Murphys Law 6

Murphy's Law # 6

A meeting is an event atwhich minutes are kept and hours are lost.

The dead elephant in the middle of the room

The dead elephant in the middle of the room

"Many times in the corporate world, you will find yourself facing the "dead elephant in the middle of the room."This is the issue that everyone is aware of, but somehow nobody mentions. It could be emotionally charged; it could feel too big to confront; it could be that nobody is comfortable bringing it up. If you are a manager, it might very well be that you are the only one who doesn't see it."

Dave Grey has written a very useful article on that dead elephant.

His communication bias is very welcome.

I also found the idea of calling it a dead elephant or in the case of the comment by Dennis Arter, a "dead moose" and dealing with it as such, a very applicable strategy. Maybe here in Australia, we should call it a dead kangaroo!

Leadership Success Tip

Delegation helps to channel more of the latent strengths in other people. So if you can delegate, you will help the growth of both the individuals concerned and the organisation for which you all work.

Publicity - UGRs

From Just about Retail

Examine Your UGR's
(Reading time - 30 seconds)
The Chief Executive Officer of McDonald’s, Charles Bell, has produced some fascinating figures to revive the McDonald’s business.
In a recent address, he mentioned that if each McDonald’s store served one more hamburger every two hours, the profits for American stores would rise by a total of US$250m and each store would save US$20,000 in labour costs.
It makes you think how important it is to be proactive with the customer and have clear team and individual targets.
How many times have you been a customer and ignored by a team member or found a team member not interested in the add on sale.
Companies spend huge amounts on advertising to grow their business, but then team members fail to pick up on the opportunities …… why?
In my experience as a consultant and trainer, most individuals have the skills, but do not do it. Because of the business culture, they are not encouraged to do it, or they are not rewarded and if they do so, their feelings are “why should I bother”.
I recently attended an excellent talk by Steve Simpson on business culture and he discussed the importance of U.G.R.’s (Unwritten Ground Rules) and how they affect the performance levels in your business.
If you want to know more about U.G.R.’s do get his book - UGRs™ - Creating a Culture of Service
How many people could you serve your “french fries” to in the next week and what impact would that have on your bottom line and influence in your organisation?

Developing leadership skills by modelling

Follow a Leader to Become a Leader
When it comes to managing your employees, your leadership style directly affects your success. Put your business on top by following these proven HR strategies.
One of the best ways to become a great manager is to follow the example of another great manager. Adapting a "best practices" approach to managing your employees may be one of the best ways to excel in your market or industry. By studying what the top 10 percent of U.S. companies have in common, researchers have identified five HR practices these companies consistently use that make them successful. And each process, system or approach is a practice your company can easily adapt.
Article continues

Meeting success tip

It is in the interests of everyone concerned to take minutes of your meetings – whether they are a diary entry recording a meeting of two people, or the formal set of minutes of a Board meeting. It means that a record is kept of decisions made and agreed to.... and that you have details you can use to plan future meetings.

Publicity - using testimonials

Publicity
========================================
Article: Is There Too Much Sugar In Your Testimonials?
Read online at: http://www.psychotactics.com/artsugar.htm
========================================

Take a cup of hot, steaming coffee.
Add one spoon of sugar.
Add another spoon of sugar.
Then just for good measure, add three more spoons (yes, of sugar)

Now drink the coffee
Now, now, no 'yuck' from you. We both know the coffee is sickeningly
sweet. And ja, that coffee is headed straight for the drain in a few
seconds.

Nothing that sweet should be allowed to exist, right?

===============================================
Ahem...have you looked at your testimonials recently?
===============================================
Let's look at them testimonials, shall we, pardner?

==========
Example 1:
==========
"I loved your product. I bought it just yesterday, and your content
has been the most enlightening I've ever read. Thanks so much for
putting out this information. I don't know how I managed without it."

==========
Example 2:
==========
"Believe me, I'm so grateful to you for all your invaluable help.
I absolutely want you to know that your consulting made a big
difference to my life. You deserve all the good things that come
your way."

===============================================
Ooh, suddenly you can see the five teaspoons of sugar, can't you?
===============================================
The testimonials on your website, brochure and the rest of your
marketing material is starting to look
like...eyewwww...yuck...aren't they?

===============================================
Except, you're in a dilemma
===============================================
You didn't write the testimonials. You can't control what customers
say.

Or can you?

If you're getting icky, sugary-sweet testimonials, it's not the
client's fault. No sireeee, it's not!

It's your fault. You see, you've been asking the wrong quest*ions.

===============================================
Questions*? Were you supposed to ask questions*?
===============================================
If your question has been limited to: "Can you give me a
testimonial?", then go wash your mouth with Dove.

Because you're literally setting yourself up for a testimonial
that's coming zinging out from left field.

===============================================
You see, the client is not in the business of giving testimonials
===============================================
They haven't a clue in the world what to say or write, when you ask
for your testimonial. So to prevent you from looking bad, they
write something sweet and sugary.

===============================================
How to cut out the sweet and sugary stuff right away
===============================================
Ask the client three questions*:

1) What were your perceptions before you bought our product/service
and were you reluctant in any way?

2) How did you feel as a result of using the product/service?

3) What specific results did you get as a result of using the
product/service?

===============================================
So let's take apart the psychology behind each question
===============================================
1) The 'Perception' Question: The first question usually brings out
the bad stuff. Like "I thought you were too expensive." or "I
thought this product was just for the geeks" and other assorted
perceptions.

2) The 'What did you Find' Question: The second question is pure
emotion. Notice how it uses the word 'feel?' That trigger word
'feel' gets you a response that's based on feeling. The client
feels 'confident', 'reassured', 'ecstatic', etc. The feeling is a
response that other customers respond to as well, so emotion is a
vital part of your testimonial.

3) The 'Specific Results' Question: This clearly demonstrates that
we're past the touchy-feely stage. It's alright to feel good,
but hey, show me the buckeroos! A specific answer will have: '25%
growth', '$12,000', etc.

===============================================
There's a nice side-effect to this questioning method
===============================================
Suddenly, the testimonials you receive, won't be one measly line.
They'll be several paragraphs long. Some will exceed a page.

When customers are asked specific questions, they give long, detailed
answers. These answers not only enable you to post some real
testimonials in your marketing material, but also enable you to see
what your customer is thinking.

If you stop to read between the lines, you'll quickly see how you
can change your copy, graphics,etc., based on Question 1. Because
if the customer was reluctant for any reason, you can bet your
pink booties that you've got other customers who feel the same
reluctance. So, by asking the right questions, not only do you
get an insight, but you also get a darned good testimonial as well!

