As I head off on break for a few weeks to take some down time with family and to celebrate Christmas, I wanted to share an excerpt of the beautiful book Becoming Naomi Leon (by Pam Muños Ryan). Naomi - a young girl - along with her brother and Gram - head out to find their father in Mexico. Santiogo, her father, is an artist. And so is Naomi. And, like the process of creating her soap carvings - Naomi is also in the process of discovering herself. They are connected - our creations, and ourselves.

(Listen here for the full excerpt.)

"Each piece has a personality. Sometimes you can look at the wood and see exactly what it might be. The promise reveals itself early. Other times you must let your imagination dictate what you will find."

Sometimes our talks go through a similar process. Sometimes the magic is revealed to us early. And other times, we have to keep carving until finally it makes itself clear.

It's sometimes challenging, sometimes scary - and sometimes magical, easy, fated.

This time of year more than any other, I like to believe in the magic. 

On this week's Mini Moved Me:

I talk about holding space. 

Several weeks back, a Twitter follower and listener sent me a message and asked me to talk a bit about "holding space" as a speaker. He then sent me to this blog post written about the concept, and suggested I have the writer on the show. Which I did! 

At first glance, I wasn't exactly sure what my new friend Jeffrey meant by "holding space." 

But after reading Heather's blog post, I came to this: (Listen to hear more!)

Another amazing find by my hubs, Andy:

Several weeks back, he came home from a conference and said, "You've got to have this woman on your show." So Cecily and I talked - and she asked me a really good question (which, as it turns out, is a backbone of her work): "What was at work when it was working? What did he like about it?"... well, he didn't say.  (For those of you who know Andy, you might be laughing now. He sometimes doesn't say much.) But when I went back, he said, "she was compelling, interesting, engaging - on a PANEL!  That doesn't often happen."

Well, the truth is that Cecily has an incredibly rich and interesting life - and brings it all to her work as a futurist and speaker. Her goal is to create experiences that can reinvent - ourselves, our audience. So, we talked about that! And, she said, like, a million things worth writing down. I tried to capture them all here for you. ENJOY!

On this week's Mini Moved Me:

There have been many times when I'm working with folks who want to share a long list of things with their audience. And I have to ask:

Do you want them to remember every little thing on this list?

Or, do you really want to communicate something about the list as a whole?

Most of the time, it's the latter. ("We're doing all kinds of things to market"; "We're making all these improvements"; "I see so many opportunities for growth," etc.) Which makes sense, right, cause audiences don't/can't remember too many details. 

But even knowing that people won't remember the details, it's hard not to indulge in them. It feels responsible, somehow - like, we might not be giving the work the credit it deserves to fly through them. 

But here's the deal:

The audience won't remember details, but they do remember feelings. 

Focusing on the whole of the list - and the feeling behind it - is called sharing  "the laundry list."  

Ya know, throwing them all together into the laundry basket kind of thing to give the ESSENCE of what you're saying, vs. the specifics on the list.  Throw them all in there, and zip through it. Focus on how you want them to feel about it, vs. walking through each little thing on the list. (They won't remember them anyway.)

Today's show focuses in on facilitating, as well as speaking.

A few months back a listener (Hi Jeffrey!) reached out to me on Twitter asking me a wonderful question about holding space - and then suggested I read this article about the concept written by today's guest, Heather Plett.  (He then went on to suggest I have her on the show!) I read the article - was moved - and asked Heather to join me for a conversation. It felt like a meeting of the minds! Heather is a facilitator, practitioner, speaker and incredibly wise guide. (I wrote down quote after quote after quote... ) She understands deeply the 'why' behind our work as speakers, which is that we can create meaning.  That is not a small thing. Thanks for reminding me of this, Heather!

On this week's Mini Moved Me:

I don't consider myself a brain expert (which is why I'm friends with awesome people like Erin Walsh from episode 004!) - but I know this:

Our pre-frontal cortex is really important in growing up, acting like an adult, making good decisions and generally being a responsible human.

But it's super un-helpful in creating things. 

