The SPICE Formula of Sensational Speaking

Be a Philosopher Who Speaks

In late summer of 2010, John Heney took the stage at a networking and business education event called “Your Stage,” which I facilitate in Ottawa, Canada. Prior to that time, I knew John Heney simply as “John.” I knew nothing about John because he was this seemingly nice, quiet guy who came to the events and never said much.

At these events, we invite our members to speak as a regular part of the program, thus the name “Your Stage.” On this day, it was John’s turn to take the stage.

John’s presentation wasn’t a retelling of his life experiences, although he did include some of that. His talk wasn’t an information session in which he reported on his research, although he included some of that as well. No, the dominant message in John’s talk, the gist of his speech, was that we’re all on stage all the time, and everything we do is being watched by others, sometimes having an effect that changes their lives. In just a few minutes, John put a new spin on the value of “Your Stage,” and personalized its value to each and every person in the room.

John opened our eyes to a new way of looking at the world in which we live. He shared the philosophy by which he lives his life with us, and invited us all to explore that philosophy and see how it might apply to our own lives. He did that by applying his own creativity to a familiar foundation, our event called “Your Stage.”

John Heney happens to be a highly educated man. His wisdom and experience are beyond measure and his contribution to the world is vast. He has much expertise and great knowledge and he could have presented himself as an expert or a reporter on any number of topics. Instead, at this session of “Your Stage,” John chose to present himself as a philosopher, sharing his insights and creative spin on the world.

What are your philosophies? What personalized and creative spin have you placed on an existing situation? How have you creatively solved a problem in your life? Your creativity and personal philosophies could change the lives of others.

So, what’s the lesson? You don’t have to be an expert or a reporter to earn the right to speak. Share your creativity and your philosophy and be a philosopher who speaks.