How Flexible Are You? Embracing Life’s Unexpected Changes
Although I have not been in a plane since 2019, I have very fond memories of looking out the window at the landscape below, to see designs and patterns which are not accessible on the ground. Years ago, when I trained to become a Coach I learned a technique called "Exploring the Metaview", or in plain English "getting a bird's eye view". I use this often with clients who have trouble seeing where they have been and where they are going.
During my time in college, I interned at an arts council which sparked my desire to become an Arts Administrator. So, after working for a year I went to graduate school to get my Masters of Science in Arts Administration and Urban Management, and simultaneously worked for an art service organization supporting dancers & dance companies.
Post grad school things shifted, and after a few different jobs I ended up in the speaker industry. I had not planned it; I got the interview through an employment agency and then ended up staying for over 30 years. I worked as an agent, launched the marketing department, trained the sales staff and then became a member of the executive leadership team.
Then a few years ago when it seemed like a big change was coming, I decided to become a certified professional coach. I figured that way, when my third act came I would be ready to take the necessary steps to create what was next.
When I look back, I see the ‘through lines’ of my professional life of working with people to develop their talent. Sometimes they were artists, speakers, associates or executives but my passion has always been, and remains, to help them to identify their gifts, grow their talent and bring it out to the world.
We all evolve and change, some people have their lives upended (either by choice or circumstance). You’ve heard the saying “ We plan, God laughs”. As most of us move through life, this simple quote rings louder and louder.
The question is: what do you do with where you have been? Where are you now? Most importantly where do you want to go?
If you want to dive into these questions let's arrange a time to talk.
And if you are with an agency and need someone to help your team let’s explore my new talent development consulting.
“Exploring the unknown requires tolerating uncertainty.”
A Case Study in Expanding a Speakers’ Impact
I will never forget the time I got a call from the senior partner at one of New York’s most prominent law firms asking if Brian Greene would come and speak at their partners retreat. “I just finished Greene’s The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions and the Quest for Ultimate Theory and it is the most expansive books I have ever read. We need to change how we think and I know if he will agree to speak to us it would be revolutionary”.
Dr. Brian Greene is a Theoretical Physicist, Mathematician and a String Theorist. Co-Founder of the World Science Festival, Greene has the very rare ability to communicate complex scientific ideas to the general public and at the same time retain the intellectual integrity of those ideas for the scientific community. It is a rare feat and as more people became excited about his work through television and best-selling books, the broader the variety of organizations who wanted to host him for his engagements.
I gave the partner all the details of fees and logistics and said if that was all acceptable, I would discuss his inquiry with Dr. Greene. After we hung up I reflected on the extraordinary nature of the request, as up until that time the vast majority of inquiries for this speaker came from educational organizations.
My challenge as his agent was to persuade him to create speaking topics that would mirror what host organizations needed. For almost a year we had an unofficial speaking topic “Breakthrough Thinking: Challenging what we Know” . We could talk about it, but not put in on our agency website. While I never completely understood his resistance, I had to respect it, though every few months I would circle back to see if he would be willing to change his mind. Over the next few years, Dr. Greene slowly came around, and we expanded his offerings with topics targeting educational, cultural and business audiences. That way both integrity and marketability were maintained and we were able to increase his bookings. A win-win for all.
Whatever your expertise, the question is, do you know how to communicate your ideas, so they move the conversation forward? Are you paying attention to the cultural temperature, and are you framing what you offer so it will resonate?
If you are a speaker or an expert and your content needs a refresh, let's arrange a time to start that process.
If you are an agent, looking to widen the reach and impact of your existing clients, reach out to me here.
As the country begins to open up, let's reflect on what we have learned this last year in terms of both flexibility and innovation and continue to move forward.