We're all poets but we don't know it

I just saw a definition of poetry (thanks John). "Poetry is that which arrives at the intellect by way of the heart". R.S. Thomas. What a wonderful definition! But I would be the first to stand behind changing the first word from Poetry to convincing communication, or something similar. The way I see it, you always have to go by way of the heart if you are to reach other people with any message that you would like to have accepted, understood and remembered.

Simple as that.

There's a hole in the wall and words are leaking out

I did a great thing last week! Okay, someone else actually made the suggestion but I'm so glad that I acted on it spontaneously and diligently. What I did? I simply went along to a workshop on writing for business, writing from the heart and writing to truly reach people. I just turned up there and as someone (Woody Allen?) once said, the greatest part of success is just turning up. After that I just did as I was told. The workshop leaders did the rest.  John Simmons and Jamie Jauncey from Dark Angels in the UK managed in one hour to do things for my interest in writing that about 30 years of my career have not, to put it simply.

Just to mention one exercise we did. We introduced ourselves to each other starting with the opening "I am from" but without completing the sentence in the usual way, by naming a place or any other expected follow-up. Suddenly an introduction actually says something about the person. It was wonderful for a quick assessment of what really makes the person. What are the most formative experiences that you have? Which are the directions you have taken and the motivation that always works? What aspects of your character are most typical?

Here's what I quickly put together, now in a different and better order:
I am from cosy Welsh villages and narrow country lanes.
I am from constant contacts and spontaneous chitchat in a village that's really a family.
I'm from hills and valleys and woods and fields, always either uphill or downhill. 
I'm from close horizons and distant mountaintops.
I'm from movement, and moving, new starts and new things.
I'm from outdoors, always outdoors.
I'm from a place quite far away and fairly different.
I'm from outside, always outside.
I'm from somewhere else but I'm right here right now.

I'm constantly amazed that, if you put me on a stage in front of a bunch of people I have no trouble whatsoever in being creative and open and spontaneous but give me a pen and paper and it's like the Great Wall of China suddenly sprouted up between mind and paper. Funny that. So I would just like, for the record, to say a special thanks to John and Jamie for making a Great Big Hole in the wall. I'll try to keep it open until I meet you again. 

Hasta la vista guys.

The art of words

Here's a master of putting words together. Not just the words but the delivery! Watch this without sound to see  the sheer precision that's involved. Imagine being able to deliver this many words with this precision. Maybe not a good speed if you want people to remember what you said,  but I'm willing to bet that a whole lot of this sticks anyway through the art of poetry and surprise.
No hesitation and "aaah"s, or "uuuuuh"s 'n stuff. Oh what bliss!

Check this out:

The art of coining a phrase

See how easily the phrase Lollipop moment comes about. And what a lot to pack into 6 minutes! The art of making something stick - and creating a new phrase that's loaded with meaning.
Check this out:

http://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership.html

The many aspects of communication

Here's a whole story with emoticons. Another great Rives contribution, breaking down the barriers of communication.

Variation is the spice of... Presentations

Sitting in the audience (for a change - nice) and experiencing a principle cause of losing the audience (so now they're sitting writing blog posts..). Whatever you do too long is bad. Doesn't matter that it's OK in itself, in isolation. Same tone of voice. Same slide visible. You lose the audience. Those of you who are sitting here right now can probably figure out which occasion this is. Maybe you have a different opinion?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Have a little courage

Something I talked about at the recent breakfast and lunch meetings has stuck in my mind. After I've already said it, it occurs to me that it's really quite important. It's this: you need a bit of courage to give a good presentation. If you're going to stick out and be remembered then, by definition, you can't take the safe road all the time. But what do people do? Because they're worried about being seen as a fool, they fall back on the most predictable path possibe - if  I do things exactly the way everyone else does them, then they can't criticise me for it, can they? One thousand bad PowerPoint slides can't be wrong...

But the irony of the thing is that by doing what's predicted and expected you will fall into the white noise of the background, never to be noticed or remembered. And that might be fine with you most of the time, but some day it will be really important to make a mark, and then you don't dare, or don't know how, or it's too unnatural and falls flat.

I heard a story about someone who dared to step outside the accepted norm, was crticised by co-workers and boss but did it anyway, and went on to win a prize for best presentation. Later they went back to the standard presentation style, never to emerge again. So it's tough! But everyone appreciates someone who does things differently and relieves the tedious flow of endless bullet points and incomprehensible graphs. We know that we remember what sticks out, but we just don't dare to do it ourselves.

Take a deep breath... dare to stick out, at least one time. Give it a try today!

Another classic ad

Seriously good ads Number 2

There's not really so much of number two about this one. Its probably my number one. Hard to beat.