Recently, I got a chance to meet Carl Walsh, an exceptional public speaker who compteted to be a finalist at the World Championship of Speaking conducted by Toastmaster's International in 2009. Carl has a powerful, touching message of hope.
http://blog.angieflinn.com/2009/08/2009-world-championship-of-public-speaking-recap-part-1.htmlHe reminds me that as public speakers (and as grant writers) people do listen to what we say.
Of course, they may not show it right away. They will apply our words to change their behavior, make a decision, or turn around their lives, but never even let us know that we made a difference for them. Sometimes, they may even be hostile to the suggestion we provide.
Nevertheless, it is a good bet to suppose they do listen. It is usually our low self-esteem, focus on showmanship, and ego which keep us from slowing down and making sure that what we are sharing with the audience is important.
Remembering the powerful influence of our words is the sort of back-to-the-basics concept that I like to apply to grant writing. The work of grant writers changes lives and makes possible innovative programs. Remembering the impact of our word should be a daily habit that helps us, our clients, and our client's clients.
