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Brad Lyon
06-02-2003, 06:36 PM
I am looking for some help! I have to give a speech at our Leadership Awards Banquet on Thursday night. First off, I am not a public speaker so I am going to be nervous as hell! Secondly, I don’t consider myself a leader, I look at my position on the school board as a four year commitment as a volunteer.

I am having a great time at this. Our staff, the other board members and myself have one major goal, do what is right for the kids. June 10th Will be my one year anniversary and I have clocked 387 hours thus far but does that make me a leader? In my eyes people like Digger and Bryan Tuvell are leaders because of how they worked up through the ranks in their military service.

I sure could use everyone’s thoughts on what makes someone a leader. I have to somehow come up with a speach by Wednesday night. :(

Asking for help, Brad

Fish boy
06-02-2003, 07:39 PM
Brad,
Even though you may be questioning whether you are a leader, apparently your fellow workers have no doubt since they asked you to speak. I am sure you will do fine as long as you speak from the heart.

I used to be afraid of public speaking. With my last job, I often found myself having to do so frequently and I was always a little nervous-it is natural. I picked up a few little things that helped me, and maybe they will help you as well.

First, find someone in the audience that is smiling. speak directly to them until the nerves go away. It is amazing what a friendly face will do to kill the butterflies. Once you get comfortable, begin moving eye contact around, but use the friendly person as a safe place that you can come back to as often as needed. I never had this opportunity, but if you can put a wife or girlfriend (not both) in the front row, you already have your friendly person.

Second, don't think of it as you speaking to a crowd, rather pretend you are telling a story to a group of your friends. I am sure you have come up to a group of people you know and said "guess what happened to me..." This is really no different.

Use a very brief outline that has just enough info to allow you to glance down, read a couple of words, and stay on track.

Lastly, have fun. It is up to you what you make of this experience. You may as well enjoy it, I am sure the recipients will.

Fish

TuxedoPk
06-02-2003, 07:58 PM
I've spoken on this topic using the Situational leadership model. Boiling it down, as a leader, you must adapt your style of leadership based upon those you are leading. The traditional situational leadership model breaks down an individual as being capable or incapable of performing a task, and willing or unwilling to perform the task.

This leaves you with 4 unique situations:
Unwilling but capable
Unwilling and incapable
Willing and capable
Willing and incapable

When we taught this class to high school age students at a leadership conference, we had them watch Top Gun and give critique and commentary of the various styles of leadership.

I would also throw in a bit about the diffence between managing and leading. Throw in the quote, "You manage process, you lead people" with strong tonal qualities and you'll have them sitting up. Another suggestion, when you deliver a line like that, repeat it again. People tend to place more credibility on something that you take the time to repeat.

Another quote worth tossing in twice is "People rise to the level of what you inspect, not what you expect."

Time permitting, you could use the pull vs. push style of leadership. Interesting examples to give if you get to use powerpoint slides are ships burning at sea after the captain deliberately sets fire so his troops have no way to retreat.

In terms of being a bit anxious about delivering this talk- don't be. The key is to let your own personality come out. Loosen the crowd up a bit and thing of ways to have fun with it yourself. If you're not a joke teller, and the audience aren't people who know you, start your first few sentences in the most dull monotone voice you can produce. You'll watch the audience begin to squirm as they believe they will be subjected to this for another 45 minutes or so...

The single biggest piece of advice I can give you on public speaking- Do everything humanly possible to not give your talk while food is being served or eaten. Trust me on this.

Not taking anything away from those who have served in the armed forces, but that is one style of leadership appropriate for certain situations. Applying that style of leadership style in the corporate world, or coaching little league would have the same disasterous affects as needing to be politically correct on the battlefield.

Final suggestions: Come up with a rough outline of the topics you will want to cover. Don't prepare something to read. Bullet points only- the words will come to you as you are delivering the speach. If you forget a point, who cares, nobody but you will know it.

If you are speaking from a podium, don't walk up with paper in your hand, or take it out of your jacket pocket. Put the paper or index card on the podium long before you will get up and speak.

