It’s amazing what Mother Nature’s creatures can teach us about public speaking, business, and life, just by being there.
My husband and I are on vacation right now in Nuevo Vallarta; and yesterday, while walking back to the hotel from the beach, I spotted this egret next to a waterway on the hotel property.
Of course I had to whip out my phone to take a picture. While I was doing so, a bunch of rather noisy people came down the path and I was worried that the egret would take flight before I could grab my picture.
Thankfully he didn’t pay any of us a bit of attention. (I guess he is used to admirers checking him out.)
As I thought about the egret’s reaction (or rather lack of it), it occurred to me that he was inadvertently sharing some important messages with me about public speaking, about business, and about life.
- When you’re sharing information with people, don’t forget the power of the pause. Pauses actually focus people’s attention more powerfully on what you are sharing, and provide time to digest its value.
- Don’t get distracted by inconsequential occurrences (or tourists in his case).
- Keep your focus on what’s really important (for him, getting more food; for me, empowering more people to speak up and share their gifts with the world).
- Take some time off to enjoy the view.
Since I am on vacation, I am paying particular attention to lesson #4. It’s a good lesson to periodically take to heart; so that lessons 2 and 3 come more easily when it’s time to get back to work.
Please share if you have also learned some lessons from Mother Nature’s creatures.
P.S. When I had originally posted this message, I had mistakenly labeled the bird I saw as a heron; so the final message I learned is that when it comes to naming birds, I’d better stick to cardinals, robins, and blue jays.
