An Agile way of delivering a speech on being Agile.
This weeks ProfessionalSpeaking-blog is about delivering a talk that is “Walking the talk”.
Last week I was invited to speak to hundreds of members of ACCA in Singapore. The theme of the conference was “Agile” and I was invite to speak on “Agile as an individual”.
Agile is about being flexible, nimble, adaptive and about doing instead of planning/talking.
So when the client asked for the slides a week before the conference I suggested to them that instead of sending in the slides in advance I would make the slides during the day and deliver a speech that had slides with quotes from the previous speakers. (I was the last speaker.)
The picture attached is a picture of me sitting in the back of the room making the slides as I listen to the other speakers.
I then went up and delivered my speech and started it by saying: “Agile is about being fast and nimble so I am going to deliver a speech I put together based on my experience during the day.”
For example: One speaker mentioned Singapore as an example of an agile country. So I had a slide that said “Singapore: An Agile country?” and I then asked the audience in my speech if they agreed with this statement. Most did not. I then continued to tell a couple of stories about Singapore as an agile country.
To make up a speech for hundreds of people on the same day as the speech might look risky or even unprofessional, but the key here of course is that I had researched and planned my speech in advance and prepared a speech much longer than my time slot and then I selected the stories and examples that I had based on which stories connected well to what the previous speakers had said.
That way I could tell a story that I wanted to tell but for the audience it looked like I came up with the example on the fly.
I do not recommend this strategy to beginner speakers, but I am using it as an example of how you can customise a speech based on the theme of the conference, and as an example of how a speech can become more powerful when we SHOW something (in this case my ability to think on my feet), instead of just TALKING about something.
I do not normally share the CSR-projects of my business. But in this post I will do an exception and share some of my recent CSR-activities in the last month.
First of all: I call it “creative social responsibility”, well, because I speak on creativity and want to remind myself to do creative projects that help.
In the last few weeks we have done these projects (sample):
- Environment. (Tree planting, Bintan)
A few weeks ago I took my family to Bintan, Indonesia to help plant mangrove trees off the coast of Bintan to help restore the local marine environment.
- Pro-bono speeches (Boys’ Brigade.)
This Saturday I volunteered to speak for the Boy’s Brigade in Singapore. As a global speaker I find it important to get involved with the causes that are dear to the local community where I live. I was happy to be one of two speakers and to share the stage with the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Vivian Balakrishnan).
- Find-your-voice (sponsor a deaf child)
Last week I was in Manila and met with Julie Gutierrez Esguerra, an amazing woman who teaches deaf children how to talk and read lips. A perfect example of someone helping children “find their voice”. And I am happy to sponsor Julie’s school to give the gift of speech to more deaf children.
I am of the belief that as a global speaker the CSR-activities should be a mix of very local (picking up trash with our children where we live – which we did yesterday) via local community involvement (like speaking for Boy’s Brigade, to regional help (like the support of deaf children in the Phillipines, to global events (like supporting WorldVisions projects (which we also did last week.)
I also believe it should be a mix of giving of your time, giving with your heart and giving with your wallet.
How do you plan your CSR activities and what is your strategy around it?
IDEAS ISLAND.
One of my global CSR-project is Ideas Island (www.IdeasIsland.com) where I encourage creative people from around the world to apply to come and stay – for free – on one of my private islands (in Sweden) to work on their favourite creative project. (I encourage those who can to give a small amount to charity, but no money goes to me.)
Ideas Island is all about giving creative people a chance to experience the amazing feeling of sitting, by yourself, on an island where you can just focus on your own ideas. (I spend 2 months per year on my other island so I know the creative power that comes from being alone with your ideas on an island.)
If you are interested to get a chance to stay on Ideas Island this summer (we have a couple of free weeks that just opened up) I MIGHT be able to get you a spot. Email me on fredrik@fredrikharen.com and tell me who you are and why you think you should get to stay on Ideas Island to work on your creative project.