REQUIRED reading for LEADERS – E. Shackleton’s LESSONS

Excuse my temerity with title of ‘required reading’.

However, I feel strongly that if you are a leader, you should read following passage about how Ernest Shackleton ‘showed up’ leading one of the most courageous survival missions of all time, and how his leadership lessons apply to leaders during the COVID-19 crisis. (bolding of text is mine).

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‘From his Antarctic experience, Shackleton knew that one of most important tools he had in accomplishing his mission was his presence. How he showed up each day in front of his men – what kind of energy he gave off, how determined he looked, even how he carried his body – had a huge impact on the team. He used what we would today call his emotional intelligence to maintain his determination and bravery; when these flagged, he never let his men know.

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Be more ARTICULATE with this SPEAK under Pressure DRILL

In my former career as a speech pathologist, one way I’d treat head injured clients who had severe spoken communication problems, was to use time-pressure drills.. These drills would, in effect, ‘create’ new neural pathways around the injured part of their brain, and allow the person, to improve their speaking delivery.

Now, even though most of you don’t have a head injury) you can still improve your quick translation of thoughts to speech through drilling, which will to serve you in pressured interactions, encounters, meetings and presentations.

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KEY techniques for PRODUCTIVE video/tele CONFERENCES

As many of you will be working remotely for the forseeable future, below are techniques I’ve developed for video/teleconferences.

As well, you’d find sample copy to email to participants prior to a conference and sample words for opening a conference.

Tele/Videoconference Techniques

  1. Identify yourself before speaking (if there could be any doubt that it is you who is speaking).
  2. Use the Open – Middle – Close speaking structure for sharing your ideas and keep in mind that ‘simplicity sells’.
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WORDS of HOPE for a Panicked WORLD

Below is a prior post.

Especially at the present time, the words resonate with me – and they might resonate with you, too.

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Some of you may know of this famous letter.

American writer E.B. White wrote it in response to a letter he received from a man who had lost faith in humanity. The letter is one I turn to when times are tough.

North Brooklin, Maine

30 March 1973

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LEARN from D. Pink’s ENERGY, CERTAINTY & dry HUMOUR

Dan Pink’s delivery and content in his 2009 TED talk The puzzle of motivation (please see link and clip below) is a good one to learn from – to help make your presentations influential.

Below is my analysis of Pink’s delivery at certain points in the talk.

Overall Pink has a light, playful delivery throughout the talk. This often, is how the best leaders present themselves to the world. He is a great example of perceived, genuine enthusiasm sells. He has a measured, variable speaking cadence combined with voice energy. He ‘owns’ the stage and the physical space in front of his body with definite and expansive gestures, that are linked to his messages.

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