As a conference keynote speaker it is super important to find you strengths and the strengths of the company you are speaking to. As a keynote speaker you have to know your strengths, and exploit them…find your weaknesses, and don’t devote much time correcting them or building them up. For some reason, we seem to do just the opposite. It is the job of the conference keynote speaker to also do the homework on the company you are speaking to and exploit and extol their strengths
Most of the time, we ignore our strengths and work overtime to improve our weaknesses.
I once worked for a Fortune 40 Company that graciously allotted me a yearly educational stipend. I was then encouraged to get training in an area of weakness. And
every year I politely declined and chose instead to focus on my strength – speaking. Year after year I decided against instructional design, consultant skills, and process
improvement. Like a laser, I honed in on presentation skills. I finally left Corporate America at age 50. I was competent in only one area, and that was enough. An enlightening book has been written on this subject of
focusing on your strengths. Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton, has been on bestseller lists for months, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. In this book, the authors paint the following scenario: A child comes home from school with a report card…we check it out:
- Art —- A
- English —- A
- Science —- A
- Algebra —- C
What’s the parent’s next comment going to be? And where’s the focus going to be over the next six months? Art? English? Science? Probably not. Usually the attention goes to improving that
Algebra grade… “What can we do to raise that grade? We’ll hire an Algebra tutor for two hours every night.”
“But I don’t like Algebra, Dad.” “Doesn’t matter. You must get better at it. It’s your weakness.” What would happen if we brought in the tutor to help this young man further explore and develop his interest in Art,
English, or Science? Who knows what future Picasso or Dickenson remains undiscovered?
So, my friend, ignite your torch by exploiting and nourishing your strengths as conference speaker. Bask in your uniqueness..success will assuredly come and you will be in demand as conference keynote speaker!
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