Nedbank, Park Station. The DDCT Tour, Part 40 - Run With the Bird in Hand

   The one in the bush can wait.

  On the morning I arrived at this branch to ask for a gig, I was awaiting a phone call from a manager of another  institution. He had promised to phone me before 12 midday that day to say if I can come and give a talk at his branch the next day(Thurs 27th).

   So when Nedbank Park Station  gave me a go ahead right away to do my talk the next day(27th March) as well, I had a dilemma. Do I run with this confirmed gig( bird in hand)? Or do I wait for that confirming phone call( bird in the bush), and postpone the Park Station one to a much later date( in 3 weeks time is when another window of opportunity will open here at Park Station, I was told)?

   For some reason, I decided to wait for that phone call after 12 noon. I think it was because I was more or less sure that it will come. I told Park Station that I will get back to them about giving the talk at their branch tomorrow. I was taking a fat chance here. I was being cavalier about hard to get gigs.

   Needless to say, the confirming call never came. I was then left with the unenviable task of scrambling to save the Park Station gig for tomorrow. Fortunately, Park Station management - in the form of Bra Nathan - were accommodating. They said I can still come.

   In retrospect though, it was a mistake to bank on a yet to be finalised gig( bird in the bush). Easily, I could have lost both birds because I dithered.

                                                      SOME THANK YOU's

- Bra Musa( the Manager) - For the initial OK.

- Bra Nathan( the 2nd in charge and my contact) - For putting in place the logistics for the gig. 

- Nedbank staff( bo-Godfrey, ausi Thandeka et al) - For the smiles. And the enthusiastic discussion about writing and publishing a book at the conclusion of the talk.

                                                    ===================

Our FEEL GOOD quote of the week:

"..the great and the accomplished got there by being 

positive. Yet to be positive in life often runs against the

prevailing tide. Generally the few positive people are 

scorned and laughed at."

Jack Black( from the book - MINDSTORE)

                                                 ======================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                                   ===================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU 

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?    

          

                          

      

Nedbank, Carlton Centre. The DDCT Tour, Part 39 - Do Ask for Feedback

   "Try and ask your hosts to tell you how your presentation went. This is how you will improve and grow."
   And so said Ausi Bongi. She is the branch Manager here at Carlton Centre. She said this while we sat in her office after the talk had ended.

   Ausi Bongi's advice was invaluable, I thought. Because, to be honest, this question('How did I do?') is the one most beginner(or new) public speakers shy away from. We are afraid that the feedback will not be flattering; that it will be bad news mostly. We would rather rely on the fact that after we were done everybody felt good.

   But what about the points raised during the talk? Did each one flow neatly into the next? Did one do a proper introduction and conclusion? Did one leave the audience with something tangible that they can use in their lives? Or was the talk just full of flash( F-G claps, etc) and had no substance? These questions, and many others, a host's critique will help you, the speaker, answer.

   So, what did Ausi Bongi make of our presentation that morning? Well, she said my talk is more inspiration than motivation. In other words, I am telling people how I achieved my book dream, and by so doing I am saying dreams or big goals can be achieved. And she was spot on. This is exactly the aim of my talk. My aim is to tell people that DREAMS DO COME TRUE(DDCT Tour), and that this is how I made mine happen.

   Even though we never really discussed how an inspirational talk differed from a motivational one, she did give me examples of motivational speakers. Locally, she mentioned bo-Dr David Molapo. Internationally, bo-T D Jakes.

                                                     SOME THANK YOU's
- Ausi Bongi( the Manager) - For the go ahead, the feedback and the many ideas of how to market our book. For buying a copy of our book(Feeling Good) as well.
- Nedbank staff - For loving the hugs so much that they went on forever. "Much appreciated, ladies and gentlemen."
- Ausi Nirry - For the furious note taking during the talk, and for being full of questions thereafter. 

                                                   =====================

Our FEEL GOOD quote of the week:

"...those who survived the Nazi concentration camps(Auschwitz, Dachau et al)
shared a common yet essential ingredient: attitude. Everything can be taken 
from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to chose one's attitude in
any given set of circumstances, to chose one's own way."