Leadership - Delegation

Leadership – Delegation - Part 3


In Part 2 of this series of posts, we looked at Preparation and Matching the Job to the Person.
Communicating the Vision
If the project is to succeed, everyone needs to see the broader aims of the whole project and the vision involved.  Information is vital, but so is communicating the enthusiasm and value of the vision.  Communicate the value of the project’s success – its value to the organisation and to the people taking on the various tasks. It is also necessary to make the members feel that the vision is theirs as well, that they can contribute to it, and feed it with their own creativity, enthusiasm and hard work.
Motivation 
Communicating the vision involves the use of positive, encouraging language.  Use words like believe, confidence in abilities, success.  The language needs to communicate strength and positivity both in the enthusiasm for the project and in the faith in the people involved and their ability to achieve their goals.
 
Each person needs to be given the responsibility to achieve the task delegated to them.  It will encourage them to contribute wholeheartedly to the job and its success.  If the person does not want the responsibility, then perhaps it was not a good decision to delegate to them.
And those who are happy to work with responsibility, will also be motivated by the knowledge that you have the faith that they can achieve the job they have been given.
 
Expect high standards.
 
Make sure each person has the resources and the moral support to achieve their tasks.
 
Albert Schweitzer said, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.  So lead by example.  Take your place on the ground floor and “at the coal face.”  And if you have middle level managers, give them direct experience of the work and the workplace.      

Leadership Success Tip

A leader must be willing to accept responsibility for the success of the project, for the actions of the members of the team and the goals selected. The leader is responsible to contribute. A leader must get things done, which means organizing others, setting goals, establishing procedures, and monitoring progress.

Leadership and Change

Good Managers Focus on Employees' Strengths, Not Weaknesses

Marcus Buckingham knows enough about good management to know he's not a good manager. The author of First, Break All The Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently and The One Thing You Need to Know, Buckingham says the best managers share one talent -- the ability to find, and then capitalize upon, their employees' unique traits. "The guiding principle is, 'How can I take this person's talent and turn it into performance?'" he asked during a presentation at the Wharton Leadership Conference on June 9. Buckingham talked about good vs. poor managers, and the need for leaders to display optimism, clarity, and an ego big enough that they can "build a future for their companies." Read the whole article

Free publicity space

Continuing the message

You probably get at least one of these among your monthly credit card bills. We're talking about a remittance envelope that offers you things you may or may not want to order.

But have you ever considered borrowing that same idea and adding helpful information to your own reply envelope?

Because on most fundraising packages, the back (and back flap) of the BRE is as bare as a baby's . . . well, you get the idea. So why not utilize that valuable — and empty — space to promote your group and its mission? Article continues

Meeting success tip

Choose clothes that say you are competent and successful. A rule of thumb: dress like the people you work with. If there is wide variation, dress like the decision-makers. People tend to trust, include, and help others who look like them.

Virtual teams roadmap

Virtual Teams Roadmap To High-Performance Collaboration: The Bioteaming Manifesto
 
Today’s virtual business teams don’t appear to be able to fully leverage the much touted opportunities offered by always-on interconnectedness, easy access to unlimited information sources and real-time communication and collaboration tools.  Post continues

Leadership - Delegation series Part 2

Be prepared before you Delegate

Ensure that you have your vision articulated very precisely. This is the vision that you will use to motivate and enthuse your members. Be very familiar with the place of this particular job in the organisation's plans and objectives.

Run the idea past other members of the Board, or trusted friends, so that they can find any difficulties or flaws. They can refine the idea for you, until it is stronger and more authentic than your original.

Check out the resources available for the job to be delegated.

Understand the whole scenario. Look for the fears that your members may feel, anticipate the problems that might occur, and think through how you will deal with those, what you will say. Look for flaws that might exist in the way you will communicate your plan, and the ways you might be misunderstood. Then you will be prepared enough to present a confident persona when you are motivating those who will share the work.

Match the Job to the Person

How many people will you need?
What kind of history does that person have on previous jobs?
Does this person show enthusiasm and interest in this appointment?
Does this person have the basic intelligence, knowledge and willingness to learn, necessary for the job?
Look for latent skills, strengths, and especially enthusiasm and willingness to learn.
________________________________________

Keeping Criticism Helpful

By Fred Smith

Keep criticism positive. Recently, I tried to analyze the reasons I criticize. Three of them were negative and one was positive.

If before 10 a.m. I have been critical of everybody, I stop and say: "Fred, what's wrong with you? What are you mad at yourself about?" And generally I have to go and make a call to apologize to somebody. But my environment won't straighten out that day until I quit being mad at myself. If I criticize too many, I'm just passing the buck on a self-grudge.

The second reason: To show superior knowledge. How often does someone show you a great idea and you are showing enthusiasm when you suddenly say to yourself, "I can't be too enthusiastic because he may feel he is as smart as I am." So you say, "This is a great idea, but . . . . " Many "yes-buts" come from the desire to show your superior knowledge.

The third root of negative criticism is usually a performer who didn't make the grade. Those who start well but don't make the A list usually become critics. You can't put a failed executive back into the ranks--he will become a critic.

Positive criticism is simply: A genuine desire to bring improvement. It can be done quietly. True positive criticism is not done in the earshot of others, unlike the three negative types that generally are done in public. Really strong positive criticism is specific and directed only to the point that needs work.

When you can positively criticize you are demonstrating emotional stability as a leader.

This week, review a circumstance in which you negatively criticized--at work or at home. Then think about what was really going on. Next,
think about an example of positive constructive criticism and how effectively it worked.

Leadership success tip

Leadership Success Tip:
 
Successful leadership is often a result of self-motivation.  Motivation is the instinct, desire or idea which moves you to action... Aristotle said:  "We learn by doing."  The beginning of success is when you are inspired to make the effort.  Each time you act, you will become more competent and productive.  The act will retype the motivation message and give you more confidence in your leadership abilities.

Why Use Humor in Your Presentations?

by Tom Antion

Why use humor?
• Why should I bother using humor in my presentations?
• Can't I just deliver my information and sit down?
You sure can! That's what most people do. The problem is that most people are not effective presenters. They are nighty-nite, snooze-inducing, say-your-prayers, hit-the-sack, unlicensed hypnotists. They are ZZZZZs presenters. They might be experts in their field and able to recite hours and hours of information on their topic, but is that effective?
According to Bob Orben, Special Assistant to President Gerald Ford and Former Director of the White House Speech writing Department, "Business executives and political leaders have embraced humor because humor works. Humor has gone from being an admirable part of a leader's character to a mandatory one."
A survey of top executives who earned more than $250,000 per year was conducted by a large executive search firm. The survey found that these executives believed their communication skills were the number one factor that carried them to the top.
Mastering the use of humor and other high-explosion techniques puts a fine polish on your presentation skills which can help propel you to the top of the speaking profession.
Benefits of using humor
There are many benefits you can derive from using humor in your presentations. Keep in mind that these benefits only help you reach your ultimate purpose for making the presentation. They are not purposes in themselves unless, of course, you are only interested in entertaining.
How humor helps you:
• Enhance your connection with your audience
• Makes you more likeable
• Arouses interest
• Keeps attention
• Helps emphasize points and ideas
• Disarms hostility
• Overcomes overly flattering introductions
• Gets your point across without creating hostility
• Helps relate facts and figures
• Makes a positive impression
• Shows that you do not take yourself too seriously
• Helps paint pictures in the audience's mind
• Makes information more memorable
• Lightens up heavy material
Tom's List of Top 4 Benefits of Using Humor
• You will be asked back
• You will get higher evaluations or more sales
• You will make more money
• You will make people happy.
The last one is my favorite benefit. I get great satisfaction from knowing that I have brightened someone else's life. I had an executive come up to me after one of my humor seminars and say, "You opened up a whole new world for me." I almost cried right on the spot. I'll never forget it. "
Tom Antion is a veteran of over 2300 paid presentations. His Great Speaking e-zine has the largest subscriber base (over 85,000 as of this writing) in the entire speaking industry.

