Six Steps to Writing a Thank You Note – Holiday Edition

Writing a sincere thank you note is one of the professional skills that can make a lasting favorable impression. People like being appreciated. One of Dale Carnegie’s fundamental human relation principles is “Give honest, sincere appreciation.” When writing a thank you note, use a plain, small card. However, the card is not as important as the effort, so if paper is all that is available, write the note anyway! Use this 6-step formula as a sure-fire method of expressing appreciation in a written note.

1. Greet the Giver: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith OR Dear Jamie. It seems like an obvious point, yet many people will begin a note with “Hi” or even omit the greeting.

2. Express Gratitude: Thank you so much for the book. The key is to keep it simple and specific. The point of writing the note is to create an expression of a heartfelt sentiment.

3. Discuss Use: I started to read the book immediately and have found many great ideas already. People like to know that you found their gesture or gift valuable. Sharing how you are using the item or idea makes their effort more meaningful.

4. Another Thank You: Thank them again for the gift. It’s not excessive to say thanks again.

5. Complimentary Close: Wrap it up with a close that expresses your final thought: Regards, All the Best, Sincerely, Gratefully, etc. Then sign your name.

6. Send It: Even if your colleagues and acquaintances are not of the note-writing variety, be the one who sets the precedent.

It is the mark of a true professional to become skilled at writing thank you notes in this age of email, voicemail, and text messaging.

Demonstrating business professionalism is not difficult; it just takes effort and focus. Applying simple aspects of business etiquette goes a long way in establishing our professionalism, which builds our confidence and comfort in business settings.

The Team Cycle

Stage One: Formation
The main focus during the Formation stage is to create a team with clear structure, goals, direction, and roles, so that members begin to build trust. During the Formation stage, much of the team's energy is focused on defining the team and its responsibilities. Team members tend to be optimistic and interested at this stage.

An hour of planning will save three hours in execution, and this principle certainly applies to the team cycle. The more thorough and organized you are in the formation stage of team development, the more likely it is that the team will successfully transition through the stages of stabilization, actualization, and maturation, prior to termination.

Stage Two: Stabilization
In this stage, the team learns about each other and the missions or tasks that they have been assigned. They begin to settle into their roles on the team. Patterns of interaction and communication start to emerge as team members experience the process of working together.

This stage is critical to successful team outcomes. Some teams never experience stabilization. Working in those teams is an uneasy experience, because the team never achieves its footing. Role definitions are fuzzy, responsibilities are fluid, and team members never quite feel comfortable with one another.

Stage Three: Integration
Team members feel an increasing acceptance of others on the team, recognizing that the variety of opinions and experiences makes the team stronger and its product richer. Members start to feel part of a team and can take satisfaction from the increased group cohesion. In this stage, the team focuses on its goals, breaking larger goals down into smaller, achievable steps. The team may need to develop both task-related skills and group process and conflict management skills to smoothly transition into the next stage.

Stage Four: Actualization
During the Actualization stage of team development, team members experience an increased sense of comfort in expressing their ideas and feelings. They develop an acceptance of others on the team. They learn to value the variety of experience and knowledge in teammates. During the Actualization stage, team members start making a conscious effort to set aside differences and achieve group harmony. Communication is emphasized and becomes more efficient. Team members take themselves less seriously and a team sense of humor emerges. Typically, the team becomes more productive in this stage.

Stage Five: Maturation
In the Maturation stage of team development, members feel satisfaction in the team's progress. They share insights and are aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. Members feel comfortable with the team's patterns and processes and feel confident in their individual abilities and those of their teammates. Team members become more accepting of each other and of value differences. In the Maturation stage, the team makes significant progress toward its goals. The commitment and competence of team members is high. Team members continue to deepen their knowledge and skills and work to develop the team. Accomplishments in team process or progress are measured and celebrated.

Stage Six: Termination
Some teams, such as project-specific teams or cross-functional teams, come to an end when their work is completed or when the organization's needs change. It is important for any team to pay attention to the ending or termination process. It is likely that, at any given moment, individuals on the team will be experiencing different emotions about the team's termination.

