Would it need to get you jobs?
Introduce you to Speakers Bureaus?
Provide you with a peer network?
Bring you continuing education?
Challenge you? Comfort you? Improve you?
Would you prefer virtual meetings or face-to-face meetings?
Do you like symposiums or one-day bootcamps?
Would you like to be less social or more social?
I would like to invite each one of you reading this column to join with me in the continuous re-invention of our organization? That’s what it means to me to be relevant in today’s world. The organization or the person, for that matter, who stands still, simply gets left behind.
So, how can we move GLAC forward? I challenge you to join my “Council of Elders,” and put your wisdom behind that question.
Richard Branson, tycoon, visionary, knight and founder of Virgin Airlines, has assembled a Council of Elders, 12 internationally renowned statesmen and women whose goal is to stop wars, promote peace, stamp out diseases, and curb global warming. Branson chose the term “Elders” based on African villagers who look up to their Elders as the moral voice of the community. Privately funded to avoid being beholden to any political or special-interest party, it will be chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
You may ask, what’s our connection with Branson’s Council of Elders? When I read about Branson’s Council of Elders, I decided that’s what GLAC needs.
After all, as speakers, trainers, coaches and experts aren’t we all involved with these goals in some micro way. And, as we come together as a professional organization, aren’t we seeking to help each other do more, reach farther, make a lasting difference?
Perhaps these are lofty goals, but worthy as well. I think of Elders as our wise friends and colleagues and family members, who have been there and done that and who can help us find the next mountain to climb and simultaneously give us the tools to do it.
Now, while I hate to use “elder” and my name in the same sentence, I love the thought of having our esteemed Professional members be more active in the quest to make us the best we can be. To qualify as an Elder you must be a member, willing to share your wisdom and take action. No complainers-from-the-sidelines allowed. (I’m happy to hear from Apprentices as well, as you are Elders in the making.) Notice, age has nothing to do with it.
So, let’s make this an interactive column. Please leave your ideas and comments on the questions that I have put forth and feel free to raise other issues that are important to you.
DO IT NOW – JUST CLICK AND TYPE.
I would also like you to join me at our monthly Chapter Meetings for lunch to further this discussion. We will have a “Council of Elders” table designated.
I leave you with the words of Desmond Tutu describing the Council of Elder’s mission: “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.” Is there any one of us in NSA/GLAC not involved with those goals? Now, let’s roll up our sleeves and help each other do even better.
Happy Holidays,
Judith Parker Harris
Jim Cathcart said,
January 8, 2008 @ 11:15 pm
This comment was e-mialed to us before this board was created.
From: Jim Cathcart
To:
Well Dale you sure know how to make a guy feel old!
I’d be happy to serve as an “elder” for you.
Here are some quick responses, feel free to call or email me for more
on any topic, or just for personal input.
How can GLAC be relevant to you?
It already is and you are doing a fine job.
Would it need to get you jobs? Always welcomed but not essential.
Introduce you to Speakers Bureaus? Keep me aware of the newer ones and
them aware of me please.
Provide you with a peer network? Already does so and I value it.
Bring you continuing education? Great selection is currently offered.
I’m happy with it.
Challenge you? Comfort you? Improve you? Hmmmm.
Would you prefer virtual meetings or face-to-face meetings? Yes,
both.
Do you like symposiums or one-day bootcamps? The Symposium in Indian
Wells was great. Bootcamps are also good.
Would you like to be less social or more social? Less social, more
professional, so the social is a side benefit rather than the focus.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, holding occasional chapter events in
San Fernando Valley or somewhere on the northwest side of the
metroplex sure makes it easier for me to get motivated to attend. It’s
60 miles from my home to Commerce.
Merry Christmas,
Jim
Dianne Gubin said,
January 8, 2008 @ 11:16 pm
From: Dianne Gubin
Organization: Tech Exec Partners, Inc.
How can GLAC be relevant to you?
It already is and you are doing an AWESOME job.
Would it need to get you jobs?
Always welcome but not essential. I’m still looking at rotary club
and local women’s groups. It would be nice if apprentice members had
more exposure on the website.
Introduce you to Speakers Bureaus?
This would be nice, but it’s not necessary. Maybe it’s a matter of
forming relationships on a macro level with local bureaus which know
to turn to NSA first as a resource.
Provide you with a peer network?
Already does so and I value it. THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART! I really
appreciate my master mind group.
Bring you continuing education?
Great selection is currently offered. I’m happy with it. We have
great speakers and resources who are very generous with their time and
knowledge. I am grateful to meet the range of people who are
attracted to NSA.
Challenge you? Comfort you? Improve you?
I definitely feel challenged. NSA helps me expand my focus by keeping
me abreast of the latest trends and hottest ways to market products /
services / speaking, etc.
Would you prefer virtual meetings or face-to-face meetings?
Prefer the face-to-face Saturdays once a month as we do now. I would
never make the time for virtual. So much of speaking is one-on-one
connections.
Do you like symposiums or one-day bootcamps?
Although the symposiums are of the highest quality, it hasn’t yet
happened that I could take the time for an entire weekend in Palm
Springs. For the last three years I’ve only been able to pop in for a
day or overnight. I would definitely prefer a bootcamp, such as the
all day program where Dan Poynter and Ann McIndoo spoke on self
publishing. I’m still implementing what I learned!
Would you like to be less social or more social?
