Mastering the art of public speaking

Wether you are speaking on a large stage or in a boardroom, communication is an opportunity to connect with other humans on a deep and meaningful level. There are a few principals that can help you bridge that gap more effectively and efficiently.

I’ve had the honor of delivering keynotes to Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies on large stages for over 1,500 at a time. My journey began as a toastmaster speaking for the first time, legs shaking, mouth dry like a dessert landscape and hoping nobody would notice the sweat shaping from my pores.

Here I am 7 years later having learned so much and more than happy to shorten your learning curve. Others helped me and I feel compelled to help you bring more value to the stage when you speak at a company meeting or for a larger audience. 

If you take the time to master and implement this powerful communication trifecta, you’ll take your communication skills to the next level.   

There are three pillars of a great keynote

1.   CONTENT

Know your audience. Respect your audience! 

Why:

Your objective should be to invite and initiate a decision or a pivot that will transform a person or group. In order to achieve that you must know your audience: understand their pain point or the problem they need resolved.  It’s all about the VALUE you bring to the dance.

How:

•       Always respect your audience. Knowing them will help you achieve the respect factor. 

•       Invest plenty of time in researching, creating, learning your content, and understanding your content.

•       Customize and personalize your message to the individual or group it's purposed for.

•       Realize that your content is not about you. It's about your audience.

•       Be sure to provide tools, action steps, roadmaps for them to solve a problem.  

2. STRUCTURE

Why:  

•       A solid structure directs your audience along a desirable Customer Experience path.

•       Getting into the right mindset to deliver and share that information in an engaging fashion brings great value to your audience.

How:  

•       Become an architect and design a structure that guides your audience (team members, customers) to the anticipated outcome or take-away.

•       Each touch point or step within your presentation should streamlined and effective. Minimize the clutter to be more impactful.

•       Provide tools and solutions that are easy to:

o      understand

o      remember

o      implement

To help achieve this, keep your messaging to around 3 main topics or take-aways.

3. DELIVERY

Why: 

•       Getting into the right mindset to deliver and share that information in an engaging fashion brings great value to your audience.

How:  

•       What does your audience need to hear from you to grow? 

•       Speak a language that inspires and are not respectful of your audience, regarding the delivery, then the value of your knowledge and content will be diluted, if not anemic. Why do the homework and design a great structure, to only fall short at the final hurdle?

•       Deliver a relevant and meaningful message with passion, confidence, enthusiasm and most of all... be that is easily understood. If you

•       Authentic and sincere.

Vital Germaine

If you want to do a deeper dive into developing your speaking career, click the link below to learn about my speaker coaching programs.

Vital is a reputable keynote speaker and employee engagement trainer that inspires cultural transformation by inspiring INNOVATION MINDSETS.

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Intuition or reasoning? Which makes the best decisions?

Are you aware of which you prefer and why? Would you like to make better decision?

Good decision-making is based on several factors. There are those who rely on their intuition, while others live by reasoning. Which is best? Both bring great value. Both can lead to regret. Both can lead to great decisions or an automatic learning opportunity.

Let’s compare the two.

1. REASONING: This involves thought, data, research and other metrics to come to a conclusion. Taking the time to analyze information is a powerful tool to use when making sound decisions.

If this is your north star, stay calm and carry on, though consider adding intuition to your decision-making game. Reasoning can be broken up into 3 catagories:

1. Deductive reasoning - implementing a logical sequence process, starting with cause, and ending with effect.

2. Inductive reasoning - a conclusion is drawn using general information.

3. Abductive reasoning - taking time to evaluate both the facts and the actions.

If you live and die by the power of reasoning, be diligent in your accumulation of information. If your source is too general, it can lead to inaccurate and costly conclusions. Know and trust your sources. (WMD’s during the Gulf War). Make sure you understand the information and that you can effectively translate and implement that knowledge. Knowledge is one thing, the ability to use it is another.

“All possible knowledge, then, depends on the validity of reasoning...Unless human reasoning is valid no science can be true.” - C.S Lewis

Technology offers endless platforms to collect and translate data into highly effective sales strategies; this can be CRM systems, lead generation tools, CSI surveys etc. If reasoning is your north star, stay calm and carry on, though consider developing your intuition for added value.

2. INTUITION: If you’re an intuitive, know that you live in a different time, space continuum than logical thinkers… neither better nor worse… just different.