Nearly twenty years ago, I was a theater major at the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University here in Minnesota. There I met some truly incredible people - one of whom I am sharing with you today! John Sandahl is a speaker, life coach, facilitator, and international ultimate frisbee player. John and I have worked together at Youth Frontiers for the past decade or so - and in that time I've coached John, and learned from him. I've watched John become a speaker, right before my eyes. And a good one at that. He brings his wisdom and guidance - and playfulness! - to all those he speaks to and works with. So, I was so excited to bring him on the show and talk about developing mastery.

I wanted to do a special Mini Moved Me in honor of Thanksgiving - thanking you for your support, for your questions and insights and connections. I do feel so incredibly thankful for this slice of my life that has been so gratifying in the past year. 

All of that is very true - I'm incredibly grateful for this show, and for each of you. But I also feel a pang of shallowness in that sentiment. I need to place my gratitude within the context of this greater world that is struggling so much right now. 

I read this beautiful post by Elizabeth Gilbert about Mercy, about keeping our hearts open when so many people are shutting theirs down. We, as meaning-makers, speaker - MOVERS - our job is to help people experience mercy, to open their hearts, to illuminate the suffering of others and have it become our suffering as well. To experience each other, to experience compassion. To be human. 

Thank you for your open hearts. 

Lately my husband has been making some amazing connections for me. First - last week's episode with John Capecci - and now this week's episode with Jack Stahlmann! I felt a connection with Jack because his face and mine are both very expressive. (See last week's Mini Moved Me for pictures.) Jack is a "motivational speaker" - but he brings a new zest to that idea, which I really appreciate! We talked a lot about 'knowing ourselves' as a speaker (or actor/performer) and how essential that is to do good work.

Take a listen!

I got this thoughtful and totally understandable question from a listener last week:

I have done public speaking since I was a teenager, I have now been a Pastor for a year, and preach weekly. Each week, I need to create a new sermon. I find a lot of emotional energy goes into the preparation and the emotion peaks on the Sunday as I talk. Each Sunday afternoon and Monday I emotionally crash. I get flat, regret things I have said, doubt my capacity to speak and get sleepy. I understand that the highs and lows are very natural.

I am wondering, have you got any tools for managing the lows after speaking, so that I can bounce back quicker so that I can engage the world around me on Sunday and Monday?

~Gavin

Take a listen while I take on this MMM Q&A!

Talking with John Capecci - communications coach, author, teacher - was like finding a friend who likes all the same things that you do. And what's especially cool is that our connection was totally happenstance. A few weeks back, my husband went to a Pollen event, and happened to sit next to John. They had a short conversation and it became clear really quickly that he and I have a similar mission: to move people with our talks - and in John's case, more specifically, stories. We had a mind-meld conversation over coffee, and I quickly realized that I needed to have him on the show.

I'm delighted to share his insights with you!

My face is expressive! I have the deepest, deepest forehead wrinkles of anyone I've ever known - particularly for anyone under the age of 40 (barely, but yes, I'm under 40).

And one of the most important aspects of expression is your eyebrows. That comes as a surprise to many people, but the eyebrows hold the key to telling whether or not someone really means what they're saying.

Michael Veltri came to me through Nick Morgan (one of our sponsors of this show, a guest on This Moved Me, and an all-around great human) - and we originally recorded a conversation this past summer. But as you know if you've been following along with me, I had some technical issues this summer (understatement - ahem). And then I got a new computer. And I think the combo invited in some terrible karma or something, and I lost the recording with Michael. (I know, how does that happen?!) So, he was kind enough to sit down via Skype - again! - and I'm so glad we did! Michael is an executive coach, consultant, speaker, entrepreneur - and he brings his life experience - as a cancer survivor, an Aikido Master, a Marine - into all that he does. Plus, he's in the midst of some major growth in his speaking career, so we got to talk about lessons learned along the way. Enjoy!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO THIS MOVED ME!

I love all excuses to celebrate! And this one is particularly special for me.