Leadership – Delegation Series

Leadership – Delegation Series

If you have a task greater than you can handle on your own, then you need to delegate. Not a choice many of us choose to make, but one we can all learn. This post will be the first in a series on this task and how to best accomplish it. There will be 4 posts in total, but this is the first and covers Why, that is, the Benefits, Preparation and Choosing the right people for the job.

So let's start with the Whys.

The first is obvious. The task if too big for one person. Or maybe is beyond the skills of that one person.

The second is that there is more chance of success because using other people brings in extra skill-sets, and added enthusiasm.

The third WHY is that delegation gives the leaders in an organisation the chance to develop the latent strengths and talents of their members, giving the organisation a greater pool of skill and potential leaders.

Meeting Success Tip for the Week:

Whenever possible, be prepared. Know who will be at the meeting. Plan what you are going to say: keep it concise and clear.

WHERE GROWTH HAPPENS

By Dr. John C. Maxwell

If I asked you to rank your top five favorite leadership responsibilities, attending meetings probably would not appear on your list. It's not that some meetings aren't enjoyable; it's just that there are plenty of other activities that leaders find more thrilling, fun or productive.
That said, there is one kind of meeting that I absolutely love, and that is a creative meeting. For example, I once spent about four hours in a room with 11 people, doing nothing but talking about books. We discussed how to write better books, and we talked about which topics would add value to people's lives. In the process, we challenged each other. We built on each others' thoughts and ideas. We argued. We laughed.
Now I realize that to some of you, spending four hours brainstorming about books might sound about as exhilarating as watching paint dry. But for me, it was incredibly exciting. By the time I came out of that room, it was 5 o'clock in the afternoon. After a marathon meeting like that, a guy my age ought to be getting little tired. But I was charged up and ready to spend the evening writing. Click here to read the complete article.

Creating a Positive Professional Image

"In today’s diverse workplace, your actions and motives are constantly under scrutiny. Time to manage your own professional image before others do it for you. An interview with professor Laura Morgan Roberts.


As HBS professor Laura Morgan Roberts sees it, if you aren't managing your own professional image, others are.

"People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace," she says. "It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish."

There are plenty of books telling you how to "dress for success" and control your body language. But keeping on top of your personal traits is only part of the story of managing your professional image, says Roberts. You also belong to a social identity group—African American male, working mother—that brings its own stereotyping from the people you work with, especially in today's diverse workplaces. You can put on a suit and cut your hair to improve your appearance, but how do you manage something like skin color?

Roberts will present her research, called "Changing Faces: Professional Image Construction in Diverse Organizational Settings," in the October issue of the Academy of Management Review.

She discusses her research in this interview."

This is a technique that can gain publicity for your organisation in a three pronged approach.

Firstly, conduct a survey within your oganisation. This is a great way to discover what your people are thinking - get their opinions and maybe even their ideas. (You might even be able to harvest some testimonials - with permission, of course) But word it carefully and it can also be a very effective way of doing internal publicity as well. Word it so that the respondents are reminded of just how valuable their organisation is, what it does, and its brand. You are also then giving them fodder for their own PR activities.

Secondly conduct a survey about your organisation. This, too, may bring in opinions about your organisation and ideas for improvement. But, very basically, this is another way of bringing your organisation's name and brand to people's attention.

Thirdly conduct a survey on a particular subject. Choose something that is timely, or outrageous, or newsworthy, but preferably close to your own area of operations. Survey as wide a range of people and as large a population as you can, and voila you have a news item. Report that your organisation conducted this survey and report the outrageous or timely or newsworthy results of that survey and it is sure to make the news in your area.

Get publicity for your organisation with a survey

This is a technique that can gain publicity for your organisation in a three pronged approach.

Firstly, conduct a survey within your oganisation. This is a great way to discover what your people are thinking - get their opinions and maybe even their ideas. (You might even be able to harvest some testimonials - with permission, of course) But word it carefully and it can also be a very effective way of doing internal publicity as well. Word it so that the respondents are reminded of just how valuable their organisation is, what it does, and its brand. You are also then giving them fodder for their own PR activities.

Secondly conduct a survey about your organisation. This, too, may bring in opinions about your organisation and ideas for improvement. But, very basically, this is another way of bringing your organisation's name and brand to people's attention.

Thirdly conduct a survey on a particular subject. Choose something that is timely, or outrageous, or newsworthy, but preferably close to your own area of operations. Suvey as wide a range of people and as large a population as you can, and voila you have a news item. Report that your organisation conducted this survey and report the outrageous or timely or newsworthy results of that survey and it is sure to make the news in your area.

Some people are addicted to love, but most of us are addicted to e-mail.

According to a new survey conducted by America Online, the average e-mail user checks e-mail nearly five times a day. Yes, that's right. AOL's E-mail Addiction survey examines our e-mail behavior and frankly, it's a little obsessive. The survey found that e-mail users rely on e-mail as much as the phone for communication, spend nearly an hour a day on e-mail, and that 77 percent of e-mail users have more than one mail account.

Here are a few of the survey's more interesting findings:
--Forty-one percent of e-mail users check e-mail first thing in the morning, before they've brushed their teeth or trudged to the kitchen to make coffee.
--Forty percent of e-mail users report checking their e-mail in the middle of the night. (Downright obsessive, yes?)
--More than one in four (26 percent) of e-mail users say they haven't gone more than two to three days without checking their e-mail.
--Most e-mail users have two or three e-mail accounts (56 percent). The average user has 2.8 accounts.
--E-mail users check for mail anywhere: In bed in their pajamas (23 percent); in school (12 percent); in business meetings (8 percent); at Wi-Fi hotspots, like Starbuck's or McDonald's (6 percent); at the beach or pool (6 percent); in the bathroom (4 percent); while driving (4 percent); and in church (1 percent).
"Last time I checked God didn't have a Blackberry," says Chamath Palihapitiya, general manager and vice president for AOL's AIM. The survey results, he says, speak "to the fact that e-mail has become such a fundamental way that people communicate. People thought that e-mail was just a business behavior, but it is a social and commonplace behavior."

