Surviving and Succeeding in a Commoditized Marketplace
Can you make a silk purse from a sow’s ear? In other words, can you coach/train people into presentation, communication, speaking champions?
In 1921 the management of Arthur D. Little, Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., issued a small report describing the methods employed by the firm’s chemists to create “silk” from pork by-products. The idea behind this surprising and not very practical experiment was to prove that something said to be impossible is, with sufficient effort and ingenuity, attainable.
As the report notes, the old adage “you can’t make a silk purse of a sow’s ear” had been used for years to discourage inventiveness and enterprise. “We resolved…to prove that it was false, and we have done so. We have made a silk purse of a sow’s ear.”
Editors Note: I saw the silk purse proudly displayed in its glass case numerous times during my time working at ADL.
The trick to succeeding in a commoditized marketplace – whether it is a pitch or job interview – the important attribute that distinguishes one professional or firm from another is the persona of the person presenting. A successful coaching/training program for ongoing and lasting results must focus on recognizing and developing one’s personal assets and presentation/communication/speaking skills. Ongoing group training and one-on-one personalized coaching are critical for sustainable change. There are no quick fixes.
Dialogue is rapidly replacing monologue in the professional world. Organizations are learning that two-way person-to-person communication builds a collaborative environment. And that a collaborative environment fosters creativity and innovation.
Zoka Training ® focuses on empowering people with the creative, communication and collaboration skills to ensure their voices are heard and listened to.
- How to tap one’s mental, vocal and physical toolboxes. Mind/voice/body in sync.
- How to utilize the techniques of storytelling and improvisation to stand out as “best in class.”
- How to effectively incorporate media into a presentation.
Be prepared when it is your turn to pitch to the board, banks, investors, VCs, the media, your employees, the public or perspective employers.
Let me coach/train you how to turn your presentation/communication/speaking skills into a “Silk Purse.”
As a coach, trainer and consultant, Larry Blumsack partners with people and organizations on the move and those already there to accelerate their communication, presentation and speaking skills to be on par with their ambition. Through one-on-one coaching and group training Larry helps leaders and aspiring leaders elevate their presence and communication skills to influence more people, sell more products-services-ideas and inspire others more successfully than they ever imagined.
Larry is the bestselling author of Face-to-Face is The Ultimate Social Media and founder of Zoka Institute and Zoka Training®. Zoka Training® — Mind/Voice/Body/Mindfulness in sync — is the result of Larry’s 45 years as a coach, acting teacher, actor, voice-over artist, theater and TV director/producer, radio & TV commentator and show host, speaker, trainer, serial entrepreneur, and syndicated columnist. Larry was a founding member of the theater department at Northeastern University.
Leave a Reply