One year ago today, I took a risk and jumped head first into this podcast thing. In many ways it was a selfish endeavor because I simply love talking about this stuff - and I love people - so it seemed like a fun little project. Well, this "fun little project" has turned into a twice-weekly gig that has become a big part of my life, and connected me with people from all over the world! I've spoken with huge TED speakers, budding amateurs who are about to go big time, and uber-talented artists and visionaries who all have brought insight and courage to this art of public speaking. I am so grateful.

So–to celebrate–I've got some goodies for you, including this outtakes montage.

Enjoy!

I attended the Minneapolis TEDx Event this summer. It was a night full of some amazing speakers, but the stand out to me was Michelle Hensley, my guest today. Michelle is the Artistic Director and Founder of Ten Thousand Things theater company. This theater company creates theater that brings stories to people who don't normally get to experience them. But that's just the very tip of the iceberg. I was so excited to talk with Michelle because her philosophy as a theater person directly correlates to us as speakers, as you'll hear. There is so much to dig into here. ENJOY!

On today's Mini Moved Me (just a smaller version of the real thing that I post on Wednesdays), I talk about the strange connection between our brains and our feet. If you've ever noticed when someone's really 'in their brain' as they wrestle and connect with new content, you might notice that their feet reflect what their brains are doing: they wander. 

I was working with a speaker who was under a really tight time crunch - and as this time crunch came down to the wire (and as he searched for extra time to make this talk happen amid many other demands in his life) - he kept asking me to take on certain aspects of the work.

Now, there are a lot of things that we as coaches can do. Some research, lots of observation and note-giving, and many, many hours of editing and shaping.

But we cannot do the creating. You - as the speaker - must do the creating - or it won't be yours.

If you want to do something transformative - there are no shortcuts.

If you want it to matter - there are no shortcuts.

If you want to feel really proud of what you're doing at the end of the day, and allow the evolution of what you're doing to live its full life - there are not shortcuts.

Stories are the birthplace of empathy, so it’s essential for us as speakers to wrestle with them, and do our best to master the art of storytelling. And many new speakers tell us ABOUT their story rather than actually tell us a story. It’s the difference between, “I really like ice cream, so went to the story to get some” – and “Last Wednesday it was so hot and humid that I a sudden wave of longing came over me for the wonderful min-chocolate-chip ice cream from the local ice cream shop down the street. So, I hopped on my bike and rode the two blocks to the store. I walked in – heard the lovely ding of the door, signaling a new customer – and said to the lady behind the counter, “Please tell me you have some Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream left!”

The specificity of a particular moment is what draws us in and makes it matter.

On this week’s This Moved Me, I got to chat with the awesome Jenny Evans, founder of PowerHouse Performance Coaching - and author, speaker, and expert on both fitness and resilience training. She has spoken in front of thousands, all over the world - and lucky for me, I've been one of those audience members!

The thing about Jenny is she doesn't just do your typical corporate training thing. She pushes the boundaries - and that's exactly why she is such an engaging and dynamic speaker and person.

Read more here: http://www.thismovedme.com/052-jenny-evans-on-pushing-our-and-our-audiences-boundaries/

On this week’s short and sweet Mini Moved Me, I talk about the "so what” of what we say. Digging down past the obvious to the next layer will help you find the new meaning, and avoid the easy answers. 

On this week’s This Moved Me, I talk with the famous TED-speaker, Julian Treasure. Julian’s 5 TED talks have accumulated over 20 million views worldwide! Obviously, Julian’s passion of talking about how we speak – how we listen – and how we create sound that people WANT to listen to – resonates! I was so thrilled to get some of his time to share his expertise with you.

In the show we talked about: 

Julian’s story – how he started helping people create their brands through sound

The experience of speaking at TED

How to help your audience hear you

The power of filters

The importance – and difference between – preparation and practice

When authenticity turns to artifice

TMM MOMENTS:

Julian: The experience of seeing a student of his grow and improve, in one short day. When we commit ourselves to making a difference, it often comes back to us!

Sally: My husband and I went to Universal studios, and I got to see Hogwarts castle. It reminded me of the power of literature, and the connection we build with these characters and worlds.

On this week’s Mini Moved Me, I talk about the necessary evil that we speakers just love to hate: rehearsal. 