During the Termination stage, some team members may become less focused on the team's tasks and their productivity may drop. Other team members may find that focusing on the tasks at hand is an effective response to their changing team involvement. Their task productivity may actually increase.

Building Your Networking Skills - 8 Quick Tips

Networking events can seem very intimidating, but they can be a resource that will help propel your career to new heights. It is always important to go into a networking event with enthusiasm and a set goal in mind. Use these ideas to help make your next networking experience a successful one.

1. Network online - According to recent research by The Institute For Corporate Productivity, 64% of business professionals network online. In today's Web 2.0 environment, you cannot afford to ignore this networking opportunity and potential leads you could generate via social networking sites.
2. Start with LinkedIn.com, the leading business networking - Membership is free, and you can pro-actively search for and connect with customers and prospects. Also, Linkedin.com users can post questions to the "Answers" section on the site. Make an effort to answer questions relevant to your area of expertise. Not only will you add value to your connections, but you will also get additional exposure and attract prospective customers who will seek you out!
3. Arrive early - Treat the event like an important appointment. By arriving early, you get comfortable in a more intimate setting with the other early arrivals. It can be intimidating to walk into a room filled with people, so go early and let the room fill up around you.
4. Show confidence - Speak confidently, decisively, and with authority. If you are confident in your conversations and support your ideas with evidence, people will take notice and respect that you know what you are talking about and that you mean business.
5. Circulate - Don't just talk to the people that you know. Get out there and go network!
6. Meet with VIPs or speakers - If there are VIPs or speakers at the event, prepare ahead of time. Do some research on the individual(s) so that you are informed when you talk with them. Compliment them on their speech or talk to them about how the topic of their speech or their field relates to what you do.
7. Stay late - When you stay late, the smaller crowd also gives you the opportunity to circulate in a more intimate setting. It also provides you with an opportunity to connect with the event's coordinator. Thank him or her for hosting the event. The event coordinator can give you some additional insight about who attended the event and who might be at the next event. It's never too early to prepare for the next event.
8. Have a robust profile on the networking site - Put in as much relevant information as you can that demonstrates the value you bring to your customers. Put in all the keywords you think prospective customers may use to search for a service provider in your field. Remember, on a social networking site, you want to make it easy for people to find you!

Win-Win Negotiation Tips for Managers

As managers, the ability to use win-win negotiation skills can make all the difference in negotiating success. Likewise, it can be essential when influencing coworkers and facilitating constructive, positive relationships. Here are 6 things that managers should think about when preparing for a negotiation.

•Know what you want - As a manager, it's important to go into a negotiation knowing what you want your end result to be. Make sure you put a lot of time and thought into what you want and why you want it. Remember that it is important for you to consider what's in it for you financially, emotionally, intellectually, physically, etc. It also helps to know what you don't want as you go deeper into negotiations.

•Know what your counterpart wants - Your counterpart will also have an agenda when he or she enters the negotiation. Make it a point to understand beforehand what he or she wants the conclusion of this negotiation to be. Understand the financial, emotional, intellectual or physical resolution that he or she is looking to walk away with.

•Anticipate objections - The negotiation process is not always easy. As a manager, you have to understand that you will meet some objections from your employee along the way. You need to prepare yourself for this by doing your due diligence prior to the negotiation. Make sure that you have relevant evidence at your fingertips with which the other party can identify and relate to.

•Identify concessions - Determine your absolute non-negotiable items and desirables and what you are willing to give and take. You are certainly not going to walk away from every negotiation with all of your needs satisfied. Negotiations are all about the give and take, and as a manager you need to be prepared to meet your employee half way.

•Determine your "walk-away" - When you determine your "walk-away," you define the point at which there is no need to proceed with the negotiation. Prior to the start of the negotiations, you must ascertain your own "walk-away" point. This will be your single most important source of negotiating power, so once your "walk-away" point is met, you need to make sure you take action.

