Undivided Life Newsletter
Volume 34 - October 30, 2023
Culture + Strategy = Impact
What if you started each new week saying, "Thank God it's Monday"?
For most people, this doesn't sound possible.
But you can begin building the future you want now with Undivided Life.
Leveraging our strategy and culture expertise, we equip and empower leaders to
create thriving organizations that promote human flourishing.
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5 Minutes | 3 Insights | Immediate Impact
1. You're Not Better or More Important Than Anyone Else
Meet Raymundo, our fishing guide during a seven day excursion deep in the Amazon rainforest.
Raymundo cannot read or write. He only speaks Portuguese. I only speak English. He grew up on the river and spent 25 years guiding fishermen and adventure seekers.
I witnessed Raymundo’s expertise day after day, and it was clear that Raymundo was one of the sharpest men I had ever met. His fishing knowledge and skill were only part of his genius. Raymundo took us on various adventures, taught us about the wildlife and plant life of the Amazon, and talked about his family and the things that matter most in life. And remember, we didn’t speak each other’s language.
Raymundo would struggle if he came to the US and tried to do my job.
I would die trying to do his job.
But spending time with Raymundo reminded me that the strategy consultants and executives of the world are no better and no more important than the fishing guides. We each have a higher purpose and something to offer at the various stages of our lives.
We’re not better or more important than anyone else.
2. Book Recommendation - Virtuous Leadership
In Virtuous Leadership, Alexandre Havard draws on the stories and lives of a variety of leaders to spotlight the fact that leadership and virtue are not only compatible but they are also synonymous with one another.
Havard defines each of the classical human virtues that are most essential to leadership - magnanimity, humility, prudence, courage, self-control, and justice along with the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love.
The book concludes with a practical approach to the development of an interior life tailored to the needs of busy professionals who seek to lead with a transcendent purpose.
3. Does Public Speaking Make You Nervous?
After giving over 50 talks each year for the last 25 years, I’ve been asked how to get rid of the fear and nervousness before a speech. The answer is simple.
The nerves are never going away.
That’s right. On some level, that anxious energy is always present, and I’m thankful for it.
If I give a talk and do not feel nervous for some reason, I know that I haven’t prepared properly or I am not present in the process.
Here’s the good news - You can embrace those feelings and use them to your advantage. I seize that energy and put it to use by doing the following:
- Empathize – I put myself in the audience’s shoes and ask what they need to hear.
- Write it down – Just like studying for a test, I type the critical points of my message in long form first. Then I set those notes aside and start over, attempting to rewrite the entire talk by hand and recognizing that I learn better when I put pen to paper as I try to recall the messages. Then I compare each version and select the best material.
- Practice out loud – I give the entire talk and note the times that feel clunky or the essential messages that deserve more emphasis.
- Tweak – I drill down on key areas and practice delivering them a dozen more times to find the right balance.
- Prayer – I pray for the humility to step out of the way as I deliver the message.
- Embrace the fear – Since I know the nervousness is never going away, I make myself more comfortable with those butterflies in my stomach and give thanks for the energy they bring before and during each talk.
