Update: At a recent party Ann offered to help me with my latest speech. I knew it would be extremely valuable because she is an advanced speaker and coach. Taking Ann up on her offer would be beneficial and rewarding.

She was willing to take time from her busy schedule to coach me? I couldn't refuse because if I did, she may never offer this to me again. I'm glad I did as you'll read in today's feature article...

Feature Article: The Ace in Your Corner

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Are You Teachable?

If you're a bonafide success student you know one of the most important codes to live by is being teachable. That means you are willing to learn new skills, to unlearn destructive habits, and at times, to relearn what you may have forgotten. This usually requires some mental stretching.

For example, when I started to learn copywriting I'd write out winning sales letters by hand. Word for word. It was a long and arduous exercise that may take days to complete. This taught me to appreciate the copywriters who have made an impact in the direct response marketing industry.

And after I hired a copywriting coach, I copied all of his letters by hand. Even the forty-page letters. And still do today. Because that helps me get into a similar creative cadence.

Learning is not futile. Learning can be productive. Everyone is learning from someone. It all depends on who's teaching.

The Ace in Your Corner

Dear Associate,

Driving up the coast near Solana Beach I decided to give Ann a call. She and her husband run their own marketing firm specializing in branding. She's also an experienced member of my speech group.

"Hello, Ann. I'm ready to present my next speech. Can I run it by you first?"

"Of course," she replied. "Come by in about one hour."

"Okay. See 'ya."

When I arrived we began right away...

She scribbled notes as I began speaking. She laughed at the humor, smiled through the stories, and was touched by some intimate details. She listened intently, watched my body language, and gauged the entire presentation for its salability.

Afterwards Ann said, "Very good. You've got a great topic. Your talk is compelling and engaging. Here are a few suggestions — and these are only suggestions."

Ann divided her comments into three parts:

1) She offered timeless tips: A competent coach sees what's lacking and offers good advice. Ann suggested going bigger with certain gestures during parts of the speech. Holding back would diminish the audience's perception of the picture I'm painting in their minds.

2) She revealed my blind spots: A caring coach senses the self-destructive foibles we don't see, and then provides an alternative. Ann recommended editing some language because it diminished or even knocked the wind out of everything I intended to build. Probably the worst crime a communicator can commit is taking an audience on a special journey, but then unintentionally slamming the brakes and jolting everyone around because of poor word choices.

3) She pointed me in a better direction: A creative coach knows what can work better and makes recommendations. Ann suggested expanding on one character of my story and adopting a different approach with the close. The connections within my stories became stronger, stickier and tighter all the way from the opening to the close.

Of course, these were only suggestions. Suggestions that I took to heart. Looking at the big picture I began editing and by the time I finished — half the speech was axed. I added some of Ann's recommendations to round out an improved version.

Then it was Showtime...

It was Friday morning at my speech group. The members and guests poured in to take their seats. As the meeting progressed the emcee announced my speech title and called my name.

I walked up to the platform and shook the emcee's hand. I absorbed the audience with my eyes and took a deep breath. Then I began.

People were moved. Touched. A few expressing tears of joy. Some holding back tears of sadness. They laughed heartily at the humor. And they sympathized with my misfortunes. After I finished, a few members offered a standing ovation.

I have never seen nor experienced the variety and depth of audience reaction like this before. It was a defining moment in my growth. Ann told me I hit a homerun. Melissa, another competent coach, was misty-eyed proud of me.

But I couldn't have done it without Ann's input. That's how valuable a good coach can be. She can be the ace in your corner.

Warm regards,