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- Issue No.11 -
“In any moment of
decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing.
The worst thing you
can do is nothing.”
Theodore Roosevelt
Hello and welcome,
Could it be possible …? Summer has been very long and very hot in this part of
the world, but there are signs that autumn may be on the way. Not a minute too
soon as far as I’m concerned.
I
have been finding so many good resources about communication; I just had to
share them – reading, writing, conversation, books, speaking. I have posted
them on my blog,
Pivotal Communication. So if you are
interested, please feel free to visit.
Best wishes,
Bronwyn
In this Issue:
-
Leadership Success Tip
- Manage
your e-mail so that is does not rule your workday
-
Public Speaking Tip: Energy
-
Communication Success Tip
- Closing
Thought
1. Leadership Success tip
All good
leaders must mentor someone to become a leader themselves.
2.
Manage your e-mail so that is does not rule your workday
From
Business First of Louisville
by Denise
O'Berry
If you sit at
a computer for most of the day, it's tempting to constantly check your e-mail to
see what's new. But that's a time management disaster if you're trying to make
progress in your business.
Resist the
temptation. Here are some tips to help you get that time-eating monster under
control.
Turn off
e-mail notification. It's just like a ringing phone that demands to be answered.
Even in the instant world that exists today, e-mail can wait.
Establish a
schedule for checking and responding to e-mails. Put it in your daily calendar
and treat the time like an important meeting. Make sure you allocate a start and
stop time. Reading and responding to e-mail can become an all-day affair.
Train your
clients and customers on your response method and timing. Predictability will
take your business relationships a long way, and you'll be a lot better off.
Set up files,
folders and e-mail rules in your e-mail software to help you manage the type of
messages you receive. Consider using your software's flag option to recognize
e-mails that are critical.
Use your least
productive time of day to read those "important-but-not-urgent" e-mails such as
newsletters and general information items.
And don't
forget to reassess the mail you receive on a regular basis, too.
Denise
O'Berry is a small-business consultant in Tampa, Fla. Contact her at
www.whatspossible.com
3.
Public Speaking Tip: Energy
by Ty Boyd, CSP, CPAE
The greatest asset any speaker can have is ENERGY. Energy comes in many colours
and hues, from a whisper to a shout. Some will define energy as passion,
enthusiasm or "fire in the belly." With this fire, even a trivial message
becomes compelling; without it, the most powerful message will fall unheard. We
say "fire your purpose with passion. Run it through your principle-filter.
Prepare. Practice. Then, present. The result will be enormous POWER."
Face
Use your
face. The greatest bank
account we have in human relations is free. It’s a smile.
Add your smile
to penetrating eyes and expressive brows. With eyes on fire and an intense face
you will capture the attention of the most callous. Your face is like a
television set. People will watch it with more interest if there is colour and
energy in the picture.
Body
Parts
Add the
power of your body.
After your eyes and face come the all-important carrier of the message... your
body. Stand tall. Use gestures. Over-emphasize them when you practice. Make
bold rather than timid gestures, broad rather than small! Great stage performers
have learned how to take advantage of their body, face, eyes, and space.
Balance
Maintain
physical balance.
There’s a subtle difference in the respect awarded those who
stand tall and
speak with their weight equally balanced on both feet. You lose none of your
warmth and appeal by standing tall. You gain stature and a sense of power. It is
fine to move, but do so with a purpose. Do not wander aimlessly, pacing and
creating a cadence of movement. This becomes monotonous, wears down your
audience, and renders the presenter far less effective.
Involvement
Involve the
audience. Be sensitive
to the audience’s needs. Get to know them before you
speak. Find
out what their individual interests are. Weave that into your presentation.
Balance your emphasis between content and relationships, facts and feelings. We,
as presenters, must strive to answer the multiple needs of an audience. Create
a balance of information and entertainment.
Practice! Practice! Practice!
This is the
most important rule of all. Practice - Practice - Practice. Never take a
speaking engagement lightly. If you are to do your best, you must practice. Some
presenters fall into the trap of winging it. The danger is that sometimes
“wingers” do a great job. So, they assume they are most effective with no
practice. Ask Jack Nicklaus, Michael Jordan, Billy Graham, Tiger Woods, Liddy
Dole, Colin Powell, Jerry Seinfeld, or any star salesperson you know -- the
greats practice! No exceptions.
Get Rid
of Your Need to be Perfect
Perfection is
an impossible objective. Replace “perfect” with “be my very best.” Being perfect
is impossible—don’t attempt it!
Rehearse
Q & A
When a
question and answer period is appropriate, rehearse the Q&A session just
as diligently as you do your talk. If there is the possibility of controversy or
tough questions, identify the five toughest questions you could be asked and
prepare a rehearsed answer for each.
No Booze
– No racy material – No obscene language
Booze will not
make you sharper. It is a very treacherous friend. Off-color material and 4-
letter words are not necessary. They will offend someone in every audience.
There are too many good words in the English language that will represent you
well. Don’t resort to cheap laughs and uneasy applause.
Practice
. . . some more
. . . and
confidence will travel with you.
You can do
it!
Ty Boyd is a
businessman, speaker, teacher, coach, and author. He is founder of the
Excellence in
Speaking Institute (ESI) and is author of Visions From the Leaders of
Today and
Tomorrow
and The Million
Dollar Toolbox. He can be contacted at
information@tyboyd.com
4. Communication Success Tip
What do words
have in common with speech? Simply this. Just as time clicks along and can
never be recovered, so words, once they are out of our mouths, can never be
retrieved. Similarly, just as we are responsible to use time conscientiously,
so we must use words conscientiously, in order not to hurt others.
From Bruno
5. Closing Thought
Forget the Lottery. Bet on yourself instead
Brian
Koslow
The
Communication Edge is available to both members and non-members of ITC. So
please don’t hesitate to forward it to someone who might enjoy it.
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ã
2006 Unless otherwise attributed, the material in The Communication Edge
is written by Bronwyn Ritchie and is being used for International Training in
Communication. All rights reserved. You are welcome to reproduce any of it,
but on condition that the following resource box accompanies it:
ITC is an
international organisation offering training in communication, leadership and
organisation skills. International Training in Communication provides
opportunities for personal growth that show immediate results. The ITC website
is at
http://www.itcintl.com/.
For more
Communication tips and articles subscribe to The Communication Edge. Email:
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Bronwyn
Ritchie's