There will be certain sections of topic that you know will be easy to talk about. Use these areas to get out from behind the podium and walk the room. I have delivered full day seminars to rooms of about 200 people where I walked to the back of the auditorium. It's hard to loose peoples attention when they have to twist their body to see you.

If you have a strong voice that can command a room without a mike, I recommend doing so. The energy that you will have to put into your voice will get you past any speaking apprehensions you have. Additionally, it allows you the opportunity to soften your voice when making a point, ala, E.F. Hutton.

Just as a reference, here's a link to a book on the situational leader.

Situational Leadership Book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0317139711/qid=1054600053/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-0501342-9380125?v=glance&s=books#product-details)

If you've got a good tow vehicle and are willing to drive a boat out to NY from your neck of the woods, I'll be happy to trade in some frequent flier miles and give the talk for you :)

mattyboy
06-02-2003, 08:36 PM
Brad,
a leader is someone who does not follow, and you might not think so, but if you have volunteered to , or elected to the school board you have taken the iniative (SP?) and are not a follower but a leader. If you keep it simple, get to the point, speak from your heart you can't go wrong.
I have been involved in many volunteer organazations, ELKS, AOH, CYO basketball and have found myself in similiar spots speaking to 100 to 300 people at a time, I break the ice with a little humor, let the audience know you're alittle nervous,they will understand.
an Old Irish saying when you have to give a speech,{ I used this one at a dinner to honor me and my wife } " I was nervous about giving this speech so I talked to my _ mother or father either will work and they told me in their wise way not to be nervous that it was like a wake, the audience expect to see the body,and they don't expect it to talk too much.
If you want email me and I can send some clean ice breaker jokes if you like


good luck
Matty

TuxedoPk
06-02-2003, 09:53 PM
A possible sad but true fact.

Fear of public speaking is the number one phobia (glossobia) afflicting 75% of the population. One of the next most common fears is death.

This means that 3/4 of the population would prefer to be in the box than delivering the eulogy.

-Don't be a glossophobe! I agree with Matt, keep your main thoughts simple, and you'll find the words just flow when the time comes. Remember, 75% of the audience is just thankful that its not them up there.. I can't wait to hear back from you the positive feedback you're sure to get after delivering the talk!

oldLenny
06-02-2003, 10:36 PM
Brad, keep it simple. The mere fact that you were asked states a strong fact that people in the "know" have respect and confidence in you. That is the flattery that you will need to draw upon in order to pull this off. You will, that is why you are there. wink

MOP
06-02-2003, 11:01 PM
Come on Guy, you the Inovator may be a bit queezy I think that you are a leader in deeds and knowledge. Go in proud of who you are and knowing your achievements, I think you will be just fine, the frienldy face thing does work. A few minutes into things you'll calm down!

That is untill you spot me in the back of the room Sticking my Toungue out at you :D :D

Walt. H.
06-03-2003, 02:15 AM
Hi Brad,

Here's a topic you could take apart and use while also having fun telling it.This was recently sent to me by a close friend. To everyone else enjoy reading it. I did and totally agreed with it too.

TAKE A 5 MINUTE BRAKE AND GO BACK IN TIME



I Can't Believe We Made It!


According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's probably shouldn't have survived.

Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint.

We had no childproof lids or locks on medicine bottles, doors, or
cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets.

Not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking.

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors!

We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank soda pop with sugar in
it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We had fathers and mothers that showed and interest in what we were doing and gave us ideas on how to make it better.

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we
were back when the street lights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. No cell phones. Unthinkable!

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound,
personal cell phones, personal computers, or Internet chat rooms.

We had friends! We went outside and found them.

We played dodge ball, and sometimes, the ball would really hurt.

We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame but us. Remember accidents?
Is accident still in Websters?

We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it.
We did not use knives and guns to settle our disputes.

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out any eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or rang the bell or just walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.

Some students weren't as smart as others, so they failed a grade and
were held back to repeat the same grade.

Horrors!

Tests were not adjusted for any reason.


Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected.

The idea of parents bailing us out if we got in trouble in school or
broke a law was unheard of.

They actually sided with the school or the law. Imagine that!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem
solvers, and inventors, ever.

