Top Ten Archive
The Happy Holiday Tips
The Top 10 Ways to Bounce Back After Being
Fired, Laid-Off or Downsized
TopTen Ways To Take Back The Time
Ten Tips For Surviving Change
The Top 10 Ways to Discover YOUR Personal
Brand
The Top 10 Time Saving and Focus Building Tips
The Top 10 New Year's Resolutions to Jump Start
Your Career
Top 10 Tips for the Time of Your Life
Questions to Help You Make Conscious Choices You
Feel Good About
Starting Your Marketing Strategy
Ten Tips and Your Business Plan
The Joy of procrastinating and how to
spoil it
Ten Tips To Kickstart Your Self-Esteem
The Ten Misconceptions Of Success
Ten tips for the start of the school
Simply simpler
The Happy Holiday Tips
by Ninive Badilescu
We look forward to the holidays: we’ll have
a rest, we’ll have fun, we’ll socialize, we’ll
read all those books we never have he time for, we’ll have
friends over, we’ll...
Sounds great every time. So why is it that we never
have the same feeling when the holidays are over? Most of the time
we are still tired, we ask ourselves where did the time fly, we
feel stressed still, we are not ready to go back to work and there
is no adrenaline pumping through our veins to boost our energy level.
Where did we go wrong?
Here are the best five tips for a happy holiday:
Take time to plan your holiday!
Don’t rely on impulsive actions. Yes, I know! It is great
to act spontaneously: you feel much younger, less worried, and it
feels good at the time. However, pick your choices of spontaneous
actions. If you already had three late nights, when your friends
drop by and invite you to yet another party you did not know anything
about, consider the downside. One too many late nights will leave
you lethargic and unable to do anything for at least one or two
days afterwards missing on so many fun things that you could have
enjoyed otherwise.
If you are at a party and feel great in the company of those present
don’t jump into inviting everyone to your place the following
evening. The work you’ll have to put in preparing everything,
entertaining and going through the motions will make you forget
why you did this in the first place.
Take care of yourself!
It is important that we find the time to spend with all the important
people in our lives: family, friends and all the other people that
mean something to us. Make a list of these people and make sure
you put on the top of the list the most important person in your
life: YOURSELF! Set time aside to take care of yourself, to celebrate
your successes, to indulge in any of the things you never had time
for during the year, to do something for your soul.
Don’t overspend!
Keep away from the plastic delight of credit cards, or if you have
to use them plan for a budget and buy within its limits. There is
nothing more potent in reversing the positive impact a holiday can
have on us than a credit card bill.
Help someone!
Don’t forget that one way to feel good is to help someone
in need. If you haven’t tried it yet try it this year. It
might be that you want to donate money to a charity, buy a present
for a wishing tree in a department store, help your old neighbour
prepare for the Christmas Day, volunteer to baby sit someone’s
kids while they have a little bit of time for themselves. Just plain
and simple help!
Make the time to dream again!
But most of all revisit your dreams. Think how closer you are now
to what you dreamt of, dream about where you want to be in one-year
time, let yourself build castles even if they now seem to be set
on sand. You will be more tempted to set your bricks in place for
a strong foundation if you know how your building will look like
when finished. Stop thinking of what can go wrong and start thinking
of all the things that are out there ready to help you achieve your
goals.
The Top 10 Ways to Bounce
Back After Being Fired, Laid-Off or Downsized
1. Find your purpose in life.
Take the time to evaluate your situation. Assess your skills and
qualifications. Realize what is the driving force in your life.
Perhaps you were meant to be a teacher instead of an accountant.
Visit www.assessment.com to find out!
2. Update your resume.
Make sure to highlight your recent accomplishments. Have a friend
or professional look over your resume. If your company offers an
outsourcing resource, definitely utilize their services.
3. Give yourself time to grieve.
Losing your job is disappointing. Be gentle with yourself and give
yourself time. Don't rush through your feelings. Be honest with
your family and friends about what you are feeling and what you
want from them.
4. Self-Promote!
Network! Network! Network! If you are staying in your current career,
attend association meetings or schedule your own networking event.
Speed Networking is becoming very popular. Make contacts and cultivate
new relationships. Don't just rely on posting your resume on the
internet; speak to colleagues and friends about the opportunities
you are seeking.
5. Save money.
Unless you have a substantial amount of money saved, now is not
the time to buy a Brooks Brothers suit or a pair of Manolo Blahniks.
Prepare and set a budget for 9-12 months. Make minimum monthly payments
on credit cards and get rid of any unnecessary debt or expenses.
6. Reconnect with friends and family.
Spend time with your kids, be available for them. Take your spouse
out for a date. Invite friends over for dinner.
7. Go to school!
Now is the time to finish that degree or start graduate school.
Don't have the time to get to school? Try distance education. Take
classes in the comfort of your home at your pace.
8. Don't badmouth your former employer.
It's a small world. No matter how you feel about your former employer,
never disclose any important information or say anything negative
about them.
9. Surround yourself with positive and motivated people.
Part of your grief process might be to find other people in your
situation to help you cope. Beware of any chat rooms or discussion
boards that are outlets for people to vent and complain. Now is
the time to be effective and optimistic.
10. Relish the present and look to the future.
You can not undo the past. Accept the reality and change in your
life. Ask yourself "What's next?" It may not seem like
it now, but this might be the best thing that has happened to you.
About the Submitter:
This piece was originally submitted by Marie Magdala Roker, Family
Coach, Parent Educator, who can be reached at smartbeecoach@writeme.com,
or visited on the web.
Copyright 2000-2004 CoachVille, LLC. May be distributed if full
attribution is given and copyright notice is included.
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TopTen Ways To Take Back
The Time
by Roberta Lockwood
The phrase, take back your time, comes from the title of a book,
"Take Back Your Time," edited by John de Graff. It is
a provocative collection of essays about "overwork and time
poverty in America." Reading it inspired me to think about
where we might begin to take back our time and reclaim our lives.
1. Ask yourself if you are scheduling activities out of
a sense of abundance or out of a sense of fear.
A full schedule based on an expression of abundance will energize
you. A tight schedule based on a sense of fear depletes you and
leaves you spending even more time on recovery activities and addictive
behaviors.
2. Spend priority time on your highest values.
Write a list of your most important values and give your priority
time to expressing them. Check to see that these are heart felt,
soul filled activities, not ego inspired.
3. Consider that perhaps it isn't perfection you need, but
support.
Perfectionism goes hand in hand with feeling as if you alone must
get a job done. Asking for support and real assistance from others
can lighten your demands upon yourself and free up time.