You may find logical thinkers unable to understand your convictions based on your gut screaming to do what simply FEELS right. How can you be so sure based on a feeling? Lieutenant Colombo always had a hunch (as do most detectives. It’s a feeling that is deeper than thought or intellect. It stems from the heart.

The heart is the cradle of our intuition, of our creativity. Great innovators are strongly connected to their intuition. They obey the signals from the heart.

The HeartMath Institute executed nineteen years of extensive research on the relationship between the psychophysiology of stress, emotions, and the interactions between the heart and brain. They concluded that the heart sends more signals to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. 

If intuition is your compass, stay calm and carry on, though consider adding reasoning to your decision-making game.

“The only real valuable thing is intuition.” - Albert Einstein

You’ve got this.

Growth and learning comes in trying something new and different or investing time to develop an existing trait. Many feel too at home in the safety of their comfort zones, reluctant to risk, fail, learn, discover, and progress. Dare to try a new spice with your pig intestine lunch today.

Ultimately, each must live life according to their needs, beliefs, intellectual expectations and emotional desires. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula in life. You decide. Perhaps the answers is to be aware as to which of the two works for you and optimize that platform.

The reality is, reasoning tells us we can never truly know or predict. My intuition tells me the same exact thing, we can never truly know or predict. Combining intuition with reasoning, my conclusion is that the ultimate answer is to develop the ability to live with the consequences or outcome of any decision you make, good bad or ugly.

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Thank you for reading,

Vital Germaine

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Stepping into your inner genius

How often, as a kid, did you hear, no, you can’t do that, no that’s wrong… no, no no no no. They said, "don’t look into Pandora’s box children." We need to deny that negative programming and reconnect with the inner child who once believed everything was possible. 

Did you know that the average child hears 432 negative comments or no’s per day? This negative programming has an adverse impact on our adult psyche. How many times are you thinking or saying no to yourself and others a day? How many times a day is your internal dialogue limiting your potential through doubt and the words no or can’t. How many times a day are you not reaching higher because you’ve built a glass ceiling built on the word no? Each time we say or think no, we are building a confiding box and a ceiling that is too low. 

The same happens in the workplace.

We say the equivalent of no when we shut down other people's ideas. We say, great idea... but! 

Have you ever heard that in a meeting? Perhaps more importantly, have you ever said that in a meeting (and be honest with yourself)? We've all said it. We've all murdered innovation before it's had a chance to be planted, let alone watered by saying, great idea... but. 

Invite and encourage idea sharing, debate and collaboration. Give your team a free pass to explore the secrets of Pandora's box. Be curious. Be tempted.  in with reckless abandon and have fun with the content as you experiment, discover and make mistakes.  Toddlers don’t yet grasp the concept of no or can’t. They simply keep trying, exploring, learning and discovering because they are curious. How cool do you think it would be to forget the concept of “No, or Can’t” both at home and in the business world. 

The Steve Jobs, the Henry Fords, the Elon Musks of this world are not limited by can’t and no. They are empowered by the mindset of yes, why not and let’s reach higher. They create cultures designed to say YES... AND. They create cultures and organizations designed to disrupt the status quo. Cultures and mindsets inspired and empowered to disrupt how we think. Let’s disrupt our process, our culture. Let’s disrupt our mindset. Let’s be more childlike in our thinking. Let's innovate and dream of the impossible. 

To experience a deeper dive into the topic of innovation and how to access your inner genius to accelerate success, read my new book IMAGINATION WILL TAKE YOU EVERYWHERE.

Thank you,

Vital Germaine

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Minimize your stress in less than 60 seconds

Stress can be a good thing. It brings urgency and can elevate focus.

However, when stress builds up over time, (which it does) the effects are only negative. According to The American Psychological Association of America, money and WORK are the top two sources of significant stress.

TOP 5 EFFECTS OF STRESS

1. Unhappiness

2. Loss of attention, focus and productivity (costs you $$$)

3. Disengagement (loss of motivation)

4. Absenteeism (we don’t show up at work or aren’t present in our personal lives)

5. Health problems (high blood pressure, heart issues, bad moods and temptation of addictions)

At my company, ENGAGEteams360, we understand and highly value the benefits of mental, physical and emotional wellness. It's not a question of meditating to levitate above your desk or during a Netflix bing. It’s not about going on extreme diets (food heavily impacts our stress levels and overal sense of wellbeing), It’s not about becoming a gym rat.

