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Jane’s Summer Playlist

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jane Addison, my awesome summer intern, on her way to the University of Montana after graduating from Bexley High School.  As a way for her to get oriented to great talks, I invited her to curate a “Summer Playlist.”  Below is the outcome of her discoveries – I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

– Ruth

My summer playlist is both entertaining and inspiring. Any kid over the age of 10 would enjoy these talks (in other words, they are all PG – except preview the Seduction one to make sure it is okay (it isn’t about sex)!). Share this with the kids in your life as an alternative to TV or their IPADs. Okay, or let them watch them on their IPads! Enjoy!

– Jane

I really enjoyed this talk because Marco Tempest used his profession to capture the audience’s attention. Using his illusions, he made his talk effective and incredibly enjoyable to watch while taking the audience on a colorful and mind-blowing journey.

It is inspiring to see a young woman who not only has a successful website, but who is willing to get on stage and talk about why it is important. I like this talk because it is funny, interesting, truthful, and we are all “Still Figuring it Out.”

This talk is great because it is so disorienting yet so entertaining and brilliant.

This kind of talk is wonderful to see. Colin Stokes, as a father, obviously cares about Girl Power as well as Man Power.

I found this talk to be extremely impressive and inspiring. This fifteen year old, instead of using his computer for social media sites or online shopping, researched Google and Wikipedia to create a Low- Cost sensor to detect Pancreatic, Ovarian, and Lung cancer.

I LOVED this talk. It completely changed my view of gossip. Elaine Lui, a professional gossip, talks about how gossip helps her understand people and social behavior. Today’s gossip will be used in the future by people who are trying to understand what our society was like and I find that to be a fascinating.

I loved this video so much because it was so inspiring impressive, and fascinating. Jacob Barnett, now 14 years old, is a boy with Autism who was enrolled at Indiana University- Purdue University (IUPUI) when he was ten. I love this especially because he is living proof that Autism is not always a negative part of life, but can be a very wonderful part of life.

I really enjoyed this talk because it was funny, and straight forward. The concept on how to conserve paper towels is so simple, and he uses humor to prove his point.

I loved this talk because Chen Lizra was able to turn seduction, a word that is often thought of as a negative thing, into a technique that brings self- confidence and fearlessness of failing to everyday life. Seduction, if looked at positively, is a tool of pride and confidence and can lead to great success in life.

I liked this video because Birke Baehr, an 11-year-old, took a stand against genetically modified foods for kids. His talk was funny, simple, and impressive.

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11 things to look forward to in 2011

Last year when we launched ar.tic.u.la.tion in mid-summer, we had no idea that we’d get the overwhelming response that we did.  Between individual style coaching, signature story development advising and some unique teaching opportunities, we feel very lucky.  But we know we need to work hard for that luck, so here are the top 11 things we’re focused on for 2011….(at least that we know of on this new year’s day!)

1. A vendor’s relationship with Nationwide, our hometown insurance conglomerate.  We’ve been approved to work inside with their executives on speaking and presentations.   This means if you work for Nationwide, you have a new source for presentation and public speaking coaching / training.  If you work for another company and want the same opportunity, let us know!

2. A trip to TEDActive.  This is the sister event to the ‘big’ TED, the annual event that showcases the best in new innovating thinking, trending and creations, in February.   After two years of doing a wide variety of TEDx initiatives, I’m looking forward to being at a TED (okay, it’s not that hard seeing it’s in Palm Springs!)

3.   Headed to the Experience Columbus (our visitor’s bureau) annual meeting in March?  We’ll have a major role in shaping the stories and presentations for what will be a very different, well, experience, for them and their audience of 1000.

4.   A teaching arrangement for some MBA workshops at the Fisher College of Business.  We’ll start in January after Innovation Director Mike Bills does his personal branding seminar, I’ll follow up with translating that brand into your own story.  You know, the answer you may struggle to find when you are asked during a job search process (or in that proverbial elevator), “What’s your story?”

5.    Exploring new workshops and collaborations with Wendy Hardman, my alter-ego of presentation design.  Watch for announcements early in the year.  In the meantime, check out her site if you’ve got an annual meeting coming up and have a talent deficit on your team for understanding everything about presentation slide design.

