Have you ever wondered how professionals make difficult things look easy?
What I have learned is that it is almost always the work before the work that gives peak performers the ability to really deliver in the moments that matter.
That’s why I NEVER under estimate the importance of an event run through…
I ALWAYS walk the room
I ALWAYS take the time to meet the AV team
I ALWAYS check how my mic sounds as I walk the room
I ALWAYS let the video team know when and where I may leave the stage
I ALWAYS check my slides
I ALWAYS brief my introducer
I ALWAYS place my props ahead of time
I ALWAYS listen to the presenters who perform ahead of me
My simple thought, is ALWAYS to “control the controllables”
The reason I share this with you – is to challenge you to think…. What more work can you do ahead of your core work that means you show up better in the moment where it matters?
Preparations at a recent event in Las Vegas
Photographs by John DeMato
"Phil kept our entire audience on the edge of their seats for more than an hour. He is not only a masterful storyteller and coach, but spent time with us to genuinely learn our business. His presentation was tailored on the spot to our industry, the experiences that our sellers were facing, and our selling propositions. It was exciting to work with someone who is dedicated to his craft to personalize his message so that every person in the audience walked away with pages of notes, and a feeling that Phil was speaking directly to them. Weeks after our sales kickoff, we are still receiving notes from sellers thanking us for having Phil coach them and sharing with us the difference that he has already made in their sales career.
For the sales kickoff planners out there, it is always a gamble when you select talent that they might deliver their strong presentation, but it lands flat with your audience because it is generic. That the presenter will walk in, put on their microphone, and hit the stage immediately with no regard for whether their standard talk track will work for your audience. There is no fear of that with Phil Jones. He spends the time to understand your business and tailors his coaching to match the needs of your team. That professionalism is a rare and delightful gift, which happens behind the scenes. The audience never sees the prep time that Phil has put in to ensure that they will walk away with lifelong coaching, but they absolutely feel the impact."
Meg Swanson, Chief Marketing Officer, Accruent