Improve your health and wellness by minimizing stress. Start by being aware of your stress levels and adjust accordingly.

A simple deep intentional breath as a starting point can do wonders to immediately minimize your stress. Your attitude will improve, as will your mood. You might even crack a smile and become happy when you dump the life crap that is stressing the hell out.

One simple breath is all it takes...

… and exhale (or sigh… or SCREAM!). You’ve got this.

THANK YOU.

Vital Germaine

Learn more about healthy, wealthy and happy living in my new book, 3 SIMPLE STEPS.

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Building a strong business brand.

In the business world there are 4 crucial elements you will need to have in place. They are often referred to as the 4 P’s of Brand.

1. Product:

   1. What’s the story and purpose of your value proposition (service or product).

   2. What’s the quality in relationship to the price point?

   3. Is the product new and innovative or established and traditional?

2. Process:

   1. Will you save the customer time because your process is streamlined, effective and efficient?

   2. Is your process cost-effective and saving the customer money?

   3. Are the customer touch-points pleasant, enjoyable and memorable for the right reasons?

3. Place:

   1. Is the environment welcoming, clean and easy to navigate. Place can be brick and mortar or online (or your home).

   2. Can customers access your products and services easily? The more you minimize, if not eliminate pain-points the better the Customer Experience.

4. People:

   1. What service are your employees delivering and does it align with company values?

   2. How are they showing up and delivering the experience to your customers?

   3. Are your people honoring and embodying the core values that define your culture and therefore your brand?

   4. What is the emotional response from the consumer (Customer Experience) in regards to your employees or team.

All 4 P’s of brand must be put in place and well executed for the customer to believe in your business and become loyal. Take inventory and adjust accordingly. Customers must be confident and trust they know exactly what they are going to get. If you fail in any one of the 4 P’s of brand, you risk driving customers away. They will seek a company that does deliver on the promise:

A brand is not what you say it is. It’s how you are perceived that defines your brand. Some brands are a combination of the personal and business: celebrities or public figures in particular are both. READ THE Building an AUTHENTIC Personal Brand blog

Remember!

PROMISE MADE. PROMISE KEPT.

Anything less is a lame brand. And who wants that kind of crap in their life?

Learn more about how to build a strong and meaningful brand:

Thank you for reading (and watching),

If you are in the process of building a brand or want to strengthen your brand and need guidance, please connect. I’ve coached many entrepreneurs to success. I can help you.

Read the “Building an AUTHENTIC personal brand” blog

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Self-care and self-love, what's the difference?

There is a very fine-line between self-love and selfishness or narcissism. It is possible that we confuse the nuances and they become varying shades of each other.

This video will give deeper insight and something to consider.

Thank you for reading (and watching),

Vital Germaine

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Integrity

Doing the right thing is a poetic notion filled with chivalrous intentions that can oftentimes be negatively judged or completely misunderstood; it can painfully backfire. 

Humans fundamentally sense and know right from wrong void of laws, un-written codes of ethics and company policies. Despite our internal moral barometer, it can be such a tough decision to lead with integrity, let alone live with integrity. Should we feel regret or remorse when our integrity has a negative result and we lose and hurt others, or lose popularity? Do we courageously dig deep and stand up for our decision regardless of consequence? 

I personally think integrity is a very subjective thing. One can only hope that others understand our decision or at least respect our conviction even when they are different to theirs. Surely it’s okay to disagree and walk away happy. Ultimately, embrace that not everybody will get you. And that’s okay because integrity is not a popularity contest and there is always a currency trade off. 

If you feel guilty that you upset people because you are honoring your values and genuinely did what you thought was right, then stay calm and carry on… the judgment storm will pass. Ask Nike and Colin Kaepernick.

Trust your gut, that as a healthy human being with a conscience and empathy, you are making the right decision in the long run. Be aware of the difference between being stubborn and doing the right thing. Your emotional response to the situation will let you know what’s what. When it comes to narcissists, don’t confuse integrity with heartless selfish interest. The intention must be do to the right thing for the right reasons and for the bigger picture.

Thank you for reading,

Vital Germaine

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How is courage developed?

