaking insights at the same time! Connect with him today to learn more.

When profits are down, business leadership often makes up for that shortfall at the expense of employees. They may freeze wages, cancel bonuses, or eliminate perks. At the same time, they often expect employees to intensify their efforts.

Additionally, leadership may sacrifice customer experience. This is often justified with claims that it’s necessary to boost revenue and cut expenses.

All of these choices are demoralizing for workers and frustrating for customers. Fortunately, things are starting to shift — and many companies are now putting people before profits. Keep reading to find out why and to learn some improvement strategies for businesses that want to make similar changes.

Why are people-first approaches getting more popular?

Businesses are making this change for several reasons. First, consumers are demanding it. Price and quality may be key considerations, but customers also want to buy from companies that share their values. This means:

• Paying people well and offering attractive benefits
• Committing to environmental stewardship
• Caring for the community

Customers are also demanding that companies deliver better experiences. All of these developments have led leaders to realize that more stakeholders are involved in business success than just the investors. People are the key input ingredient to any business. Hiring quality people and taking care of them leads to more customer engagement and satisfaction which ultimately leads to more profitability.

People-focused improvement strategies for businesses

A company can experience long-term success if it has employees who are engaged and happy, customers who are proud to be associated with it, and a community that believes it adds value. Doing the right things for the right reasons follows the laws of attraction and brings into our personal realities the things we desire. Focusing on quality outcomes, whether that’s a customer engagement or a relationship, leads naturally leads to profit. Here are some strategies to achieve that success:

• Create a social responsibility statement and ensure your policies reflect it
• Audit and improve diversity efforts
• Build a pro-employee culture
• Collect employee feedback and act on it
• Review salary and benefits schedules
• Offer workers autonomy and flexibility
• Hire for cultural fit
• Train leaders to manage for outcomes, not processes
• Make a commitment to improving sustainability
• Create initiatives to give back to the community

People before profit aren’t just nice words it is a time-tested philosophy that works. As you make modifications, remember that small, permanent changes over time will have more impact than major shifts that can’t be sustained. When we focus on adding value and serving others the profit always follows.

Looking for more insights on balancing people with profits in your organization? Connect with Jayson Meyer today.