4. Stop doing your least favorite activity.
Eliminate it from your life, ask someone else to do it, or hire
or barter with someone to do it for you. Why spend precious time
doing something you truly dislike?
5. Simplify your physical environment.
Ponder the maxim "have nothing in your house that is not beautiful
or useful." Every material object in your home or work environment
requires time, i. e. a portion of your life, to clean and maintain.
6. Match the level of technological complexity you purchase
with your real needs.
Each upgrade in technology requires additional time to learn and
maintain, and money, i.e. time, to purchase it. Buy the simplest,
highest quality machine that will do the job for you, be it a computer,
camera, vacuum cleaner, mower, sewing machine, etc. We rarely need
or use all the bells and whistles.
7. Keep a time log for 3-5 days.
Notice how you spend your time in the following categories: working,
learning, creativity, spirituality, social, emotional, and physical.
Are you giving enough time to each category to fulfill your needs
in that particular area? If not, what can you do to reapportion
your time to be in greater harmony with your deepest needs and values?
8. Give yourself the gift of "enough" each day.
Stop working when you've done enough for that day, which is often
much less than we imagine or demand of ourselves. Utilize the extra
time to socialize with others, have time to yourself, take a walk,
or otherwise get a break from work. Down time not only refreshes
us, it is often when we get our most creative ideas.
9. Schedule a date with yourself and treat it with as much
respect as you would an appointment with anyone else.
Use this time to engage in activities that harmonize your life,
such as time with friends, family, or pets, dancing or a favorite
sport, or just plain rest.
10. Honor your personal limits.
As Americans we are encouraged, even rewarded, for overextending
ourselves on a continual basis, eventually leading to exhaustion
and burnout. Experiment with scheduling only one item on your to
do list each day. Do this for one week. Allow yourself the sleep
that you need each night. Notice how your outlook about time changes.
About the Submitter:
This piece was originally submitted by Roberta Lockwood, MA in Counseling,
college counselor, coach, registered Success Teams leader, artist
and writer, who can be reached at livingbyinspiration@hotmail.com
Copyright 2000-2004 CoachVille, LLC. May be distributed if full
attribution is given and copyright notice is included.
Ten Tips for surviving
change
by Cynthia Kozak
How we deal with the changes in life impacts how well we deal with
life itself. Do we see change as an opportunity for growth, or do
we desperately try to hang on to the status quo? Here are some tips
to help you weather changes and smooth out the bumps in your life.
1. Expand your horizons.
Use the change to learn something. Now is the time to become computer
literate, learn to take great pictures with the camera that's on
the closet shelf, or brush up on your writing skills in a creative
writing class. You'll learn something new and meet people who share
a common interest with you.
2. Live a healthy lifestyle.
Pay attention to the food you eat to fuel your body. Choose protein-rich
foods, whole grains, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. As food
fuels your body, sleep fuels your brain. Get 7 or 8 hours a night
if possible. Exercise daily. It goes a long way to making you feel
better.
3. Use your support network.
When you're feeling sad, confused, or overwhelmed, don't hesitate
to contact a friend, family member, clergy member or therapist.
Choose someone who will listen to you in a safe, non-judgmental
way. Talking is a great way to lighten your load as you work through
your change.
4. Volunteer.
Give your time to help others and notice how rewarding it feels.
When your life seems to be in total upheaval, helping someone else
puts things in perspective. No matter how dismal things may seem,
there are always plenty of people who would gladly trade places
with you. Remember that.
5. List the stable things in your life.
When change is swirling all around you and you feel totally off
balance, make a list of the things in your life that remain stable.
What is your daily routine? Do you wake up at the same time each
morning and have coffee and read the newspaper before work? Are
there favorite television shows you watch? Do you attend religious
services each week? Listing the routine things you do will remind
you that there is some stability in your life.
6. Take your time.
Life can change in an instant, but it takes time to adjust to the
change. If you lose your job, don't expect an immediate adjustment
to your unemployed status. If you are widowed or divorced, it will
take time to settle into a new routine as a single person. Understand
this and allow yourself to ease into your new life situation.
7. Explore the opportunities in transition.
A door opens because another door has closed. This may be the time
to investigate something major like moving from a house to a condo
or maybe to another location. Perhaps you want to change your image
with a makeover. What about getting involved in local politics or
opening a home business? All things are possible.
8. Keep a journal.
Keeping a journal is very therapeutic. Write about how the changes
in your life are affecting you. What are your feelings? The journal
is for your eyes only, so write from your heart. No censoring your
entries. That defeats the purpose of journaling.
9. Take time for yourself.
Are you busy caring for others and neglecting yourself? When your
life is in transition, it is important to make time for yourself.
To function effectively, you must come from a place of wholeness.
We all have the same 24 hours every day. Make yourself a priority,
even if you have to set something else aside. If necessary, schedule
a daily appointment with yourself and keep it.
10. Grieve for what you are losing.
Any change involves the loss of something. Give yourself permission
to grieve for what you are losing no matter how trivial others may
think it is. This is something you must get through in a way that
is meaningful to you so that you can move forward without regret.
About the Submitter:
This piece was originally submitted by Cynthia Kozak, Licensed Counselor
and Personal Coach, Owner of New Day Coaching, Inc., who can be
reached at cindy@newdaycoaching.com, or visited on the web
The Top 10 Ways to
Discover YOUR Personal Brand
by William Arruda
Just like with corporate brands, the first step in building your
personal brand is to develop a clear understanding of your unique
promise of value. This enables you to separate yourself from others
with similar skills and abilities and allows you to expand your
success. Having a clear and accurate picture of your authentic brand
is critical to achieving your goals. Here are ten ways you can begin
to uncover YOUR brand.
1. Take a Keirsey (www.keirsey.com) or Myers-Briggs personality
profile.
When you read the results of your profile, you will be able to
extract words that express who you are.
2. Listen.
When people introduce you or talk about you to others, they often
make some powerful brand statements and use adjectives that clearly
describe you.
3. Read "Now Discover Your Strengths" by Buckingham
and Clifton.
This book (and the associated on-line test) helps you identify
the top 5 different strengths that you use to be successful. Find
out your top five.
4. Review your feedback.
Re-read your most recent performance evaluation or client feedback
forms and ask yourself what they are really saying about you.
5. Perform a personal SWOT analysis.
Perform your own SWOT analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threats, as they relate to your career or business goals.
6. Create a questionnaire.
Use it to solicit feedback specific to your Brand attributes from
your clients or managers. Ask people to identify the 5 adjectives
that they most closely associate with you.
