How Do You Know It’s Good?
The “Back to Basics” Series
“You like it. Your friends like it. Their peer group likes it. The public likes it. Many people buy it. It’s all very subjective. But you want lots of approval and lots of sales.”
– Sir Michael Philip “Mick” Jagger
English musician, singer-songwriter
(1943 – )
Your organization? Your sales force? Your product? Your story? Your meeting? Your presentation? How do you know they’re good?
What’s the standard? What’s the criteria?
Presumably, at the end of the day, the year, the career, the life – one might want to look back with a certain prideful satisfaction. So perhaps a little consideration devoted to “standards of achievement” is advisable at the beginning. On what basis do you conclude that “you done good?” Is it all “very subjective” or is there instead, a set of objective standards which define “GOOD?”
Many of us conduct our lives hewing to the default standard…the unconscious consideration that we want to “fit in” against the backdrop of common practice, group assumption, the canvas of how everyone does it – peer pressure. We don’t want to be noticed or singled out. We just want to get through it. Yet, is it enough to say “I did what everyone else was doing? I was average. I got C’s. I lived on credit, had a few flings. Didn’t accomplish much, and I was asleep most of the time, but I survived lots of meetings…”
Maybe there’s more? Maybe “being singled out” is one indicator of what “Good” is all about. Add that to “raising the standard of performance or service.” Should something happen when we finish a presentation? Should our spouse smile when we walk into the room? Should our colleagues seek out our counsel?
Standards.
They are a fundamental – though not always visible – part of our lives. And every day, we raise, lower or leave them in place. Most of the time, they are not objective, or even subjective, they are simply “the default.” (Meetings are dull. Entertainment isn’t. Lives are too often lived on autopilot.)
But occasionally someone, through an exceptional statement, performance or demonstration shakes us all into awareness of a single resplendent moment of personal greatness. Why? Because they had an exceptional standard of aspiration. They wanted more, perhaps to be the best. Maybe they wanted to leave every room better then they found it.
We’re not attempting to dictate here, but to create an explicit discussion about something that usually goes unnoticed.
For yourself, your family, the community, the work, make the discussion and the aspiration toward greatness a regular part of life. Be able to say, “Here’s what I believe constitutes a successful meeting, relationship, career, and life. These are the standards to which I am committed!” Gives you more to talk about than the weather.
Set Standards! (Having a standard is where it begins.)
Articulate them! (Explicit Standards open the debate.)
Stick to them! (Agreement and Consistency make things stable.)
Raise them! (Continuous improvement wins the competition!)
Go out into the world and prepare to defend your position!
In the end, you’ll know “You done good!”
– – –
Editor’s note:
Thank you for reading this final installment in our Back to Basics Series.
Beginning in the latter part of January next year, we’ll introduce and launch our Sales & Counselor Selling Series on Cornerstones!
In the meantime, to review (or catch up on articles you might have missed), here is the complete Back to Basics Cornerstones (with links to all the previous ones):
The “Back to Basics” Series — Introducing this series
MIND (Process) – Composition and “Ready, Set, Go!®” to structure communication:
- One Discipline — Review of “Ready, Set, Go!®”
- Then What? — The vital importance of the Next Step
- Do Your Homework! — The secret of Audience Analysis
- Last Things First!℠ — Don’t start at the beginning
- The Number Three — How 3 topics helps your audience… and you
- An “Art” to Beginning — From audience Boredom to Acceptance… It’s an art
- The Circle Game — How great speakers use the circle technique
- Imposing Limits — The power of limits to get things done on time
- Composition Wrap-Up, Bridge to Signature – Moving on to next segment
BODY (Package) – The effective combination of personal signature and visual aids help your audience to recall — and repeat — your message:
SIGNATURE – Part 1
- We Call it Signature! – Harnessing your unique delivery
- “Trading Up” on Received Wisdom – Expanding our view of what is true
- The Mind Follows Where the Eyes Lead – The secret of eye contact
- Facing the Fear – A unique way to defeat the fear of public speaking
- Hands, Pockets & the Limits of Rules – Don’t let the “rules” get in your way
- Hitting Your Marks! – Choreographing your movement
- Never in New Clothes – When not to wear your brand-new clothes
- The Big Venue – Meeting the challenge of big performance spaces
- Getting Seen and Getting Remembered – Power of your personal signature
VISUAL AIDS – Part 2
- Magic Carpet Ride – Anchoring your presentation with visuals
- Thirty Hours to Art – How to increase your visual aids skills exponentially
- If it Needs to be Read, it’s a “Reading Assignment” – The Keys to visual aids
- Low & Common? Lofty & Rare! – Mastering your presentation tools
- Signature & Visual Aids Wrap-Up, Bridge to Spirit (Purpose)
SPIRIT (Purpose) – Without spirit, intent, and purpose, even the best composed message and unique signature will not move an audience. You need Spirit — the most powerful part of your communication and presentations.
- ONE thing! – The most important component of a presentation
- Walking Your Talk – Structural Integrity for your presentation
- Incomplete – How to ensure your presentations are firmly grounded and complete
- Of Course, It’s Acting – Bridge between your spirit and the physical
- Presence – The subtle power of being there
- Let Your Aim… – Reaching for a lofty or noble purpose
GUIDE TO MASTERING the Back to Basics Series.
- Practice Creates the Master – Mastering the many facets of practice
- Get Up and Wail! – The right way to practice — in 6 steps
- What’s Your Point? – Winning formula to achieve your objective
- Speech or Presentation – There’s a big difference in preparation and delivery
- Freeing the Angel – How to create a well-sculpted presentation
- Getting a Win – Three criteria of a winning presentation
- A Stronger Message – Aligning your communication channels
- How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall? – “Ready, Set, Go!®” & right way to practice
- How Do You Know It’s Good? – (This Cornerstones Post) Why you need to set and follow standards
Looking forward to seeing you in January as we begin our Sales & Counselor Selling Series.
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