•Practice with a partner - As is the case with any important presentation you have ever made, you always want to practice. You could be faced with a difficult discussion and it is always best to make sure you rehearse possible outcomes. By practicing with someone else you will build your confidence with the situation and it will ultimately help the negotiation run as smoothly as possible.

Social Media Marketing for Business: Build Your Digital Footprint

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How Tactful and Diplomatic Are You? Self-Assessment Quiz from Dale Carnegie

Mastering communication skills can improve your professional image and expand your authority.  Your ability to navigate through difficult situations, build consensus, and manage change can create powerful results for your organization.  Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can help establish more effective communication with your co-workers and colleagues.

Creating Loyal Customers

Sixty-eight percent of customers leave because of what they perceive as indifference from the merchant or someone within the merchant's organization. They feel unappreciated, unimportant, and taken-for-granted. (Source: Research by Dan S. Kennedy)

Today's customer is more educated, better prepared, and has more alternatives than at any other time. Given the complexity of the marketplace, it is not enough to merely satisfy your customers. You must turn them into fans, who will not only remain loyal to your product or service, but who will spread the good word about your company. You need to exceed expectations, show customers you care, and provide exceptional customer service. You need every good word you can get in this turbulent market!

Challenges to achieving high levels of customer focus and loyalty generally fall under one or more of the following areas:

Process: How your company or organization operates on a daily basis. This includes how your company communicates and aligns the features and value of the product or service with your customers' expectations.
 
Roles: Who does what in your company or organization? Your employees must agree on tasks and responsibilities and hold employees accountable to those priorities.
 
Interpersonal Issues: How your customer service personnel get along with each other and with other departments. This includes their attitude, teamwork, and loyalty.
 
Direction: How your company defines and communicates its overall and departmental vision and mission.  

External Pressures: In addition to market conditions, other sources of pressure include the availability of resources such as time and money. You may or may not be in control of the availability of these resources.

Keys to creating top-notch customer service are: BE SURE!

Broad product knowledge through insights into what your product or service can and cannot do.
 
Extreme desire to help. Show your goodwill, passion, and eagerness to please.
 
Sincere interest in your customer's situation. Don't assume the customer is simply being unreasonable when they may have a very good reason to be upset.
 
Understand customer expectations, which may be extremely demanding in these challenging times.
 
Respect for the customer's point of view.
 
Empowered with authority to provide answers, solutions, and any other help.

Tips for Dealing With an Upset Customer

From time to time, you will have to deal with a customer or client who is very upset. No matter who is to blame, it is always important to keep a few principles in mind to improve rather than deteriorate the situation with the customer. Here are some tips for dealing with an upset customer:

1. Stay calm. Try to remain diplomatic and polite. Getting angry will only make the customer angrier.
2. Try to see things from the customer's point of view. Perhaps you would also feel upset if you were in the same situation.
3. Thank the person for raising the concern and do it sincerely. Emphasize the importance of satisfied customers to you and your organization.
4. Listen for understanding. Sometimes the irate caller just wants someone to listen to their story, even if you are unable to help them.
5. Ask questions to get their facts and feelings. Listen to learn rather than to prepare your response. Don't respond too quickly.
6. Find points of agreement with their concerns. Establish common ground to show the person you are listening.
7. Always show a willingness to resolve the problem or conflict. Make the resolution seem as easy as possible.
8. Be genuine and show your personality. Respond as an understanding friend rather than by citing policies.
9. Be firm but understanding with your answers.
10. As a last resort, offer to have your supervisor talk to the caller. Your supervisor may say the same things, but sometimes hearing it from someone else has a positive effect on the customer.

How Do You Use Effective Communication and Consultation Techniques

When you are starting a new project you will need to be able to use all of your communication and consultation techniques to get it done. You may not have to use them all, but you should be ready to. The easiest thing you can do at this stage is to set up a plan for how the project is going to go ahead and what things you will need to do as a manager in order to proceed as the project moves forward. The more complicated the project is the more in depth the plan needs to become, and the more people need to see the plan. If it becomes very complicated your team may all want to work on plans for each of their parts in the project so that everyone knows what needs to happen. These will change as problems come up in the project, but that is one of the roles of communication.