7. Work with a coach.
Coaches really get to know you and can clearly identify your brand
attributes, strengths and passions. They can work with you to develop
a plan to use your brand to achieve your goals.
8. Build your personal R and D team.
Put together a diverse group of people who know you and ask them
about your greatest strengths and weaknesses.
9. Document your vision and purpose.
Your vision is what you see possible for the world. Your purpose
is your role in supporting that vision. Understanding your vision
and purpose are critical to unearthing your personal brand.
10. Know your values and passions.
Your values and passions are important components of your personal
brand. Know what they are and how you can use them to stand out.
About the Submitter:
This piece was originally submitted by William Arruda, The Brand
Coach, who can be reached at williamarruda@reachcc.com, or visited
on the web
The Top 10 Time
Saving and Focus Building Tips
by Bea Fields
Finding yourself overwhelmed and short on time? These ten tips
will provide you with extra minutes and renewed focus.
1. Create a "Frequently Asked Question" page
for your company, website, family or community organization.
Do you find that people ask some of the same questions again and
again? By posting a "Frequently Asked Question" page,
you will be able to answer questions quickly and reduce frustration.
2. Establish a firm "Worst In/First Out" Policy.
Each morning, make a list of your most undesirable tasks, and knock
them out quickly. Make time on your schedule for this one activity
every morning before the day gets moving.
3. Make a list of everything you wish to accomplish in
the next hour with wildly colored markers.
By using large pieces of paper or poster board and wildly colored
markers, you will find a new surge of energy in tackling your tough
tasks.
4. Stand Up!
Spend 1 hour each day standing up to return phone calls, hold quick
meetings, or work on your computer. The motion will speed up the
process AND you will find you that this new posture will break the
boredom and create a surge of energy.
5. Let other people run with your ideas.
Delegating a new idea or project to others will add new life and
new knowledge to an idea which may have you stuck and falling behind.
Don't fall into the trap of "I have to do it all," or
"I have to be it all."
6. Keep a stone or small glass object on your desk as a
point of focus.
When your mind becomes cluttered, pick up the object, take ten
deep breaths, and let your mind focus only on the object. This activity
will clear the mind, allowing you to regain focus.
7. Be selective about who you hang out with.
Are you hanging out with people who are procrastinating, and who
have a longer "to do" list than you do? If so, start spending
time with people who can really "get the job done." The
motivation of others can pull you forward with lightning speed.
8. Create templates for messages which you send over and
over again.
If you find yourself answering the same e-mail multiple times,
set up a template which can be forwarded. With a few simple changes,
you will save yourself minutes, which can add up to hours.
9. Don't gossip.
Gossip can cause a lack of productivity, negative talk and thinking,
and can slow down the completion of a project. Send the message
to others that you have a "no gossip" policy, and stick
with it!
10. Be devoted to a life of updating your skills.
The more you know, the more confident you will be, the quicker
you will be able to make decisions.
About the Submitter:
This piece was originally submitted by Bea Fields, Coach, who can
be reached at bea@fivestarleader.com, or visited on the web.
Copyright 2000-2003 CoachVille, LLC. May be distributed if full
attribution is given and copyright notice is included.
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The Top
10 New Year's Resolutions to Jump Start Your Career
by Rhian Ball
New Year is the prime time for starting afresh with everything -
especially your career. Give yourself new impetus to succeed in
2004!
1. Love your work.
Resolve that, this year, you are going to find work that you love.
If you've found it already, congratulations - you have a great foundation
to build on! If you love what you're doing, you'll put your heart
and soul into it and be successful. Is this you? If not, resolve
to change matters.
2. Find a good balance between your work and leisure time.
"A change is as good as a rest" - so if you find that
you're working all the time, maybe now's the time to resolve to
schedule in some different activities. It's easy to work long hours
to block out other deficiencies such as an unfulfilling home life
or lack of social contacts. Changing your environment and taking
time for different connections and perspectives will refresh you
and bring a new zest to your career.
3. Set yourself some career goals for the year.
A goal is a dream with a deadline - and therefore you're more likely
to achieve your dreams if you set a goal! Take quiet time to think
about what YOU really want out of your career this year - it may
be time for a change, or to take on different responsibilities in
your current position. Maybe this is the year that you'll set up
your own business venture! Envision yourself at the end of 2004
and describe at least 3 achievements you would like to have made
during the year for you to feel it had been a successful one.
4. Review your financial situation.
Are you being paid what you're worth? And are you living within
your means? Review your finances and streamline your living expenses.
Make sure you know what's going in and out of your bank account
and eliminate waste. Then you can be sure that you're in control
of your money and have resources for the things you really want
to buy.
5. Manage your boss.
There's great benefit in managing your boss to ensure that you meet
your personal goals and find career fulfillment. Find a way to share
your dreams for the year with him/her and ask how they can help
you achieve them.
6. Take up networking as a hobby.
Networking is a great way of making new friends as well as finding
new career opportunities and getting a new perspective on life.
Find out what groups are available to you locally and make a point
of connecting with new people at least once a month. There are also
lots of networking groups on the Internet - see www.ryze.com as
an example and join up as one of my friends (my username is rhianball)!
7. Schedule vacation time.
Constant routine and continued pressure and deadlines mean that
you could be tempted not to schedule in appropriate rest time and
vacation breaks. Many of the world's most successful entrepreneurs
insist on taking their vacation because they know of the value it
gives in recharging their batteries and bringing them back to their
office fully refreshed. Talk to your loved ones and plan your breaks
for the year right up front.
8. Review your working habits.
Are you always late for meetings? Is your office always a mess?
Make it a New Year's Resolution to change at least 1 daily habit
and see how it makes a difference to the way you work and the way
you're perceived. Try things differently and don't get into a rut!
9. Spruce up your image.
What is your personal brand saying about you? Your clothes, your
personal hygiene and habits, your car, your writing, your way of
communicating all speak volumes about the type of person you are.
Make a resolution to raise your image a notch and give everyone
around you the impression of success - it will start to come true!
10. Find ways to improve yourself.
There are millions of self help books, web sites, magazines, e-resources,
seminars, workshops and much more going on around you all the time,
every single day of the year. Make this your year to evolve - work
on your human values as well as your career. Happy New Year!
About the Submitter:
This piece was originally submitted by Rhian Ball, life coach and
author of the Get Off Your Hamster Wheel newsletter, who can be
reached at rhian@getoffyourhamsterwheel.com, or visited on the web.
