Candid Camera

Springwise reports that a wearable camera has been developed in the UK which can document a person’s life. Promising “Memories for Life” the Vicon Revue has been created as an aid for people with memory loss.

The device can operate either on a timer—taking photos every 30 seconds—or it can be set to take photos automatically when triggered by internal sensors, which can detect body heat as well as changes in temperature, light and motion. Along with images, the camera also stores a time-stamped log file that can be enriched with GPS traces. Its 1GB of flash memory can typically hold around 30,000 images, or approximately 6 days’ worth of capture.

The appeal of the Vicon Revue is expected to broaden from Alzheimer’s patients who need a photographic record of events they might otherwise forget to anyone narcissistic enough to want to record as much about every moment of their life as possible.

So, if you were to stick one of these devices on a newborn and they lived to be, say, 70, then 4.3TB of disk storage would hold their entire lifetime in pictures. You can actually buy that much storage for around $700. What are you waiting for!

Life Caching

Springwise terms this emerging trend Life Caching and notes:

Thanks to the onslaught of new technologies and tools, from blogging software to memory sticks to high definition camera phones with lots of storage space and other ‘life capturing and storing devices’, an almost biblical flood of ‘personal content’ is being collected, and waiting to be stored to allow for ongoing trips down memory lane.

One possible future is that all of us will soon have enough of our lives recorded that no-one, least of all ourselves, will have the time or inclination to review the data we’ve collected. If you cache 100% of the life you lead for 24 hours, and proceed to review it, then the next 24 hours would be a cache of you reviewing your cache. Our lives would recede like reflections in a hall of mirrors, as we viewed ourselves viewing ourselves. Our self-obsession would become magnified.

Technology is already causing this to happen to some of us. I’ve collected 27 days worth of music on my iPod, most of which I’ll probably never listen to. I have countless folders filled with digital photographs I never look at and a blog with over 500 articles that I hardly ever read.

So what’s your point (of view)?

The end-game of this technology might well be a time when each of us holds a cache of our separate lives and yet is unable to make any more sense of it than we do of our unrecorded life. In fact, if everyone did this, life would become infinitely more confusing.

What would it be like to play back all the images from even a half-dozen lives, lived wearing a Vicon Revue? Imagine a group of people in the same family or people who worked together all recording their separate points of view. What would this tell us? How would we even begin to make sense of it? Imagine they spent time together in the same room—what would it look like?

Not knowing what anything IS

This question has been addressed by Avatar Adi Da Samraj, who writes:

If each person’s “point of view” were replaced by a camera, and you collected photographs of all those “points of view” in the room—up, down, sides, all different orientations—and if you put them all together, you would wonder what you were looking at. Ten such photographs would be enough to make the room unrecognizable. In any case, no single photograph represents the room in its totality. Any single photograph is a portrayal (or an abstract representation) only—and the same is true of your perception. Your perception is only a portrayal (or an abstract representation) of the room. Your perception is not the room As it Is.

— The Way of Zero Bargaining, The Aletheon, p. 1590, Avatar Adi Da Samraj.

Adi Da discusses the profound implications of this fundamental truth. He explains that neither a single room, nor the whole universe, can be accurately described, since “knowledge” about anything is limited by a “point of view”:

“Point of view” defines everything about conditional “knowledge”, whether it is “knowledge” of “self” or “knowledge” of the universe. That is the purpose served by “point of view”. That “knowledge” is the power of “point of view” - its presumed ability to escape bad luck, misfortune, confinement, death, bad results, negative destiny, and so on. That presumed power (or ability) is the purpose of the effort of introversion. It is also the purpose of the effort of extroversion. It is the purpose of all seeking.

— The Aletheon, p. 1591-2.

Understanding Life

So, perhaps a better option than obsessive life caching and a concern with squirreling away the minutia of every moment, is working to develop an understanding of life as it really is; not as an archive of separate images, but as a totality that transcends all possible “points of view”.

