How Tough Can It Be? The Aspiring Speaker Checklist
This past week I received 19 – yes, NINETEEN – messages from friends, business associates, peers, and random strangers asking the same thing: “Can I take you to lunch and ask a few questions about the speaking business? I’d like to try my hand at making a career of it and thought you’d be […]
How To Calm Your Nerves for a Speech
I received the following desperate note on Facebook Messenger yesterday: Hi Jason!! I have just been informed that I have to do two; 45 minute presentations at our national sales meetings in one week in Texas. I am not a good speaker. What I mean by that, is that I’m petrified. I hate any […]
A Tale of Two Employees
“I hate going to work everyday,” he quickly admitted after our call had just begun. “It’s like they know I’m needed to fill a spot but I don’t feel needed in any other way. It’s like they don’t see what I could bring, my unique skillset and experience. I don’t know how much longer […]
Promise to The Work Family
Years ago, before I had kids, I was at a friend’s home and remember watching him with his little ones before sending them off to school. The whole family put their hands in the circle, hand over hand, as they shouted altogether, “Gooooooo TEAM!” I thought: Well, that’s corny. But cute, too. Now with […]
How To Shape & Sculpt Your Performance
How good is your Performance? Not last year, not someday, but right now. In leadership you are required to judge the performance of those you lead on a very frequent basis. In sports those who stay in the game the longest are the highest performers. In sales you must perform or you’re out of a […]
What’s Your Arena?
Stepping into The Arena I knew I was about to fail – not just a little, but big time. I had worked on material about being a Dad very casually for 2 years, in between focusing on becoming “The Speaker”, and only performed my new comedy routine a handful of times mixed in with […]
New Year’s Promise
In a few days we ring in the new year and yes, even the new decade of 2020! Millions will set goals this week. Thousands will achieve something of them. Hundreds will stick with those goals all year long and alter their lives for good. Tens will change the world because of what they’ve […]
Another Kid’s School Concert
By December 10th our family had already been to 7 holiday concerts between school, community events, and church. This past week we faithfully trudged to yet another one…I’m just assuming you’re experiencing the same thing at this time of year! After my daughter’s dance number was over (hers was the first one) we had […]
The $10 Million Bonus
Imagine going to your annual holiday party with the expectations of a normal event: drinks, socializing, reminding your peers of your partner’s name…maybe even reminding your boss that you work there. The executive team welcomes you, surprisingly hands you a red envelope, gathers everyone around to stand and listen to the usual speeches before getting […]
The Parable of the Car Jump
“Sir!” she shouted as she tapped my closed car window, “Can you help me? My car needs a jump!” Her words were muffled between the phone call I had just answered and the snow storm outside. I opened the door and shouted through the storm, a bit tersely, “What do you need?” “I left the […]