Top 10 Tips for the
Time of Your Life
by Lea Brandenburg
Do you try to find time, make time, get time, buy time, squeeze
more time into your day? Do you wonder how you'll get everything
you need to done, in any given day? Do you suffer from "time-deficit
disorder?" Is managing time a mystery to you? Well, you certainly
aren't alone. Many people find their relationship to time a challenge.
A vexing challenge. Many of us are walking around stressed and/or
overwhelmed much of the time. There are no simple answers to creating
space and time in your life. That said, you may want to try some
of these suggestions as way to navigate through the time of your
life.
1. You can't manage time, but you can manage yourself and
the choices you make with regard to time.
Does the way you use time reflect your priorities? Become aware
of how you are using your time. Get a snapshot of how the 24 hours
you have each day is being used. Create some sort of time log to
get a clear picture of how the time you have each day is being used.
Once you have this awareness and information, compare it to what
you value in your life. Is how you are currently using your time
in alignment with what is REALLY important to you?
2. Ask yourself: What's your desired outcome?
When overwhelmed or over committed, ask yourself: What's your desired
outcome? What's the next action? If nothing else gets done today,
what are the one or two items that absolutely MUST be done? Have
you fallen into the trap of believing that you have to do everything
today? Take time to plan and prioritize.
3. Know what your personal rhythms are.
Do your most difficult tasks when you are at your personal best.
Perform less demanding work at the time of day when you are most
likely to be in a slump.
4. Separate tasks that can be done quickly and effortlessly
in one day from projects that are long term and will take more time
to complete.
With your "to-do" list, separate tasks that can be done
quickly and effortlessly today, from the projects that are long
term. Don't confuse the two. Doing laundry can be completed in a
day, while renovating the house can't.
5. Give yourself a sense of winning/accomplishment each
day.
Have a doable goal for each day or week and do it. Completing things
makes us feel like we are moving forward in our lives. There is
a calming satisfaction when we complete an activity or project.
6. Learn to say no.
Become aware of when you are taking on too much. Learn to value
your time. You have 24 hours in day, how do YOU want to use the
time?
7. Try taking time outs.
Build in short times during the day to take a step back and catch
your breath. Get off automatic pilot and become aware. Once you
ground yourself in the present moment, you'll find you'll make better
decisions because you've stopped long enough to hear what your inner
wisdom is trying to tell you.
8. Make appointments with yourself.
If you have a big project that you need to start, set aside time
for it and write it in your calendar. Create building blocks of
time that will support you in completing a big project. For example,
half an hour a day adds up when working on a larger project. Schedule
in time to focus on what you want to achieve.
9. Procrastination is an energy drain.
Time you could spend tackling the project you are avoiding is being
spent worrying about not doing the project or feeling guilty about
not doing the work. Procrastinating can also create a crisis or
problem. Try to handle things before they become fires that need
to be put out.
10. Make caring for yourself a high priority.
For example, if you need eight hours of sleep a night, get them.
You will function better. Just as your car will not function properly
without sufficient gas, your body will not function well without
enough fuel. The better you care for yourself, the more you'll have
to give to others.
About the Submitter:
This piece was originally submitted by Lea Brandenburg, Personal
and Business Coach, or visited on the web.
Copyright 2000-2003 CoachVille. May be distributed if full attribution
is given and copyright notice is included.
Top 10 Questions to Help You
Make Conscious Choices You Feel Good About
by Davender Gupta
Life is a series of choices. How can you make a decision that you
won't later regret? It's not about right or wrong decisions: it's
about making conscious choices, decisions that come from a place
of love (highest intent).
If you've collected all your data, done your risk analysis, listed
your pros and cons, and done all of the other logical steps...but
you still feel hesitant, then go through this list of questions
to see if you can answer them with confidence and clarity. If you
can do so, then you will not regret your decision, because your
choice is in line with your intuition.
1. Do I really need to make this decision now?
Why do I want to make this decision in the first place? Is this
truly a decision I need to make, or are external factors pushing
me to make a decision I'd rather not make? What price would I pay
for avoiding making a decision right away? Am I willing to pay this
price?
2. Is this decision moving me in the direction I want to
go?
Is the choice I am making in alignment with my life mission, dream
or vision? Is this decision building towards a result that I really
want?
3. Am I telling the truth about the way things are right
now?
Is the decision based on real hard evidence about how things are
in the moment? Is there any way that I am fooling myself about the
situation, in such a way that I may not be seeing a reality that
may be more favorable towards me? Am I taking a pessimistic view
that is pushing me to do something I rather wouldn't?
4. Am I acting in my highest self-interest?
Is this decision being nice to me? Or could I be punishing myself
for something I've done in the past? Am I just piling on extra work
to avoid dealing with something more important? What is my body
feeling when I think about this decision (happy or sad)?
5. Am I acting in the best interest of everyone touched
by this decision?
Who are all the stakeholders in this decision? Does this decision
help all of the stakeholders move forward with their projects/life/goals?
6. Am I giving this my best shot?
Am I putting my best effort, talents, skills and resources into
this decision? What am I holding back? Why?
7. Am I willing to take full responsibility for the outcome,
no matter what that outcome is?
If I go ahead with this, and see absolutely no change in the situation
around me, will I regret my decision? Projecting myself forward
in time and viewing all of the possible outcomes, is there any way
I would do something different? Am I proud of what I'm going to
do, and not blame or fault anyone or anything else if the outcome
goes sour? Have I let go of the need to control the outcome?
8. Have I heard and heeded the real message of this situation?
Have I learned from previous decisions that got me here? What is
this situation trying to tell me? Is there a deeper lesson here?
What is the pattern?
9. Have I enlisted all of the help that I can in this situation?
Am I taking all of the weight on this decision on myself? Am I playing
the rescuing hero? Or have I brought in all the help that I possibly
can, got everyone and everything involved?
10. Can I answer all of the above questions in a way that
makes me feel certain and grounded?
If *no* (i.e. if you are still feeling nervous and uncertain about
your decision), go back and find a deeper answer to any of the above
questions that makes you uneasy. Don't hesitate to ask for the help
of a professional coach.
If *yes*, then you are making a decision that your intuition agrees
with. Go forward with confidence, and best wishes for making your
intentions come alive.
