The Sunday Spotlight

A 3 minute read.

3 things. A learning, a win and a thank you.

Let's see where this takes us....

A lesson. ??

Is it possible to make twice the impact in half the time??

I’m prepping for a big speech right now. I’m also helping a client get their team prepared for an important conference. Doing both things in parallel has really highlighted two important ideas.?

The first is “short is more difficult than long”.?

Filling an hour is simple. You have time to reinforce your points. You can ramble and regroup. Distilling the same message down to 30 minutes means every word counts.?

It’s actually a really good discipline. Initially you look at the page and can’t see what to take out but eventually you realise how much is superfluous. Words are precious. We’d do well to use them more wisely.?

The second idea is “rehearsal is non-negotiable”.

When you have less time there’s no room for error. I’m always surprised when people question the need for rehearsal. You wouldn’t expect an athlete or a sports team to win without putting in time to train. Yet in business the dominant culture seems to be to wing it.?

I’m putting twenty plus hours of graft in behind the scenes for my 30 minutes in the spotlight. I’m encouraging the team I’m working with to up their rehearsal game too. If they do, I guarantee the results will speak for themselves.?

So to answer my initial question, I do think it’s possible to make twice the impact in half the time. You just need half the words and twice the effort!?

A curious lesson.?

A win. ??

A lot can happen in a week.?

On Friday I was offered a publishing contract for my new book. I can’t reveal the details just yet but needless to say I’m incredibly excited! It’s great to know that someone else thinks it’s an interesting and commercially viable concept. More to follow soon! ??

A massive, massive win.??

A thank you. ??

I’m mysteriously drawn to the Pennine Way. It’s an odd sentence to write but it’s an accurate description.?

In my mid twenties I was having what would now be described as a mental health low point. In an attempt to reset I decided to escape for a few days alone in the hills. Walking through the wilderness down the spine of England with only the wind for company was the tonic I needed and it etched the Pennine Way on heart.?

Fast forward nearly 20 years and I’m now walking it with my dad and my brother. The full trail is 268 miles so we’ve broken it into bite size sections and for the last six years we have met up for a weekend each September to tackle the next leg.?

It’s a brilliant chance to disconnect from work and reconnect with family and the great outdoors. As you read this I should be tramping through the mud somewhere just north of Barnard Castle, so please keep your fingers crossed for decent weather.?

Thank you Dad and Ben for this yearly gift and to mother nature for providing awe inspiring expansiveness to soothe the weary soul.??

I hope this was useful in some way.

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Enjoy the week ahead. Talk next Sunday.

Dominic