How to augment your live presentation using social media

Effective public speaking is a challenge for many executives. They must prepare interesting content, overcome stage fright and deliver a speech that will hold the audience’s attention. As if that wasn’t difficult enough, they are increasingly likely to find themselves looking out at a sea of faces illuminated by the glow of laptops and PDAs. Social media is invading the auditorium, and rather than tuning out while a speech is delivered, people are turning on laptops and cell phones to send out text messages, broadcasting to the world their opinions of a presentation.

Changing presentations forever

In his new book, The Backchannel: How Audiences are Using Twitter and Social Media and Changing Presentations Forever, Cliff Atkinson explains how these new forms of online communication are shifting the rules of engagement between audiences and presenters. Instead of sitting politely until it’s time for Q & A, people are going online during the address to swap comments and opinions via an electronic backchannel.

At the very least, Atkinson claims, speakers and their communications support staff need to be aware that there is likely to be a backchannel in the room and learn how to monitor it or be left out of the conversation. Beyond this basic awareness, he encourages communicators to take the initiative and employ social media as an integral part of any executive’s presentation.

Practical advice

Atkinson’s book covers a lot of ground, from how to open a Twitter account to advice on expanding the conversation with the audience. He details how social media can transform a presentation from a one-off information dump into a longer-term relationship—one that starts before you step onto the podium. His advice includes:

• Breaking a speech into “Twitter-sized chunks” to make it easier for people to post 140-character sound bites. One measure of success then becomes how many of these summary statements are posted and reposted online.
• Using Twitter as a vehicle to extend your ideas to people outside the room, giving them a “virtual stage pass” to the event.
• Creating instant polls using tools, such as Twtpoll and Poll Everywhere, to involve the audience.
• Publishing a Presentation Home Page using wiki software. For example, I was inspired by Atkinson’s book to create http://execcomms.wikispaces.com/ listing my past and future talks. A Presentation Home Page is a convenient archive for reference material; blog postings; a Twitter feed; bio and contact information and more. This shifts the burden from overly busy PowerPoint slides as the sole way to communicate information. Also, by implementing a page like this prior to an event you initiate a backchannel that involves the audience, letting you gather comments and suggestions before you deliver the talk. After the event, the page becomes a repository for evaluation responses, blog postings, reference material and a transcript.

Double-edged sword

Atkinson acknowledges there are both risks and rewards involved in the backchannel. It enables people to connect online and become part of a shared community, but at the risk of leaving out those who are unaware of what is happening. It gives the speaker a way to reach a wider audience, but at the risk of distracting the smooth delivery of material. It provides an archive for comments and opinions, but a series of 140-character notes can lack context. And there’s the very real risk that the comments people make on Twitter might lack civility and shock presenters with their sometimes brutal honesty.

A two-way conversation

Though this approach is not for everyone, Atkinson describes a potent way in which social media allows a (frightening?) new level of transparency that speakers can use to transform a one-way stream of communication into a dialogue with the audience—before, during and after the speech.

The Backchannel might not bring welcome news to presenters who are wedded to the old school ways of controlling audience response and involvement, but is clearly shows how you can magnify the impact of a speech using social media.

So, in the spirit of the book, what do you think are the risks and rewards of a social media backchannel? Leave your comments below or tweet them with the hashtag #backchannelbook.

This review was originally published in ragan.com.

In order to gain a competitive edge it is essential for professionals to strive for both professional and personal excellence. Frauke Schorr’s work focuses on professionals who struggle and need outside expertise to bring their careers, businesses, and teams to the next level.

As part of her PhD in Organizational Psychology Frauke interviewed highly accomplished entrepreneurs and leaders on their experience of becoming successful. She found that the most successful leaders hold the mindset of a Centered Leader™ - They had a continuous curiosity to learn something new, challenge themselves, and stretch their boundaries while being grounded in a frame that was uniquely build on their personal values, beliefs, and passions. They also had the distinct ability to translate this frame into a company culture. They were, as Frauke describes it, leading from the inside-out.

Frauke uses this framework in her company, Centered Leadership™, a corporate training and executive coaching firm dedicated to developing business leaders on all levels of the corporation. It supports clients in defining and developing their careers and business, making successful career transitions, and becoming visionary leaders who engage and motivate others to achieve desired results.

