This past weekend, while attending a confirmation retreat with my son, I had the good fortune to “bump into” Duffy Robbins who  was the speaker for the weekend. He was just coming into breakfast while I was finishing but I invited him to join me. Frankly, I was surprised he joined me since he had a paper under one arm and later told me he had a full day workshop to plan. Though I am an extreme extrovert (I make my living as a professional speaker) there are times when I am on the road when I just want to be by myself. I don’t want to talk to anyone and just want to be alone with my thoughts, a good book, or the morning paper. There are times when I like to strike up conversations, even with total strangers. I’m grateful that Duffy was open to and accepted my invite to talk to someone who was a “stranger”.

Duffy is one of the most dynamic, effective, and humorous youth speakers I have every heard and author of a great book about speaking to teenagers. I first heard him speak at St. Simon’s Georgia in 1992 while chaperoning a youth retreat. At the time, I was youth director at Beach United Methodist Church and a newly married man. My wife and I accompanied the youth of our church on the retreat shortly after our honeymoon. There is nothing more unromantic than spending a weekend with hundreds of hormone producing youth. I still vividly remember both hours of sleep I got that weekend and learning fifty seven ways to use your arm pit and nose to gross out your friends. The only song I can remember from that weekend was Kum Ba Ya (we were proud of our spiritual kids)! Actually, the kids tarred and feathered me ANYTIME I broke out my guitar to sing Kum Ba Ya or Pass it On (two songs from the Greatest Hits of the 60’s and 70’s church camp retreat album). I used to enjoy embarrassing them by showing up at the schools at lunch time with my guitar for a song fest. No these kids were way too cool for that but they sang the timeless classic hit by Right Said Fred - “I’m Too Sexy for my Shirt” about 17 trillion times. Some (guys and girls) even acted it out on the back of the bus I was later told. Ah, to have a positive impact on young people. Anyway, it was a good thing I was only working “part-time” OR I would have been a full resident at the home for mentally deranged youth workers.

My “other job”, which kept me sane, was as a full-time professional speaker where I got to speak to people who thought about something other than practical jokes and the opposite sex. I was also president of my local professional speakers association. ANYTIME, I came in contact with someone who was an effective presenter, I would “pounce” on them and tell them that they had to join the National Speakers Association. Way back in 1992, I had a few minutes with Duffy and told him both about NSA and urged him to consider speaking to corporations. I still remember Duffy’s reply though it was 16 years ago. He told me that he was passionate about speaking to youth. He went on to explain that he knew youth, was good at speaking to them, and had no desire to speak to corporations where I had assured him he could make lots more money. He was focused and knew exactly what he wanted to do and how to use the talents for which he had acquired. Though I didn’t ask why he didn’t want to entertain my suggestions, I understand now. Simply stated, he knew who he was and where he shined. IF branding had been in vogue then, he would have been the poster boy for branding for youth speakers. In addition to knowing his voice, his place and his craft, he has designed a lifestyle many would covet. He teaches two or three classes a semester at Eastern College on Mondays and Wednesdays. He gets a month off at Christmas and has every summer off. He travels all over North America delivering seminars for Youth Specialties. He has recently been granted his second sabbatical, this one lasting 18 months. I’m pretty convinced that there is a big correlation between his lifestyle by design and his rigor and love for youth ministry. I think his time off makes him even better at it. I think his focus keeps him passionate about youth ministry and makes him one of the best speakers in the youth market. His time off renews his relationships, helps him be excellent, and keeps his fire burning.

I wonder what would happen to employee loyalty, turnover, and motivation in companies that provided more flexibility for their employees? Would companies that gave stellar employees time to pursue outside interests, write books, or take sabbaticals see benefits that affected their bottom line? What cha thinking?

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund and co-founder of the Jeffrey Roth Cycling Foundation. Click here for more information on professional speaker Tim Richardson.