Palihapitiya says it's the first time AOL has conducted a survey of this kind, probing the actual behaviors and habits of e-mail users. AOL recently launched its e-mail service Web-wide.
"One of the things we took away from this is that people need accessibility everywhere. They may be at home, at a friend's house, at the office, in the street... one of the things we did with our e-mail product is we made sure it was accessible all over the Web," Palihapitiya says, adding "But just as important, we make sure that it works with your work e-mail. We allow you to use Outlook to get your AIM mail."

That's important because the survey finds that 61 percent of all e-mail users check their personal e-mail at work at least three times a day. By syncing with Outlook, AOL mail becomes part of a user's normal work e-mail application. AOL plans to offer mobile e-mail access via Blackberry, mobile phones, and other handheld devices by the fall. AOL says its mail service supports advertising in the body of e-mails. "Our competitors don't do that," Palihapitiya says. It means that embedded ads won't be stripped out when e-mail is delivered in Outlook.

The survey's results, Palihapitiya says, will help AOL develop e-mail features and applications that users may find useful. "One of the things that jumped out of us is that e-mail users are really interested in un-sending a message and knowing when a message has been forwarded." He says in AOL e-mail, a user can un-send right away and check the status of whether mail has been opened. AOL is working on a feature that would notify users as to whether a piece of mail has been forwarded to them.

More survey findings:
--Sixty-one percent of e-mail users check personal e-mail on the job an average of three times a day. About half of those who check personal e-mail at work (47 percent) check it sporadically throughout the day, while about one in four (25 percent) check it first thing when they arrive, 18 percent check it at lunchtime, 8 percent during an afternoon break, and 2 percent right before they head home.
--Women are more likely than men to check their personal e-mail at work throughout the day (50 percent versus 44 percent), while men are more likely than women to check their personal e-mail first thing when they arrive in the morning (28 percent versus 21 percent).
--Six in 10 of all e-mail users (60 percent) check their e-mail while on vacation, mostly for pleasure (47 percent) rather than business (13 percent). Of those who access e-mail while on vacation, 57 percent say it's very (21 percent) or somewhat important (36 percent) that they have access to e-mail.
Get this, AOL has provided a quiz to determine your level of e-mail addiction. It's available later today here.
The survey was conducted with Opinion Research Corp., which conducted online surveys with 4,012 respondents 18 and older in the top 20 cities around the country to measure e-mail usage


Tobi Elkin is Executive Editor, MediaPost.
Just An Online Minute

Managing conflict

Managing Conflict with Peers
________________________________________

Managing Conflict

What's Your Role?

Everyone has habitual responses to conflict, but these reactions are often not ideal. By understanding your conflict behaviors and hot buttons, you can see how you contribute to constructive as well as destructive outcomes of conflict.

"The first step to improving the way conflict is handled at work is to get clear on the role you play and why you respond the way you do," says CCL's Brenda McManigle.

Typically, people behave in a way that sets them up to play a specific role in the conflict, such as:

• Avoider — someone who ignores or denies conflict.
• Aggressor — someone who stokes conflict.
• Diplomat — someone who mediates conflict between others.
• Peacemaker — someone who tries to keep work relationships happy and calm.
• Director — someone who confronts or acknowledges conflict and works to resolve the situation.

"If you can see your behavior clearly, you have the chance to make changes," says McManigle. She suggests writing out a recent example of conflict that you experienced. Write as much detail as you can about what you said, and what you did — or did not do. Did you behave as an avoider, aggressor, diplomat, peacemaker or director? Consider how the role you played helped or hindered problem solving. Did your behavior strengthen or undermine relationships? What impact is your behavior likely to have on your effectiveness in the short term? What might the consequences be on your long-term career goals? What changes could you make?

You will also benefit from knowing what kinds of situations are most likely to create conflicts for you. In other words, what are your hot buttons? Hot buttons are behaviors that may irritate you enough to provoke you or compel you to behave in a way that is unproductive. For example, your hot buttons might get pushed when someone is unreliable or untrustworthy, abrasive or hostile, micromanaging or overly analytical.

There are many techniques, such as deep breathing, that allow you to stay in control of your emotions. You might need to give yourself a "timeout" to prevent your hot buttons from taking over. If possible, take a break from the situation (go listen to music or do something physical if you can). If you can't leave the situation, slowly count to 10 or 20 (or higher if necessary) and focus on not taking the situation personally. "The key is to identify your emotional triggers and recognize them in the moment," says McManigle.

Name Your Hot Buttons

Want to know more about your emotional triggers or "hot buttons"? In its Foundations of Leadership program, CCL uses the Conflict Dynamics Profile, an assessment developed by the Management Development Institute of Eckerd College. The assessment includes a section on identifying hot buttons. A portion of this assessment is online: http://www.conflictdynamics.org/hot_buttons.shtml.

About Brenda McManigle
Brenda McManigle is responsible for the quality and delivery of the Foundations of Leadership program at CCL's San Diego, California campus. She also conducts needs assessment, instructional design and instruction for custom programs.

Leadership

Leadership styles are always interesting as we seek to develop our own best practices in our organisations. This article gives some thought-provoking insights.

Asian and American Leadership Styles: How Are They Unique?

"Business leadership is at the core of Asian economic development, says HBS professor D. Quinn Mills. As he explained recently in Kuala Lumpur, the American and Asian leadership styles, while very different, also share important similarities.


by D. Quinn Mills

Editor's note: Political connections and family control are more common in Asian businesses than in the United States. In addition, says HBS professor D. Quinn Mills, American CEOs tend to use one of five leadership styles: directive, participative, empowering, charismatic, or celebrity. Which styles have Asian business leaders adopted already, and which styles are likely to be most successful in the future?

In a talk in Kuala Lumpur on June 15 at the invitation of The Star/BizWeek publication and the Harvard Club of Malaysia, Mills explained the differences and similarities between American and Asian leadership. Below is the transcript of his talk, "Leadership Styles in the United States: How Different are They from Asia?""
Read the whole article.

More articles on leadership

Conversation success tip

If you require elaboration in a conversation, use questions that begin with the words: How, Why, In what way, What.

For more ideas, tips, articles and inspiration to help you grow your organisation, subscribe to the ezine, Grow your Organisation. View the current issue Or subscribe now - just send an email to subscribe@consultpivotal.com with the words subscribe organisation in the subject line.

Inspiring Creativity

Don't think of your members as very creative? Read this article by David G. Javitch to find out why it's important to encourage them to think outside the box.

So you say you're not creative? And your employees aren't either? Then "physician, heal thyself." You may be the source of the problem!
Everyone can be creative--it has nothing to do with smarts. In fact, having smarts is no guarantee that you can or will be creative. But just what is creativity? Dr. Theresa Amabile of Harvard Business School defines it as the process of doing something differently that works. That's it. Real easy.Read the whole article

Leadership, creativity and fear

A candid conversation with the CEO of General Electric about leadership, creativity, fear -- and what it's really like to run the world's most influential company

"surviving a failure gives you more self-confidence. Failures are great learning tools -- but they must be kept to a minimum."

