Tag: Speaking

2021 Disney Keynote Speaker firsts

couple gazing into each other's eyes
These two share 66 years of Disney Service and Leadership.

2021 Disney Keynote Speaker firsts…this is an “intermission” in my unpacking last night’s intensely-painful event.

Deep breath.

Exhale.

And remember that writing is as cathartic a daily exercise as any other option.

Here goes a remarkably simple, uneventful story. Yet this story illustrates a dramatic leap in my artistry as a professional speaker. And it happened just four months ago. This is significant in the 23-year arch of a prolific speaking career.

Here goes:

Grateful that risk taking yields growth…

Let’s review the Disney Keynote Speaking firsts from 2021: 

Walked from home to Disney Convention Center, to speak.

1st Disney speech – in 2,000 speeches – delivered without slides.

1st time using conference A/V staff to role-play a story.

1st Disney Keynote delivery in jean shorts.

1st time in Walt Disney World’s 50-year history a Disney conference speaker walked from their house to speak at Disney.

Bonus 1st: 1st time in 23 years with a 16-month (Covid) public-speaking gap.

All firsts happened in one day. Would have been ridiculously easy to take no risks. Just do what you always do – what works – since 1999. Without multiple risks of failure on this day there’d be no growth. And because none of the risks failed, it was an epic growth day.

None of these firsts required a checklist. All of these firsts required an unexplored frontier.

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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HOME, click here.

First Disney Keynote Speech involving AV team

Business executive on stage in shorts
Ryan is the event Chairperson, and my client.

Consistently use audience members during Disney Keynote speeches, but yesterday was the first time using a member of the conference audio visual team. Bernard played the role (in both speeches) of Bartender Bernard.

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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HOME, click here.

Goofy-Hat dad

Disney keynote speaker Jeff Noel with man in Goofy hat
Sang Robert a birthday song, and used him as a storytelling prop.

Gave the exact same speech content twice yesterday. For the few people who saw both Disney keynotes, they realized the content was the same but the delivery was not. Why? Because i knew there were people watching it twice. If i have to explain it further, you do not understand. This is okay, by the way.

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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HOME, click here.

Disney’s Seven Seas Lagoon

Disney's Contemporary Resort
In Disney’s Monorail beam shadow, looking across Seven Seas Lagoon, the majestic Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Envisioning a future that is not only better than now, but much better, puts a smile on everyone’s face. Walking past Magic Kingdom’s front entrance to “get to work” is possible because of a long-ago vision. What if we built a Guest walkway between Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa?

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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HOME, click here.

Reason

Disney Keynote Speaker Jeff Noel
One Man’s Dream at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

% driving in. True North. 80k, 2k, 1. Purpose vs Task. Discretionary effort. Obstacles. Popcorn Patty. Parade.

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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HOME, click here.