Most would think that performing in Cirque du Soleil as an aerialist would mean you weren’t afraid of heights (or afraid of much for that matter). Well, that’s not quite true. Auditioning for Cirque and experimenting on a trapeze for the first time, dangling from the rafters is one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. I might have peed my pants a little.

Stepping onto a glass ledge/box on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower (aka The Sears Tower) in Chicago might have been the second scariest thing I’ve ever done. It reminded me of my fear of heights. (yes, I ran away with the circus while fearing heights… INSANE!) It also reminded me of how powerful it is to defy your fears and push your boundaries. Be courageous, which doesn't mean having no fear. On the contrary. One must experience fear or doubt to truly be courageous.

My first step onto the glass ledge on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower needed a deep breath and a commitment to the course of action. JUST DO IT, Vital!

Developing courage comes in small steps.

Courage is developed from facing our fears. Stare them in the face until they bow down to your focused and intentional frame of mind that you will not be held back. It doesn’t mean doing something that will give you a metaphorical heart attack. Even better, is that developing courage can and should be fun. As a fantastic byproduct of becoming more courageous is that your confidence grows too.

Throughout your day, week or year, you are presented with obvious and not so obvious opportunities to grow and have fun. It’s a simple issue of trying new things. Preferably things that scare you a little. Things that get your heart pumping. Enjoy the rush. Enjoy the sense of temporary invincibility. Take small risks, stretch your mind, challenge your determination, expand your sense of adventure often. Awake that inner child dying to thrive, learn and grow.

The next part of my courageous glass ledge challenge was on a different level. I decided to lie down and stare down into the abyss from over 1,353 Feet (412m). I think I peed my pants again a little, but boy was it worth it once achieved.

Other factors came into play. While living your moment and facing your challenge, ignore and deny what others might be thinking. Who needs judgment in moments like this? You get to choose and you shouldn’t care what they haters might be saying about you lying down on a glass floor staring down from the 103rd floor. I DID IT and it felt amazing.

During my Cirque audition and when meeting a trapeze for the first time might well have been the most courageous thing I’ve ever done. But once I overcame that fear, total euphoria flooded my brain with joy and fulfillment.

Become more courageous as a human being, as a friend, lover or parent. On a professional level, face tough leadership challenges with courage. One act of courage changed my life forever. It might change yours too.

Sincerely,

Vital Germaine

Learn more in the book: FLYING WITHOUT A NET 2.0 a story of courage, perseverance, attitude, and life in Cirque du Soleil.

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3 tips to building a strong brand.

Building a brand is not just a business or entrepreneur thing. You yourself are a brand too. You brand yourself as a friend, parent, lover and colleague. Here are some tips to help you become a better brand: personally and on a business level. The two overlap.

TIP #1: As an entrepreneur or small business owner, the goal is to build or create a business entity that brings value and is sustainable, if not scalable. That is in big part reliant on customer aquisition and customer retention. It costs more to find new customers than to keep existing ones. Customer loyalty is key to your entrepreneurial success.

When it comes to pure business or entrepreneurship know this: The modern consumer, in particular Gen Z/Y and Millennials (who have a purchasing power of over $200 BILLION annually). It’s hard to build a business or a brand that isn’t aware of this. Adapt and understand the changing landscape.

Loyalty is based on how people feel about you or your product, service or business. Make sure that how you or your any representatives show up is congruent with what you stand for. A disconnect will alienate people from you or company. They won’t come back. Be authentic.

TIP #2: The essence of who you are, what you stand for, and how you show up on a consistent basis define your character… your personal brand.

It is said that we do business with people we know, like, trust... and relate to.

1. Are you LIKEABLE? If somebody simply doesn’t like you they will go else where to do business. Recommended reading: The LikeAbility Factor by Tim Sanders.

2. Are you TRUSTABLE? Your customers, colleagues, friends and family want to know that you deliver on what you say you will do. It’s about being authentic, reliable and knowing that you have their interest at heart.

3. Are you RELATABLE? Character traits such as arrogance can turn people off. Be grounded, genuinely listen and care about people. Be welcoming and add an splash of vulnerability and humility.

TIP #3 Purchasing decisions are 90% emotion based. Are you intentionally aiming to connect on an emotional level with your clients or customers? If so, what are you doing to achieve this objective? Do more of that.