About the Submitter:
This piece was originally submitted by Davender Gupta, MS, PEng
, Founder of The Visioneering Institute, Visioneer & Leadership
Coach, who can be reached at davender@davender.com
Copyright 2000-2003 CoachVille, LLC
Top
Starting
Your Marketing Strategy
Marketing is a complex and necessary step in building
your business. As I read somewhere: "Marketing is not a department,
is a state of mind." You have to immerse yourselves in the
belief that your services will make a difference. Once there, you
will tend to see everything you do through the knowledge that you
are your services. You will have to act on your
belief that you, your business, and our services have to look in
a certain way that will be representative and will set you apart
in the eyes of a potential client.
But once you do this you should never pat yourselves on the back
and check marketing off your to do list. Marketing is a never-ending
story. You should continuously work on it, fine-tune it, analyse
its results, look for new markets, new technologies, measure the
client response, in other words you should always put marketing
at the top of your to do list.
Make sure that you have a daily time slot where you work on your
marketing. This will take you a long way towards ensuring that the
rest of the time you are busy with clients.
So, before you start make sure you check this list:
- Make a list with the skills and services you have to
offer
Being clear in what you have to offer to the ideal client will
make it easier to determine who your ideal client would be and
the type of services/products you can offer.
- Describe your ideal client
You need to know your ideal client to ensure you can target your
marketing efforts appropriately. The clearer your image of the
ideal client is the easier will be to package your services and
the easier it will be to find ways of reaching the ideal clients.
- Determine where your ideal client can be found
Be as specific as possible in pinpointing where the ideal client
will be found because this enables a more focused choice of ways
to reach the client. This information will also impact on the
way you will conduct your marketing activities.
- Clearly state your goals for starting the marketing
strategy
Clarifying the goals of the marketing exercise so you can determine
milestones along the way. These will allow you to monitor
your progress and make adjustments if necessary.
- Research the best ways of reaching that client
Knowing the best ways of reaching the ideal client will make it
easier to concentrate on the marketing tools that would be most
efficient.
- List the marketing tools that you can use to reach the
ideal client
Listing the effective marketing tools helps you get a clear idea
of what can be achieved with in-house effort and what needs to
be outsourced.
- Determine what is the budget you can allocate for marketing
Committing a fix budget will ensure that you will keep an eye
on allocating the money and effort efficiently and not overspending.
- Determine the timeframe for your marketing approach.
The timeframe helps you in the process of action planning as well
as in the process of monitoring your activities and their progress.
- Outline your action plan/milestones.
Outlining the action plan enables you to visualise the process
in time and effort.
- Keep strict track of your progress and adjust your approach
accordingly.
Stick to your plan but be flexible enough to be able to make adjustments
and tailor your activities to better suit your needs.
All this information will prove very useful once you start working
on a plan and even more once you start spending the money to implement
it.
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Ten Things you should
know before you start working on your Business Plan
I have yet to meet someone who would say: "Can't wait to work
on my business plan." Most of us tend to postpone it for as
long as we can. For some is the feeling that while working on something
that seems less than "productive" they could be doing
something more "real", for others is the fear of getting
it wrong or of having their hopes crushed under the real facts that
such a plan would reveal. Some of us are not sure where to start
from and others are not sure where to take it from there. The truth
is that we all are experts of finding excuses.
However, the reality is much brighter. As you work on your business
plan your business becomes more and more real, your actions and
strategies take shape and they seem much more easy to achieve, you
understand more about yourself and your business and the bond becomes
stronger. But how to get there? How do you get to the point where
all this starts happening to you too? The answer is preparation.
The answer is in gathering information and make sure you know a
few things before you start:
1. Know your values, strengths and goals
As the most important part of your business YOU are the subject
of your first steps. Learn as much as you can about yourself. Be
objective, truthful, put any judgemental aside, trust yourself and
trust others to give you their insight in what your values and strengths
are. They might not be the same as the ones you come up with but
they will show you how you come across in your relationships with
people around you.
2. Know your business
It goes without saying how important it is to find out as much
as possible about your business. Start your information gathering
with where your business is at, what growth chances are there, what
are the strengths of your business, what are its weaknesses, how
does your business match who you are and what you stand for, how
do those around you perceive it. As they say: "Don't let any
stone unturned." The more you know about your business the
better equipped you are to take it to new levels.
3. Know your market
While we all have a good idea of who our clients are and the target
market they represent we would be at a loss to come up with more
in-depth information about it. Knowing your market is as important
as knowing yourself and your business. Its dynamics, its trends,
its size, its strengths, its needs, its problems, its demographics,
etc can be the key information you need to tailor your services
better. Take your time and go in as much detail as you can to come
up with the best description of your market.
4. Know your competitors
As much as we would like to be the only ones providing a type of
service chances are that we have competitors out there and we should
know as much as possible about them. By determining what is the
services/products matrix that your competitors offer you have more
chances to, again, find that little niche and tailor your services
better.
5. Know the trends in the industry
Whatever industry you are in you should be ready for and aware
of any changes within the industry and be amongst the first to implement
it. Don't let it to chance to find out long after things happen
and miss the chance to come up with a new or revised service or
product. Be a leader not a follower. Know your industry and in time
you will be known within it.
6.Know your finances
Unfortunately even the best ideas need money to be brought to life.
It is particularly important to know your finances when you have
responsibilities other than yourself. A business that will financially
affect negatively the family life will have the added stress of
resentment and resistance. Avoid this situation by knowing your
finances now, your business expenses for the next 6 - 12 months,
know where the funds will come from, know how much is needed to
keep your family standard of living while you build your business,
know how are you going to achieve that, etc. Like before the rule
has to do with the stone that shouldn't be left unturned.
7. Know your short-term future
Make sure you know where you want to be in the next 6-12 months
and how will you get there. This time you are in charge! Go beyond
dreaming and into visualising the next 12 months. You will need
all the information you get here to be able to move to the next
point. Think of all the hardship, all the successes, all the excitement
and all the fears that you can foresee coming your way.
8. Know your long-term future
They say that the first year is the toughest when building a business.
I tend to disagree. I see it as bringing up a child. You are never
done and the older the child gets the bigger the worries. It is
the same with the business. The more your business grows and the
more people become involved in and dependent on it the harder the
work for the person in charge. Like with the kids it is worth it
and it is filled with great moments along the way. Knowing and acknowledging
what's ahead for you will make it easier to keep on going.
9. Know your commitment
Once you know so much about your business, yourself, the market,
the competitors, your finances, your future, etc you will know how
great a journey ahead. But you will also know how big a commitment
it is and it is now that you should look deep inside you and make
sure you know how committed you are to achieving all this. How much
you are ready to put in to make the future and wonderful present.
Be truthful, be objective, be honest with yourself and those around
you. You wouldn't want to be faced with this question six month
down the track.
