Most Outstanding Regular Local Publication 2016
Steel City News
Who are JCI Sheffield? Meet your 2017 Leadership Team
Ben Hawley – View from the Top
Representing Yorkshire as Deputy UK President
On the Road with JCI Tours (France) Where will the JCI take you?
Highlighting Poverty in the UK JCI Sheffield lives on £1 a day
Plus –
Our Top 5 tips for Becoming a Public Speaking Wizz!
Quarter 1 2017
Hello There Welcome! It’s great to be writing another corner for our magazine. What a hectic start to the year! We’ve had quite a few training sessions that have been well attended, which is always great to see. Not only that, but our projects are starting to really take shape as well, like our Easter Egg Appeal for Sheffield Children’s Hospital, which I’m really happy to see running again this year. I’ve had the great opportunity to talk about JCI Sheffield to some of the interns of RISE Sheffield, which is a fantastic project aimed at attracting some of the city’s best talent into SME’s. There was a lot of energy within the room and a whole host of young talent who I know will make big waves at the companies they’re going to. I’ve also attended the State of Sheffield Conference, which is an event I always look forward to. The report is developed by the Sheffield First Partnerships board, led by former MP Lord Blunkett. The aim of the report is to identify where Sheffield’s strengths and weaknesses are and where these look to be going. I’m always, of course, keen to hear about what’s happening for our Young People and where can JCI Sheffield help! I’m really excited for the rest of the year as it’s going to be a great year for JCI and a great year in Sheffield too. I look forward to helping our members grow and develop themselves into better versions of themselves. All of this takes hard work, of course, but with Belief and more importantly Believing in yourself, anything you want to achieve is possible! Belief has got me this far in my JCI career and it will take me a lot further and hopefully to places I never dreamt I’d get to. So, come and join us and help build a better you.
Neal Stirk 2017 JCI Sheffield President neal.strik@jcisheffield.org.uk
Contents Feature Events Diary Meet JCI Sheffield Ben Hawley DECSY Worldwide Active Citizen Networking – Derek Reilly Business Sheffield The Surprising Secret of Success Shefest Public Speaking Pound A Day
Awards: Most Outstanding Regular Local Publication 2016 - JCI UK National Awards 2016 Most Outstanding Regular Local Publication 2016 - JCI Yorkshire Awards 2016 Most Outstanding Regular Local Publication 2015 - JCI UK National Awards 2015
Page 3 4-6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 - 16
Events Diary 13 March
Leading Businesses through People
23 March
Event Type: Training Venue: Showroom Cinema Date: 13 March 2017
4 April
18 May
Event Management
Event Type: Training Venue: Showroom Cinema Date: 4 April 2017
Marketing Training
Event Type: Training Venue: Showroom Cinema Date: 18 May 2017
25 April
6 June
Public Speaking
Event Type: Training Venue: Showroom Cinema Date: 23 March 2017
Public Speaking
Event Type: Training Venue: Showroom Cinema Date: 25 April 2017
Retailing the Swedish Way Event Type: Training Venue: Showroom Cinema Date: 6 June 2017
For more information head to our website http://www.jcisheffield.org.uk/events
Meet the JCI Sheffield Council Team Neal Stirk - 2017 JCI Sheffield President 1. Why did you join JCI Sheffield? I joined to develop my confidence. I’ve always been a nervous person who would shy away from a big challenge, and I knew JCI would help me overcome these. 2. What are you most looking forward to achieving with JCI Sheffield this year? Leading the chamber in 2017 and leaving the president in 2018 with a much stronger chamber that’s looking forward and developing the active young citizens of Sheffield. 3. Has joining JCI Sheffield changed what you believe is possible for yourself? Yes, completely! Since joining I’ve run projects and helped on countless others. I’ve also spoken publicly several times and even won a debating competition at national level! When I joined I never would have imagined where I would be 4 years later, and now I believe I can tackle most things. 4. What has been your most memorable moment with JCI Sheffield so far? It’s a tough call between winning JCI UK’s Most Outstanding Member in 2015 or winning the JCI UK National Debating Competition in 2016. However, I think being awarded Most Outstanding Member wins as this was the stepping stone which made me believe that I could achieve more than I knew and it also meant that others believed in me too.
