Nido Qubein is a great communicator. One of the finest communicators in the world. The best part about that is that he has dedicated his career to teaching others his expertise. Sharing his gift.

How did he get to be a great communicator, you ask?

Nido had to deal with change. Big change. It seems that the bigger the changes, the bigger the opportunity for achievement.

Check out Nido’s change challenges:

1. Nido Qubein came to America (from Lebanon) in 1966, and could not speak a word of English.

2. He learned 10 words a day on 3×5 cards. (might not be a bad idea for my vocabulary)

3. He worked his way through high school, college and graduate school.

4. He became a master salesman.

5. He joined three strategic organizations. Sales and Marketing Executives, Toastmasters and the National Speakers Association.

6. He has given 5,000 presentations in all 50 states and 5 continents.

7. He has won every award for speaking excellence imaginable including being the youngest inductee in the Sales and Marketing Executives Hall of Fame (he was elected to the hall before Zig Ziglar. Wow!)

8. He has stayed a student for life.

He relates his success journey to his quest to master the English language via 3×5 cards the success did not come overnight. It came day by day as he learned ten new words.

I went to hear Nido speak at the Peak Performance seminar series in Charlotte, NC. His message began philosophically. “We are products of choices, not products of our circumstances. We must each take responsibility for what happens to us.” said Nido in complete command of the audience. “I’ve never heard anyone say ‘I’m in search of failure.’ Everyone wants success, most don’t know where to find it. They’re looking in the fast lane. Success is rarely found there and it’s the lane where you get run over.”

Qubein says success grows from 4 things:

1. Clear vision

2. Solid strategy

3. Practical system plan

4. Consistent (daily) execution.

The nuance of success, the biggest reason success escapes most people, is that they lack the ability to capitalize on the opportunities of an ever changing world.

Nido defines change in three categories…

1. For the timid, change is frightening.

2. For the comfortable, change is threatening.

3. For the confident, the peak performers, change is opportunity, change is welcome.

Every seminar has a gem or two. Qubein’s seminar was a diamond mine of “wake up calls” about the way we live our lives through communication.

Here are a few to give you an idea of his wisdom:

• We spend 78% of our time each day communicating.
• Communication is not just a discipline, it’s an outgrowth of the way we live our lives. If they love their work, they will love their lives.
• Create personal identification. When something becomes personal, it then becomes important. It’s not the dentist that matters to you, it’s the toothache.
• Reputation is what others think you are. Character is what God knows you are.
• Get a great idea or thought? Put it on a card, read it for 21 days and it will become a reality.
• Ask yourself how does this piece of information build the bridge of understanding to the person you’re communicating with?
• Set the mind to succeed, not just accumulate information.

There’s a world of difference between training and education. Get educated.

 

Nido challenged the audience with three strategic communications and positioning questions:

1. Who am I? (or in business ask, who are we?)

2. Whom do I want do become?

3. What is it that I must do to close this gap?

Here are Nido’s ten tips to communicate more powerfully. Ten techniques that will put you in command of your communications

1. Have direct eye contact. Use the three second technique practice looking at their eyeball for three seconds.

2. Use speech connectors. Words of conformation like really, how interesting, wow.

3. Listen for the meaning of their message. If you understand the meaning, you can respond with clarity.

4. Adapt the rate of brain speed. Talk at their speed not yours.

5. Use congruent gestures. Make your gestures match your words and tone.

6. Respond, don’t react. Reaction leads to conflict. Response leads to understanding.

7. Focus on what’s different. What’s special in each area of the communication.

8. Learn names and use them. People feel connected when you call them by name.

9. Take notes as others speak. It shows them you’re interested and gives them a feeling of importance.

10. Be visible. Call or write three people every day. Stay in front of people who can say yes to you.

A learning session that ended too quickly. A masterful lesson presented in implementable bites. Afterwards, as I continued the interview, he was gracious, funny and engaging. Then it struck me, when you get to know Nido Qubein, you realize he possesses the most important of all communication skills: the ability to get along with others.

 

FREE GitBit… Want to identify leadership qualities by the communication games they play? Nido has prepared a two page list of characters and their tactics. Go to www.gitomer.com, click Access GitBit, register if you’re a first time user and enter the word Nido in the search box.