Professional Speaker
In his Motivational Speaking career, Jim, always dreamed of speaking to large corporate audiences.
He always dreamed and hoped to be an author and to own his own company. He has accomplished both of those lofty goals. I recently sat down to interview James, at a recent speaking event at the Point Clear Resort outside of Mobile, Alabama. I asked him what public speaking opportunities would be next and about some goals he had for 2009, he said, “My immediate goal is to launch my new book, which I’m very excited about, in the 1st quarter of 2009″. With a gleam in his eye he spoke with passion about the content of his new book, he said: “The title of this book is ‘Life’s 3 Burning Questions’ that is, if the publisher doesn’t change it” he said with a chuckle. “This will also be my newest professional speech next year that I can’t wait to deliver.” He would not let me in on the secret 3 questions but I’m guessing this will be a deeply reflective kind of speech.
I’ve had the opportunity to hear James as professional speaker on several occasions and I have to say he has a rare and gifted way of connected with every person in the audience. I often hear people say “I felt like this professional speaker was talking directly to me” after he delivers his signature riveting professional keynote speeches. The people who were sitting near me jumped out of their seats to give him a standing ovation not unlike what you’d see after and NFL touchdown. That is what audiences all over the world have come to expect from motivational speaker - James Lloyd.
By: Ron Clendenin
Who is the best Professional Speaker?
Who is the consummate professional speaker? The motivational speaker trainer who sets the bar the highest in the motivational speaker training? Is it Zig Ziglar, Anthony Robbins or maybe Les Brown?
Keith Harrell is an up and coming top motivational speaker that I’ve had the chance to speak alongside and he is a talented motivational speaker. It is not so much about being polished and skilled in motivational speaking. It is about loving and honoring people that is who my hero is. That’s also who gets the most motivational speaking jobs.
Love cures people – both the ones who give it,
and the ones who receive it.”
– Carl Menninger
This is a tip I give to all my students and I hope that I project to every crowd I speak with.
other in this book. Love people – all people.
Love teenagers!
Love the elderly.
Love complainers.
Love illegal immigrants.
Love drivers who cut you off.
Love crying babies on airplanes.
Love loud cell phone talkers in restaurants.
Love people who are trying to push you away. They’re
just trying to prove to themselves that they’re not lovable
– prove them wrong. Notice I didn’t say tolerate them…I said love them. I abhor
the title of Simon Wiesenthal’s Museum of Tolerance. Don’t get me wrong. I love the concept and what it stands for; I just don’t like the title – “Museum of Tolerance.” It just doesn’t sit right with me. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be tolerated! I want to be loved. I don’t want to toler-
ate people; I want to love them. Is it enough for you to just be tolerated? Love people.
Honor People. In Southern California, I’ve noticed that we have this unusual practice known as “celebrity worship.” I really don’t get it. We should honor everyone. Yet, people definitely don’t get
treated the same; not just here in California, but everywhere in the world. Do you honor everyone?
The bank president and the bank janitor? The star of the team and the team’s trainer? Do you walk past people who clean the restrooms at your office, treating them like they’re invisible? Why don’t you
smile and say “Hi”? That might just make their day. What a wonderful way to help your torch – and theirs – burn brighter. I know why this torch tip means so much to me. I was once an evangelist for a dynamic church, and I was treated with incredible respect. After ten years, I stepped down from the
ministry and was just a “regular” member of the congregation. And guess what? I was treated differently.
The honor was removed…and it hurt. Years later I left that church altogether…and once more I
was treated in a noticeably different way. Except by Andy. Andy always treated me the same – with kindness and respect – whether in or out of the ministry – whether in or out of his church. This kind man lives in Scotland, and yet for the past decade, he has regularly called Tanya and me, just to encourage us. In fact he called again as I was writing this book. Andy has always honored me…and it feels good. I will never forget this most important lesson. Thank you, Andy.
The Humble Business Speaker
Now that I’m a Professional Keynote Speaker it is so important to be a humble business speaker. With so much praise and applause,business speakers can swell with pride and get a big head. Is there anything worse than having to listen to someone brag and boast about themselves in a business speech?
Here’s a fantastic and simple way to genuinely be unique as a speaker. Ready for this? Be a servant. That may mean something as simple as getting your spouse a cup of coffee or buying your co-worker a Coke. Don’t ask “How much will this inconvenience me?” Instead, ask “How important is it to them?”
One of my friends was having marriage difficulties. Separation seemed imminent. I asked, “What do you want from your marriage?”
He replied, “I want to make it work. What do you suggest I do?” I offered this most important question:
“What is the one thing you could do tonight that would absolutely shock her with glee?”
Without even a blink, he chimed, “Oh, probably cleaning the toilets.” I said, “Well, there it is, my friend. There’s the solution.”
With a disgruntled look, he complained, “What do you think I am – a servant?”
I mused, “Now you’re getting it.” He did not clean that toilet.
“It just didn’t ring true for me,” he later told me. By the way, they’re now divorced.
In my rather old and worn binder, that I take to all my speeches, is an index with the words
“who can I serve today?” as a reminder to me each time I arrive as the business speaker.
Perhaps there is no nobler position or title to describe us. Be a servant.
“I slept and dreamt that life was joy;
I awoke and saw that life was service;
I acted and behold, service was joy.”
– Rabindranath Tagore
Guest Speaker
The great thing about hiring a guest speaker is that you get a fresh perspective from the outside. A guest speaker that you’ve not heard before can be a risk because it is an unknown. But hiring the right guest speaker can change your life. I hired a guest speaker, well not really but close….it was a personal life coach. I have an extraordinary coach named Tamara Keefe. It wasn’t easy for me to hire her, though. When I first considered it, I kept asking myself…a coach? Just a personal coach? To help…in life? And my friends kept saying, “James, you don’t need a coach!” It’s interesting that no one ever said that to me when I was
learning to play football or the trumpet. The educational system certainly believes in coaching. Likewise, the corporate world believes that we’ll benefit from direction and advice. We have spreadsheets for projects at work – we have handouts and timelines – and a whole team of people to support a project’s goals.
But what about the project called “life”? It’s only in this area of our personal lives that people doubt
the need for a coach. People are looking for answers and meaning – trying to improve themselves – and they’re all attempting this alone! No direction; no support. When I was debating whether or not to be life-coached, I remember questioning Tamara, “Are you sure you’re worth
it?” Of course what I was really asking was, “Am I worth it?” Of course I am. And you are worth it, too! Ok here comes another shameless plug….I want to be your next guest speaker. This could be the beginning of a whole new journey for your company.