As the project is being planned it may become obvious that you will need to consult with someone outside of the team to let them know what is happening and how it is going to happen. When you do this you should identify for them the scope of your project, how it will affect them, anything they may need to do or provide you with in order for you to continue, set out the appropriate methods for this to occur with an option for feedback from both sides on how this is working out. This kind of consultations usually happens in the workplace where there is a sensitive project and a share holder, or a client will need to be notified and kept up to date on the progress of the project.

When problems occur, because there are few projects that can go off without a hitch here or there, the most important thing is to let the appropriate people be aware of what changes are being made without sounding like it is a question or a decision you can change. Stay cool, calm, and answer any questions they may have. If you have a hard time having these kinds of conversations, look for someone on your team with customer service training who can help with the discussion. Allow them to give you feedback as part of the discussion and you may decide to change something based on ideas that are presented to you.

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Dale Carnegie Principle #23: Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.

Dale Carnegie Principle #22: Begin with praise and honest appreciation

5 Tips for Conducting a Successful Team Presentation

Now more than ever, business professionals are being asked to give presentations with teams. Everyone on your team must hone their presentation and preparation skills for these types of team presentations to be effective. Professional team presentations involve thorough planning, smooth transitions, logical sequencing of subject material, and the ability to create a coherent professional message. Here are 5 steps your team should follow in order to have a successful presentation.

1) Powerful Opening - Open up with a bang. You want to immediately engage your listeners and set the tone for the presentation. Make sure to plan your statement carefully and deliver a startling statement (statistic or fact) that you can drive home with sincere appreciation.

2) Introduction - After your opening, you should always briefly overview your agenda for the presentation and introduce all the members of the team. There are two different ways you can go about your introductions. The team leader can briefly introduce each member of the team and their respective role in the project, or each person can briefly state their own name and what their role will be in the project.

3) Handoffs - Part of your preparation for the presentation should go towards planning your handoffs. A poor handoff may slow down the flow of your presentation and confuse the audience. To help ease the transition, you should keep to a strict time frame for each speaker and use verbal cues to indicate that the next speaker is coming up: "In a minute, Bob will tell us how the timeline will work." As a presenter, make sure you are listening so that you hear your cue.

4) Team Question and Answer Session - An effectively facilitated question and answer session will leave a lasting and positive impression on your listeners. It is important in a team presentation to plan and prepare for this session. Take some time to predetermine which questions/subjects of questions will be answered by which team member. Also, determine a cue that will let your team members know to add on to your point.

5) Close with an Impact - It is important that you end your presentation on a high note. The closing of your presentation will reinforce the message you want your audience to take away with them. You want to have one person, typically the leader, close for the team. At the conclusion of the closing, make sure that you efficiently gather any materials and equipment that you used.

Dale Carnegie Principle #21: Throw down a challenge

Management Training Myths: What Doesn't Work

The history of management training and various work ethic philosophies that have gone along with it and evolved through time demonstrate various perspectives and approaches to training management staff. In addition, they demonstrate the changing orientations toward dealing with employees that have occurred in recent decades. Interestingly, the greatest changes have occurred in the last couple to few decades and represent an increase in respect and support for various staff levels. Years ago there was an extreme power differential between management and support staff, however recent trends demonstrate that eliminating these hierarchies in attitude creates a more positive work environment.

With this and other discoveries, there have been great changes in management training program philosophies. Certain myths and historic beliefs about how to appropriately train management and consequently treat staff have been uncovered and are no longer in place. These earlier beliefs are now considered to be destructive to the well being and success potential of a company, and changes in approach to training and staff treatment have demonstrated strong growth in the companies that affect it.

Micromanaging may be appropriate in certain, though uncommon, contextual situations, though as a general rule is ineffective and results in a frustrated and stagnant workforce. In addition, training management to engage in insulting correctional behavior is also counter to productivity. A supportive and communicative manager has been seen as weakness and ineffective leadership in the past, though this was based on stereotypes that are not comical. It is important to train management in positive communication and delegation skills, and the attitudes and practices of early 20th century training are recognized as destructive and sometimes in appropriate. One of the most noticeable of the beliefs that has been eliminated is the myth that men are smarter and more capable managers than women. There are many others that are similar in pattern and intent.