Now, four years into the job, with the company showing much stronger performance, Immelt is stepping out of Welch's shadow and developing a leadership vocabulary of his own. He speaks about creating "growth leaders," holding "dreaming sessions" with customers, developing "imagination breakthrough" teams and projects, and the importance of "simplification" in a big-company environment. And Immelt has won favorable reviews for a new and bold environmental initiative that will double the company's research on clean technologies.

Immelt recently sat down for a talk with Fast Company editor-in-chief John A. Byrne in the CEO's conference room at GE headquarters in Fairfield, Connecticut. Read the interiew

Speech Making Success Tip

"If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time~a resounding whack."
~Winston Churchill

Launch a FACE for your organisation

Have you thought about naming a "Face" for your organisation? This is not just for cosmetics companies, although they have certainly developed it as a marketing tool. You can do it too no matter what your organisation's role. Find someone who can speak well about what you do, preferably someone within your organisation so that you don't have to pay them fees to market for you. That face then becomes the human image of your operations. Their picture gives your prospective members and clients a person to relate to. Record that person's testimonials and use them on all of your materials. Business cards, letterhead, websites, blogs ... anywhere people are seeing your brand is somewhere you can feature the face of your organisation, and that person's powerful testimonial. They can then also attend your functions, meetings and conferences and speak there as well. This is a powerful marketing tool and one that is not just limited to "beauty."

Executing good strategies

I find that in many organisations, there are people who dream, who have a wonderful shining vision for the organisation. And then there are the doers, who will go along to events and meetings and are happy to fill the rosters, but who do not glow with the vision. One of the greatest challenges of an organisation is to link the two. Basically a matter of communication and delegation I would think. But a more detailed answer lies in this article by Lawrence G. Hrebiniak. While the title, Three Reasons Why Good Strategies Fail: Execution, Execution... is a teaser, that's all it is, because the answer lies in far more detail. YOu can read it at the Wharton site.

You can also check out my article on delegation for more simple tips on translating the vision into practice.

Speech making confidence tip

Confidence in approaching an audience is a powerful tool to have in your presentation kit. Implementing the old exhortation "Head up, shoulders back" not only expresses confidence; but also creates it. Try this, and you will see that it works. So does a smile. Posture and smile not only make you feel confident, but they also convey the image of confidence, sincerity and professionalism.

COMMUNITY GROUPS PREFER SUPPORT OVER DOLLARS - SURVEY

MORE COMMUNITY groups would prefer people to join their group as a member, serve on the Board, contribute to lobbying efforts or sign up as a volunteer than give money, a survey of community organisations has found.

The State of the Community 2005 survey, which was run as a lead-in to this week's Communities in Control conference, found that 33 per cent of respondents would prefer the community help them to lobby for support to achieve their mission compared to just 21 per cent who said they would prefer them to give more money.

A total of 28 per cent of respondents said that helping through volunteering was the best thing the community could do to support its work while the same number nominated offering to join the Board or committee of management as the most useful way people could help.

A further 26 per cent said the community could best help the organisation by becoming a member and 22 per cent said offering pro bono services.

Read the full report

International meetings made easier

Emailing members of your organisation in other parts of the world has become second nature these days, but it is not so easy to set up a meeting when they are all in different time zones.

Here is a device that makes it easier.

Go to www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html and enter the various cities. The website will then produce a table that shows you the local time in each city. Each cell in the table is color-coded as follows:
· RED represents nighttime or normal sleeping hours.
· YELLOW represents the second half of the day, when people are awake but not necessarily at work.
· GREEN represents the first half of the day, when most people are at work.
Search the table for the rows where most or all of the colors are green. You'll then know the best time to schedule your call.

For more tips and articles on holding successful meetings in your organisation, subscribe to our ezine.

Structure your speech for success

No matter what the occasion for your speech, it will always have the aim of communicating a message.

If the structure of your speech involves "Tell them what you are going to say, say it and tell them what you just said..." then the Introduction, Body and Conclusion are vital. But just as crucial, are the links between those parts - the bridging. They provide another opportunity to remind the audience of your message, and to link the parts together seamlessly. Often as you take breath to launch into the next point of your speech, the following utterance carries the weight of that breath or pause, and therefore is an ideal opportunity to reinforce your message.

Join an ITC club to receive training in developing your public speaking skills.

Teleseminars to improve your skills

I have been too busy to post recently - preparing for awards presentation at International convention in Baltimore and producing ITC Power Lines.

We have also produced a schedule of teleseminars to be offered on behalf of Communicators Logan City. You can visit the schedule and see that they cover both organisational and public speaking skills - something for everyone!

Are your online meetings effective?

Do you use teleseminars to train, or audio conferencing for your meetings? How successful do you think they are? Kolabora's blog recently cited the following reports:

More than 50% percent of the people surveyed in a recent study conducted by Russell Research found that meetings are worth neither the preparation nor the travel they demand.

"A survey sponsored by Raindance Communications, Inc., a premier provider of integrated web and audio conferencing services, indicates that 90 percent of audio conferencers multitask by doing things other than paying full attention to meeting content."

Stephen Downes, who quoted the Kolabora reort, writes "I once wrote a paper called Synchronous Learning on the Web in which I observed that "the less you want to be at the class or the meeting, the more you want to use some form of conferencing, because it's easier and - especially if you're online - you can do other things at the same time.""
It adds a whole new dimension to meeting planning, and making your organisation's meetings relevant and efficiently run.

For tips on making your meetings efficient and effective, subscribe to the Communication Edge , or visit an ITC club to learn and practice.

Leadership is a social function

Leadership is a social function. It is the ability to make people listen to you, follow you, and respect you in the process. Respect cannot be demanded -- it must be earned. Therefore, the more wisely and effectively you practise interpersonal skills, the more respect you will win.
From the ITC Leadership Development Manual

Meeting objectives and making progress in meetings

Thanks for the post on this topic, Lorraine. Need more information on being that strong chairperson? Visit the archived posts on this blog, or book a workshop at ITC

Leadership is ....

  "Whether a man is burdened by power or enjoys power; whether he is trapped by responsibility or made free by it; whether he is moved by other people and outer forces or moves them - this is the essence of leadership."
Theodore H. White ("The Making of the President")

Meeting success means funny business

For meeting success, develop a sense of humour. You can use humour more often than you think. It enables you to make a stronger statement than you would dare make any other way. You might also try fielding an irritating or sexist remark with a joke.

WHAT ARE YOU COMMITTED TO?

Commitment is what drives many of us. We are committed to our organisation, and that gives us the energy to go the extra mile for it. What else are you committed to? Interesting question ... interesting article from John Maxwell ...