Frauke can be reached at (650) 539-5553 or via email at frauke@centered-leadership.com.

Pro-Track Profile

I met with Frauke at the kick-off meeting of the 2010 National Speakers Association Northern California Chapter year0long Pro-Track class. She told me something about her business and why she was investing Pro-Track training. To hear what she told me, click on the podcast icon below.

 

 Interview: Frauke Schoor [3:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

One of the best, free, resources for speakers is the weekly SpeakerNet News email newsletter sent each Friday to more than 9,000 professional speakers, consultants, trainers, and authors.

Each issue features items sent in by the newsletter readers, including:

• Tips on subjects like sales and marketing, travel, technology, great resources, saving money, PR, conducting better presentations, and other topics key to the speaking business.
• Requests for information and advice.
• Want ads (equipment and other items for sale).
• Services and products of interest to speakers.

There’s an extensive series of compilations of past tips on topics ranging from How to Handle a Noisy Audience to suggestions on Bartering with Hotels and Recommendations for PowerPoint Designers.

SpeakerNet News is run by long-time NSA Northern California Chapter members Ken Braly and Rebecca Morgan.

They host a series of Teleseminars featuring well-known authorities such as Randy Gage on Transforming yourself from Speaker to Information Entrepreneur, Michael Soon Lee on Becoming an Industry Expert…In A Week and James Malinchak on Making Six-Figures Annually Speaking to Colleges.

I recommend subscribing to the teleseminar series which slashes the cost of each recording from $25 to a mere $10.

I need your help.

On Friday February 12th I’m presenting at the Ragan Speechwriters Conference in Washington, DC. The title my talk is Beyond the Auditorium: Magnifying the Impact of a Speech with Social Media. While I hope some readers of Professionally Speaking will be at the event, I’d like to hear from anyone who has an opinion to share.

My talk will cover three main areas:

1. Using LinkedIn Groups & Polls to research topics before you start writing a speech.
2. Using Twitter to open up a backchannel for discussion during a speech.
3. Using Podcasts and videos to reach people after a speech is delivered.

If you’d like to know more, you can see my draft slides, read an outline of the talk and even watch a preview video on this presentation home page.

I’d like to hear what’s on your mind and suggestions you might have that would improve my presentation.

• What would you like to hear covered in a session like this?
• What questions come to mind that you would want answered?
• How can I make sure that the people who come to my presentation in DC walk away satisfied?

Share you opinions in the comments area below or by logging in to the presentation home page.

Thanks!

“We must always remember that the act of speaking professionally is only a part of our individual journeys. It is not a destination.”
- Phillip Van Hooser

The Evolution of a Professional Speaking Career

Since 1988, NSA President Phillip Van Hooser, CSP, CPAE, has spoken, written, coached and consulted on leadership and service professionalism issues with groups and organizations around the globe.

On Saturday January 9, 2009, he presented at the NSA Northern California Chapter meeting. His talk, Uncommon Business Practices That Will Help You Re-Think, Re-Position and Re-Tool Your Way to Speaking Success, reviewed the evolution of his own speaking career and the lessons this holds for other professional speakers.

Van Hooser stated that there are five distinct stages in a typical speaking career:

1. The dream is born

Some fall into a speaking career by chance. But Phil has dreamed of being a professional speaker since he was very young. His grandmother was an early influence who told the eight-year-old he would become a Baptist preacher. That didn’t happen, but he did became enamored with natural orators: the preachers, teachers and politicians of his Kentucky childhood.

2. The journey begins

By age 15 he had started keeping a notebook on public speaking. He recorded what the speakers he heard said, then progressed to noticing how they said what they said — the ways in which they delivered their material.

3. A business materializes

Every speaker must choose a moment to declare themselves a professional. For Van Hooser, that moment was the afternoon of April 7, 1988 when he quit his corporate job. With the “confidence born of ignorance” he started his business with no prospects or speaking material. He did, however, enjoy the support of his wife Susan who has been his business partner for the past 20 years. Now — 2,800 paid presentations later — Phil’s advice to others considering a career as a speaker is not to quit the day job until you have material developed and clients lined up.