Victor Frankel( as quoted in MINDSTORE, by Jack Black)

                                              =======================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                                  ===================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU 

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?    

          

       

  
  

                       
     

Nedbank, Market/A-S St. The DDCT Tour, Part 38 - Keep Knocking on that Door

   It is by no means easy getting these speaking engagements. Notwithstanding the fact that the motivational talks are given free of charge.

   Sometimes one is lucky in that the go ahead is given right away. But most of the time I have to do several follow ups. This following up I do either over the phone or in person by physically going to the venue again. To get a green light can take up to four visits at times. 

   In all this to and fro to the place to get permission, I have never once thought of giving up. I never give up because doing these motivational talks is something that I really love, irrespective of how inconvenient or costly these follow ups are. And if something is a labour of love for you, you have to keep trying to work on it until you succeed. Because once you succeed at it, all the hardships you went through to get there will pale in comparison to the rewards you will get from this achievement.

   In my case, the reward may be that that specific hard to get gig turns out to be a 'bomb'(i.e. the talk is great and it results in sales of our book). And this Nedbank talk was such a gig. It went down very well indeed. The Nedbank Market/A-S Street staff members were lively and full of energy. In addition to the many F-G clap requests from the floor, the poem reading by the house was from the top, top drawer.

                                                   SOME THANK YOU's
- Paul  Mthombeni( the Manager, and a friend.) - For the'Yes'. And for those heartwarming pre-talk and post-talk remarks.
- Ausi Letitia( 2nd in charge) - For organizing the logistics of this gig.
- Nedbank staff members - For the wonderful vibe. And the material support.
- Ausi Boitumelo - For collating those book orders. 

                                         ==========================

Our FEEL GOOD quote of the week:

"While it is important to acknowledge challenges or problems, our
main attention should be on solutions and possibilities. If we continue
to look only at the problems then we will surely find more of them;
clearly if we focus on solutions then they will also have to appear."

Jack Black( from the book - MINDSTORE)

                                           ===========================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOO MOMENTS'.

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?


             

FNB, Park Central. The DDCT Tour, Part 37 - Show Up No Matter What

   They say to wreck a reputation takes seconds, but to build it takes years. Something as simple as pitching up for a talk like you have promised, should not be underestimated.

   On this Wednesday of the FNB Park Central talk, it was raining cats and dogs in the true sense here in Johannesburg. This deluge of rain having started the previous night( Tuesday). Under these conditions the traffic going into the Johannesburg CBD is normally a nightmare. There was a real possibility that I would arrive late at my destination. Not only this, but that I would be soaking wet on arrival since I use taxis. All of the above would not help me at all in creating a good impression with my hosts.

So the thought of asking for today's talk to be postponed (or even cancelled) did cross my mind.

   But just as quickly, I dismissed this thought. My reputation for keeping my word was at stake here. Life has to go on despite the obstacles put in our way. I had given my word that I was was going to come, so I must indeed pitch up. Because, frankly, the host does not give a hoot about one having walk through the rain to make the appointment. All they want is the motivational talk that was promised.

   I did make it to Park Central on time almost. Wet shoes and all that. And the talk proceeded smoothly as per plan.

                                                      SOME THANK YOU's

- Ausi Thuli Yende( the Manager) - For the permission. And for buying a copy of our book(Feeling Good). Your plea to your staff for them to support budding local writers was very heartwarming. Much, much appreciated sisi.

- FNB staff( bo-Ausi Esther et al) - For warmly receiving me. Offers of coffee before the talk started were very humbling.

                                                     ====================

Our FEEL GOOD quote of the week:

"...the news in general is far too negative. It is very rarely

positive and when it is, it is usually relegated to a minor 

spot at the end of the broadcast or to precious few column inches.

There is so much good going on, fantastic achievements in every

corner of the world, but we don't hear about or focus on it - instead,

every night you can hear of famine, war, violence and crime."

Jack Black( from the book - MINDSTORE)

                                               ====================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                                  ===================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU 

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?