Anne Homer
Gabriele Minacapilli
Gareth Carson
Neal Stirk
5. What is your advice for others thinking of joining JCI Sheffield? Do it! And throw yourself at every opportunity that comes your way with JCI as, without realising it, you’ll grow into a better, much stronger version of you. 6. An interesting fact about you Before coming to Sheffield for University, I played bass guitar (badly!) in several heavy metal bands in Leicester, and even played on one of the stages where the Artic Monkeys earned their stripes!
Lucy Collins
Natalie Fletcher
Lucy Collins - 2017 JCI Marketing Director 1. Why did you join JCI Sheffield? Because of the chance to serve and represent JCI Sheffield at local, national and international events. The scope of the organisation is just mind-blowing. I was taken aback by the fact that we have annual events all over the world like European and World Conference and that I can choose to go. On top of this, as a JCI member I can attend JCI events anywhere in the world that takes my fancy! I also saw that I would have the chance to develop skills that I couldn’t do anywhere else such as leadership, public speaking and marketing. At JCI Sheffield, if you want to learn a skill, the answer is always “yes.” The only limits are the ones you set for yourself. Not many organisations can say that. 2. What are you most looking forward to achieving with JCI Sheffield this year? Helping JCI Sheffield to grow massively into the organisation that it deserves to be. The JCI is currently one of the best-kept secrets in the UK, and that has to change because the impact we can have on our communities through the JCI is profound. At 90 years old, we are one of the oldest chambers outside the US, and are in a strong position to lead the charge. 3. Has joining JCI Sheffield changed what you believe is possible for yourself? Yes, I also always thought that I’d like to work for something like the UN, but thought it would be near impossible to get in. Then I found out that the JCI Global Partnership Summit takes place in New York every year in collaboration with the UN! I’m aiming to be at the 2018 event. 4. What has been your most memorable moment with JCI Sheffield so far? Getting up and joining in debating training in Mayo, Ireland for the first time ever, and realising that it was a skill I never knew I had. 5. What is your advice for others thinking of joining JCI Sheffield? What are you waiting for? Pack up all of your excuses and just do it! Your future self will thank you. 6. An interesting fact about you I paraded (read: winged it) in Rio de Janeiro’s 2014 carnival with Mocidade samba school. I still can’t samba!
2. What are you most looking forward to achieving with JCI Sheffield this year? Learning and developing myself as well as helping others along the way. 3. Has joining JCI Sheffield changed what you believe is possible for yourself? It has made me more confident, opened doors to more opportunities and given me lifelong friends. 4. What has been your most memorable moment with JCI Sheffield so far? Winning the Most Outstanding New Member at the Yorkshire awards and overcoming my fear of public speaking at the Sheffield EU debate. 5. What is your advice for others thinking of joining JCI Sheffield? Join with an open mind and a willingness to throw yourself into every opportunity. 6. An interesting fact about you: I genuinely love getting up early and going the gym or for a run before work. Gabriele Minacapilli – 2017 Community Director 1. Why did you join JCI Sheffield? To improve my networking and public speaking skills and to meet new, mindful people! 2. What are you most looking forward to achieving with JCI Sheffield this year? Getting out my comfort zone and having a positive impact on the community. Of course, I also want to develop myself. 3. Has joining JCI Sheffield changed what you believe is possible for yourself? Yes! I believe that it helped to push my limits and my confidence. Besides, it’s very helpful for my personal development! 4. What has been your most memorable moment with JCI Sheffield so far? I really enjoyed it when I challenged myself in the 1 pound a day project! 5. What is your advice for others thinking of joining JCI Sheffield? Grab the opportunity to develop yourself and have a positive impact in the local and international community!
Anne Homer – 2017 Training and Development Director 6. An interesting fact about you: I was not able to speak English just 3 years ago! 1. Why did you join JCI Sheffield? To improve my public speaking skills, push myself out of my comfort zone and meet new, like-minded people.
