Public Speaker Archives - Sharon M Weinstein

October 11, 2021 By Sharon Weinstein

I’m speaking at the 2021 HBA Annual Conference #HBAAC21!

I’m excited to present Great Leaders are Great Negotiators at the 2021 Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) Annual Conference this November. #HBAAC21 promises to offer its attendees data-driven and empowering opportunities to:

Reimagine pathways to a more equitable and inclusive workplace
Build on expanded concepts of advocacy and allyship to engage in mutually beneficial relationships
Apply insights from promising and proven practices to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in their spheres of influence
Expand strategies that enhance one’s presence, visibility, and performance for advancement in an evolving workplace
Strengthen an invaluable network of advocates and accomplices

Join me and other inspiring industry leaders at #HBAAC21 for an interactive virtual experience. Be invigorated and inspired that, together, we can reimagine pathways to a more equitable and inclusive workplace. https://bit.ly/3yHHhOA

First of all, what business are we in? We are in the business of negotiation, which is nothing more than communication with different starting positions, a principle that remains the same. We still must begin with the end in mind! Our process may be different in a virtual world but we are still sharing/selling products, ideas, or ourselves.

That takes 3 steps; preparation, delivery, and education…

Preparation – mindset impacts how we present ourselves

Delivery – brings positive energy; if virtual –it is what you bring through the screen, not to the screen – consider standing up to channel your energy

Education – add stories to connect and generate emotion

Let the process and the conference begin! Bring it on…and keep your cool!

January 1, 2018 By Sharon Weinstein

How do you spell success?

Success matters- let’s face it. As a child, I was told that I would never amount to a thing, and I believed those who offered this advice; they were my parents. I never planned for success! It seemed so beyond my reach. When I think about the word, and what it now means to me, I have a different perspective.

I consider the word and how it is spelled: S U C C E S S.

I assign a word or characteristic to each of those letters, as in:

S for strive, to be all that I can be
U for understand, that just because they are my parents does not mean that they are right
C for courage, to move up and out
C for commit, to do what it takes
E for education, knowing how essential a good education is
S for strength, to overcome obstacles
S for share, and the philosophy that sharing is caring

So, what does it mean to you? How do you measure success in your career and life? What matters most, and why? How do you define it in a resume or during an interview? https://www.theresumecenter.com/careers-advice/interview-preparation-help/what-exactly-does-the-word-success-mean-to-you

We all want success; we chase it, but what is it? Success is both a goal and a journey.

To me, success means that I broke the template that my parents had set; I have a loving, caring, brilliant family and they like to be with me as much as I like to be with them. I have a great public speaking career, and I’ve created a nursing legacy that has allowed me to affect lives across the globe. I have good health, a growing sense of humor, and an appreciation for the gifts that I have been given. I have an amazing life partner who means the world to me and who I appreciate more with each passing day. I have good friends, lifelong relationships, and a passion for life.

I broke the template, and I have achieved measures of success. But for me, like you-this is a goal and a journey. I can spell the word, and I can create the future. I can spell the word, and I am on the journey.

August 27, 2017 By Sharon Weinstein

SCORE!

And I scored! All 5s, that is, on a scale of 1-5 during 8 presentations in a two-week period! I knocked it out of the park, meeting and exceeding the expectations of my hosts, sponsors, and audiences. WOW – it felt great!

The thrill of the game
The drama of the goal
The sound of the bat
The thrill of the crowd
The standing ovation

Perhaps you have been there, when the Cubs won the World Series, when Simone Biles took home Olympic Gold, and when Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James have scored.

“To me, form is not about scoring runs but how you feel about your game. Sometimes the runs are not there, but you know you are batting well, and that is good form for me.” Gautam Gambhir

As an adult soccer player, I scored a magnificent goal that won the game and the trophy. In the process, I broke the metatarsals of my left foot, but I continued to play. When I learned to play golf 8 years ago, I scored a trophy as most-improved player in the 18-hole women’s league!

As speakers, trainers, facilitators, consultants – we are expected to SCORE a win for those who engaged us! We customize programs, give it our all, exceed expectations, excite the audience, offer a call to action, and get great reviews. To those who attend our sessions, embrace our content, employ our techniques, and follow us – thank you! As a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), I share your commitment to the process and the outcome!

We are professional speakers! Our goal (no pun-intended) is to score for you every time, at every event, and at any venue! I scored, and I enjoyed the thrill, the drama, the sound, and the standing ovation. WOW – it felt great; let me SCORE for your organization or event!

The win will be yours, simply for asking!

June 15, 2017 By Sharon Weinstein

Protect and defend…your voice, that is!

We all speak for a living; we use our voices to communicate, to present, to train, to teach, to inspire, provide customer service, to preach, and to respond. What happens that the voice on which we depend simply shuts down, turns raspy, and no longer cooperates.

Some say that the eyes are the windows to the body; peering into one’s eyes can tell an ophthalmologist what else is happening internally. And, some say that the voice is the mirror to the soul and spirit. When was the last time that you listened to your own voice? Did you sense the clarity? Was there a resonant quality? How did the experience make you feel?

We know our bodies best; when we listen to our bodies, we get unique signals about how we are doing, how we are feeling, and if things are going well. The same is true of voice…if we listen to our voice, we sense how things are working, and if we need to take special steps to preserve our gift of voice!

We all speak for a living; we use our voices to communicate, to present, to train and more. Those of us who use our voices to make a living can suffer from voice fatigue, loss of voice, hoarseness. Perhaps it is time to care for our unique gift – the gift that keeps referrals coming our way and repeat performances on our calendars.

Try these simple tips:

Drink enough water
Avoid irritants including environmental agents or self-imposed irritants like coffee, tea, alcohol, cigarettes, spicy foods
Get sufficient rest; a tired body has a tired voice
Use your voice wisely, project with confidence and care

What are you doing to protect and defend…your voice, that is?

January 25, 2017 By Sharon Weinstein

Endorse me for public speaking…

With thousands of LinkedIn connections, I typically see at least 10 popups a day suggesting that I endorse my connections for Public Speaking.

We are not all public speakers; many of us speak as a part of our career responsibilities, or introduce ourselves at networking events, but that alone does not make one a speaker. Many of these self-professed public speakers simply list multiple skill sets on their profiles, but they have no idea that Speaking is itself a true Profession and one that requires talent, training and a commitment to continuous learning. Much of that learning takes place through the National Speakers Association (NSA), the premier professional society for public speakers or aspiring public speakers. Visit the NSA site to explore the strict requirements for membership and the paths toward this goal.

How many ‘skills’ do you list on your own LinkedIn profile? Are you truly skilled in those areas, or are they skills in which you have dabbled? Public speaking, like coaching, seems to be a ‘skill’ that everyone has, but requires a unique ability to engage, empower, and educate audiences. Are you still seeking that endorsement? Are you really a Public Speaker; if your answer is yes, then apply for membership in NSA.

If you have sat in audiences watching the keynote deliver a strong message and thought, “I could do that,” perhaps the timing is right. If you have spoken before small community or work groups and liked the experience, perhaps this the time for a deep dive. And, if you are the kind of person who lights up a room with your presence, connect to NSA now. We are waiting for you!

http://www.nsaspeaker.org/attend/winter-conference/

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Sharon Weinstein, CSP, is a Certified Speaking Professional and one of only 22 nurses in the world with this credential. She is President-Elect of the NSA-DC Chapter and Dean of the Academy. Yes, she does offer public speaker coaching.

To start the process: