by Sally Anders
Professional Member
In my November article reviewing our first Executive Speaker School, I focused on our instructors. Those excellent speakers who volunteered to share their knowledge and secrets on the speaking game. This time, I want to draw your attention to our luncheon speaker, Jim Morrison. Jim taught at our wonderful learning event in the best way possible – by showing our students what a professional speaker looks like.
Using stories, humor and music, Jim Morrison applies his 20-plus years of management experience to delivering messages that focus on the simple solutions to common, personal and organizational problems. He is a professional member of the National Speaker's Association, as well as our chapter, which once honored him with the Chapter Member of the Year Award, and the Spirit of Service Award for long-term dedication to our chapter and the speaking industry. Getting awards is something Jim seems to excel in as he also received the Shining Star Award from United Way for having trained their loaned employees in speaking skills for more than 12 years. Jim was a great addition to our day of learning.
In telling his personal story of a life changing phone call, he made the point that we are all only one phone call from a life changing experience – demonstrating the value of sharing your stories with your audience.
Success, another of the day's themes, was put into perspective when Jim compared the earnings of Michael Jordan, who made about $40 million a year, to Bill Gates. Michael would have to save all his earnings for 270 years to equal the wealth of Bill Gates! Here Jim showed how the eloquent use of statistics can make your point so much more memorable. His point about developing your own definition of success will be remembered, thanks to Michael and Bill's example.
Jim's obvious heart felt emotion drove home the importance of recognizing how your well thought out and developed definition of success can quickly change with that life changing phone call, and the importance of being a good communicator – especially a good listener – which could help you achieve whatever your new definition of success happens to be.
Jim's strong close pulled it all together by challenging us all not to wait for that life changing phone call, but to make those all important life changes now. He challenged us to call someone today. To make some life changes without the phone call or the emergency that prompted it.
Jim shared some great, entertaining platform tips about distracting gestures like the swaying speaker, the parade rest speaker, the flasher and the fig leaf speaker. He also emphasized the importance of meeting the time frame – no matter how much it may have changed from your original agreement. But he need not have bothered telling us how a professional speaker stood or moved or filled his time slot with respect for the entire event, because he was a perfect example of what a prepared, passionate and professional speaker looks and sounds like.
Most of the attendees at our Executive Speaker School were there to learn how to give a better speech – not to turn pro. Good thing. Because all of our speakers, including our example of a great luncheon speaker who molds his message to fit the theme of the conference, Jim Morrison, clearly demonstrated the substantial difference between a "pretty good speaker" and a "professional speaker."
Well done!
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