Interview with Sandi Givens by Carolyn Tate
The inaugural ‘Is there a TED talk in you?’ course was held in late 2014 in Melbourne with 18 participants. The course culminated in a graduation night where each of the participants gave their five-minute talk to an audience of 120 people. This series of interviews with participants, shows just how powerful the experience was for each of them and how they’re using their talk to further their cause and grow their business in 2015. For more info on the Feb 2015 program Click Here
Sandi Givens is a woman on a mission to heal the workplace. She is one of only 70 Australian CSP’s (Certified Speaking Professional), an internationally recognised speaking accreditation awarded by the NSAA (National Speakers Assoc of Australia) which is a member of the Global Speakers Federation. As a past president of NSAA Victoria, Sandi is an accomplished corporate facilitator, trainer and speaker having worked with most of the big international brands. In this interview she shares the candid story of her past, how she found her purpose in business and how she’s reinventing herself as a result. Check out Sandi’s talks below.
Carolyn: What is your business all about? Why do you exist?
Sandi: Many of the corporate workplaces are sick and unhealthy. Absenteeism, bullying and harassment are on the increase and companies are losing their best people because of it. Companies so often lurch along doing what they’ve always done and hoping against hope that things will get better. Of course they never do. In order to fix something, we have to admit that it’s broken in the first place. My purpose is pretty simple – to create understanding and acceptance between human beings across the world, one work place at time. I transform individuals and teams by helping them unload the baggage that’s stopping them from working effectively together.
Carolyn: What led you to this point? What is your story?
Sandi: My passion for this area of work started at age 15 when I was seriously bullied at school – to the point of physical abuse – after my family migrated to Australia from the USA. For decades I’ve pushed my story aside and ignored it. I’ve told myself that it’s history, that I couldn’t change it and that I should just ignore it. Sharing my story after all these years was cathartic. It was the start of the fire in my belly and the reason behind why I do what I do for a living. My story was the catalyst for doing a degree in Psychology and Sociology and then carving out my corporate career in HR and training before starting my own company 25 years ago.
Carolyn: You’re an incredibly accomplished speaker and trainer already. Why did you feel the need to do the Is there a TED talk in you? program?
Sandi: In my whole career running training courses, facilitating and giving hour-long keynote speeches, I’ve never had to share my own story and my purpose in just five minutes. I’ve never really been taught how to just speak from my heart. All my training has been rather rational and technical. The talk tapped me into my heart and my emotions and it helped me get absolute clarity on my reason for existence. It transformed the way I feel about my business and where it’s heading.
Carolyn: So what were the challenges with doing the talk?
Sandi: Having to squeeze my story into just five minutes was very tough. I had to cut out all the superfluous words that didn’t have an impact. Also the pressure to be word-perfect went against my natural way of presenting. I usually use dot points and just talk from those, so that really was challenging. I was really nervous before going on stage and was worried about losing the plot. I told myself ’just be with them, speak from my heart, speak my truth, be responsive.’ It was so very, very different to any other course I’ve done. It challenged me far more than I expected, yet I couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome.
Carolyn: What was the most rewarding and enjoyable part of it all?
Sandi: Practicing with fellow students was a highlight. We laughed a lot, cried, got frustrated and shared authentically with each other. It was so lovely hearing other people’s stories, to hear their truth and witness their vulnerability. The talk crystalised for me, why I am here. I’ve played many ‘roles’ in my life, but I’ve never really understood my purpose. I was able to unpack that one thing that I’m doing that I’m very proud of and very good at, and that also delivers great benefit to society. The elevator pitch we get taught in the business world is a load of crap. Being able to share my purpose has changed fundamentally how I communicate with everyone now. The love in the room on graduation night was simply amazing too. We each received ‘love notes’ from the audience after our talks, which were very special.
Carolyn: What skills did you learn from it?
Sandi: How to get rid of extraneous words. How to practice most effectively. How to give thoughtful and constructive feedback to my peers. We used a very effective model to offer constructive feedback called Love, Learn & Leave. Also I learnt how to receive feedback in a non-defensive and highly constructive way. And that’s just the start.
Carolyn: What’s come out of the talk since it’s become public online?
Sandi: I’ve received many messages from women in the NSA Women of America group and on Linkedin. People who’ve seen me speak many times have sent me emails saying it’s the most grounded, genuine talk they’ve seen me deliver. I’ve sent it out in my newsletter list and had a great response and it will take pride of place on my website. I’ve been tweeting quote-able lines from the talk and I’m sending it to my contacts while promoting my new programs.
Carolyn: What would you say to other experienced speakers that might be considering doing the Is there a TED talk in you? program?
Sandi: It doesn’t matter what your area of expertise or topic is as a professional speaker. Fundamentally we’re asking our audiences to change, to take a risk, to move out of their comfort zone, to learn something new. And that’s what we need to do as speakers too. We can become too comfortable and complacent. We need to challenge the status quo in what we talk about, why we talk about it and how we do it. Most speakers need a shake up to take them to a whole new level. This course will help them do that.
Carolyn: What advice would you give to participants in the next program?
Sandi: Start meditating. Walk in the bush. Journal about what you might talk about. You might not know what your purpose is quite yet, but you need to get the cogs in your head turning. Don’t think about what you’re going to talk about. Ask…Why am I here? How do I want to fix the world? Why is that important? What are the stories of my past that make me who I am? Get a handle on the number one thing you want to say and the rest becomes so much easier.
Carolyn: Why have you been actively involved in Slow School this year?
Sandi: The first thing that attracted me to Slow School was you Carolyn. The main thing that has continued to attract me is the people I’ve met. It’s delightful to connect and collaborate with good, smart, genuine people who truly care about others and who are brave enough to have real conversations about the things that really matter in business and life.
For more information on the Is there a TED talk in you? February course click here or contact Carolyn to find out more on Carolyn@carolyntate.co or phone 0412 806 950.