4. The work expands

Speakers need to stay current. Changes in technology and the economy mean that what worked at the start of our careers will not continue to work. We need to evolve personally and professionally. The secret, Phil says, is to listen to the audience. As speakers we might think we know what people like, but the audience will let us know what they actually benefit from.

5. Reflection is inevitable

Many older people, looking back at their lives, wish they had taken more risks. They also wish they had taken time out to reflect, slowing down the weeks and months that otherwise pass by in a blur. Many wish they had contributed something to the world that would outlast their own lifespan.

As speakers, we must take the risk of stepping outside our safety zone and learn from our mistakes. We must invest ourselves in the people in our audience, and reflect on the unique opportunity we have to make a difference to thousands of people. Finally, when we speak with passion and conviction, we’ll see the light bulb go off in people’s eyes and know that we have connected with them. We never know when something we say in a presentation will change someone’s life. It’s this possibility, Van Hooser says, that makes the hard work of being a professional speaker worthwhile.

Grandmother Van Hooser clearly saw something in young Phillip that has now benefited tens of thousands of people.

Podcast Interview

To hear what Phil told me about his role as President of the National Speakers Association, how American speakers are perceived internationally and why professional speaking is the hardest job he’s ever had, click on the podcast icon below.

Phil can be contacted at phil@vanhooser.com.

 

 Interview: Phillip Van Hooser [6:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Here’s a nice way to celebrate the end of one year and the start of another. This awe-inspiring video of the known, material, universe deserves 5 minutes of your time to watch in HD and full-screen mode (click on the second box from the right in the menu bar below.)

The Known Universe video takes viewers from the Himalayas through our atmosphere and the inky black of space to the afterglow of the Big Bang. Every star, planet, and quasar seen in the film is possible because of the world’s most complete four-dimensional map of the universe, the Digital Universe Atlas that is maintained and updated by astrophysicists at the American Museum of Natural History. This new film, created by the Museum, is part of an exhibition, Visions of the Cosmos: From the Milky Ocean to an Evolving Universe, at the Rubin Museum of Art in Manhattan through May 2010.

Happy New Year!

Janet Hebert has been a ranch hand (her parents raised prunes on over 100 acres in the Coyote Valley), an elementary school teacher, a full time single mom for her two children Katie and Jeff, and a caregiver for her own mother.

Janet has been speaking for the past 15 years. She has been a frequent competitor in Toastmasters District 4 – progressing to the Division and District contests several times, and all the way to the Regional level in the International Speech Contest in 2000. It was in the process of attending the Toastmasters contests that she met her husband Paul, also a winner at the District level.

Janet is a 16-year breast cancer survivor. For the past 15 years she has been speaking to audiences large and small on behalf of the American Cancer Society, helping raise awareness and inspire action for individuals and groups. While listening to Janet, audiences learn about cancer in general, how to detect it early, and what help is available when cancer is discovered. Listeners learn not only the facts - they learn about the compassion and human warmth behind the work of the American Cancer Society. Her engaging style, candor and deep commitment to helping others - as she herself was helped - make her a preferred presenter for ACS. She enjoys the opportunity to share information and her story, believing with each talk that she may be helping to save someone’s life.

Pro-Track Profile

The 2010 Pro-Track program kicks off on Saturday January 23 at the Burlingame, CA, Hilton Hotel.

Janet is excited to be a part of Pro-Track. She is pursuing her dream of becoming a professional speaker and impacting many more lives with both her unique perspectives and heartfelt good will.

I talked with Janet on the phone about the origins of her interest professional speaking and what she is looking for in the Pro-Track program. To hear what she told me, click on the podcast icon below.

Janet can be reached at (408) 226-8283 or by email at janet@costaclan.com.

 

 Interview: Janet Hebert [6:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Confessions of a Public Speaker

There’s no shortage of books on how to write speeches and speak with confidence. But there are precious few on what it’s like to stand on the podium and deliver a talk, let alone what it takes to make a living as a speaker.

