Episode 26: When you stand in service, you can’t be nervous with Neen James

Listen to this episode from First Time Facilitator on Spotify. In today's episode, I talk to Neen James. Neen is a sought-out, high-energy keynote speaker in the States who challenges her audiences to leverage their focus and pay attention to what matters most at work and in life.

In today’s episode, I talk to Neen James. Neen is a sought-out, high-energy keynote speaker in the States who challenges her audiences to leverage their focus and pay attention to what matters most at work and in life. Audiences love her practical strategies they can apply personally and professionally, and meeting planners love working with her – they often describe Neen as the energizer bunny for their events. She believes that when you stand in service; you can't be nervous.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How a happy little Aussie wound up killing it on stages in the US

• The differences between Australian and US audiences

• Why it’s important to change your focus and stand in service (and how this helps with overcoming nerves)

• Understanding the importance of the three types of attention and how you can apply that to your facilitation

• Her speaker role models (and the mad genius they focus on)

• How the three types of attention drive profitability, productivity and accountability

• Tips and tricks on how to contextualise your training content and marketing collateral

• Strategies on how to engage with your audience.

About our guest

Neen James is the author of Folding Time™ and Attention Pays™. In 2017, she was named one of the top 30 Leadership Speakers by Global Guru because of her work with companies like Viacom, Comcast, and Abbot Pharmaceutical, among others. She earned her MBA from Southern Cross University and the Certified Speaking Professional designation from National Speakers Association. She has received numerous awards as a professional speaker, is a partner in the international education company Thought Leaders Global, and is a member of the prestigious League of Heroic Public Speakers. Neen has boundless energy, is quick-witted and always offers powerful strategies for paying attention to what matters so you can get more done and create more significant moments at work and home.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Neen James' website

• Neen's latest book, 'Attention Pays'

• Attention Pays Sample Chapters (a gift from Neen)

• Neen's speaking kit

• Scott McKain

• Matt Church

• https://marksanborn.com/

• Jay Baer

• Tami Evans

• Judson Laipply

• Tamsen Webster - Red Thread

• Connie Podesta

• Sally Hogshead

Like this show?

• Please leave me a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so I can thank you personally!

• Click here to let Leanne know about your number one takeaway from this episode! (or, leave a comment below)

• Tweet your thanks to Neen.

Quotes of the show:

• “I want to make sure that every interaction they have, they feel like they are getting the attention that they want and need and deserve.”

• “When people are making behavioural shifts, that's far more important to me than a standing ovation.”

• “It's not about you and it's not about them, it's simply about a conversation you're going to create in the room.”

• “One of the best engagement techniques is to keep it really practical. So as soon as they leave your workshop, they can share with someone else what they learned and they can implement it in their everyday life.”

• “There’s always the next opportunity, the next level of performance, the next skill to develop, the next way to challenge an audience”

Episode transcript

View the First Time Facilitator episode transcript with Neen James.