Do you follow the Boy Scout motto?

Do you know the Boy Scout motto?

If you don't follow it or don't know, the motto is Be Prepared . This morning I violated that motto.

Growing up, I was a Cub Scout, but I never advanced to Boy Scout. Maybe I never fully learned the importance of the motto. This morning, I was up at 5:30 to shower, then drive 20 miles to speak to the Orland, CA Kiwanis at 7 a.m. It's been about 10 days since I made my last presentation, and I filled my time with Labor Day activities, yard work, and other commitments. (Clearly I have time in my schedule that I would prefer to use speaking to your group in northern California.)

While driving to Orland, I thought about what to say, but I've given the similar information to other groups, so I felt I was prepared. Right?

During my presentation, I stuttered, repeated myself, and verbally blanked out several times during the 15-20 minutes I spoke. I didn't start my stopwatch to stay on time, nor did I start my voice recorder so I could listen later and critique the delivery (not that I needed the recording this time).

Afterward, several people thanked me for the 10 Laws of Persuasion information, and I appreciated the comments. The content was good, but my delivery was off. Why?

I couldn't blame it on the early morning; I'm often up before 6 a.m. I couldn't blame it on the lack of coffee; I don't drink coffee. I never developed the taste for it. The reason was simply that I didn't use the time between presentations to practice and hone the information. I wasn't prepared. I overconfidently relied on my skills, which I hadn't used for almost 2 weeks, rather properly prepare to speak before an audience. I know better; I just got lazy.

"Larry, if I prepare I may lose my spontaneity. I want to adapt to my audience if I need to. I know enough to get by." I've used this justification before, including the last ten days. I may have got by, and some people didn't notice the difference since they'd never seen me speak before; however, I know the difference. I know when I'm "on" and when I'm off, like today.

Preparation takes time and sacrifice, not just for me but for my family. They won't have my smiling face around while I am preparing. What I have to keep in mind is my larger (and longer term) goal. To reach it will mean preparation. I believe it's worth it. While I wasn't a Boy Scout, next time I'll be prepared.