An ideal work-life balance is crucial, says Sean

Featuring in the current issue of the online magazine of ISME, the independent representative association for small and medium enterprises in Ireland, is Nenagh entrepreneur Sean Dwan.

In the magazine, 'The bISME', Sean, the founder of Speak for Success International, a company specialising in training people in public speaking and confidence building skills, discusses how the pandemic has affected his business and how he has adapted.

“It has been challenging due to Covid,” he says. “I do train people online, but face-to-face is much better for body language and voice projection is so important when speaking. However, I am building a client pipeline and hope to be busy in 2021.”

In the article Sean mentions his interests outside work, including his involvement in Tostmasters and his love of hurling, rugby, soccer and other sports. One of the personal activities he mentions is his love of “walking briskly in the fresh air”.

Asked about his involvement in Toastmasters, he says: “It is a brilliant non-profit organisation. Although it is a slow burner, it is a marvellous way to get started in developing confidence and self-esteem, particularly in the fields of public speaking, presentation skills, leadership and thinking and listening skills.”

Sean says it was Toastmasters which ultimately gave him the confidence to travel to the US to train as a professional trainer.

He speaks about his work training CEO's, directors, managers, supervisors and others on how to deliver powerful messages. “This can be across a range of situations such as speaking to management, in a boardroom to colleagues, at events and conferences or in social settings.”

Asked by the magazine writer if there were any hoppies or challenges he would like to try, he replies: “I would love to learn a foreign language - Spanish in particular. I do take cookery lessons, so I can boil a kettle and an egg and I want to learn more. I would like to learn to dance properly - my wife has told me I am the worst dancer ever.”

In reply to a question on how important he tought it was to have an interest outside of work and how it can benefit his business, he states: “It is absolutely essential as you mind is clearner and as a result helps you to develop new ideas particularly when your brain is at rest. Suddenly a great idea enters your open mind.”

He added: “When I deliver training, I always say ‘balance is my favourite word in the English langauge’. A few years ago my work/life balance was askew - it was 90 percent work and 10 percent leisure. I have now dramatically changed this to 50 percent 50 percent.

“An ideal work life balance is crucial as it gives you and your colleagues greater energy, greater mental capacity to deal with challenges and allows each person a degree of contetment.”

To read the full magazine article and find a link to more about Sean's work visit: https://issuu.com/irishsmallandmediumenterprisesassoc/docs/bisme_issue_12