Natalie Fletcher – 2017 Business Director 1. Why did you join JCI Sheffield? To meet other young professionals and to broaden my business network. I also believe JCI run some excellent networking events and personal development workshops which I really wanted to be a part of. 2. What are you most looking forward to achieving with JCI Sheffield this year? First of all, meeting new like-minded people and, secondly, as the Business Director I’m really looking forward to building on the corporate partnerships and exploring new opportunities with businesses across the city. 3. Has joining JCI Sheffield changed what you believe is possible for yourself? Yes, absolutely. I think it’s given me to ability to grow and develop and also enabled me to feel part of a real community of young entrepreneurs and professionals. 4. What has been your most memorable moment with JCI Sheffield so far? Delivering my first workshop for JCI at the Business Academy. The workshop was focused on ‘The Key Things to Consider when Starting a Business.’ It’s great to be able to draw on my experience and contribute to the development of others. 5. What is your advice for others thinking of joining JCI Sheffield? Do it! Just give it a try. Networking isn’t for everyone and I think sometimes people find it intimidating. It’s informal at JCI events and everyone is so welcoming!
at public speaking clubs for JCI Sheffield, and enjoy every minute of it! What JCI does is give you the confidence to believe in yourself. 4. What has been your most memorable moment with JCI Sheffield so far? I have so many moments that stand out for me. Watching my best friend win Most Outstanding Member in the World. Being part of the Council Team the year we won Chamber of the Year in the UK. However, the moment that stands out most for me was winning Most Outstanding President in Yorkshire last year. I was completely over the moon and I couldn’t have achieved it without my amazing Council Team that worked so hard to achieve awesome that year. 5. What is your advice for others thinking of joining JCI Sheffield? I would say what have you got to lose? It’s a great opportunity to build your skill set and a safe place for you to increase your confidence level. Everyone throughout the JCI organisation on an international and local level are so supportive, and anyone would be happy to help you with anything. It is excellent experience to get on to your CV and, with more and more people finding out about JCI, it is a great way to build your contact network. 6. An interesting fact about you: When I was 15, I queued up outside Sheffield City Hall to meet STEPS (sad, I know). I have also appeared in the audience of the Graham Norton Show when it was on Channel 4. Find out more about how you can develop your JCI journey or how you you can get involved on our website.
6. An interesting fact about you: I play ice hockey (every now and then!). Gareth Carson – 2017 Immediate Past President 1. Why did you join JCI Sheffield? To make a difference to my local community. The values of JCI mean a lot to me as I try to stick to this in my life by supporting local business where possible. To build on my JCI journey while increasing my confidence 2. What are you most looking forward to achieving with JCI Sheffield this year? This year I am looking at supporting the current council team to achieve Neal’s plan of action. I am also looking forward in taking part in a couple of projects for the chamber and Yorkshire so keep your eyes peeled. 3. Has joining JCI Sheffield changed what you believe is possible for yourself? JCI has completely changed my life. I have used the skills I have gained at JCI to help progress my career. I was very nervous when I first joined JCI and now I am a trainer
www.jcisheffield.org.uk
Ben Hawley Deputy National President
So, it’s the 24th Feb, and by deadline for this article was close of play on the 23rd. I hadn’t missed it on purpose and it hadn’t slipped my mind, it’s just been that the first 7 weeks of 2017 have been so busy! We’ve had two National Board meetings (which last two days), Michael Steel (UK National President) and myself have represented JCI UK at the European Presidents Meeting in Dublin, the website continues to be built and I’ve also been working with the Regional Group Chairpersons on the Chamber Task Force to help establish new chambers and grow existing ones. On top of all that, there are the regular phone calls, mountains of e-mails and a regular supply of meetings. People often ask me if it’s that much work, why I do it? Well, it’s because I’ve gotten so much out of JCI. I genuinely don’t think I would be the person I am today without it, and I want it to continue to help develop its members well into the future. Don’t get me wrong, its amazing fun as well and highly rewarding as you see members develop and grow. I thought I’d take this opportunity to explain one of the elements of the Deputy National President’s Role that the wider membership might not be aware of - the European Presidents Meeting, or EPM as it’s known. The EPM happens every February and is attended by all National Presidents (NP) and Deputy National Presidents (DNP) in Europe, the Vice Presidents for Europe (VP), the Executive Vice President for Europe (EVP) and the World President (WP), along with a range of HQ staff to facilitate the weekend. It was held in Dublin this year and, just like the European Conference, it changes yearly. The aim of the weekend is for the NP’s and DNP’s to come together and discuss matter that impact the national and international organisation. This is exactly like what the local council meetings or National Council is like, but where every country is represented. It also provides an opportunity for the DNP’s to get to know each other so they can start to build the relations ready for the following year when they take over the reins. EPM is a great opportunity to share ideas, learn best practice from each other and make decisions at a European level on the direction JCI needs to head in.