If not, it’s time to add that philosophy into your business model. Your business survival depends on it. Without an emotional connection, business is simply a transaction. Transactions don’t invite or inspire loyalty, repeat business or referrals. Your network should also be emotionally connected to you, your products and or services.

Think of a brand that you are loyalty to. You may initially break it down to such things as; you like the product, they are reliable, affordable etc. Behind all that logic, is a deep underlying emotion that makes you feel a certain way about that brand.

Thank you.  If this blog was of value or made you think then please share or comment.

Vital Germaine

In the book INNOVATION MINDSET, reimagining business, leadership and culture, you’ll find action steps to help you strengthen your brand and remain relevant in today’s faster-than-ever changing business climate.

Originally titled: imAGINATION WILL TAKE YOU EVERYWHERE

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5 Great Reasons to be Kind

Kindness is a highly valuable human quality that requires zero skill and zero effort. It offers endless benefits for the self and for others on a personal and business level. It’s about treating people with respect while honoring your value system. Sometimes it means being tough. Kindness is definitely not a weakness.

On a personal level, it establishes much stronger relationships with those we love and care for. Our kindness elevates others, letting them feel secure, confident, valued and honored.

KIND·NESS

ˈKĪN(D)NƏS/SUBMIT

NOUN

THE QUALITY OF BEING FRIENDLY, GENEROUS, AND CONSIDERATE.

1. KINDNESS MAKES PEOPLE FEEL GOOD: On a scientific level, kindness stimulates feel-good hormones like dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin. This feeling of well-being minimizes and helps eliminate cortisol, the stress hormone. A sense of emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual wellness is key to our health. Kindness is an act that not only benefits the recipient but also the giver. Givers experience increased activity in the reward center of the brain promoting happiness. We all like to feel good. We all desire and deserve happier lives.

2. KINDNESS IS CONTAGIOUS: One act of kindness inspires and leads to another. It is hard to not pay it forward because kindness is the default setting of humanity. Make somebody's day with your emotional generosity and thoughtfulness. Send out a positive ripple effect that will impact those around you, who in feeling good, will have a positive impact on those they interact with.

3. KINDNESS CONNECTS PEOPLE: Life experiences and conventional wisdom teach us that kindness is weak. Times have changed. The era of stoicism as a sign of strength is fading. Humans are searching for deeper and more meaningful connections. Kindness invites and initiates those connections. There are, however, times when clear boundaries need to be established in the event your kindness is abused. Honor, respect and be kind to yourself.

4. KINDNESS OPTMIZES PERFORMANCE: When humans share or experience kindness it energizes their spirit and fills them with optimism and enthusiasm. They feel good about themselves which elevates confidence and boosts performance. Be kind to your family, friends, colleagues and strangers. Inspire and empower them to thrive with the simple gift of kindness.

In regards to business and culture, kindness will optimize employee performance. As a result, your customers/clients will experience the best of your brand. It might even inspire them to come back again and again and become loyal. A little kindness is all it takes. It stems from empathy, arguably the foundation of Emotional Intelligence. Kindness encompasses many other impactful behavioral traits. 

5. KINDNESS INSPIRES LOYALTY: Loyalty can be in friendships and personal relationships. It definitely has an impact on business and profits. In this age of the consumer where product is no longer the differentiator, customer loyalty is driven by how customers emotionally connect with your brand and the people who deliver your brand experience. When leaders are kind to their employees, a collective sense of happiness and well-being emerges within that culture. The company benefits from a kind culture. Customers will benefit from the happiness emitting from your culture. They will be inspired to be loyal. It's a win-win.

CONNECTING KINDNESS TO CULTURE WILL HEAVILY IMPACT EVERY ASPECT OF THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND YOUR BOTTOM LINE. IT’S A VERY SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO IMPLEMENT AND ENCOURAGE. THE EFFORT IS MINIMAL AND THE OUTCOME IS MASSIVE.

It manifests in many forms: respect, appreciation, caring, open-mindedness, compassion, and inclusiveness.  It's simply the right thing to be and do.

ONE SIMPLE ACT OF KINDNESS ENCOURAGES US TO LIVE RICHER LIVES. AS YOU WIN, SO DO OTHERS… AND THAT’S MAKING THW ORLD A BETTER PLACE AT HOME AND AT WORK.