What do you think of when you hear the word commitment?
Perhaps you picture a loving husband caring for his invalid wife. Maybe you envision a business owner who puts her resources and reputation on the line to lead her company through a crisis. Perhaps you see a dedicated teacher who spends hours of his own time tutoring underprivileged children. Or maybe the scene that comes to mind is one of a group of soldiers who willingly enters harm's way to protect their countrymen.
These are all wonderful examples of commitment. But have you considered the fact that individuals who act in less admirable ways also are committed? People who watch the clock at work are committed to making it through the day so they can go home. People who spend most of their free time in front of the television are committed to taking life easy. People who cheat on their income taxes are committed to beating the system.
Do you understand what I'm saying? When it comes to living a life of significance, the vital question isn't, "Am I committed?" It's, "What am I committed to?" Click here to read the complete article.

Leadership - "Get your hands dirty"

This tip comes from Ron Sargent, CEO of the big office resources firm, Staples. He made a point of being involved in customer service. "Get your hands dirty," he said. "Before you can be a great leader, you need to understand the inner workings of the business and where and how the greatest impact can be made."

Using email to promote your organisation

Do you use an email signature? This tool provides you with an excellent source of free publicity for your organization. You will have seen others using a signature at the end of their email messages. It is a tool provided by your email programme that allows you to put your contact details at the foot of your email. Here is your chance to publicise your organisation. Whenever you email, take the opportunity to add your website and your slogan, anything that you think might create a positive image of your organisation. Free PR!!

In October 2004 I posted a series on Delegation in the blog ITC Communication Edge. It was basically a "how-to," I have since found this article - gives much more detail on the advantages of delegation.

Why Entrepreneurs Should Delegate

Find out why sharing your responsibilities and authority with employees is essential for business success.

Do you need more hours in your day? Do you have so much work you're not even sure where to dig in? If so, you're like hundreds of other entrepreneurs who say they're overwhelmed with work. But why is that? Some of the most common excuses include these:

You're too busy to take the time to delegate or train someone else.
You don't have the time to explain tasks or projects.
You're the "best" or "only" person who can do the job right.
No one else is available or responsible enough.
If you delegate responsibility, you'll lose control over the project.

Read the whole article.

Leadership Success Tip:

Leadership success is often the result of self-motivation. Energy comes from being motivated ... so does confidence. If you act with confidence, you exude authority. People will take for granted that you have the authority to lead and will react accordingly.

Overcoming Shyness to Become a Business Leader

"Don't let timidity stop you from being an excellent leader. Get over your shyness and get your company on the path to success."

People skills are so important in management, whether you are managing a business or a community organisation. As usual Stever Robbins has the problem and its solution in a nutshell ...

"Q: I am very shy, but very ambitious. I started a company and am up to four employees. I spend much of my time in my office because it makes me uncomfortable to spend too much time being social and having meaningless conversations. I don't think this is a good character trait. How can I become more comfortable around people?
A: Bravo for addressing this now! As your company grows, people will look to you for leadership. Literally. They'll watch how you act on a day-to-day basis and will adjust their tone accordingly. Conversation from the boss, even if it's idle chit-chat, isn't meaningless. It creates culture and lets people know how to respond.

Here's one thing I can guarantee: If you stay in your office, they won't think you're shy." Read the whole article

Two lists for success in your Team Meetings

Ensuring the success of a team meeting can be difficult. Different personalities, different viewpoints, and different agendas all exist and all have their value to a team. But to bring them together to work to effective outcomes is a challenge. Use the checklists here to ensure your team has successful meetings.

Encourage members of the team to fulfil the roles that are needed. There are two kinds of group roles that are necessary for a team meeting to succeed. Task functions ensure the work requirements are met, while maintenance functions help the group with its internal cohesion and interpersonal feelings.

Task functions:

1. Initiating: Proposing tasks or goals: defining a group problem; suggesting a procedure for solving a problem; suggesting other ideas for consideration
2. Information or opinion seeking: Requesting facts on the problem; seeking relevant information; asking for suggestions and ideas.
3. Information or opinion-giving: Offering facts; providing relevant information; stating a belief; giving suggestions or ideas
4. Clarifying or elaborating: Interpreting or reflecting ideas or suggestions; clearing up confusion; indicating alternatives and issues before the group; giving examples
5. Summarizing: Pulling related ideas together; restating suggestions after the group has discussed them
6. Consensus-testing: Sending up “Trial balloons” to see if the group is nearing a conclusion or agreement has been reached.

Maintenance Functions

1. Encouraging: Being friendly, warm and responsible to others and their contributions; listening; showing regard for others by giving them opportunity or recognition
2. Expressing group feelings: Sensing feeling, mood, relationships within the group; sharing one’s own feelings with other members
3. Harmonizing: Attempting to reconcile disagreements; reducing tension through “pouring oil on troubled waters”; getting people to explore their differences.
4. Compromising: Offering to compromise one’s position, ideas or status; admitting error; disciplining oneself to help maintain the group
5. Gate keeping: Seeing that others have a chance to speak; keeping the discussion a group discussion rather than a one-, two-, or three-way conversation.
6. Setting standards: Expressing standards that will help groups to achieve; applying standards in evaluating group functioning and production.

Choose the roles to suit your team members. They will also be able to see the effectiveness of the system and work to keep your meetings successful.

Structure your speech for Maximum Impact

“Tell them what you’re going to say. Say it. Then tell them what you said”

And that is so true!! We have such short attention spans. And so do audiences. If we want to make a point that will stay with an audience after they leave the room, we have to repeat and reinforce it throughout the presentation.

Introduce your well defined theme. Present that theme. And repeat it to conclude.

You will have given your audience a great chance of remembering it.

Learn through constructive evaluation to structure your speeches for maximum impact. Join an ITC club. Visit www.itcintl.com to find a club near you.

A Twelve Step Program For Identifying and Eliminating Organizational Change (Culture)

Read this if you would like a chuckle. Mind you, it has some excellent kernels of truth in it. It also occurs to me that we also need to know how to counteract the strategies, if we need to, as well. Click on the title.

Meeting Success Tip

Prepare a written agenda for your meeting. Make sure that everyone at the meeting is aware of it, and if necessary, have the meeting agree to it. Then you refer to the agenda to keep discussion focussed.

For further meeting success tips subscribe to our ezine: The Communication Edge

Target Marketing for your organisation

So who is your ideal member? What does the profile look like? Is he male, aged 28-35, living within 5 kilometres of the meeting venue, a lawyer by vocation and needing mediation skills? Or is it anyone aged 18-60, living in your town, undergoing changes in their life and needing assertiveness skills? Compile a list of these characteristics. Then this is the group you are targeting with your marketing. Theirs are the needs you are promising to meet. Theirs are the dreams you may be articulating for them and promising to turn into reality. Their needs will govern your venue type. They are the people for whom you will plan and market programmes and training, and they are the people you will target with your “Word of mouth.’

For free articles on growing your organistion, visit our website.

Team-Building

Creating teams within your organistion can be a challenge. Creating a shared vision and the ability to motivate are an excellent start. Read our free article on Delegating which is really about building teams.

But I have also come across this useful set of tips for great team-building.