10. Know your support
Acknowledge the fact that you cannot do it alone. You need a supportive
environment, a supportive network of people you can turn to for
advice, encouragement and praise. Know who those people are and
respect and cherish their support. Make sure you never underestimate
the value of such an environment.
Business planning is like learning the letters before you start
writing your first sentence. It is time consuming but it can not
be skipped, ignored or not taken seriously. But just like learning
to write, having a business plan gives you the strength and discipline
to write those wonderful stories in the book of your future. And,
like any successful writer, you will come back and make changes,
adjust settings, bring in new characters and plots. Don't be afraid
to change it whenever there is a need for change because this is
what it takes to have a prizewinner.
Top
The joy of procrastinating
and how to spoil it
We’ve all been there. We’ve all came up with great
reasons for not doing something at a certain point in time. For
some of us this is just an isolated episode, for others is a way
of life. The only common point is the draining of power and real
control once you are caught in the somehow comfortable and yet so
deadly web of excuses.
1. Remember that you are human and you are allowed to make mistakes
sometimes
Well, the first and most important thing to remember is that we
are all humans and "Errare humannum est" as the Latin’s
use to say. Yes to make mistakes IS human. Be gentle with yourself
and acknowledge your procrastination. However should we let this
become an excuse in itself or the reason we should stop trying to
change? I am sure few of us want that and rather see it as the spark
that fires their commitment to change.
2. Acknowledge the fact that you procrastinate. Don’t blame
yourself for it.
Many clients come to me complaining that they have all these goals
they know they can reach, they even have plans designed to help
them get there faster, are committed to doing something about it
and yet the reality is that they feel stuck, unable to move forward
and follow their own plans. I always urge them to acknowledge the
place they are at and not blame themselves for it.
3. Check that the tasks you avoid are in alignment with your overall
values and goals.
There are many reasons we fail in taking action to reach our goals
or simply follow through with a plan. Some of them are obvious others
less so. There is no recipe for fixing the problem overnight.
The problem starts usually with having our plans designed to take
place outside our overall goals and vision. We are so caught up
in dealing with what in the scheme of things are only details and
forget to remember and reinforce our bigger plans. Just take a step
back and look if what you have planned to do (and postpone doing)
really fits in your long-term plans and vision. If the action you
procrastinate about is not in alignment with your bigger vision
and values it is probably best to look first in what else you should
be concentration on.
4. Check your target make sure you have not set it too high or
too far
Sometimes we know we are on the right track and know that this
would be the best thing to work on, and yet find it hard to actually
doing it. Look at where have you set your target. Targets set too
high will overwhelm us and we would feel disempowered before we
start. Remember: every big success has been achieved one small step
at the time. Look at your task and work out the small steps you’d
need to take to achieve the success you want. Concentrate on each
small step at the time and only consider the challenge as a whole
when checking to make sure you are on target.
5. Find out why are you easily distracted
When we seem to be more interested in the distractions around us
then working on what we planned for, it is a good idea to take a
little time to see why is this happening. Is it because you don’t
like the subject you are working on (once again look at the alignment
between it and your overall vision), is it because you are looking
for reasons to procrastinate again (are you afraid of failure, are
you afraid of success, are you afraid of taking action?), is it
because you have done a poor job of planning it (breaking it down
in small manageable steps?).
Try and answer these questions honestly and take responsibility
of your real feelings. You should not use the answers to create
guilt to burden yourself with. You should use your answers to better
understand how you can help yourself.
6. Set up your boundaries using a non aggressive non confrontational
approach
Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by what we bring onto ourselves by
our inability to set boundaries, to say no when should. Being swamped
with lots of other projects might push us to the point where we
say: "What’s the point in trying? I can do all these
things anyway. I might as well not start at all." Force yourself
to ask for help or learn how to say no. You are responsible for
setting your own boundaries. You fail to it and those around you
will take advantage.
7. Ask for support not because you want to do less but because
you want to do better.
A helpful tip: Never use an aggressive, confrontational approach
to setting your boundaries. State facts, talk about your commitments
and ask for support not to do less but to do better and be the best
you can.
8. Prioritise and use the priority order to work your way through
the day.
Prioritising should also be part of your boundaries setting. You
have to decide what you should concentrate on to achieve the results
you are after, and in the process to discover what can be sent at
the bottom of your to do list.
9. De-clutter your schedule
Be tough! Be very, very tough! Don’t keep on your schedule
any task that has been there for a while and there were no repercussions.
Chances are it is not important. Delete any tasks that are contradicting
each other. Chances are the communication is the issue here rather
than your procrastination. And then...delegate. Look at tasks that
others might take care off (sometimes even better than you) and
let go.
10. Focus
Getting focused is the key to ending procrastination. Once you’ve
established what it is that you should be doing to keep your actions
in alignment with your overall vision, once you have decided on
the individual steps you should take, once you have established
your boundaries and have asked and received the help you need, once
you have prioritise and organize your work you are ready. There
is no reason for you not to focus now and get on with the job.
Let me tell you a little secret. Once you go through this process
you will feel enthused and you will manage to focus your actions
and attention on the task at hand. If for some reason along the
way there is a hiccup relax, take a break and have a look for any
of the conditions we talked about is not there anymore.
Ten Tips to Kickstart
Your Self-Esteem
by Julie Plenty
More Details at: http://www.kickstartyourselfesteem.com
If you're tired of feeling "less than", afraid of making
and achieving your desires and goals, feel that no matter what you
do it is never "good enough", then your self esteem could
do with a boost!
Having low self esteem takes an enormous toll on the quality of
your life. You take fewer risks, which limits your opportunities,
both personally and professionally. You are reluctant to voice or
acknowledge your needs. You are probably also haunted by past mistakes
and making future ones.
It doesn't have to be like this, the tools you've used to (unconsciously)
lower your self esteem are the same ones you use to raise it. The
following article gives you ten tips to raise your self esteem and
improve the quality of your life!
1. Stop comparing yourself to other people.
If you play this game, you're likely to compare yourself in a negative
way and set yourself up for continuing to have low self esteem.
Why continue to play a game where you've set the rules against yourself,
so that you're less likely to win!
2. Don't keep putting yourself down!
You can't develop high self esteem if you constantly repeat negative
comments about your skills and abilities. Other people will pick
up on it and take on board the negative way you view yourself. How
are they likely to treat you? Also don't beat yourself up over "mistakes"
that you've made - learn how to reframe them so that they work for
you.
