The Hidden Edge

This You Tube link is quite a long one so I have placed it at the front of this Blog.  It’s the sort of music that you will be able to read and listen to at the same time … that is, if you don’t get mesmerised by the visual graphics. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMWAMhLyn58 

I have been threatening to write this Blog for three weeks!  But I have been putting it off!  Actually it is not the link to a slightly depressing subject matter, rather the fact that I live in the moment.  Let me explain! 

Three weeks ago, Mark Pitcher challenged us to write our epitaph.  What would we like to be said about us at our funeral?  He asserted that this would really put our visions and goals into perspective.  Fired up with his enthusiasm I set about writing my own …………. 

The trouble is, that I am not unhappy with my life.  I love where I live, who I share my life with, I love what I do for a living and I have no regrets.  I live now to my max and whatever comes my way that challenges my fancy then that’s what I’ll do.  This makes it really difficult to say, for example, that I travelled the world or lived in the Outback or climbed Mount Everest or any other equivalent as this is not what does it for me!  I do love to ski but negotiating black runs doesn’t do it for me either as I am more the serious social skier.  Hic! 

However, I do have that book or three that I am planning to write; and one day I would like to see it (or them) published.  This is something that I have been challenged with since I met a guy called Alan Taylor, who started at Debenhams Guildford at the same time as I, back in September 1980.  He was writing a fictional fantasy not dissimilar to Gormenghast.  In fact he introduced me to Peake, Tolkein and Donaldson’s work, for which I will always be truly grateful. 

And so … “she lived each moment for the moment, everything had to be done now or not at all.  She learnt loads from others and relished in that.  Her greatest accolade is not what she achieved but the number of people she touched with her enthusiasm and encouragement.  She did, of course, have her best seller – for a while.  This touched many others.   

She will be remembered in her adopted town of Weymouth quite fondly as a staunch business advocate for Southwest Dorset and Lady Town Mayor.  Latterly she undertook the Wanderer’s role for the Dorset Echo, a position that had not been filled since the late Stiv departed.  She and she loved that role. Hic!”

Tell us; how would you like your epitaph to read?

Over the last couple of weeks the benefit of telling stories (not untruths of course) has come up in various different guises.  The great thing about telling a story is that it tends to have a beginning, middle and end.  It usually has a purpose, some structure and is therefore more easily remembered by the listener.  The listener can use his/her imagination to relate to the story which then takes on its own uniqueness personal to them. 

·         It came up as a piece of advice I gave to someone wishing to get more referrals out of networking.  There is power when you can tell a story of how you have overcome a client’s problem with a proven solution.

·         It also came up as a good way for another client to get a particular message across in a webvert. A story conveys the somewhat boring uniqueness of his product by illustrating the benefits to one particular customer.

·         It was evident in Diana’s memorial concert.  The testimonials, in between the music, from those who had felt supported by her genuine empathy, moved even the most sceptical; I included.

·         And I have just reconnected with an old school friend via Friend Reunited.  The last time we saw each other was when we were 16.  In three emails a piece we are patching together the last 29 years in instalments.  It’s great fun!  As each piece of information comes out there are links to the past and the present that makes the story telling fun as well as memorable.  In his words “better than a TV soap… look forward to the next episode.”

·         Then of course there has been Live Earth this weekend …. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RshSnCfPlck  

I know that it might take a little thinking about but what stories you can tell me that have made a difference either to you or to your clients? 

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