DECSY
Development Education Centre South Yorkshire (DECSY) Development Education Centre South Yorkshire (DECSY) is a charity that seeks to open children’s minds about the wider world. In education circles, this is known as ‘global learning’. In 2015 the organisation celebrated 30 years of work in Sheffield and South Yorkshire. DECSY runs a vibrant global learning resource centre at Scotia Works, next door to the Leadmill night club. There are lots of resources for sale or loan covering issues and concepts including poverty, human rights, the environment, citizenship, equality, diversity, cooperation and resources introducing countries and religions. The organisation also runs sessions for teachers to help them create a safe, facilitated space for children to discuss compelling questions which they come up with themselves following a shared stimulus. These ‘Philosophy for Children’ sessions are also used to bring children from different parts of the city together to learn from each others’ perspectives on the world. DECSY is also the northern base of the Global Learning Programme which has influenced around 6000 schools across England, helping them to enrich their curricula to better prepare children for an increasingly diverse, interconnected world full of shared global challenges. DECSY is currently managing an international project to create a Gender Equality Charter Mark for secondary schools, with assistance from a European Union grant. This charter mark will help schools in UK, Hungary and Italy to assess their current awareness of gender equality throughout the school and provide a framework for improving and measuring progress around gender equality issues affecting pupils. While much progress has been made, gender inequality still exists and is still evident in subject and career choices of secondary school pupils. Research also shows that children as young as three years old are making choices in play and friendship based on their gender. With appropriate funding, DECSY hopes to start work on a charter mark for primary schools as well. Any teachers interested in being involved in these projects please contact jane@decsy.org.uk for further information. DECSY welcomes volunteers in all areas of its work. For information about all that DECSY is involved with, courses available for teachers to deepen their understanding of ‘global learning’, or to donate to the work please see: www. decsy.org.uk
Worldwide Active Citizen (WWAC) Hello! I’m Mikael, 24, from France and I’m a Worldwide Active Citizen (WWAC). What does WWAC mean? WWAC is an initiative of JCI Tours, France which was organised to select one candidate to take a 3-month trip, visiting 15 JCI chambers located all over the world. The aim of the trip is to learn about their projects, the way they manage them, how they are structured and so on. And, as you may have guessed, that candidate is me! But there are more aims for my trip than just this one I’m also promoting the culture, gastronomy and history of Tours. And the part of my trip I have enjoyed the most so far is that a class of middle schoolers (about 14 years old) will have an exhibition at the end of my journey about “How cultural differences bring us closer together instead of dividing us”. I personally find this theme awesome, and it really makes a lot of sense to remind us that the ‘I’ of JCI does stand for ‘International.’ My journey so far looks like this: I left Tours for London on the 3rd of February. Since then, I have been to Greenwich and Sheffield (UK), Liège, Brussels, Ghent and Bruges (Belgium), Frankfurt and Heidelberg (Germany). And, as I write these lines on 22nd of February, I am in Prague (Czech Republic)! Tomorrow, I’m leaving for Helsinki (Finland), and I will then go to Constanta (Romania), Beirut (Lebanon), Amman (Jordan), Kelowna (Canada), Guadeloupe and Martinique (France), Paris, Dakar (Senegal), Marrakech (Morocco). I land back in Tours on the 25th of April. It is really incredible to be able to meet so many different people from JCI around the world, and to always feel welcome wherever I go. However, it’s not all fun and games! Meeting new people every day, in new countries, with different languages is really confusing for the brain! I sometimes get lost wondering “Wait, did I already have this conversation with this guy?”. I’m amazed every day about the new things I discover, and I will have a lot to share when I get back home. It is a unique experience, and I would highly recommend anyone with the opportunity to take some time to travel.