Building Strong Teams
1/ Have very few rules – If there’s too many no one reads them . Or conversely an organization can be so rule driven that nothing gets done. Don’t set up rules based on hypothetical situations that may never happen. As your team grows and you gain experience through making mistakes your new rules can be built around your mistakes.

2/ What is your Mission - Different from the goal( A goal measures whether your on purpose or if you fallen off purpose. If you want to go to Los Angeles that is a goal if you end up in Chicago you are off goal. Focus on Mission Be on purpose at all times . Continuity keeps you focused with measurable team goals… helps you to measure whether your on purpose

3/ Speak in a manner that supports others or don’t speak.. Demeaning language not acceptable. Drains people. Swearing creates a negative environment. Words are tools… the most powerful tool we have… can hurt someone or build them.

How often have you been hurt by people’s words. The old adage … if you can’t say something good about someone don’t say it.. Bad language changes the whole vibe of an organization

4/ Acknowledge the other persons point of view. Listen to their point of view. You may learn something you didn’t know before. You may gain valuable info.


Continue reading "Building Strong Teams"

For more leadership success tips, subscribe to our ezine.

DO YOU HAVE THE QUALITIES TO BE A GREAT LEADER?

Do you have the personal qualities to be a great leader?

Leaders have

1. Flexibility. Leaders must be able to adapt to change, and have their organisation able to do so too.

2. Judgement. To be able to make the right choice at the right time

3. Courage. Courage is based on belief in one’s decisions, the courage to make a choice and stand by it, or to adapt to changing situations, and new information

4. Knowledge. A leader needs to have the knowledge necessary to do the job – knowledge of the technical side of the organisation and of the people. That knowledge must be kept constantly up to date.

5. Will power. To stick with choices and decisions and to see them implemented. And to be able to stay flexible and responsive to all inputs.

6. Integrity. The foundation stone for all of these is integrity. We all respond to integrity

For other free articles on communication success in leadership, visit

Leadership Success Tip

Peter Garrett, an Australian politician commented on the leadership example of Nelson Mandela:

" ... he had the strength of will to endure a long period of hardship, the change of heart to see his opponents as human and the intelligence to see that offering light at the end of the tunnel is always preferable to blocking the way or trying to blow up obstacles."

For more leadership tips, subscribe to our ezine.

Writing to communicate effectively

With email and text messaging becoming so prevalent, there is a tendency to become slack in all writing and this is something that is impacting on businesses and organisations. This was highlighted in an article in the New York Times entitled What Corporate America cannot build: A sentence."

There are two aspects to communication. Getting your message read and understood, and creating an impression. If the writing is difficult to understand, then the message will not be read. We are all just too busy. If it is too awkwardly written it will not be understood, and in fact could be seriously misunderstood. Put these two together and you have a recipe for an impression that you will definitely not want to create for your organisation.

Ken O'Quinn is a writing coach who provides href="http://www.writingwithclarity.com/writingtip.htm">tips for writers who want to be able to write with clarity.

Take the time to ensure that your organisation and the people you train communicate with clarity and present an acceptable impression of your organistion.
For Communication success tips subscribe to our ezine.

Speech Making Success Tip

Eye contact is a wonderful tool to convey sincerity. It is also useful to help you to stay aware of how the audience is reacting to you. Stay aware and adapt by changing your presentation style and content to keep their attention and interest.

Practise your public speaking communication skills at a club.

Publicity Strategy for your organisation

I have taken this strategy from a suggestion made by John Stanley, a conference speaker and retail consultant. He was writing to encourage publicity for libraries, but the idea would work just as well for many organisations. He writes, “An advertiser’s dream is to hit its target audience when they are not distracted by other advertisers and have time to absorb the promotion. In today’s hectic world those situations are rare, hence the high dollars to get product placement adverts on movies. … Café menu holders featuring a promotion are used in other retail sectors. The objective is to educate and promote whilst the person is having a cup of coffee. Coffee shops often have Perspex menu holders and you can use these to promote [your organisation], services and [programmes]. The great thing about these holders is that people read them while having a relaxing cup of coffee … Placing adverts in newspapers is not the way to grow [organisations], we need to be innovators and the opportunities are there.” John Stanley Associates website is http://www.jstanley.com.au
So how can we use this idea? Do you meet in a café? Then could you arrange to have your publicity displayed there? Do you know someone who owns a café who could display for your organisation? Otherwise, what do you have to offer your local café owners to persuade them to display your promotional materials? Think about it. Do you could offer training? What would it cost to advertise in your local café? How much of a year’s training does that amount to? Try offering that to the café owner. Maybe they have a friend or family member who would benefit from your training. Who from your organisation has the skills to offer this trade? If no one in the club will take it on, maybe you have a friend or relative who could negotiate for you … the options are yours.

Communication Success Tip - Listening

In conversation, listening is vital because:
- Constant talking does not contribute to the conversation
- It allows you time to consider what you are going to say next
- It allows you to polish what you are going to say for maximum impact and timing
- It allows you to watch and feel the emotions and tenor of that the others are saying
- Attentive, sincere silence offers sympathy of attention even when you do not agree and encourages confidence and the sense of appreciation that brings out the best in people

Develop your listening skills through evaluation at ITC. Visit a club

Nine Steps of Planning in your Organisation

Even though everyone in your organisation may be fairly aware of what is to be achieved, and what your organisational goals are, the goal-setting, planning process is useful to focus awareness on the aims and processes and to ensure that everyone knows exactly what their roles are.

These steps can also be used in any decision-making situation, or any problem solving session.

Planning, must, however, never stop. It is constantly adapting to new situations.

1. Assess the situation
2. Select objectives and strategies to realize objectives.
3. Develop action plans for entire long-range plan
4. Develop detailed action plans for current year
5. Establish a way to monitor activites and insure feedback (reporting).
6. Develop a budget and implement ways to meet funding requirements.
7. Measure performance; analyze feedback; compare progress with plan.
8. Act on findings: give green light to successful activities, take corrective action when needed.
9. Signoff on completed plans - abandon ones not achieving your objective or when the objective changes (as they do).

For workshops to help you grow your organistion, visit

Leadership Success Tip

This week's tip comes from Ron Sargent, CEO of the big office resources firm, Staples. He made a point of being involved in customer service. "Get your hands dirty," he said. "Before you can be a great leader, you need to understand the inner workings of the business and where and how the greatest impact can be made."

For more Leadership Success Tips, subscribe to our ezine:

PR The Power of a smile in selling your organisation

A smile adds value to all that you do. It makes you approachable (an opening to talk aboutyour organisation!), and adds value to your conversation (makes you more believable before you start talking about it), and it makes your message about your group far more powerful.