3. Using affirmations is an excellent way to raise your self esteem.
It's the opposite of no 1. If you can program your mind to repeat
negative phrases about yourself (and see how effective that's been!),
then you can certainly get into the habit of continually thinking
(and saying to yourself) positive statements about you. When you
do, allow yourself to experience the positive feelings about your
statements. Also use inspirational quotes to assist you.
4. Accept all compliments graciously.
Don't dismiss or ignore them. When you do you give yourself the
message that you do not deserve or are not worthy of praise, which
reflects low self esteem. It also means that others will become
more reluctant to praise or acknowledge your abilities, if you don't.
5. Take advantage of and use life coaching program, workshops,
books on how to raise your self esteem and develop a more positive
attitude.
Whatever material you see, read acts as subliminal learning, which
means that it will plant itself in your mind and dominate your behaviour.
Talk about food for thought - what diet is your mind on? Is it a
nourishing one?
6. Mix with positive and supportive people.
Who you associate with influences your thoughts, actions and behaviour
- another form of subliminal learning. Negative people can put you
and your ideas down and it lowers your self esteem. On the other
hand, when you are surrounded by supportive people, you feel better
about yourself, which helps to raise your self esteem. Learn how
to develop your positive personal support network.
7. Acknowledge your positive qualities and skills
Too many people with low self esteem constantly put themselves
down (back to no 1 again!) and don't appreciate their many positive
attributes. Learn how to truly affirm and value your many excellent
qualities. If you find this difficult, ask others to tell you. They'll
come up with things you would never have imagined!
8. Stop putting up with stuff!
Not voicing or acknowledging your needs means that you are probably
tolerating more than you should. Find out what you're putting up
with and zap those tolerations. By doing so, you're giving yourself
the message that you're worth it.
9. Make positive contributions to others.
This doesn't mean that you constantly do for others what they could
be doing for themselves. But when you do make a positive contribution
to others, you begin to feel more valuable, which increases your
sense of your own value and raises your self esteem.
10. Involve yourself in work and activities that you love.
So many people with low self esteem stop doing those activities
that they most enjoy. Even if you're not in a position to to make
immediate changes in your career, you can still devote some of your
leisure time to enjoyable hobbies and activities.
and..............................
Start taking action!
The universe rewards action. Backing away and avoiding challenges
means that your self esteem muscles become weak and flabby. When
you start to take action - regardless of the outcome - you will
start to feel better about yourself, develop your self confidence
and raise your self esteem.
Contact Julie Plenty: julie@kickstartyourselfesteem.com
Visit her site at:http://www.kickstartyourselfesteem.com
Julie Plenty is a Personal and Business Coach who suffered
from low self-esteem for years. She developed tips and techniques
to raise her own self-esteem and turn her life around and now wants
to help others do the same. For more tips visit: http://www.kickstartyourselfesteem.com
and also sign up for the free ecourse: "5 ways to not improve
your self-esteem", by sending a blank email to: selfesteemecourse@spearhead.par32.com
The Ten Misconceptions
of Success
by Jim M. Allen
Is it time for you to change your attitude about success? Maybe...
I've found in much of my work with people on creating a better,
more positive attitude towards life that many of us have a misunderstanding
about success and what makes us successful.
Here are the ten most common misconceptions people have about success
and some thoughts about those misconceptions.
1. Some people can't be successful because of their background,
education, etc.
Anybody can be successful. It's a matter of wanting to, then doing
what it takes to achieve it.
2. Successful people don't make mistakes.
Successful people make mistakes just like we all do. They just
don't repeat them.
3. You've got to work 60 (70, 80, 90...) hours a week to be successful.
It's not a matter of doing A LOT of something. It's more about
doing the right thing.
4. You'll only be a success if you play by the rules.
Who makes up the rules anyway? Each situation is different. Sometimes
following the rules is needed, other times making up your own rules
is what's required.
5. If you have help along the way, it's not success.
Success rarely occurs in a vacuum. Recognize the people who help
you become successful, there are plenty of them.
6. It takes a lot of luck to be successful.
It takes some luck to be successful, sure. It takes a lot more
hard work, diligence, knowledge, and application.
7. It's only success if you make a lot of money.
Money is just one of many benefits to success, but it's not guaranteed.
8. It's only success if everybody knows it.
You may get more money and more accolades the more people know about
what you've done. But, even if you were the only one who knew it,
you'd still be a success.
9. Success is a goal.
Success is more what you get when you achieve the goals you've
set for yourself. Saying that you "want to be a success"
begs the question: "At what?"
10. Once I'm successful, my troubles are over.
You may be successful, but you're not God. You'll still have the
ups and downs that you did before. Enjoy what success you achieve
and live each day as it comes.
_____
Jim Allen is a professional life coach, speaker, and writer. Get
more great ideas in you email every week by subscribing to Jim's
weekly newsletter, THE BIG IDEA, by sending a blank email to: mailto:Subscribe@CoachJim.com
(©2001 Jim Allen & CoachJim.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)
Top
TEN TIPS FOR THE START OF
THE SCHOOL
by Ninive Badilescu
1. Be involved and involve your child/ren in getting them ready
for school
Every child meets the new school year with mixed emotions. There
is excitement, fear of the unknown, expectations, curiosity, and
all those feelings we can still remember from our school days. You
can help them deal with it all by being with them and being part
of the moment. Share it with them but do not pressure them to talk
about it unless they are ready to do it.
2. Get everything ready in time
Don't leave the preparations for the last minute, especially when
you have a child who is not happy to start school. Take a few days
during the holidays to plan the uniform buying, books and stationary
buying and mix them with activities or treats that will make the
experience fun. (" I bet you are as tired as I am after going
through so many shops. How about we sit down at this cafe shop and
buy a milkshake or a iced tea and give our legs a rest.")
3. Talk with them about their dreams for the new school year
Use the time between shops to talk to them about the new year.
Ask questions without prying for answers. Show them that you are
ready to listen and help but do not press them to take up the offer
unless they are ready for it.
4. Talk to them about their fears for the new school year
There are many emotions that children face now and the most taxing
ones are the fears. The fear that they will not perform well enough,
fear of being rejected or finding it hard to make new friends in
their class, etc. If your child is ready to talk about it make sure
you listen and try to see it through their eyes.
5. Respect their feelings and don't dismiss what they say
Whatever their feelings are respect them. Never dismiss them but
rather discuss the ones you feel are not right or can be dealt with
in a different way. Talk, be fair, listen, empathize and you will
achieve much more than by simply trying to fix it for them.
