My favorite part of every keynote presentation… (other than Bohemian Rhapsody 😉), is just before the close when I ask someone in the audience to share a new thought or idea, a change they’re making, something that might move us all forward, based on what they’ve learned.
Early in my show I let the audience know that whomever will be the one to share a new idea will be greatly rewarded… but I won’t tell them how.
Recently, during a particularly powerful experience with a group of facilities managers, I asked, and no one raised their hand.
That happens sometimes. I just wait. It will.
After about 30 seconds (which is interminable on stage), a gruff, quiet man of strong stature raised his hand.
I called on him and this is what he said, almost verbatim (I remember because his testimony was so moving)…
“For twenty years leading my company the have called me Dr. No. It’s my nickname because I’m the guy who always says, ‘No, we don’t have the money. No we don’t have the time. No, we can’t take that kind of risk.’”
He continued, “But it’s not working. I came here to figure out why. We’re stagnant. We’re not innovating. Morale and now revenue are going down.”
“Well, today I’m drawing a line in the sand.” [The power of drawing a personal line in the sand is in my new keynote, by the way].
He declared…
“From now on I’m not Dr. No. I’m Dr. How-Can-We?”
Well, there was an audible gasp in the crowd. I stood there for a moment just taking it in.
Wow! Dr. How-Can-We got it!
You see,
People LOVE IT when you can open up possibilities for them. This is the power of the What IF? Mindset.
And isn’t that why your customers come to you in the first place? Isn’t that why you were hired?
“What if?” is how to look at what everyone else is looking at, but see what they’re missing.
And the key is to make it a habit, so you become that possibility thinker.
A follow up a year later shows that Dr How-Can-We’s organization has transformed it’s results. Morale came back as soon as people saw his actions match his words. And revenue has turned the corner.
All of this his happening because one leader chose the “What IF? Mindset”and took action.
Oh, and as a reward, I gave this newly enlightened leader my backup guitar. Seriously. And now I do that in almost every presentation.
How could the “What IF? Mindset” transform your teams, your organization?
To find out, email me at mike@mikerayburn.com or call me at 1(403) 398-8488.
Live Truly, Truly Live,
Rayburn
PS My personal goal is to do what’s never been done, think what’s never been thought, be whom I can become. To that end, a few years ago I created what has become the first version of my “Become A Virtuoso” keynote which included a surprise hologram closing. Illustrating the message, my hologram appears, we have a conversation, the hologram gives the closing keynote summary, and we play a two-guitar duet of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.
It took almost a year to complete, over 1100 hours of work, more than $30K plus invested, and a huge leap of faith. To learn exactly how far I will go do deliver for my clients please listen to this “Unforgettable Presentations” podcast interview with my friends Darren LaCroix and Mark Brown where I give details on what all it took to create this, and how it’s the basis of my new “Become A Virtuoso… Business and Personal Performance Mastery” keynote.
Unforgettable Presentations Podcast
Rayburn’s “Become A Virtuoso” hologram closing (7 minutes)