For more tips on Publicity and PR book a workshop. Visit

FINDING YOUR VOICE - LEADERSHIP SUCCESS

In November 2005, Stephen Covey finally released the follow-=up to his Seven habits series. The book is entitled The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness, and instructs readers how to "find your voice and inspire others to find theirs." It took much longer than expected to write, and is 50 pages longer than the total number of pages in the previous seven put together.
"Simply, Habit 8 asserts that everyone has an inner longing to seize the day and live a life of contribution," USA Today's Del Jones writes in a recent article about Covey. "It requires heavy lifting, and Covey challenges readers to get there."
We will watch to see if Habit 8 sells as well as "The 7 Habits," which has sold 15 million copies in the 15 years since it was first published.

For more leadership success tips subscribe to our ezine. Visit

Speech Making Success Tip for the Week

If you want to get a message across, people need to be able to hear it, to be able to hear each word. That means articulating every word very clearly. So pay particular attention to beginnings and especially endings. Then there can be no confusion between similar words such as taken and taking, or pass and past.

To practise your public speaking skills in a supportive environment with constructive feedback, visit a club:

Negotiating confidence

Negotiating can be a challenge. Sometimes we watch successful negotiators at work and wonder if it is an ability they were born with. But with a little time, information and preparation you can head for the negotiating table with confidence.

Ten Steps to Win-Win Negotiating.

1. Be prepared. Define your objectives and use lateral thinking to brainstorm possible ways they can be achieved.

2. Research the other party’s objectives and brainstorm the methods they may use. “Find the edge” – any pressure points or hidden agendas. “Information is power.”

3. Prepare yourself and the way you use the venue. Choose your seating for power, your clothes and your attitude.

4. Establish a cordial relationship on opening the meeting. Specify the aims of the meeting.

5. Raise less contentious issues first.

6. Promote harmony, minimise the negatives and articulate areas of commonality.

7. “Win-win” means compromises on both sides, so be prepared to bargain. Start with two lists – your must-haves and your might-haves, and start with a higher level than you expect to obtain. Highlight the contribution of your concession to the other person’s objectives.

8. Be prepared to release information at times beneficial to your cause. Use silence.

9. Listen for surprises.

10. Articulate the agreed outcomes and any timelines, or they may collapse.

Use detailed preparation and the win-win method and you have the tools to approach negotiation with confidence.

For more Communication success Tips, subscribe to our newlsetter. Visit

Be heard, be understood

Speech Making Success Tip:

If you want to get a message across, people need to be able to hear it, to be able to hear each word. That means articulating every word very clearly. So pay particular attention to beginnings and especially endings. Then there can be no confusion between similar words such as taken and taking, or pass and past.

Read more Public Speaking Tips at our other blog:

A New Publicity Pitch

Taking advantage of local or timely events is a great way to get cheap publicity for your organisation.

Joan Stewart writes:

When it comes to celebrity status, the TV weather people are at the bottom
of the totem pole. While the news anchor is invited to host a glitzy
charity ball, the weather guy is asked to cut the ribbon at the opening of
the local ice rink.

So imagine how surprised forecasters are when they receive cookie bouquets
on February 5, "TV Weatherperson's Day," courtesy of Cookies by Design.
The bouquets are even personalized with each TV station's logo.

"Some stations announced it on every newscast from morning to midnight,"
said Michael Burns, president of Michael A. Burns & Associates, the Dallas
PR firm that came up with the idea several years ago and suggested it to
all franchise owners. The promotion was so successful that it has become a
tradition. One year, Cookies by Design was mentioned on more than 80 TV
stations nationwide. As a result, orders for cookie bouquets skyrocketed
during the first week of February when sales are typically flat.

What can you deliver to your local TV weather person on the morning of
February 5? For national exposure, you can even try schmoozing Al Roker,
or your favorite forecaster over at The Weather Channel.

> Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine
> featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe
> at http://www.PublicityHound.com and receive free by email the handy list
> "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

For more useful cheap publicity ideas and tips, book a workshop for your workplace or conference. Visit

Email marketing for your organisation

Do you use email marketing to publicise your organisation? It has so many benefits. And with so many people using the internet and email to source their leisure and learning needs, it is a shame to waste this powerful avenue of publicity for your organisation. For some excellent information on using email to its best potential

Download two Email Best Practices Guides courtesy of EmailLabs (gratis)
www.emaillabs.com/resources_bestpractices.html

Visit the page above for download links to two PDF guides: one a Quick Tips and the other an Articles Collection.

For further training and tips on publicising your organisation, book a workshop, visit

Leadership Success Tip

"Remember the difference between a boss and a leader: a boss says 'Go!'- a leader says 'Let's go!'"
.....E.M. Kelly

For articles on Leadership, visit

Meeting success: Simple steps to presenting a motion

Using motions in a meeting keeps the meeting on target and ensures the will of the meeting is recorded. These simple steps ensure that motions are dealt with efficiently and effectively.
1. Rise and attempt to get the Chairman's attention. Wait to be recognised.
2. Chairman recognises speaker by name.
These two steps are called "Obtaining the floor."
3. Having obtained the floor, state the motion "I move that ..." Explain the motion.
4. Another member seconds the motion showing that more than one member wants the matter considered.
5. The chair states the motion.
6. The chair asks for discussion if the motion is debateable.
7. The Chair puts the question. (asks for a vote)
8. The Chair announces the result of the vote.

Learn more skills for make your meetings efficient and effective. Visit

Extending your Publicity Range

If your community is like mine, it is full of small and large groups – non-profit groups, self-improvement groups, business support groups, school associations and service clubs, and many, many more. Many could have members who are interested in what you offer and may welcome guest speakers. This is a great chance to publicize your club or organisation. (It is also a chance to gain extra training as a speaker, if that is one of your goals! - for a different audience.) Start by making a list of five organizations that could be approached. Then make a list of speakers who could take on this assignment. This list will then be available when you are approached to provide guest speakers in the future. Make sure they are equipped with brochures, business cards and other printed publicity to take to their presentations.
It is also possible that the organizations might want to send a guest speaker to your club. This is another chance to impress, with the wonderful product or service that you offer.

For more publicity tips and tricks, book a workshop for your next conference or meeting. Visit

ePublicity

Using the internet for publicity and e-marketing has been around for some time. You are reading this because of ITC's decision to enter this field. But it is only recently that many businesses have seen the potential for the success of this tactic. One is the business of car sales. Growth in eMarketing for car dealers has developed rapidly, since about the time this article was written for Marketing Vox. The potential is there for you to explore ideas to estable recognition for your organisation.

Study: Email Beats Pants Off of Other Media in Auto Category
Internet Retailer: What car dealers lose by ignoring e-mail marketing
While a self-serving survey, a study did find that email marketing boosts auto dealer marketing return on investment in several interesting ways. The 365 Marketing study showed that email marketing to local car customers garners about five times the response rates of traditional DM efforts. The study found that few are taking advantage of the opportunity, though. 365 Marketing founder Deanie Gregory said it was largely due to "technology and cultural barriers."

Here is the link to cut and past into your browser:
http://www.internetretailer.com/dailyNews.asp?id=13189

If you would like to learn low-cost marketing tips for your organisation, or how to establish an e-marketing package, visit