I like the social aspect of the breaks at the meetings and lunch
conversations, however I don’t have the time to go to any more
meetings than the monthly Saturday program. Any week nights would be
horrendous b/c of driving anywhere in LA, plus if I’m going to go out
in the evening it would be for networking events for my core business
or as a speaker, not to meet other speakers.
Do I think NSA should do golf outings or bar-b-ques? Absolutely
not. I like the professional learning environment and feel that my
time is well spent when I’m at any of the programs. If the group
feels the need to be more social, maybe the option for a quarterly
evening program, however personally, I don’t think this is at
necessary.
Thanks Lori for asking for input. Hope this helps!
Dianne
Dianne Gubin
Tech Exec Partners, Inc.
818-222-0300 x101
Hans Norden said,
January 8, 2008 @ 11:16 pm
Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 14:24:54 -0800
From: Hans Norden
Wow, that’s quite a question!
I’m trying to grasp the significance and I interpret it in line with
the name of my company “Anticipated Outcome”; which stands for
purpose.
Viktor Frankl describes in his book “Man’s search for meaning” how
everything changes, how your own perspective changes once you ask the
simple question: “Who am I?”
If “I” stands for personality, the way you are perceived by others,
then let’s have a look at what constitutes “Personality”.
David Keirsey writes in hit book “Please Understand me II” that
personality has two components:
Temperament; the inborn preferences or predisposition of an
individual. These are qualifications that come naturally to you but
not others. Then there is Character; your dispositions or behavior.
Whenever we display/adopt behavior that is in conflict with
temperament, we act out-off character; we have a personality disorder.
Our education, media, society, culture, etc. influences our behavior;
telling us what we should want/have; what we should value; what is
right/wrong, etc. As a result we focus more on ego-development instead
of spirit; listening to our hearts-following our predisposition,
finding our truths!
Now we have ethics and business-ethics, as if we can have a double
standard; two personalities?! Most businesses are founded on a great
purpose, passion, vision for a better world. And somewhere along the
line, especially when going public, the purpose changes to “Making
money”.
If that were true, then the purpose of life is to eat and drink!
Making money and eating and drinking are necessary preconditions but
are they the essence of business/life?
If we do not have a clear purpose, know who we are, we are not
different from anyone else and the guiding principle/discriminator
becomes price; how much do we charge! For us, it becomes a matter of
how much money can I transfer from my client to me? The end warrants
the means? What can I get away with legally?
What I want to say is that if we focus on creating value/utility for
clients, according to our own temperament we become priceless. Because
of our temperament, not everyone is a potential client. When we act
with integrity, behaving in line with who we are, we are authentic and
will be less inclined to start war to control oil-supplies etc. When
we see how our “Me-First” behavior, rooted in a scarcity-mentality,
undermines everything and backfires on us too, we might wake-up.
That’s what Buddha said “I am awake”; aware of what is going on!
When we know who we are, how we can contribute to the welfare of
others, we get what we want for ourselves.
I suggest looking at Joseph Campbell’s phenomenal series “The hero
journey” to learn about ourselves, to leave the tribe to get a
learning experience and then to come back and live our truths and
enjoy the experience of being alive! I can only change me, not others.
But I can change others’ perception and make them think for
themselves; see the bigger picture and hope that they will awaken!
Life is a journey, not a destination.
Respectfully yours,
Hans Norden
Jesus Nebot said,
January 8, 2008 @ 11:17 pm
Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 15:33:19 -0800
From:
Organization: zokalo entertainment
Thanks
Regarding the article, I feel that a relevant discussion to have is
how we can all team up to be of service to each other and to others in
the community and in the world.
I also think NSA can be more intrumental in gathering some data and
sharing information about the real needs of our speaking markets,
sponsors, bureaus, communities, etc…to its members so that we can do a
better job at addressing those needs through our training and
marketing.
Establishing a mentoring program could also be very helpful.
Love,
Jesus
http://www.jesusnebot.com
Stephen Frueh said,
January 8, 2008 @ 11:17 pm
Elder Thoughts
NSA/ GLAC
I appreciate the invitation to contribute to the substance and style
of our chapter. My thoughts are that by and large the meetings have
been helpful and it’s easy to see that a lot of good work has gone
into creating a format that is full of information and inspiration.
One of our challenges is nurturing and informing those who are fairly
new to the business and, at the same time, giving substance that will
‘feed’ the veterans. Perhaps a viable mentoring program (I know we’ve
made attempts at this in the past) could be combined with Saturday
morning presentations. Some of our members have truly remarkable skill
sets and years of experience.
Morning ‘breakouts’ might help us get more mileage out of that
precious time we have. We also might consider “regional” meetings with
mentors in between our monthly meetings since some travel a good
distance to get there and there are undoubtedly members clustered in
other geographical areas. I personally would volunteer to help design
this.
I like the idea of “virtual” meetings, especially since I got
really turned on by Alex Mandossian’s vision for our work. Why not
copy that model and apply to target needs of our members?
I work best in this ‘brainstorming’ process in person so I am eager to
be at the “Elder’s Lunch” table on Saturday.
I have many more ideas and will happily share them in the coming
weeks. NSA has been a very good investment for me and I cherish the
friends I have made through NSA/Glac.
Stephen W. Frueh PhD
Jean Franzblau said,
January 11, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
Hello all,
I’m a new apprentice excited to get involved. I’m deeply impressed with what is offered already. I would value a chance to meet members local to West Los Angeles. If there were a monthly gathering (such as a breakfast) where members could connect and learn together, that would be fantastic.
Thank you, safe travels and happy speaking to everyone.
Jean Franzblau