On this week’s This Moved Me, I talk with Jane Leyden Cavanaugh – speaker, improviser, comedian – and spiritual guide. Yes, that’s right – Jane is a hilarious prophet. So, we dove in to talk about the important connection between the truth and the funny.

In the show we talked about: 

Jane’s time at the Groundlings – learning what funny really is

When she finds the true in the funny – building her prophetic voice

The importance of vulnerability in this work

The power of imagery – inspired by Parker Palmer’s Let Your Life Speak

And the realization that we have to find our wisdom and insight by doing the work ourselves.

TMM MOMENTS:

Jane: This powerful quote by George Bernard Shaw: “This is the true joy in life – being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a might one; being thoroughly worn out before you are throw on to scrap heap; being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances.”

This quote has inspired Jane’s purpose to speak with a prophetic voice – a voice that lifts people up and leaves them with hope and an idea of what could be (rather than being a clod of ailments and grievances). Love it.

Sally: Jane’s TMMM is what moved me!

On this week’s Mini Moved Me, I’m shedding some light on moving away from perfectionism - which sometimes creates distance between the audience and speaker. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be polished!

On this week’s This Moved Me, I talk with Malcom Chapman – speaker, Bush Fellow and community leader on the power of our speaking opportunities to move our community and really make a difference. Though we had some challenging audio - I decided to still share because the content of the conversation was so great. My apologies for the static - bare with me on this one! - and enjoy!

In the show we talked about: 

Malcom’s Story

The Bush Fellowship – and how we serve

Malcom’s biggest challenges

The power of family and our stories

TMM MOMENTS:

Malcom: An ELCA Youth Gathering, where he experienced a Pastor preaching to console himself. The power of that story, and the vulnerability in that – Malcom felt like he knows him now.

(We also gave a shout-out to President Obama’s Eulogy after the Charleston shooting. https://youtu.be/RK7tYOVd0Hs)

Sally: This hilarious and stupid video about the impact of Helium Beer. Just TRY and watch this without laughing!   (https://youtu.be/3V9QHBgrPNY)

This week, I’m talking about a concept introduced to me by Jane Leyden Cavanaugh - your personal “pearl button": the thing that stays constant and true in us, regardless of what we are wearing or saying – and how valuable this can be to us as speakers!

On this week’s This Moved Me, I talk with Aly Wallberg – speaker, communications coach, teacher and business professional – about the power of rhetoric to learn about ourselves, each other and the world.

NOTES:

Aly Wallberg and I connected through her short and lively Ignite Minneapolis Talk where she analyzed Sarah Palin's Lipstick on a Pitbull convention speech. I loved the talk and thought Aly was brilliant and funny. So of course I had to have her on the show! 

Aly is a speaker, communications coach and generally smart human who brings her expertise to her work in the corporate world, as well. It was so fun to connect with a person who has a similar passion and excitement about words and the impact they can have.

In the show we talked about: 

The process of creating a somewhat controversial talk

The role that studying rhetoric can have in the every day work world

And the loftier benefits of studying rhetorical appeals - knowing ourselves and each other more powerfully

TMM MOMENT:

ALY: The podcast Death, Sex and Money - a podcast about the things we don't talk about. The Living Alone and Liking It Sometimes episode. 

Sally: 92Y - Check it out!  Especially liked the episode with Dick Cavett and Alec Baldwin.. compare that to fun and frivolous Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper episode. 

On this week’s Mini Moved Me, I talk about the importance of identifying and developing your origin story.

On this week’s This Moved Me, I talk with Bryan Skavnak – golf pro, author and speaker from The Happiest Golfer – about the connection between golf and speaking. There is one! Who knew!? (Not me.)

On this week’s Mini Moved Me, I talk about the bridging the gap between audience member and speaker with the little moments that make us human.

Dr. Nick Morgan – speechwriter, consultant, academic, political influencer (etc.!) – took some time to talk with me about his push for authenticity and emotional grounding in the arenas that seem most intolerant of it. I’m a big fan of his work at Public Words, and I know you will be, too! 

