Hey kids,
So yesterday afternoon, my boss pulled a Lumberg on me and asked me to come in by 7:45 this morning. Now, for someone who generally gets to the office at 9:00 on the dot, that's kind of asking a bit much of me...but again, he's the one who signs the paychecks so I guess I need to oblige him, right? Riiiight. The reason Dan asked me to come so early today was because he belongs to, what I call, a Secret Society of CEO's. In the real world, it's better known as Vistage, but I like the conotation "Secret Society" brings with it, so I'm gonna go with that.
Anyway, I found out that we were hosting this months meeting at our facility - holy skittles, that's intense. In the 3 years I've worked here I don't think Dan has once hosted this meeting. Now I've been a "guest" in the past and tried to learn their secret handshake, but have failed miserably every time, but they have been accepting enough folks to allow me to quietly sit in the corner and take notes without branding me with a poker. And generally, in the past, these meetings have only semi-served me well. A lot of what I'm "learning" are things I'm already pretty well-versed-in, but I might pick up one or two tips here and there. But this morning was different.
I don't know if it was the aura of the room or the fact that I got a free breakfast this morning but damn did I enjoy the first 2.5 hours of my morning today! And our speaker was phenomenal! He is an actor/director/choreographer/entrepreneur/speaker and he spoke to us today about Communication. Now, communication is something I believe that I know the ins and outs of fairly well. After all, I communicate via social networking sites, texting, phone calls, emails, in person, blogging (obvi) and when Dan told me what the subject of today's meeting was about, I figured it would be another snooze-fest where I sit in the corner and twiddle my thumbs. Au Contraire Mes Amis! This was no Charlie Brown Classroom. This was, as far as a business-related setting goes, the most entertaining 2.5 hours of my life! I wanted to stay all day and listen to this guy talk! Don't get me wrong, it was no Comedy Show, no Sugar Sammy, but for a business meeting, I give it 2 thumbs WAY up!
This guy was smart, and funny, and looked a little bit like a younger Larry David, so right there he got an A+ in my book. And he talked all about the whole non-verbal cues we give each other in communication, how to multitask without letting someone KNOW you're multitasking (because let's face it that's extremely rude, even though I do it all the time), and he allowed me to speak up when I had something relevent (and witty, might I add) to say. And that resulted in him telling me that I was stunning and that I have an amazing confidence and charisma. I apparently capture the room's attention when I walk into it (his words, not mine) and he asked if he could take me with him to all of his business meetings like this (not in a creepy old-man way, but in a sweet, charming, and definitely joking kind-of-way). Anyway, I was the most entertained that I think I've ever been at work, and I felt like I got something out of this seminar (besides an inflated ego). And I actually met him and talked with him after the seminar and he's just such a genuinely warm-hearted person - from BOSTON? who would have guessed? (haha, love you Lau) I want us to become biffles even if he is closer to my dad's age than mine. And I told him that when he mentioned he was an actor/director I was hooked, because of my little bit of stage presence and my love affair with comedy, I knew we were going to get along just fine. ::sigh:: All in all - GREAT morning!
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