The Best Welcome EVER!!!

“In the name of the people of the United States, we want to give you a sincere welcome, as you board this plane that is taking you to the United States of America. Our country greets you with the earnest desire of giving you refuge in a land whose history has always been distinguished for its preoccupation with the liberty of all the people of the world . . .

You are undoubtedly nervous and perhaps preoccupied with what will happen when you arrive in the United States. For your peace of mind, and to eliminate any fear you may be feeling, let me explain to you what will happen and where you will be going, once this plane lands in the United States.”

I pick up these yellow, aged, and thin sheets of paper at my grandmother’s home in Miami, FL as we are going through her personal effects. She passed away at 100 years of age this past January, and there are an array of family documents and photographs to peruse.

As I read this letter, it becomes clear that this was given to my grandmother, Nora, and my grandfather, Jose Maria, as Cuban refugees boarding their flight from La Habana to Miami in 1966. I can imagine the fear and concern that they must have felt on boarding the plane, and then the relief in receiving this letter which goes on in three pages to let them know every single thing that awaits them when they arrive in the US.

It goes on to tell them:

• Where they will be landing.
• There will be medical exams.
• There will be interviews with Immigration and Naturalization Services.
• There will be a meeting with a representative from the Department of Health, Education, and Social Assistance which will help you assess where you will be living, and how the government can help you if necessary.
• For those meeting with family members, they will do so at FREEDOM HOUSE, a place that has been designated and named specifically as a welcome to the US.

At the end of the letter it says . . . and literally as I write this there are tears in my eyes…

“In a few words, we promised you refuge and you will receive refuge in this country. In the name of the President of the United States (Lyndon Johnson) and the people of the United States, we want to welcome you and wish you all the luck and well wishes in your new life.”

Now you may be wondering what this letter or this story has to do with public speaking.

This letter is a PERFECT representation of what we call WAYFARING.

When your audiences meet you for your keynote presentation/workshop facilitation, etc your audience has no idea what to expect. Creating the space at the beginning to share with them what’s in store for them throughout your time together allows them to relax and be present for your presentation.

We find in our facilitation and in the work that we do to support our clients that it’s important to:

• Inform your audience, very close to the beginning, of what you have in store for them.
• If the presentation is long, remind us of where we are in the journey of your presentation.
• At the end reiterate that you did exactly what you told them you were going to do.

As you continue to create your content, I invite you to consider the power of WAYFARING and the difference it can make in transforming your speaking from GOOD TO GREAT!

. . . AND also, as the son, grandson, and great-grandson of refugees, this letter showcases for me the “better principles” that have for generations emboldened humans across the globe to seek refuge in the United States, and how leaders in this country have graciously welcomed them.

My hope and wish is that we, as a nation, reconnect with these “better principles” AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Fearlessly Yours,

Eduardo