EXPLORE THE NEW “BE KIND” APPAREL COLLECTION

"A WARM SMILE IS THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF KINDNESS."

- WILLIAM ARTHUR WARD

Vital Germaine

Thank you. If this blog was of value or made you think then please share or comment.

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Getting the best out of your people

It’s always about how people feel in response to how you treat them. We are humans and humans are emotional beings. Everything we do is based on our emotional response and/or connection. The most effective way to inspire change is to create the necessary emotional response void of manipulation. Policy doesn’t inspire action let alone performance. Being valued, respected and honored drives performance.

When it comes to business, employee engagement and culture, not all company cultures are created equal. Not all companies make the effort to demonstrate their intention of setting their teams up for success.

It’s an honor to deliver customer service training for a global brand that gets it, and does it right. This particular organization is sending a strong message to its frontline employees by clearly demonstrating how much they value them. Through heavily investing in the future of their team’s performance, they are basically saying, “We believe in you and you are worth the investment. Thank you.” The even better news for this global brand is that the training and internal message is being well received. The needle is moving, transformation and growth are happening. Moral is up, employees are reaching higher, CSI scores are improving and the brand is expanding. 

It's so important to invest in training your team, but maybe even more important to do it the right way. Create training content and environments that are INSPIRATIONAL, unique, memorable and cool (relevant). By doing so, you will inspire your "Imperial Guard" before the first word of any opening slide has been uttered. Also, set your trainers and speakers up for success by establishing a “we value you” tone and attitude from minute one. Reap the rewards of your awareness (emotional intelligence), your insight and your implantation strategy. Are you “feeling” me guys?

We all know the notion and value of making people feel good, yet we often forget to actually implement strategies and action plans that truly have an emotional impact. The way you treat people not only reveals everything about your personal character as a leader, or as an executive, but it reflects the pulse and life-blood of your organization. How you treat your people clearly announces how you view and value them. Treat them poorly and resentment will grow, performance will decline and engagement will suffer. Treat them well and abracadabra!

I’ve delivered endless trainings in the US and Europe, and not all workspaces or training locations are created equal. When walking into an insipid work environment, the battle to inspire growth and transformation is magnified before the journey has begun. Company workspaces communicate so much in regards to how leaders and executives feel about their employees. Consider the extremely negative situations found in “third-world” countries where employees work under horrific conditions. We’ve all heard about such sad scenarios. It is evident how those business owners feel about their employees.

In the luxury of developed countries, the differences regarding quality become more subtle or less extreme, though the impact of the message remains the same. Send a clear and positive message to your team that you value, respect and care for them. Set them up for success by making them feel good about working for your brand. You’ll enjoy the ROI. 

Vital Germaine

PRESIDENT of ENGAGEteams360

Vital Germaine is Las Vegas’ most dynamic keynote speaker and employee engagement trainer.

VITAL’S PURPOSE: To build happier, richer lives at home and at work bY creating and sharing meaningful content that inspires people to reach higher.

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What does it take to become extraordinary?

Passing the rigorous physical and mental assault course to run away with Cirque du Soleil was no easy task for a humble kid who grew up in London as a statistic doomed for failure. The journey is the same for all who desire to live a dream. You will bleed, cry and be tempted to give up along the way.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL boot camp: The process scared us, sometimes embarrassed us, but it made us discover talents and abilities we didn’t even know we had. It set us free. Made us better.

The humid Montreal summer days became long andphysically demanding. We battled through the five days a week of nine-to-five physicality. Training and formation did not offer the option to hide behind the mask of shyness and fear. When we hid too long behind our masks, they were pried from our faces, stamped on, chewed, swallowed, and thrown-up. If we sought refuge in our shells, Franco Dragone, the director, huffed and puffed and blew our pride in. We were temporarily stripped of decorum, oftentimes humiliated, other times enthused, but most times left clueless. Then, Franco took us even further out of our comfort zone until we lost our balance and fell. Franco said that if we lived on the edge, we were still taking up too much space.

We were becoming Cirque du Soleil one courageous step at a time. That seems to mirror life. Baby steps transform us into our 2.0 version.

They pushed and poked, inviting us to plunge into the darkest unchartered depths of the ocean. They reinforced repeatedly that we needed to fall off the edge. That’s where greatness is discovered. That’s where commonplace becomes extraordinary. We witnessed their process transform decent into good, and good into amazing.

