Actual for You - Business

Rules are Not Made to be Broken
Are you surprised when you read and hear about all of the corruption within business these days? I'm not. The way people act in business situations is nothing more than a reflection of how they act in their normal lives. Why would we expect anything different?I am a follower of rules. I believe that rules are there to give everyone an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits that our great nation provides. I get angry when people don't follow the rules.I don't like seeing people park in handicap zones, with or without a handicap tag, when they don't need to. I get irritated when shoppers take 15 items and check out in a 10 item or less line. I don't like to listen while people talk about how they managed to by-pass the cable company and get their cable TV for free. You get the idea. When people don't follow the rules, those of us who do pay the price. I guess those folks believe that the rules are made for everyone e

cal, structural elements that are essential for a dynamite speech. Our hypothetical executive needs to start with some creative brainstorming.

Winning Networking Strategies From the World of Tennis
What wins at Wimbledon wins at your local chamber. Watch a tennis match; world class or amateur, the basics are the same. In each case the goal is to make contact with the ball and knock it back over the net!In tennis if the ball remains on one side of the net too long, there is a greater chance it will dribble off to the side and the opponent will score the point. In networking conversations, the same is true. The longer the ball is on your side of the court (the longer you are talking) the greater the risk your listener will become bored.And just as the ball will roll off the court, so will your business opportunity. So how do you win a networking volley? Keep the image of a tennis match in your mind and use questions to “return the serve”What type of questions keep the conversations rolling? Almost anything open ended will do. Here are a few of my favorites:• What do you do?• How did you get s

This is the second of three articles on various aspects of my new 21-Step How to Write and Deliver A Dynamite Speech System.

In the Part One Dynamite Speech article, I discussed Step One: Defining Your Core Message. Defining your core message is the first step of Phase One – Strategic Design.

In this article, I’ll briefly discuss two of the steps in Phase Two – Creative Development. This is where you allow your imagination to run free as you brainstorm and choose which elements will make up your dynamite speech.

Here’s a hypothetical situation. A high level executive is asked to relocate and assume the leadership of a regional office. He must craft a speech to deliver to his new employees. The speech needs to accomplish these three objectives:

to introduce himself and his background
to communicate his vision
to inspire confidence in his leadership

Would you agree that he needs a dynamite speech? A speech that not only conveys information, but conveys hope? This executive needs a speech that goes beyond content, to true connection. He has one golden opportunity to make a positive first impression.

The fact is, some speeches are more important than others. Some represent a prime opportunity to make an impression that will lead to a promotion or a big sale. Others are critically important because they are an opportunity to communicate a vision or a change in direction.

Would you be ready to take full advantage of such an opportunity? Would you know what to do?

The Dynamite Speech System is designed to provide a road map for developing such a speech when the opportunity presents itself. The System helps you combine the creative elements and the logical, structural elements that are essential for a dynamite speech. Our hypothetical executive needs to start with some creative brainstorming.

Networking Groups - Try To Attend Even When You're Moonlighting
Networking groups often meet during the day. This poses a logistical problem for those computer and IT consultants who have regular jobs and are moonlighting as they try to start their business. Attending networking groups is critical for business success so you need to be able to balance the conflicting time schedules as effectively as possible.Here are some tips on how to attend networking groups when you're moonlighting:First, look for networking groups that hold their functions in the early evenings. There should be quite a few networking groups that have this type of schedule. This allows you to minimize your time off work.If you have to leave work early to attend a networking group function, try to minimize the disruption to your employer. Give lots of notice and try to get your work caught up ahead of time.Consider using up personal days in order to attend the "can't miss" networking events that crop

u allow your imagination to run free as you brainstorm and choose which elements will make up your dynamite speech.

to introduce himself and his background
to communicate his vision
to inspire confidence in his leadership

Would you be ready to take full advantage of such an opportunity? Would you know what to do?

Business Cards - What to Do With Them?
Get Rid of Business Cards You Don't NeedEveryone collects lots of business cards, and nobody really knows what to do with them. We're afraid to throw them out. But there's little benefit in saving them in a jumble in your drawer. There are a variety of containers available, from plastic to electronic. But to think first about storage misses the point. Before you think about "What's the best place to put them?" ask "Would I really need this again, and if so, why -- and when?" Be firm; get rid of cards from people you are not likely to contact in the future. If you have a great many business cards, it can actually backfire - the more cards you have, the harder it is to find a specific one when you need it. Less is more-- It's easy to keep them in order, and easier to find when you need them. And remember, the point isn't to collect the cards, but to keep them in a way that makes it easy to use them.Add Useful Details<

sion

to inspire confidence in his leadership

Would you be ready to take full advantage of such an opportunity? Would you know what to do?

