Forging Deeper Connections (ft. Riaz Meghji)

Mic Drop

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2y ago 45:14

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Forging Deeper Connections (ft. Riaz Meghji)

What can broadcasting teach us about keynote speaking?

OPENING QUOTE:

And the impact of these past two years could be stress, anxiety, depression, disconnection, and while an overarching theme we've talked about being the great resignation, I believe that's an outcome of the great disconnection.”

-Riaz Meghji

GUEST BIO:

Riaz Meghji is a human connection expert and author of the book Every Conversation Counts: The 5 Habits of Human Connection that Build Extraordinary Relationships. He's also an accomplished broadcaster with 17 years of television hosting experience. Over the course of his career, he’s interviewed experts on current affairs, sports, entertainment, politics, and business.

Links:

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[6:22] - Silence and Pacing

Powerful tools in broadcasting or keynote speaking

Riaz points out how he noticed that in the virtual world there was widespread discomfort with silence. He then used intentional pausing to his advantage, using it to impact pacing and break through the white noise. Through silence, he says, people will stop in their tracks and ask, “What happened?”

[9:09] - The Power of a Virtual Green Room

Creating deeper connection in remote keynotes

Riaz likes to get into his remote sessions as much as 30 minutes before the event actually starts. This gives him the chance to connect with the MC, other speakers, or any other key people so that they can connect on a deeper level before the event. This provides more context and even helps simulate both the adrenaline rush and the tranquility of being in a green room together before a big event.

[14:38] - Make Small Talk Bigger

Lessons on human connection

For too long we’ve looked at small talk as a defense mechanism to prevent us from getting real in front of someone we don’t know or hitting a nerve with someone else. But if we make our small talk bigger, it presents us with massive opportunities to serve. Ask first and talk second. Be intentional with your curiosity. You’ll be amazed at what you discover about the people around you

[30:39] - What is Assertive Empathy?

Taking on difficult conversations the right way

Need to have a difficult conversation? Try applying the principal of assertive empathy— relationship first, logic second. It’s all about leading with a sense of discovery, rather than posturing our own position. Begin by asking questions and getting to know the other side’s perspective before sharing your own. You’ll be amazed by how much more productive those conversations become.

[34:18] - Be Interested, Not Interesting

The power of making people feel famous

We all have an innate desire to belong. Whether you’re a presenter on stage or a leader with your team, what can you do to go the extra mile and allow someone to feel recognized, acknowledged, seen, and appreciated? And don’t wait until some big conference or town hall to celebrate people’s wins— celebrate them in everyday interactions whenever you notice them.

RESOURCES:

[2:10] Every Conversation Counts, by Riaz Meghji
[13:18] Cigna Research on Loneliness
[16:02] About Gordon Livingston
[26:24] The Compound Effect, by Darren Hardy

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ABOUT MIC DROP:

Brought to you by eSpeakers, hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is produced and presented by eSpeakers; sponsored by ImpactEleven.

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ABOUT THE HOST:

Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.

Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.

Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.

Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.

Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com

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