Lindsey O’Connor – speaker, writer, journalist, radio host and delightful human– shares with me how the experiences of her life have changed and evolved her presentation style, stories and purpose in sharing her message, and herself. 

Dan Misener – creator of the podcast and live event, “Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids” – talks with me about the power of sharing the stories from our past. If you haven’t had a chance to hear GRTTWaK, it’s well worth the listen! It made me laugh – it made me cry – and it made me think. And why is that? Well, as Dan says – the past informs the now. Sharing it – and hearing it.

(You can read this post on the website here.)

Paul Angone – speaker, blogger and creator of “All Groan Up” - and author of the several books about the challenge of coming down from the huge expectations we have for ourselves as 20-somethings – shares with me the secret to resonance with your audience… which is embracing the very real possibility of embarrassment.  (You can read this post on the website here.)

Nate Eklund – educator, consultant with Eklund Consulting, speaker, teacher (plus, musician and actor!) – shares his insight about the importance of keeping your content fresh… like his favorite band Phish does.

Graeme Blackman is the co-founder and President of Lumos, an organization aimed at giving voice to the next generation, helping them articulate their brightest selves.  Now, at Lumos, Graeme helps high school students to become more compelling presenters, more articulate conversationalists and more confident storytellers.

Today's Mini Moved Me is about the concept of holding "the con." Not a "con-man" - or even that Star Trek villain. No, it's about who is steering your presentation ship. 

Scott Schwertly is a presentation design GURU. Honestly, I'm so pumped that we got a chance to talk (especially because he JUST HAD A BABY!) - but also because I really admire and appreciate his work at Ethos3. In this episode of This Moved Me, Scott and I talked about how he focuses on both the art - and the science - of presentation development.  Ethos3 works to "out-teach" the competition, focusing on the science behind all of those top 10 lists to becoming a better speaker.

On this week's Mini Moved Me, I talk briefly about the power of making people laugh AND making them cry.

Carla Rieger is a speaker, comedian, improvisor, performer - who turned all those skills into becoming a business consultant and entrepreneur at Artistry of Change. In this episode of This Moved Me, Carla and I talk about her journey from being someone who struggled with a speech impediment to someone who speaks about creativity, innovation and change management. And she lives it out, as well - pushing boundaries, challenging herself, innovating and creating change.

Today's Mini Moved Me is about the importance of editing.  Saying less with more impact.

In this episode of This Moved Me, Paul brought to the table this idea of being a 4:3 person living in a 16:9 world. Intriguing! What does he mean by that?  Well, we dive into it here.

Today's Mini Moved Me is about how we can become more self-aware of our habits - by mapping your content. So, how do you "map" your content? I talk about this useful tool on today's Mini Moved Me...  

In this episode of This Moved Me, Hank and I delved into HOW he creates talks week after week with the same kind of passion and intentionality that he brings to each talk. Hank is a talk-crafting master, thanks to the thousands of hours he has spent building and re-building talk after talk. In this slightly longer episode (I just couldn't cut anything!) - Hank shares his insights, ideas and approaches to crafting a talk.

Today's Mini Moved Me is all about taking advantage of the fact that we are in front of a LIVE audience.  It's the awesome, magical element to speaking that you simply cannot replicate through video, an audio podcast, a webinar, etc. But that also makes our job as speakers that much more challenging. Here is one quick tip as to what you can do when your live audience isn't with you. 

In this episode of This Moved Me, after having to reschedule due to technical difficulties caused by children (ahem, mine), Stephanie and I talk about how the way we present the information that fuels our research and work can help illuminate the ideas in essential ways. Without the right kind of platform for our data, it gets easily lost - and many, many people are hungry to figure out how to persuade people with their data. But there's an art to it!

Today's Mini Moved Me is all about feedback.

Do  you hate it as much as I do?  Probably.

But the thing is, the value of feedback is essential in the growth and development of your talk... and of yourself. 

In this episode of This Moved Me, Jeff and I talk about the process of bringing your voice into the world - and how Jeff has translated his core mission as a writer into the speaking world. Though it wasn't something Jeff set out to do, he realized that it's a critical part of sharing his message.