Scott Berkun’s new book, Confessions of a Public Speaker, tells the inside story of one man’s experiences speaking on innovation to audiences around the world. Outside of a good late-night discussion at the bar at a National Speakers Association convention, you’re not likely to hear such an honest assessment of what life as a professional speaker is actually like.

First-person account

Berkun tells his back story, as well as what it takes to become a compelling public speaker. His first-person account is mostly a series of stories about life on the road, and he shares it all—from the daily fees and annual income to the embarrassment of being late for important talks. If you identify with him, you’ll find these stories entertaining, interesting and instructive; if you don’t, well, you probably won’t like the book. Personally, I liked the book.

Berkun’s stories hit home. They are instructive in the same way that speakers who take a risk and include personal stories in their speech can use their own material to inform and connect with an audience.

Valuable lessons

We hear about Berkun’s early-morning experiences traveling from the airport Starbucks to the backstage green room, where presenters gobble doughnuts and take to the stage on a sugar high. We sympathize with him over equipment problems and the challenge of delivering to non-English-speaking audiences. And we learn:

• What to do when 45 people show up in a 2,000-seat auditorium. (Ask them to cluster in the front rows.)
• How to deal with persistent hecklers. (Address them and move on.)
• How to overcome a fear of speaking. (Find a way to enjoy yourself onstage.)
• How to prevent a wardrobe malfunction. (“Remove all nipple piercings.”)

As that last example shows, Berkun has his own style of humor. Love him or hate him, you’ll discover aspects of what it is like to be a public speaker that are well worth knowing before you next step onto the podium.

Sound advice

Altogether, Berkun’s basic advice is sound, and it centers on a handful of principles:

• Practice makes perfect.
• Place the audience’s needs before your own.
• Show up early, and end your talk early.
• Learn from your mistakes.
• Don’t be seduced by style over substance. “It is possible to become an eloquent speaker, who makes beautiful slides and has a great vocabulary and perfect diction, without having much to say.”

The reason Berkun’s advice resonates is that his heart is in the right place. He champions the audience and doesn’t settle for the mediocre standard of so many corporate speeches.

Authentic and compelling

Berkun wants speakers to be authentic. He’s offended by executives who won’t invest a few hours preparing a speech and who then waste hundreds of cumulative hours of an audience’s time. He challenges us to aim higher: Instead of providing bad slides and mind-numbing detail, he suggests spending time on content, and he encourages rehearsing the delivery until the speaker is able to present his message with interest and confidence.

He notes that speakers today can easily videotape themselves rehearsing but laments that few do, because “it’s just too scary for them to watch.” To that, Berkun says, “If you’re too scared to watch yourself speak, how can you expect your audience to watch you?”

Berkun wants speakers to tell compelling stories that arouse the audience’s curiosity. He reminds us how powerful it is to involve the audience—to risk interacting, even with something as simple as a show of hands asking if the pace of the talk is too slow or too fast. Speakers should offer simple insights, he says, rather than hide behind the smokescreen of arid facts and abstract knowledge that many subject experts use to pad their talks.

Confessions of a Public Speaker offers presenters—and those of us who support executives who give presentations—a great source of ideas to improve both the content and delivery of future talks.

This review was originally published in ragan.com.

I met with Krim Stephenson who presented at the December lunch of the Silicon Valley Chapter of the IABC on the topic of social media - beyond the hype.

Krim is a principal in the Arlington Mill Group. A former journalist with Bloomberg News and communications leader at Microsoft, he focuses on helping clients find the best expression of their brand and message for success online. He has led strategy, outreach and brand initiatives at companies including Visa, Oracle and Chase.

I asked Krim about how social media has affected branding by large companies. He shared his thoughts on how branding has changed since the era of the MadMen when ad agencies and marketing departments exercised control over all branding elements. Krim explains why social media is opening up new forms of communication to enliven brands.

To hear his thoughts, click on the podcast icon below.

 

 Interview: Krim Stephenson [6:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download