Uninspiring Inspiration

I recently heard the "15 Survival Strategies for Entrepreneurs" presented at a conference last week. I thought I'd learn something by seeing something from a different perspective and perhaps gain some inspiration. I was only half right.

The strategies presented were: (somehow I ended up with 17 instead of 15)

1. Be persistent - Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, keep going
2. You can't be emotional and logical at the same time - learn to control your emotions
3. Don't keep all your eggs in one basket - Diversify your clients
4. Find a way to manage and release your stress
5. Believe in what you're doing - understand why you're doing it.
6. Be flexible
7. Rely on people you trust outside your business
8. Maintain healthy teams inside the business
9. No one is irreplaceable
10. Make a list - What do you want to get done?
11. Write a journal
12. Learn to trust your gut instinct
13. Make tough decisions
14. Find the spiritual way - it brings peace
15. Surround yourself with "positivity"
16. Find angels now - you may need them later
17. Have patience

I was right in that I saw things from a different perspective, but wrong in that I'd gain any inspiration. What I learned is that just because you write a book on a seemingly motivational topic does not automatically qualify you to present the contents of your book to a room full of people.

I was amazed at one thing, which is the ability the presenter seemed to have to present information as if she were delivering the financial statements at an annual meeting. (Yawn)

The lesson I learned is that just because you can write with inspiration, does not translate into speaking with inspiration. So, as I have now crossed my 3rd year of blogging and have accomplished my first goal, which was to develop my writing skills, I now have to go back and analyze how I will tie together speaking and writing inspirationally.

As leaders, we have to ask ourselves, "Do I inspire?" You have to ask yourself "Does my writing inspire?" and "Does my speaking inspire?" Then remember, just because your answer is yes for one doesn't make the other a yes as well. In today's age of email, blogging and leadership, I think it takes both the ability to speak and write in a way that inspires to become an effective leader.