There are not many things that are as educational as this. And if you are a member of JCI, be assured that you have a 200,000-member family waiting for you in more than 110 countries. How cool is that? And well, if you are not a member...What are you waiting for? ;) You can follow my adventures on https://www.facebook. com/worldwideactivecitizen/
Networking Derek Reilly The text is usually too small and nobody wants to know your email or phone number for them to start a conversation with you. 4. Diary (phone) – arrange follow up meeting This will also make you look ready for business. Having your diary with you shows you are serious about keeping your schedule. This has been overtaken in recent times with the advent of the 1. Business Cards - lots of them! smartphone. You can check your availability to A quality business card is the best way to pass have a follow up meeting. This is important as a big your details onto someone at a networking event. mistake at networking events is trying to close the See the quality word above? It’s the main word. deal there and then. Good quality paper stock, good quality design and good quality contact details. Also, there is no point Networking is all about building the relationship having great cards but leaving them in the office. with those that you meet out and about. The follow up is critical. If you do every networking event in Another business card tip is “2 Pockets” – one for your town or city and don’t follow up, it’s pointless! the ones to give away, one for the ones you collect. You know what’s what and look professional. You’re One final important note regarding your smartphone. not going to hand out someone else’s business As some networking events are in the evening after card by mistake. normal working hours, you will have been using your phone all day, please don’t fall into the trap of 2. A nice pen not having your phone sufficiently charged. It looks Very much like above with the business cards, step like you can’t even manage your phone battery. one is actually having a pen on your person at all times. Without a pen, you look like you are not About Derek Reilly ready for business. It’s not what you think, it’s what the person looking at you thinks. At a minimum, a Derek Reilly is a recognised expert in the areas of branded pen with your own company details, so no face-to-face and online networking. He previously chewed Bic pens! A nice silver, gold or black pen worked with BNI (Business Network International) will get noticed. A Cross or Parker are relatively for nearly 10 years and has trained thousands of inexpensive, but a Mont Blanc is for that special businesses on the power of networking. Derek is a occasion. regular guest speaker at conferences and company in-house trainings. He is proud to have spoken 3. Name Badge and trained on 3 continents (Europe, America and If not provided - take one with you. This is a strange Asia). His progression within his own networks is one and totally goes against the Irish culture of testament to his knowledge of networking. keeping yourself to yourself. Why wear a name Derek started the JCI Mayo and JCI Sheffield badge or even bring your own? It is proven that Twinning. He was over from Mayo training at conversations are started easier when the other a JCI Sheffield event in March of 2012, and on person knows your name. the way back to the train asked “is JCI Sheffield twinned with anyone?” 5 years later, it’s fair to Always place on top right-hand shoulder, as this say that this agreement between both Chambers is the side of the body that faces the person you is one of the most successful and widely known. are shaking the hand of. The name badge needs #twinningiswinning to be clear and legible from afar. Your name and what you do. Please don’t use a business card.
#Networking
Do you remember the old saying that “a poor workman blames his tools”? Imagine if you were a workman with no tools! You wouldn’t get much work done. Networking is work. It’s not Net-sit, it’s not Net-Eat, it’s Net-WORK. So, what tools would you need? Here are 5 that I would recommend.
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The Surprisingly Simple Secret of Success Most people have been conditioned to think that success in life comes down to one of two things. They believe either that it comes down to a huge stroke of luck like a lottery win, inheritance nest egg or stock market windfall. Or they think appears as a result of a one-off grandiose gesture such as winning Olympic gold or creating an app that becomes an overnight billion-dollar wonder, that only a talented elite are capable of achieving. So, they spend their lives thinking that they are not lucky or talented enough to reach the pinnacle of achievement and that other people are simply more special than what they are. What you may be surprised to discover is that anyone is capable of producing phenomenal success. Anyone. And that includes you. The secret of success is actually deceptively simple, so simple, in fact, that you are already doing it, every day, without even realising it.
result of an ‘achiever’ or a ‘natural’ busily working behind the scenes making the simple, disciplined choices that the majority are unwilling to make. The results that are rewarded in public are the result of tireless work in private. It has little to do with intrinsic talent. A less talented individual with a plan executed consistently will outdo with ease the more talented individual without a plan, who acts on how they feel in the moment. So, are you making the right choices and creating the right habits for the results you want to see in your life?