Today on this "mini" moved me, we're focusing on how to give a great ask. 

How to compel and inspire people to give money, get involved, join your cause, etc.  Asks are a huge part of social innovation, essential for social impact and nonprofit work - and a really difficult thing to do well.

In this episode of This Moved Me, Sara and I talk about the process -and more importantly - the responsibility - of communicating a message full of heart, intention and guidance for the people in her congregation. Sara is a walking example of someone who loves people - well, beautifully, and often. (Lucky congregation!) So it was wonderful to get her insight on how she brings that love to life as a speaker.

In this episode of This Moved Me, Joe and I talk about taking all of this skills needed as a broadcaster and how he translated it to being on stage as a keynote speaker. As a journalist and broadcaster, Joe focused on stories of impact - and over time had gathered so many powerful stories that were not just about sports - but about how we can lead better lives.

In this episode of This Moved Me, Corey and I talk about his arc towards his speaking career, which includes battling real anxiety, facing it head-on and ending up being a stand-up comedian and prolific speaker. Corey's passion is sharing the insights he's culled from thousands of interviews - all in an attempt to inspire us to be the best we can be.

Bree Noble - entrepreneur, musician, speaker, podcast host of Women of Substance - Bree and I talk about her career arc - but at the core of it is Bree's story that comes from her own struggle with Glaucoma. She shares her story because, though it's hard, it's what has helped her grow her audience, and connect with others. 

Today on the show I am so delighted to have Michael Margolis - founder of Get Storied, author, speaker, storytelling expert who has worked with nonprofits, corporations and individuals from around the world to help them tell their stories better. Michael started out as a social entrepreneur, wanting to find solutions to social problems, and realized that storytelling was often the solution. Michael has spoken throughout the world about storytelling - authenticity - personal branding -and I am thrilled he has taken the time to join us today.

Andy Zimney - performer, improviser, speaker (and, my husband!). He is smart and funny (and tall and cute and he cooks/irons/mends things - I know, I know) - AND helpful! You see, he agreed to be my "guinea interview" several months back - but I found Andy's comments so insightful that I decided to share. (I mean, who knew that someone I've spent the last 20 years with would still intrigue me!)

Please forgive the poor sound quality, as I was just getting things figured out! I hope you find it worthwhile nonetheless, because Andy's alter-ego to improv and performance is as a facilitator on organizational development–a unique pairing that brings to light some important ideas that we skimmed the surface of. (Hence the "Part One" - more to come in Part Two!)

Cathy Paper -  business owner of RockPaperStar, a company that launches authors, speakers and trainers to "rock star" status!  She is an expert at helping people develop their message, package it, and get it out into the world.

Today on the show I have with me a long-time friend of mine, Joe Beckman. Joe is a “youth motivator” - a speaker to kids, helping them live out the greatness that exists within each of them.  I’ve had the privilege of working with Joe for the last 10 years - working alongside him, coaching him, laughing with him, learning from him. He has a HUGE heart for kids, is so passionate about connecting with them and making a difference in their lives… so I’m thrilled he could join us on the show to talk about his approach as a speaker.

Kate O’Reilly - or as you may know her, Clever Kate - is a content strategist - writer, coach, blogger, vlogger, podcaster - and she consults with people to bring their messages out into the world. But the defining characteristic of Kate is her vulnerability. Her sheer ballsy - clear - and kind way in which she moves through the world is truly inspiring - and not just by me, but so many others.

I was in the audience as she spoke at an event at CoCo (a co-working collaborative here in the Twin Cities), and it became very clear that there’s so much that we as speakers and performers can learn from her.

John Noltner - photographer, writer, speaker - “curator of stories” - has shared all of these forms in his latest passion project, “A Peace of My Mind” - a project that shares people’s stories about their connection to the idea of "peace.” It is beautiful, thought-provoking, challenging, inspiring…I got to see John speak at an event for Youth Frontiers (which we’ll talk about a bit on this episode), where he shared part of his exhibit, and his approach with an audience is to be the channel through which he shares other people’s wisdom; which gave John the confidence to share it.