5S Workplace Organization in the Office and Plant
Though many of the Lean tools have originated in the Toyota Production System, the maturation and migration of them to non-manufacturing settings is a natural evolution. This evolution builds on the foundation of Lean in the plant and adapts the concepts to other venues.5S Workplace Organization is one lean tool that is increasingly applied in the office as well as in the plant. The basic reason for this cross-border applicability stems from its title, Workplace Organization.The key element of 5S is the getting rid of non-useful material that has accumulated in the workplace. The workplace occupants have become accustomed to files, documents, sales brochures, equipment, and supplier catalogs taking up valuable office space and being piled on top of cabinets, under desks, in back rooms, and on desks. Similarly production inventory, scrap, tools & jigs, and unused machinery accumulate on the shop floor. As well as being a hindr

l lead to a promotion or a big sale. Others are critically important because they are an opportunity to communicate a vision or a change in direction.

Would you be ready to take full advantage of such an opportunity? Would you know what to do?

Business Stress and its Causes
What is Business Stress? Business stress is felt during times of conflict, pressure, loss, illness or anxiety. It describes the frantic pace of business life. Everyone reacts differently to stress. Some people can cope and take it in their stride; others find the pressure too much and buckle under. Much of the stress, anxiety, and the sense of overload that people carry is because they feel their lives are out of control. Stress seems to come from the perception that our life feels overloaded.In medical terms, stress is your body's physical reactions to change, which is not always bad. It is said that a little bit of stress is good for our well-being and exercises our faculties. However today's stress caused by business activity can have a detrimental, psychological or emotional effect on our health.What Causes Stress? Business stress is a common result of fear - fear of uncertainty and insecurity. Whe

cal, structural elements that are essential for a dynamite speech. Our hypothetical executive needs to start with some creative brainstorming.

For many years, I’ve referred to myself as an obsessive creative. I have more creative ideas and solutions than time to implement them. My challenge is getting organized. I used to think that everyone was creative, but now I know that creativity is not hard wired into everyone equally. A Dynamite Speech needs to be an auditory, visual and kinesthetic experience, so it is essential that you learn how to be creative, if that is not a natural talent for you. It needs to be logical and easy to follow, too, so you need to learn to be organized, as well.

Step 6 of the Dynamite Speech System, Start Your Search Engines, is all about making creative and innovative choices. While you may use an internet search engine as part of your research, the search engine I want you to rely on most is your amazing brain. In this step, I want to show you how to unleash the power of your creative right brain.

There are Six Steps to the Creative Process.

Ask
Listen
Transcribe
Decipher
Organize
Write

Do you notice that organize and write come last? That’s because the creative process is first and foremost a non-linear process. It has to do with asking questions such as, “What do I want people to know about me?” or, “How do I want people to feel at the end of my speech?” and then listening for and being aware of all of the answers that come up.

Sitting at a computer and making Power Point slides is usually more of an organizing process than a creative process. Creativity takes time. When you’re working on a speech, you should start weeks before the event. Write down six or seven questions that you want to answer. Here are some examples of questions you might ask yourself:

What’s my main point?
What are my supporting points?
How can I reach my audience emotionally?
How will I get a laugh or two?
What story or stories do I want to tell?
What data has to be conveyed?
What do I want my audie

HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.actual4u.com/article/34582/actual4u-How-to-Write-and-Deliver-A-Dynamite-Speech--Part-Two.html">How to Write and Deliver A Dynamite Speech - Part Two</a>

BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.actual4u.com/article/34582/actual4u-How-to-Write-and-Deliver-A-Dynamite-Speech--Part-Two.html]How to Write and Deliver A Dynamite Speech - Part Two[/url]

You thought you had the job nailed. The interview went well - the interviewer seemed to like you and your skills were a perfect fit. They even seemed to be on the verge of offering you the job on the spot. But your agency tells you the next day you didn’t get the job or contract. Take a look at five reasons why you might have been rejected for a position and what you can do about it.

When a good employee starts performing poorly, it may be something outside the workplace that is causing his performance to suffer. An excellent guide to diagnose the behavior of the employee is Maslow’s Ladder. Maslow believed that people are basically good and that their actions could be explained by the satisfaction of a hierarchy of needs, which encompasses five levels.

Who is the ultimate master of joint ventures? You may be surpised, he was so good he tapped into Oprah's viewers!

Tags

Links

Actual for You - How to Write and Deliver A Dynamite Speech - Part Two

Related Articles: