How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. Practice. Practice.

This past weekend, I went to Charlotte, NC to meet with my speech coach, Michelle Joyce

Years ago, when Jeffrey Gitomer personally invited me to audition to become one of the first Gitomer Certified Speakers, you could have knocked me over with a feather.  I was flattered, honored and scared to DEATH!

When I arrived in Charlotte in July of 2009 for the audition, Michelle immediately became my champion.  I was one of only 2 women in the inaugural group to audition AND did NOT have a career or message rooted in sales.  I was a corporate trainer, facilitator and focused mainly on leadership and change – you know, the soft-skills.  The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude was my gateway to Jeffrey’s work.  I really connected to the philosophies and importance of adopting a YES! Attitude in life.  It continues to be one of my most recommended resources for clients and teams.  

Fast forward to 2015.  Michelle had made the leap to working on her own after 17 years with Jeffrey Gitomer.  I was so excited for her and eager to learn more about her next steps.   The truth of the matter was that I never showed up as I was capable of doing while I was part of the Gitomer Certified group.  There was something keeping me from digging in and doing the work to book more talks through the Certified Speaker & Advisor program.  What I discovered was that I knew I had a message of my own.  I discovered that I had content I wanted to create and deliver. I discovered that I was ready to release MY body of work.  (And THAT was even scarier than being asked by the King of Sales to deliver HIS content.)

I made a commitment to work with Michelle to bring my message and my content to audiences for their benefit.  I would show up for Michelle in the way I always was capable of doing, but never did.  I would put in the time.  I would rehearse. I would practice.  

UplevelOur time together on Saturday was the result of a few months of preparation and feedback.  Finally, I was in the room with a focus group delivering my content & message.  It was fantastic! The feedback from the group was so helpful and encouraging.  The coaching from Michelle and another talented speaker and Gitomer colleague, Stephanie Melish, helped me to refine and rethink the pieces that didn’t quite land and pick up the missed opportunities  for greater impact.  I’m accustomed to getting feedback like, “That was awesome!” or “Great job!”  I can surround myself with that and think I’m good to go.  Instead, I’m investing in people who can help me sharpen my skills and who will tell me, “Slow down…you flew through that content,” “A purposeful pause would have been so great,” and “That last slide didn’t make sense to me.”   

  • Where are you not showing up as you’re capable of doing?
  • How could investing in yourself and putting in some rehearsal or prep time impact your results?  
  • What kind of feedback and evaluation are you inviting on a regular basis to sharpen your skills?  

2016 is my year for playing BIGGER, for RISING.  How about you?  

I develop content and create experiences that help people move forward during times of change with greater clarity, confidence and courage.  

I believe that my superpower is to speak and live my truth in such a way as to encourage and inspire others to do the same.  

I’m excited for the opportunities I will have this year to deliver a powerful message and create memorable experiences for groups of all sizes.  

Need A Speaker?  Let’s Talk!

I’m ready to take this show on the road.  My Make 3 Changes™: Move Forward Keynote is ready.  I’ll be updating this portion of my website in the coming weeks to better reflect the fresh, new content I’m developing to serve groups of all sizes.  In the meantime, check out some of the work I’ve done and if you have an upcoming event that would benefit from a message that delivers new ways of thinking about change & opportunity – let’s talk about it!   

Comments

comments

About Whitney Bishop

Whitney Bishop is a Change Agent who creates transformative experiences for leaders who are committed to making a difference in their own lives and in the lives of others. She has designed a proven process to help leaders and their teams elevate their questions, create new possibilities and take deliberate action. Are you ready to discover the power of possibility and experience breakthroughs that will help you have greater impact and influence in the world? Let’s talk.