Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Be Generous

This is a great time of year to talk about generosity - one of the most powerful qualities a speaker can possess.


How do you feel when someone tries to sell you something?

At best, you may feel compelled to buy it.
At worst, you may feel manipulated, annoyed, and even violated.
But you almost never feel a true sense of connection with the seller.

Now, how do you feel when someone gives you a gift?

At worst, you may feel disappointed not to have gotten something better.
At best, you feel terrific.
And almost always, you feel grateful.

From the Green Room: Speak with generosity. Remember you are giving the audience a gift - not making a sales pitch. This subtle change in attitude makes can make enormous difference in how you approach your audience - and in how you are received.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Sarah Gershman said...
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Sarah Gershman said...

It often has more to do with how you speak than with what you say. I tell my clients before they get up to speak, to say to themselves, "Be generous." This simple reminder changes the outlook - and ultimately, the delivery. I've observed that when speakers try to "sell" the message, they can sound desperate. But when they switch the focus to generosity, they sound more confident, grounded, and compelling. Thanks for your question.