We had freedom, failure, success, and
responsibility -- and we learned how to deal with it.
And you're one of them!
Congratulations.

Please pass this on to others who have had the luck to grow up as kids before lawyers and government regulated our lives for our own good !!!

Yours in boating,
Walt.

Brad Lyon
06-03-2003, 11:32 AM
These are great suggestions everyone, thanks. Anyone care to chime in with their thoughts on what makes someone a "LEADER"? I will be giving this speach to a group of high school students and their parents.

BTW Tuxedopk, I would take you up on your offer in a heart beat if I could. Tow vehicle, no problem!

Brad

Digger
06-03-2003, 01:26 PM
some great suggestions there. off the top of my head, what makes a leader:
-someone who sets the example, in every way. I think this is a big one, maybe the biggest. It takes about a microsecond for savvy subordinates to spot hypocrisy.
-someone who delegates responsibility without micromanaging. In other words, someone who will actually trust others to get something done.
-someone who can act as a bs filter, take care of annoyances that your subordinates don't need to waste time on.
-impartiality, in word and deed.
-humility.
-integrity.
-someone who can distinguish between what is important and what is not important (see bs filter)
-communication: ask yourself, many times each day, "what do I know, who needs to know it, and
have I told them?"


have fun with the talk-

Doug G
06-03-2003, 01:26 PM
Brad, I am currently reading a book, The Leadership Challenge, by James Kouzes and Barry Posner. I'm not that far into it, but a couple of things have really jumped out at me. First, leadership is not a "position", but rather having the courage and the spirit to make a significant difference. Second, there are five practices that were common to extraordinary leaders: Model the Way; Inspire a Shered Vision; Challenge the Process; Enable Others to Act; Encourage the Heart.

It seems to me that with the committment you show in this that you do have the courage and spirit to make a significant difference. The fact that you were chosen to speak leads me to believe that you exhibit at least some of the 5 practices.

As far as the speech itself, just be yourself. The nerves will settle, they help keep you focused. Most of all, have fun with it.

Let us know how you do. Good Luck

Doug

DonzigoJR
06-03-2003, 01:33 PM
Leaders----
1. What makes a leader is someone thats willing to try doing things a different way.
2. Someone who is willing to take calculated risks and understands that the outcome may be good or bad, but is willing to accept there own mistakes.
3. Someone that does the right thing even if it hurts.
4. Leaders are people that stick up for others even if there is no beneficial interest for themselves.
5. Listens to his intervoice instead of the voices around him.
6. A Leader lives and is governed by the rules that are altruistic.
7. Someone who's time is available for anyone who may need it.
8. A leader is interested in helping to bring the weekest link to the top of the chain.
9. A Leader is someone who is interested in the well being of others.
10. A leader finds his or her own way in life and doesn't follow the ways of others
11. A leader is willing to put others before him or her self.
12. A leader doesn't not judge others
13. A leader is not that of a selfish nature
14. A Leader is someone that believes in growth.
15. A leader is not selfish.
16. A leader is not greedy.
17. A leader is generous.
18. A leader is compasionate about there desires and yours.
19. A leader will be the first to step forward when times are rough.
20. A leader is not opinionated
21. A leader respects all thing living and not.

Just a few things I have observed from leaders I have known.

Hope this helps.... wink
Dave

Brad Lyon
06-03-2003, 09:01 PM
Thanks for all of the input everyone. It is GREATLY APPRECIATED ! I will be using a fair amount of this material. You guy's are the greatest. :D

Many Thanks,
Brad

Wildfire
06-04-2003, 09:44 PM
Check out www.injoy.com (http://www.injoy.com) It is a website run by John Maxwell. He is a recognized expert on leadership and always has good stuff on there. His book, "The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership" is very good and an easy read - 3 hours.

His approach comes from his background in the church. One of his comments is that volunteer organizations(schoolboard, church, etc)are the hardest to lead because the followers aren't getting paid, so a big motivator is gone. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

ToonaFish
06-10-2003, 10:23 AM
What a great post! How did the speech go?

Bunches,

Celene 'trying to catch up on her missed posts'