If you have ever wondered at any time in your life “how did I get here?” - the answer is habit. It is your habits that have made who you are today, and your habits will continue to create the you of your future. The fact is that everyone is self-made, but only the successful admit it. The habits that you commit yourself to every day will ultimately decide The success you have in life lies in the power of habit – your destiny. So, give yourself the gift of a lifetime and the cumulative effect over an extended period of time choose the daily habits that create the future that you want of the most miniscule of choices that you make every and deserve. day. Success (or failure) comes from small, simple steps repeated consistently over time. The repeated actions that If you would like to find out more on using the mastery of seem insignificant now will be magnified several times over habits, you can read The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson and The many years down the line. These steps are very easy to do Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. and – here’s the catch - they are also easy not to do. For example, two people of equal talent could decide that they would both like to start a business. The first person decides to spend 30 minutes a day researching and learning how to go about it, and commits to it every day. The second person decides that they would like to do the same but when it comes to it, they decide to watch TV, sleep in or surf the net on their smartphone. After all, what does it matter? They can do it tomorrow…or tomorrow…or tomorrow. After just one week, the first person will have spent 3.5 hours honing their craft, which adds up to 14 hours a month, 168 hours per year and a whopping 1,680 hours over a decade working on their business! The second – nothing. Who is more likely to have a successful business in 10 years’ time? And who will spend their days wondering why life is passing them by, all the while complaining that they don’t have time to start a business. The same principle can be applied to any area of your life. So, how many hours are you whiling away doing nothing, when you could really be building something? It is said that every overnight success takes on average 5 years. What appears to be a massive stroke of luck was actually the
SheFest 2017: putting the ‘SHE’ back into Sheffield for International Women’s Day! March through March with SheFest!
Like our page and keep up to date with events on fb/ shefestsheffield SheFest is back for its second year - bigger, better and See all the pics from the festival @shefestsheff bolder than before! Once again, the festival features Tweet us @shefestsheff and use the hashtag #SheFest2017 inclusive events run by, or about women - this year there is everything from a Skate Night, Reimagined Theatre and For more info/questions contact: shefestsheffield@gmail. She-Power Takeovers to Lunchtime Learnings and a return com of the contemporary Art Exhibition at the 35 Chapel Walk Gallery. Bringing together organisations, entrepreneurs and businesses from across Sheffield, SheFest provides a host of opportunities to celebrate International Women’s Day and recognise the contributions of women to our City of Steel. SheFest’s main event – on Saturday 11th March there is a SheFest takeover of the Moor, based out of Theatre Deli. Outside, in collaboration with ‘Women&Moor’ there will be music, dancing and interactive activities for all the family; including live performances from LIO, Fi Helsing, and the multi-talented tap-dancing rapper Xania! Inside the old Woolworths store you can peruse the market stalls, grab a slice of cake and take part in one of 10 FREE workshops - learn about ‘Workplace Power Dynamics’, ‘How to Say NO’, ‘STEM careers’ or have a go at Belly Dancing. Celebrated worldwide since 1911, International Women’s Day (8th March) is the global recognition of social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Despite how far we’ve come, the World Economic Forum estimates gender equality won’t be achieved until 2186. Twenty-One Eighty-Six! “Despite many advances towards gender equality over the past 100 years, it’s important to recognise we still have such a long way to go! When over 2.5 million people around the world marched this January in support of women’s rights, you know it’s time to join them and #beboldforchange, say the SheFest Collective. SheFest runs from 6-12th March across the city. The festival invites EVERYONE (except for specific safe space events) to come together, learn, explore, discuss and have fun! What’s more, the majority of the events are FREE or pay as you feel (PAYF). www.bit.ly/shefest2017 Want to know more about SheFest? Visit www.shefest. wordpress.com
Top 5 Tips for Becoming a Public Speaking Wizz 3. Audiences are more forgiving than you think Contrary to what you may think, audiences are not judge, jury and executioner of your public speaking performance. They would rather be sitting in their chair than up there like you, so many of them are probably secretly in awe of you. You may think that they are looking for a super-polished, professional Powerpoint wizzkid, but what audiences enjoy listening to is not actually a perfectly on-point automaton, but a real person with a story to tell. So, when addressing an audience, if you speak as if you are having a conversation with someone you know well, you will relax more and vary the tone and speed of your voice more naturally. The result is that your audience will find you engaging and interesting. Showing emotion with skill and confidence (as it will seem you are doing) is one of the main ways in which your audience will connect with and remember you.
