Philip showed up for the Transforming Your Presentation Skills Workshop out of curiosity, not expecting much. Not expecting anything really.
Philip said, “I’m already getting standing ovations when I speak at conferences. Not sure what you could teach me that would make me better.”
He wasn’t challenging. Just matter of fact.
I asked, “Are you getting them at the end of your presentation?”
He said, “Of course!”
I asked, “Do you also get any standing ovations during your presentations?”
Philip looked puzzled, “No.”
Pause. “Is that possible?”
I said, “When you’re talking about the ability to communicate, you are talking about something that is limitless.”
I let him absorb that.
Then I said, “If you’re interested, I can teach you how to get applause and even standing ovations during your talk, as well as at the end. It’s a higher grade of skill and of quality than what you’re doing now.”
Suddenly Philip was passionately interested. Philip said, “I have a big conference coming up in three weeks. I will really be able to test this.”
Philip was really fun to work with, easy to coach, and a fantastic coach for the others in the workshop. He was astounded that there wasn’t anything that I taught that he already knew, that it was all new to him.
Philip had many reasons to think that he had learned “all there was to know”. It was very fun showing him that he could fly at an even higher altitude.
The other students were absolutely amazed as they watched this extraordinary presenter get better and better. They learned so much from seeing it. As a result, the others set their sights even higher for themselves. They were learning from the advanced coaching I was giving him. It was such a positive influence having him in the workshop.
Sure enough, three weeks after the workshop, I got a joyful email from Philip. He sent it to me and cc’ed all the other students. Philip said, “I didn’t get one standing ovation during my talk, I got TWO, plus spontaneous applause throughout, plus the standing ovation at the end. No one had ever seen anything like this at this conference.”
He went on to ask, “Now seriously, my question to you now is, is there more you can teach me?”
I laughed and said, “Of course!”
The true power of communication, human being to human being, is limitless. Once you fully realize that, you can set goals that will take you far beyond anything most people think is possible.
The question isn’t how good you are, the question is how great can you be?
Be the cause!