Franco treated the show as a baby with a pulse that needed to be nurtured and challenged in order to grow. A baby that would live and not simply exist in space and time. Beyond his source of inspiration and virtuoso, he instilled fear into all of us. We felt intimidation on many levels. He regularly bullied us into submission, sometimes reminding me of my father.

Franco is a short, dark-haired Italian man from Belgium with intense eyes and an overpowering ego. He spoke witha viscous French accent, often fishing for words in English. His linguistic limitations didn’t hold back his passion. Besides, there are many ways to communicate one’s message beyond words. Anglophone curses came easily when boiling frustration and creative appetite gushed from his mouth, in particular a classic tongue-tied sentence that has gone down in Mystère folklore.

“I will take ‘ammer and stick inside your assle.”

We understood he meant asshole, and laughed and cringed at the visual of him hammering away.

There were times we didn’t understand what he wanted, but that had nothing to do with language. We were convinced he didn’t know what he was looking for and had lost his marbles. That’s the price of an innovative mindset that sees more than most. Stay committed to your vision.

To most of us, a perfect ten was the ultimate acrobatic achievement. To him, it was meaningless and boring without the expression to ignite a profound emotional and cerebral reaction. He desired to expose the heartbeat to our flips and our twists, giving dexterities a pulse, a personality, and a face.

“Your little minkey tricks and tumbles must be breathing, feeling and ‘aving sense of purpose,” he said. “Uzzerwise, don’t waste my time... go ‘ome to your banality and masturbate.”

He forced us to open up and reveal the very thing that made us who we were and prevented us from becoming who we weren’t. It was the ultimate lesson in vulnerability and the shedding of inhibitions for a greater cause—to achieve greatness and touch the soul of humanity with our hearts, our pain, our triumphs, excellence, and our shadows.

“Why you are ‘ere on zis earth?” he asked. “What is it you ‘ave to say and share wiz the world after your physical skill, which is flat and shallow and repeated a million times around the planet?”

For some of us, it was easy to step out of our frames and dig deep into our untapped resources, but for others, it was like building the Great Wall of China out of tea leaves and delicate silk.

The tall and shy, six-foot-six strongman from Poland morphed into a delicate ballerina to everybody’s surprise with endless coaxing. He had begun the journey is a rigid mass of stoicism incapable of mustering expression. He now possessed an uninhibited and enriched emotional vocabulary that expanded his horizons, options, and stage personage. He became much better than his initial limitations had suggested.

The dancers abandoned their training, lost their standard postures, and became primitive and un-choreographed creatures that questioned existence and evolution.

Franco’s approach wasn’t always poetic. It sounds like torture, but it’s what it took to make it. The strong survived and thrived. The weak stumbled. Some were unfortunately fired and forgotten.

I feared, loved, hated and admired this authoritarian genius. The fear and hate mirrored the emotions my father stimulated. In this environment, however, fear and hate were powerful motivators. With my father they triggered off numbness, paralysis and spite.

The director’s lens captured the unseen and not yet conceived to sculpt imagery from another dimension.

We did indeed discover through risk-taking and experimentation. We were given an insatiable sense of challenge and purpose within the framework of a team all committed to distinction. The process and approach provided the perfect launching pad for success.

Encouragement and support was plentiful, despite the excess of egos, fighting for dominance and attention. With the safety net of trust, collaboration, diversity of extreme skill and a common goal, we achieved the greatness they demanded and inspired. We brimmed with fulfillment and personal growth and a belief in our own ability to be better than we once imagined.

I have carried these invaluable lessons ever since in pursuit of ongoing improvement and development. The journey to success is never-ending and dependent on alliance and healthy relationships with those who help you, but also those you help.

Even in childhood without Mom and Dad, there wereinfluential people who inspired me to better myself. Nonetheless, the inner flame must be fanned from within. There must also be a core hunger to overcome and become regardless of circumstance.

Thank you for reading an excerpt from the top-selling book, FLYING WITHOUT A NET - It’s a personal development book about the power of attitude. Our attitude determines what we are able to overcome and achieve in any aspect of life: if we develop courage in our personal lives, it transcends into our work ethic as employees and leaders.

It’s been called:

• Best read of the year

• Captivating

• Couldn’t put it down

Vital Germaine

PRESIDENT of ENGAGEteams360

Vital Germaine is Las Vegas’ most dynamic keynote speaker and employee engagement trainer.