Luckily, you have come to the right place as at JCI Sheffield, we believe that public speaking is a skill and, like any other skill, it can be learned and mastered. After spending time with us turning your public speaking fear into public speaking effectiveness, you may turn round one day and even say you enjoy 4. Accept Yourself public speaking (Yes, really!). Check out our top 5 Perhaps the reason why so many people fear public speaking is because it involves revealing so much of tips for making it happen and remember that: who you really are in front of a group of people. And many people are at a stage when they do not accept 1. Anything worth doing is worth doing badly …until you get it right. Many of the greatest speakers that they are good enough. When public speaking, all in history all started out terribly. That’s right – you need to care about is doing your best to getting t.e.r.r.i.b.l.y. So, if you have ever fluffed a presentation your message across as best as you possibly can. – you are in good company. The best thing you can That’s where it ends. Relax and get into the flow. do for yourself if this has happened to you is to get up Whilst you are up there, give no thought to what others and do it again… and again… and again. The greatest may think of how well you are doing. No matter what public speakers earned their reputations because happens, you are doing your very best. It takes guts they worked hard to build their skill and never gave to get up and perform, so give yourself huge credit for up. Basically, this means that there is no such thing as that alone. And, if you are really curious to know how inborn talent when it comes to public speaking. What you are doing, then ask for feedback from a trusted makes terrible speakers good and good speakers member of the audience after it’s over, and do it better next time. great is practice. That’s it in a nutshell. Practice. 2. It’s normal to feel nervous If you ask anyone who seems to have nailed this whole public speaking thing, not many people would say that they never feel nervous before giving a speech or presentation. It is actually completely normal to feel nervous. The key is to use your nervous energy to fuel your performance rather than let it overcome you. When many people feel the pang of nerves, they let their imaginations run away with them and say to themselves, for example: “I’m no good at public speaking. I’m so nervous. I’m going to make a fool of myself!” Stop right there. Breathe deeply and say, over and over again until the fear subsides, things like: “I am an amazing public speaker. I love my audience. I would rather be here than anywhere else.” Your selftalk may seem insignificant, but it will make a world of difference to how you perform.
5. Just do it. That’s it. Put all the ifs, buts and I cant’s to one side and just get up there. There is only one you, and only you can do it like you do. If you would like to learn more about the nitty-gritty of becoming a public speaking superstar, come along to one of our workshops on 23rd March and 25th April at the Showroom. Get in touch with lucy.collins@ jcisheffield.org.uk to find out more.
#PublicSpeaking
Is “public speaking” a phrase that sends shivers down your spine? Do you break out in a sweat at the thought of having to speak in front of a group of people? Well, you are not alone. In fact, if the many surveys are to be believed, the average person ranks the fear of public speaking higher than the fear of death. So, what this basically means is that if someone were to attend a funeral, they would rather be lying in the casket than standing in the pulpit giving the eulogy. So, is there any way you can own your fear of public speaking and see it become another feather in your bow of personal awesomeness rather than a spinechilling spectre that sends you running for cover?
A Pound A Day
Everything began one week prior to the real challenge, when I started to read tips and advice on how to budget, save money on food, energetic contents of different food and also on shelf life of basics ingredients! I analysed all this, all the while bearing in mind that I had just £7! Consequently, I carefully planned all the meals of the week. Finally, on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I went to buy all the shopping for the week. The first 4 days passed smoothly due to my excitement about the challenge! The real difficult part was during the weekend, when I was running out of food and the meals became repetitive. It was hectic when on Saturday night I felt very nervous after a very basic dinner of only one slice of bread and a can of tuna!...because eating nice food helps you release serotonin...which makes you happy! In contrast, I was eating boring food without much variety! During the week, I also had a cold but I decided to continue the challenge and arrive until the end! Moreover, it was very difficult to going out with mates and not being able to spend any money!
as in other countries. JCI UK has run this as a national community project for the last few years and this was the third or fourth year I have taken part. In prep for the challenge, I toddled along to one of the supermarkets near to closing on the Sunday late afternoon near to shop closing time, ready for the challenge to start on the Monday. I quickly filled my basket with ‘value’ items such as cheap baked beans and tins of tomatoes and I managed to make my £7 go quite a bit further by being able to get some bread at a reduced price of 19p and some packs of vegetables also greatly reduced. Looking at my pile of shopping after didn’t particularly enthral me and it certainly didn’t look very much.
