“Surround yourself with people who are only going to lift you higher”.
(UK Wired)
Dictionary.com defines inspiration as a divine influence directly or immediately exerted upon the mind or soul.
I have multiple Walk into the Future blog posts discussing superpowers and why they are important in our daily walk. Here is one of my favorites where I introduce my readers to Inspiration Man. 😊
My move to Fort Pierce has allowed me to make a difference but it is more of an organizational difference so far. We have adjusted work product and flow in my first 14 months. It almost feels like a complete overhaul of the organization based on how we revamped our services, products, and delivery methods. I did not expect this level of adjustment when I arrived, but we have made steady progress on modernizing our services and delivery.
The concept of Inspiration Man came up to highlight how I make an impact in the daily lives of others. Inspiration Man has been doormat, but this all changed when I received an email from a colleague in Orlando who works with the Central Florida Economic Council (CFEC) and Christian HELP.
Both organizations work to help people in Central Florida get back on their feet—job search, housing, food, etc. My friend is the Division Director for these organizations and asked me to speak at their May 2021 Job Fair. I did something similar 10 years ago and she remembered my positive impact on job seekers and wanted me to share my knowledge again. She does not know about my alter ego, Inspiration Man but she was about to unleash the superhero on the Orlando area. 😊
I quickly accepted the opportunity to move the crowd and share information with job seekers. The topic given: Job Searching in 2021—How to Adapt.
This was not a topic I had in my speaking library, but the challenge was to find a way to cover this information and engage with the audience. They provided an article with a ton of useful information, so this was the foundation of the presentation.
I never miss an opportunity to help, and this process was exciting; research, building and then presenting information to people who needed to hear from me.
I made my way to Winter Garden on the day of the event. Decided to drive over and then change at the venue prior to show time. My friend greeted me at the door, and we took a little time to catch up on life. She remembered the book I published in 2010 and thought I had another one ready to present to the group. FYI—I have been working on producing an eBook on Authentic Leadership, but it is not ready for public consumption. It should be coming later in 2021—get ready!
Inspiration Man made a quick dash into the dressing room to change into my superhero outfit for the day. Trying to be funny with that—it was a grey suit with a power blue tie.
Headed off to do a quick microphone check and make a quick adjustment to my slide deck. The event was held at Mosaic Church in Winter Garden, Florida and they have a fantastic audiovisual team. Sound checks allow me to gauge the acoustic of the venue to understand how loud I need to speak into the microphone. All systems go!
I took the stage after the host took care of some announcements and introduced me as the featured speaker of the day. It is always weird to me when I hear someone introducing me at an event—I want to look around to see who they are talking about, and it is ME.
I like to start my presentations by building rapport with the audience. One member spoke with me before the presentation and shared she was having a hard time finding employment. She mentioned a few things she tried but was having troubles. This quick conversation allowed me to bring a real-world situation into my presentation and highlight I was there to help. I speak with slides, but this does not drive how I present. Slides to me provide a foundation but I am not limited to the words on my slide show.
I am a huge fan of Jocko and introduced this video to set the tone for the day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdTMDpizis8
Diving into the presentation I covered:
- Trends
- Search parameters
- Personal messages
- Competition
- Presentation (Elevator pitch)
Each topic came directly from the article they provided, and I leveraged this data to highlight how the current trends favored the job seekers. We jumped into new job search parameters and ways to gain and keep an employer’s attention. The personal messages centered on building a WHY statement. Of course, I shared my WHY with the group to show how it can impact a positive mindset.
The competition on the job search is really internal—preparing well enhances the client’s ability to connect with employers. The presentation centered on creating an elevator pitch to helps a client standout in a positive manner.
The audience responded well to each topic and had a lot of questions for me during my hour with them on stage. This was the most fun I have had in a long time. Working with motivated people who want to learn and get better brings out the best in me. I was intent on moving the crowd during this event and happy to report mission accomplished.
Several folks waited to speak with me after and tell me their unique stories. I listened and shared my contact information so they can reach out to me when ready. I am happy to help them continue to grow.
Hoping to get additional invitation to help with CFEC/Christian HELP events again soon. May be time for Inspiration Man to make another appearance! 😊
“Do not let yesterday take up too much of today”.
(Will Rogers)
Walk Into the Future 