PURPOSE: To build happier, richer lives at home and at work be creating and sharing meaningful content that inspires and evokes action.

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7 crucial steps to optimize meetings and time.

Nobody likes to have their time wasted. If you do, this blog is not for you.

1. Do you really need a meeting in the first place? - Too many unnecessary meetings happen across America. So much valuable time is wasted because mangers or leaders enjoy speaking or holding meetings to elevate their power of value. Before you even consider planning your next meeting, ask yourself if there is a more effective and efficient way to communicate what needs to be said. Explore your options. Meetings should be held to an absolute minimum.

2. Plan meetings efficiently and effectively. - So, you have evaluated the need for a meeting and, oh crap, you really need one! Be strategic in determining when and maybe even more importantly, WHERE. At what time will this meeting cause the least amount of distraction? Establish how long the meeting really needs to be… shave 10 minutes off of that number. Start on time. End on time. Make this a habit. Five lost minutes here and there at the beginning and end of meetings accumulate quickly. You’d be surprised how much those lost minutes total come year’s end.  

3. Have a defined and focused agenda. - Take the time to be very strategic in your planning. Be specific as to what needs to be addressed and why. What is the desired outcome? Stick to your timeline as best you can while being flexible when needed. Aim to end 5 minutes early (plus the 10 minutes I earlier suggested you shave off every meeting). I just saved you 15 minutes. You’re welcome.

4. Does everybody really have to be there or could they be optimizing their time elsewhere? We’ve all been in a meeting at some point where we wondered what the… “Did I really need to be here. I could have been spending valuable time with clients or finishing those spread sheets…. taking the time to daydream, nap or exercise to optimize my energy and focus.

5. Get to the point. - Please already.

6. Be decisive in your conclusions. - If you have planned your meeting effectively with a strategy (steps 1-5), then it will be easier to execute on a decision and action plan. Adaptation to the conclusion should be an option. Please don’t schedule another meeting to go over the adaptations. Send me a memo, text or…

7. Set your people free ASAP. - Congrats on executing a great meeting with those that needed to be there within an effective time frame. Set them free to begin working on the plan. Don’t dilly dally and have too many chefs speaking and adding one last comment at the end. That includes you. We all “hate” that person that just keeps talking. Don’t be that guy (or gal). And they lived happily ever after. This meeting is adjourned.

   The end.

Thank you.

Vital Germaine

PRESIDENT of ENGAGEteams360

Vital Germaine is Las Vegas’ most dynamic keynote speaker and employee engagement trainer.

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How to find your superpower and inspire a growth mindset

One of the many beauties of performing with Cirque du Soleil is experiencing their sandbox approach. They are big kids at heart, building elevators with no ceilings, attempting to stand up in new ways. Their lens is wide-angled and all encompassing. A kaleidoscope of promise. 

Kids create amazing worlds in their malleable minds. Enchanted domains fueled by enthusiasm and inventiveness. With wings fully spanned, they are flying without a net to wondrous realms that adults have long forgotten and since abandoned. It’s a great shame that all these amazing, innocent possibilities become dulled in the murky quicksand of adulthood. 

Your inner child is that wide-angled lens. Your inner child is your superpower. It’s the inner genius many forget to feed. Reconnect to that source and your imagination will indeed ‘take you everywhere.’

Everybody was once a child. Everybody still has the creative prowess hiding within them. It’s not ability reserved for the elite or for famous innovators and theatrical geniuses within Cirque du Soleil. That superpower fades and withers at each time a child hears “no you can’t,” or “that’s not possible,” or “that’s silly” from jaded, narrow-minded adults. We all experience this attitude in company meetings that don’t optimize opportunity and team potential. “No, that’s not going to work… No, we’ve always done that way.” 

Failing hurts. Failing sucks. We haven’t truly failed until we give up, however… failure is what keeps people, brands relevant, athletes on top and cultures growing.

Read the business book, INNOVATION MINDSET - designed for businesses, leadership and culture

Read the personal development book, IMAGINATION WILL TAKE YOU EVERYWHERE - individual growth

THANK YOU

PRESIDENT of ENGAGEteams360

Vital Germaine is Las Vegas’ most dynamic keynote speaker and employee engagement trainer.

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Facebook

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