This challenge made me think. It made me think about how lucky I am and how easily I take for granted being able to pretty much eat and drink what I want, when I want. Even if the cupboards are bare because I’ve been too busy to go shopping (no doubt because I’ve been at lots of JCI events) rather than because I can’t afford to fill the cupboards then its easy to visit the drive through fast food place to My experience with one pound a day challenge was tough pick up a burger, or pick the phone up to the local takeaway. and meaningful. Nonethless, I’m glad I did the challenge But what if you can’t afford to feed yourself or your family? because it gave me the opportunity to understand the real What if you have to decide whether to choose ‘heating’ importance of food! Finally, the challenge helped me to raise my awareness of poverty in the UK. Gabriele Minacapilli – 2017 JCI Sheffield Community Director I’m sure we all know what it’s like overindulging, especially during the festive period on all the extra food and drink most of us get in. I’m sure, like many, I wasn’t the only one either to pile a few extra pounds on during that time! So, the annual JCI UK pound a day challenge run in early January was the ideal way to stop and draw a line under the festive indulgence! The idea of the ‘pound a day project’ is for people to live on the equivalent of just £1 a day to cover your food and drink for a week and then donate what you have saved on your usual ‘big shop’ to the charity Save The Children. This project is partly about fundraising for a good cause but mainly about raising awareness about the thousands of children living in poverty right here in the UK as well
over ‘eating’?
and that on the odd day for a treat I can go spend £3 on a “Meal Deal” which on £1 a pound would be crazy! But also Some of the challenges I found to the week was finding how much fruit and veg I get in my diet and how tough it that I had to eat some foods that I wouldn’t usually have must be to eat well on a budget. I would encourage anyone chosen because it was quite cheap to make. I’m not a big to take part in this project next year and any other year, for fan of soup and would rarely, if ever, pick it out of choice that matter, as you won’t look at food quite the same again. and I probably only tend to ever eat it at an annual dinner (an event I clearly could not afford to go to on this pound Neal Strik, 2017 JCI Sheffield President a day challenge). I find soup quite boring and bland. No offence to any soupaholics out there! But one of my saving So, another year and it’s back the pound-a-day challenge. graces of the week was making a large vat of homemade The pound-a-day challenge is a great opportunity to open vegetable soup that lasted about four servings. I managed your eyes to people suffering in our local community. This to freeze some portions so I didn’t have to eat it for lunch is a problem that many face here in the UK. I feel we can and dinner in consecutive days! sometimes be blinded to the problems we have here on our own doorstep. Another challenge was being around colleagues at work who seemed to always be munching or that’s how it felt. It is hard work and I know from this time and previous years The temptation of wanting to tuck into the biscuit tin in doing the challenge. I get more irritable as the week goes the office, or the cake that was brought in for someone’s on and this year I struggled coping with working as normal. birthday or the bacon sarnie at a networking event certainly It makes me wonder how people who have to live on such started to take its toll as the week went on! a small amount manage to function properly day to day. Since taking part in the challenge this year, I feel I now value food more than I did and think more about what I eat and when I feel ‘starving’, is that really the case? It has also made me thinking more about whether or not I am making healthy choices in the foods that I eat and not to be wasteful. Mark Smith 2017 Yorkshire Regional Group Chair & JCI Sheffield member Another year, another pound-a-day challenge for JCI. It’s always a challenge I find extremely tough. I’m a lover of food - I can’t deny it (and my belly shows this!). Living on a small budget is tough and it’s even harder to eat well. The first thing that becomes apparent when taking part in this challenge is that fresh fruit and veg can be expensive and burn quick holes in the budget as do some of the popular cuts of meat. This suddenly makes you think when doing the shop how tough it must be on a budget to feed a family well with such limited funds, which makes it all the more important! For day 1, Myself and Steph lived on toast a cup of tea for breakfast, a cheese sandwich and a banana for lunch and a jacket potatoes and beans for dinner. The bread was homemade with cheap flour, which meant it required a lot of kneading and was, well, a little bland to say the least! Day 2 followed a similar vibe for breakfast and lunch with dinner being boiled frozen veg, cheap noodles and a couple of cheap chicken thighs. Most of our meals were quite similar, with carbs playing a big role - and they did! I practically run on tea most of the time so by days 6 and 7, I was really missing caffeine! It’s always a great project to support with JCI and one that makes me think twice about just how lucky I am with food,
For example, one day’s food consisted of a banana for breakfast. A cheese sandwich with chapattis for bread as they are so cheap to make and a sort of 4 sausage casserole and spaghetti for tea between two of us. Doing the pound a day challenge made me feel so grateful for what I have and raised money for Save the Children this year, which makes it all worthwhile. Steph Smith, JCI Sheffield Member
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