Do You Have a Good Elevator Speech?

Okay. I am going to put you on the spot:

How long is the average person’s attention span?

A:  7-15 seconds!

Yikes… I’d better hurry up and cut to the chase:

When you get asked the inevitable question: “What do you do?” Do you have a good answer?

Remember, it’s about quality not quantity.  You need a 30 second elevator pitch that you know like the back of your hand. Within the first 15 seconds people will decide whether they will actually pay attention to the next 15 seconds…or if they will just politely zone out. We’ve all seen it! The dreaded "faux face":

• head slightly slanted to the side
• insincere half smile
• distant eyes
• that slow constant nod

Stop subjecting yourself to that! You can do this! Your intro should leave people wanting more. Keep it short and enticing! State your name, your company, who you serve, and what problems you solve or what uniquely differentiates you from everyone else who sounds like they do what you do. It’s as simple as that!

Challenge yourself to perfect your 30 second elevator speech this week. Heck! Practice in the mirror if you need to. Time yourself! When you are ready, try it on an actual human.

11 Ways to Say No

"No" is a complete sentence.

Sometimes it seems like the only thing we are capable of saying ‘no’ to…is saying ‘no’.  Your time is valuable. Are you investing it, or throwing it away? Every time you say yes to something you don’t want, you are saying no to what you do want. Utilize these 11 ways to say no and take back control of your schedule :

1. The “Just say” no:  Need I say more? You don’t have to either…
2. The “I wish I could” no: This doesn’t necessarily need to be true, but it will help cushion the blow
3. The “I’m sorry” no: Short and sweet and back to your day
4. The “It’s not my decision” no: You don’t always have to take the heat
5. The “Other priority” no: You don’t need to be specific, just be clear
6. The “Referral” no: Identify another resource avenue
7. The “I’m booked” no: Let your schedule take the responsibility for your decision
8. The “Overwhelmed” no: Having too much on your plate is a perfectly valid reason not to commit to yet another request
9. The “Delayed” no: Buy time to make a decision. Don’t take so long that you lead the person on
10. The “Partial” no: Select what you can do, and commit only to that. Make sure you don’t commit to an inch and end up giving a mile
11. The “Stealth” no: Return a call when you know you have a good chance of being greeted by a voicemail recording

(This list is adapted in part from Work Less, Make More—Stop Working So Hard and Create the Life You Really Want, by Jennifer White.)

Keep a tally of how many requests you get this week. What is your “no” ratio? Challenge yourself each week to improve your score until your schedule has consistent breathing room.  You need enough time left in your schedule to fit in a life!

It’s Not Personal; It’s Personality

Don’t take anything personally.

Easier said than done; I know.

I used to waste a lot of time internalizing the actions of others. The best realization I have made in my career and ultimately in my life is that I can’t control what other people do. I can only control what I do. I made an intentional and strategic choice many years ago: to try really hard to stop taking things personally.

Here’s the wake-up call: it’s not about you.

No one thinks about you more than you think about you. Stop assuming that you are the main motivator of other people's actions; you’re not. They are reacting to and dealing with their own “stuff”…not you.

The best place to start your journey of not taking things personally is to educate yourself about yourself.  Invest in learning about yourself. One way to do that is to invest in personality and style assessments. These assessments are designed to provide insight and self-awareness about your preferences and style. Do you prefer to be the life of the party, or skip the party? Do you prefer to dive into the details or do the details wear you out? Start with yourself, then encourage your colleagues to invest in learning about themselves. Improved communication is a guaranteed result.

Ready to get started? Reach out to us for more information on the assessments that would be most meaningful for you.

abby@leadershiplegacygroup.com