6.  Big ideas around TEDxColumbus.  Nancy Kramer and I are noodling hard on this one. No news yet, but we are debating very exciting opportunities around what has become a very successful showcase of amazing local talent and their ideas worth spreading.

7.    Weekly blog posts (right here!) on ar.tic.u.la.tion.  We preach it, now it’s time for us to step up and live it.  Our editorial calendar is already packed for the first quarter!

8.   Live talk critiques.  Once a month, we’ll attend a talk, speech or lecture and post our feedback on style, content, memorability, audience engagement, and more.  If you want to nominate a talk to be critiqued, just email me.

9.     A very personal one:  Exchange of services with Amy Marzluff, a health coach.  While I learn from her best integrative health techniques, she’s getting brushed up on her speaking skills.  While I learn to diversify our new Gluten Free life (due to a child being diagnosed with celiac last year), she’s reaching new bounds with her workshops and seminars.  I’m so excited about this partnership.

10. Monthly tip emails.  At last!   We didn’t quite get these off the ground this year, but already have the many tips already in line.  If you want to subscribe, just enter your email here.  We promise they will be brief and informative!  We’ll include some of our favorite new reads and of course, TED talks.

11.   Meeting YOUR needs.  Please let us know if you would like a workshop, brown bag idea lunch or our signature one-on-one ar.tic.u.la.tion coaching for you or your associates.   We have a variety of workshops, curricula and exercises ready to adapt to your specific situation.

And with that, Happy New Year.  May it be filled with plenty of time and thought to create your own spectacular public speaking moments.

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10 for 2010.

Here’s my list of bad to beautiful public speaking moments for 2010:

10.  We’ll start with bad:  I’m still amazed that this guy made it onto national news after the viral explosion of his supposed nomination speech at a political event in NE Ohio.  Nonetheless, I’ll chalk it up to good acting as there’s no way someone sober could pull this off.

9.  And this might be worse: the Seize the Day event. I attended out of curiosity and left in disgust.  I knew it was a sales pitch for something.  But what was going to be hidden amongst speeches by notable orators Laura Bush, Nancy Brinker and Bill O’Reilly among a host of others?  A scam of investment tools and classes is all it is.  What a waste of talent and time.
8. Working toward seriously awkward and embarrassing, but not enough to lose her the election.  Governor Jan Brewer’s moment of zen, er, mindwarp during a televised debate.
7.  And on the converse, a way to use silence and pausing to your advantage:  President Obama’s State of the Union.  That is mastery.   (But what does it say that CBS’s YouTube version only had 146K views compared to over 2 million for #9 and #10?  Hmmm.)
6.  Moving onto unique:  I had a chance to interview Chris Anderson, the curator of TED, during a TEDx webinar this year.  I was a co-host of a learning series for TEDx licensees across the world, and this was one of my favorite.   Indeed, all knowledge is connected.
5.  And my favorite reads of the year:  Fierce Conversations where Susan Scott reminds us that every conversation you have is with yourself and on occasion someone else is involved.   I add that every presentation starts with that conversation.
And an oldie but goodie: Save the Cat, by Blake Snyder, a great short read about how to write a screenplay, or of course, any great story.  Relating it to speeches crystalized in my mind how the most compelling talks must have an identifiable hero and villain, even if they aren’t characters or people.
4.  A great graduation talk (yes, that is possible).  Way to mash things up at Harvard with Jimmy Tingle.  Very funny.
3.  My favorite case study.    In the not-quite-done category.  We’re helping an amazingly talented local entrepreneur get ready for her book tour next spring. She’s getting her first ‘signature’ talk and lots of one-on-one preparation to give it.
2.   My favorite learning moment:  Helping my five-year old daughter prepare to give an all – school address (four sentences) in front of 700 kids.  She practiced her heart out and acted like it was no sweat.  Makes me think we learn to be nervous as public speakers, eh?
1.   The tops: Of course, this year’s TEDxColumbus event at CCAD.  Someone said it had great soul.  I would agree, since I got to know all 14 speakers or performers personally.  Each had such deep convictions and focus in their talks.  As a result, the audience was lathered in passion, great ideas, ice cream and indeed, soul.
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