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Spotlight on George Dom
©2007, RiverWays Enterprises
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George Dom spent 26 years as a U.S. Navy officer and pilot, including
commanding the air wing on the USS John F. Kennedy; flight leader of the
Blue Angels, the Navy’s flight demonstration squadron; and teaching
at the Navy Fighter Weapons School (commonly known as “Topgun”).
He has a wealth of experience in creating and leading high-performance
teams, and after his retirement from active duty four years ago, he discovered
that there were plenty of corporations and organizations that wanted to
pick his brain.
"In the unforgiving environment of flying fighters off aircraft carriers around the world and leading the Blue Angels through training and air shows for two years, effective leadership and teamwork are a life and death matter," George says. "It's essential to earn the trust of those you're working with by embodying what I refer to as ‘the five C's’ of trustworthiness: character, commitment, competence, connection, and communication. I cannot imagine a more exciting, more challenging 'laboratory' in which to learn the lessons of effective leadership."
George had plenty of experience and wisdom to impart, but he discovered that getting information across isn’t effective without making a connection with your audience, whether it’s in a one-on-one session or in front of a thousand people.
“I felt compelled to deliver as much information as possible,” says George, who recently launched a career as a business consultant. “I was trying to mentally recite a script I had developed, most of which the audience couldn’t possibly retain. I’d get up and machine-gun my script, trying to fill the time and meet my obligation.”
In an attempt to refine and focus his delivery, George signed on for a series of individual sessions with Carla, as well as a series of her Speaking Presence classes. To craft the content of his talks, they developed a preliminary outline and distilled that down to a central theme, then used an idea-mapping technique to develop a framework that can be expanded or contracted to meet the audience’s objectives and the allotted time. Now, instead of using a predetermined script, George comes into a speaking engagement with that theme in mind and trusts in his experience and insight to help him communicate a few big ideas in a way that the audience will remember and apply quickly and effectively.
His presentation, titled “Trust: A Decisive Advantage" includes an overview of the elements required to achieve, sustain, and restore trust in individuals and organizations, with illustrations drawn from his experiences in naval aviation. Audiences gain a better understanding of how they can enhance their own trustworthiness, as well as instill a culture of trust within a team.
As well as clarifying his presentation, George says Carla redefined public speaking for him, allowing him to see it as a rewarding opportunity to engage with others to share ideas, something to look forward to rather than a source of anxiety and frustration. His approach now is to have a “conversation” with his audiences rather than simply talking “at” them.
“When I came to Carla, I expected to be taught public speaking techniques—how to stand, how to gesture, how to put together a catchy introduction,” he says. “Instead, what I learned was how I can most effectively communicate in a fundamental way, whether to one person or a large group. I experienced how to be authentic, not only in message but in delivery.”
To learn more about George and his keynote presentations, visit http://www.trust-5.com.
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