Monthly update from Janelle Barlow
The 2011-2012 year is definitely underway! German speakers (meeting as the GSA , German Speakers Association, conference in Munich, September 8 - 10) kicked the Global Speakers Federation off to a very fine start. In addition to fantastic main stage keynoters, we witnessed the longest standing ovation in the history of the world for Dr. Lothar Seiwert, who is concluding his two-year Presidency of the GSA.
So, it was my first opportunity to carry the gavel to the convention, to encourage the German speakers that it’s possible to build a global speaking career relatively easily in Europe. It was pleasure to share information about the GSF with everyone who attended the conference. Several people came up to me after my presentation to say they truly appreciate that the GSF is part of such a robust group of national associations around the globe. And several asked about participating in the Global Speakers Network, what it means to them, and why participation in and support of the GSN is a good idea for anyone who crosses borders to speak.
In Munich, we were able to tour the BMW museum, and in the afternoon of the same day, two senior level BMW staff continued the conversation we began in Anaheim at the Global Speakers Network with Meltem Priest, who explained what the Marriott does with social media. The BMW marketers were exceptionally impressive, very willing to share, and let all of us who were in the room understand how even the very best people who manage social media also struggle with some of the same issues that we speakers must face. Now, granted they have a few more resources to measure, communicate, and design than most speakers do, but it was striking to see that measurement issues in particular beset BMW as much as any speaker wonders whether investment in money and time in social media actually leads to paid work.
I am looking forward to being in the UK for the PSAUK convention in early October, to be followed by CAPS in Toronto in late November. We are planning a full GSN meeting in Toronto, the full agenda to be communicated by early November latest. If you want to plan your schedule and participate in this I’d suggest being in Toronto for a mid-morning start on the 27th of November.
The leadership team of the GSF Executive Council (myself, Cheryl Cran, Lesley Everett, Alan Stevens, Lenora Billings-Harris, Jonathan Low, and Beverly Babb our Executive Director) meets on a monthly basis. You’ll find a summary of that meeting on www.globalspeakers.net (Maria, please put in a link to that summary here). Cheryl Cran, in charge of communications within the Global Speakers Federation is in the process of summarizing the survey that was recently sent out. Over 500 people have responded from around the globe, and we are very excited about that! We’re going to incorporate that data into a brainstorming planning session in late September, and we’ll let everyone know what clever ideas we dream up. If you want to send me your creative thoughts for how to make the Global Speakers Network more relevant to you, please drop me a line at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). We’d appreciate it.
We are also extremely excited about looking at a multi-year approach to the GSF, and I personally want to thank everyone on the GSF Council for their support and enthusiasm.