6. Involve the rest of the family
Involve the whole family in ensuring that the child who looks
at the beginning of a new year with fear feels safe enough to talk
about it and accept your help. In the case of a child who looks
forward to starting school make sure the rest of the family shares
in the excitement and enjoys the moment as a family.
7. Talk and draft a schedule to help them get ready for it
Talk to your child about planning and scheduling and ask them
to talk you through their ideas for doing it. Give them hints, explain
and exemplify your opinions. Never try to impose them or to ask
the child to observe them without fully understanding them.
8. Tell other people about your child going back to school
For a child in primary school it is a great thing to have people
acknowledge that they are a year older. Mention this when you meet
other people and make sure you stress a positive aspect or behaviour.
" My son is starting year three this year and he is looking
forward to it. He is a great reader and he will have time to concentrate
more on working on his maths skills. He is very keen to get started."
9. Start working on the present for their graduation
A good idea is to work on a surprise graduation present. This
can be a yearly event or it can be your secret through the school
years. Start a "Diary" of quotes, events and details relating
to the start and end of each school year (or the start and end of
each term when you do it on a yearly basis). It will prove to be
a great present and it will help you remember the things that make
each year a different experience.
10. Treat the first day of school as a special day
At the end of the first day at school have a family treat. It
does not have to be big or expensive. A very nicely set dinner table
(regardless of the menu), a good luck card signed by everyone in
the family are very easy to organise and do not involve big expenses.
Your child will look at school as the activity that brings smiles
and togetherness in the family and will be more willing to try harder.
Top
SIMPLY SIMPLER
a look at how to simplify your daily routine
Take a blank piece of paper and answer the following questions:
- How much time do you spend on reminding yourself all the things
that you have crammed on your to-do list?
- How much time do you spend looking for things?
- How many of all the things you feel you MUST do during one
day are really necessary?
- How many are in alignment with your own values?
- How many invade your own boundaries?
- How much time do you spend having fun?
- How much quality-time do you spend with your family as opposed
to the time spent on all those things you HAVE to do?
- How much time do you take to acknowledge and enjoy your achievements?
...
The result may be a frightening illustration of what we have come
to call life. We stretch ourselves further, we push ourselves harder,
and we are so caught up in fulfilling an image we are convinced
those around us have of us, we forget to look inside and see ourselves
as only we can.
Take the next steps to regain control of your life:
1. Define your values
Define your values and clarify your own priorities and thus discover
what is really important for you. Look at how much time you spend
on other things that are not in alignment with your values and drain
your energy. Do you like the result? Welcome it as the perfect reason
to build-up your motivation to change.
2. Define your boundaries
Define your boundaries and make it simpler for yourself to say
NO to tasks you don't feel comfortable with or you feel aren't in
alignment with your values. People, events and sometimes even our
own environments are constantly pushing in onto our boundaries.
We have the choice to stand firm and not allow it or we can do nothing.
Imagine how it will be if you resist it and hold-on to your boundaries?
Take steps to make it true!
3. Delete
Go through all the things you have kept on your to-do list and
use a fine comb to reduce their numbers. If you managed to survive
and there are no consequences for not dealing with some of the issues
on your to-do list chances are you don't really need to bother.
They are simply unimportant. Delete them and consider this your
first win in your journey towards an uncluttered life.
4. Barter / Outsource
See if letting someone with skills in a certain area do some of
the things on your list that you are struggling with will make it
less time consuming - outsource. Offer to do for them the things
you are better prepared or have better skills for in exchange for
their services - barter.
5. Use a diary / Prioritise
Don't keep a long to-do list. Break it down in daily doses that
are easily managed and you will see easier the wins everyday. Use
a diary to set a date by when you should deal with individual issues
and keep track of your journey.
6. Categorise
Select tasks that are similar and try to go through them as a block.
Similar tasks are easier dealt with together and they create and
sustain the necessary momentum.
7. Brighten it up
Mark tasks that you have dealt with using a bright colour or highlight
them. Seeing the page steadily "coloured-in" will help
you keep the momentum and you'll find it easier to stay committed.
And yes: don't forget to count each win along the way.
8. Acknowledge
Acknowledge your achievements regardless of how unimportant they
seem to be. Take it from me: they are of major importance when it
comes to achieving your goals. The road to huge success can only
be covered one small win at a time.
9. Reward yourself
Reward yourself for your successes. Indulge in an afternoon of
relaxation after a successful week, buy yourself a flower, treat
yourself with something special, let your family know you've been
successful, smile at yourself in the mirror, let your smile embrace
you and enjoy the feeling.
10 Design your own "de-cluttering" strategy
Based on your experiences design a strategy that best fits your
needs and personality, name it after you and use it continuously
to keep your life clutter-free forever.
Top
The
Top 10 Superstar Presentation Tips to Exceed Expectations
by Robert G. Jerus
There are many people who deliver talks and speeches.
Most of them fall into the category of forgettable. By following
a few simple tips, you can stand out from the crowd as one of those
who really delivered.
1. Develop expectations.
Know the audience's predispositions and expectations. Condition
them as to what you offer and deliver more than promised. Under-promise
and over-deliver.
2. Get excited and stay that way.
Passion has power. Enthusiasm covers a multitude of sins
in delivery. It also provides the energy to improve and make things
better.
3. Continuously raise the bar.
Add, adjust and fine tune communications. Learn and make
each delivery better than the one before. Adapt what you see others
apply to your audience and style.
4. Manage your attitude.
Focus on performance. Have a quiet calmness and assurance
of preparation. Your assurance is contagious to the audience.
5. Grow.
Become an expert on a particular topic. Be sure to stay
current and expand the possibilities of this niche. Maintain the
right to communicate.
6. Go the extra mile.
Try to deliver the little extras. Nametags, prizes, personal recognition
and small items make a big difference. Customize and tailor to receivers.
7. Solicit feedback.
If people don't offer advice, ask. Incorporate small improvements
as you go along. Let people know you care.
8. Don't punch a clock.
Be available. Take opportunities to communicate. If you
don't find enough, make more. Be available to discuss.
9. Deliver the goods.
Give it all you've got. When that isn't enough, do your
homework to forward additional materials and answers to interested
parties.
10. Be focused and organized.
Structure aids for emphasis, understanding and retention.
About the Submitter:
This piece was originally submitted by Robert G. Jerus, MBA; APC;
MA; Certificate in Human Development; SPHR; professor, coach, counselor
and consultant, who can be reached at RGJerus@earthlink.net.
Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 by Thomas J. Leonard. May be distributed
if full attribution is given and copyright notice is included.
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