Dale Carnegie Principle #20: Dramatize your ideas

Staying on Top of the Change Process

Engaging workplace change can be an unpredictable experience, because processes and people evolve in diverse ways as they undergo change. No two individuals will respond in exactly the same way to workplace changes. In the same way, identical changes implemented in multiple areas of an organization can produce distinctly different outcomes. Here are some tips to show you how to stay on top of the change engagement process, by thoroughly preparing for it, while allowing for various outcomes. These tips allow you to take a structured approach to organizational change, and still maintain flexibility.
Motivation for Change
Change begins at the point where the organization finds a motivation for change. Sometimes external issues drive the change, like reorganizations, management changes, relocations, or acquisitions/mergers. Other times internal forces drive the change, such as upgraded technology, expansions and growth, or continuous improvement.
Analyze the Situation
As the organization becomes progressively more motivated to change, leadership undertakes a thorough analysis of the risks and opportunities associated with the proposed change:
• What are the potential gains in undertaking the change?
• What are the costs?
• What are the risks of making the change?
• What are the risks of not making the change?
Plan the Direction
Once the determination is made that opportunities outweigh the risks of making the change, a plan is developed for change implementation. Many organizational change initiatives fail because of lack of careful, thorough planning. In this step, the stage is set for the ultimate success or failure of the change. Key elements of the plan must include:
• Planning for the impact of the change on individuals who will be most affected.
• Planning for the impact of the change on the systems within the organization that will be most affected.
• A step-by-step plan for integrating the change into the organization.
• A review plan to measure the success of the proposed change.
Implement the Change
Depending on the type and scope of the change, implementation within the organization may be gradual or abrupt. Changes such as layoffs or acquisitions often are implemented with little prior warning, while staffing, reorganization, or technology changes may be phased in over a period of time. The team’s most critical role in this step of the change process is to maintain open, honest lines of communication with each other.
• Define individual responsibilities.
• Announce and launch the change.
• Adhere to timetables.
• Promote the anticipated benefits of the change.
Review the Direction
Once change has been implemented, you monitor the outcomes of the new structure and system. As team members in a changing work environment, you can’t assume that the change will evolve exactly as planned, or that every individual affected by the change will react as anticipated. Your role is to observe review checkpoints that will reveal whether the change is working as anticipated and is producing the desired results.
• Establish ways of measuring results.
• Communicate criteria for successful change outcomes.
• Coordinate the gathering and measuring of change effects.
• Inform key team members consistently during the review process.
Adopt
When the change implementation has been reviewed and found to be succeeding as planned, the change is adopted, and becomes part of the new organizational norm. The review process is not terminated, but it transitions to the ongoing monitoring of the changed systems and relationships within the organization.
How well is the change meeting planned outcomes?
How well have I adjusted to the new status quo?
What aspects of the change have not met expectations?
What is my role in making those aspects more successful?
Adjust
If the review process concluded that the change is not working as planned, adjustments need to be made to the change implementation. Assuming that our change analysis and plan have been executed accurately, we ought to be able to adjust the implementation of the organizational change in order to achieve our desired results.
• Determine where the outcomes are falling short of your plan.
• Engage key individuals in determining adjustments that need to be made.
• Keep the lines of communication open with everyone involved.
• Make adjustments to the review process as well as the change implementation.

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Principle #19: Appeal to the nobler motives.

Principle #18: Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.

How to Stay on Track as an Effective Team

Frequent, open Communication –Most team dysfunction is rooted in communication breakdowns, such as poor listening, interrupting, rambling, inability to get to the point, and simply not communicating frequently enough to create team cohesion.
Take time to create team cohesion – Relationships cannot develop in a vacuum. Spending less time together will not create stronger team bonds. Building effective team cohesion involves taking the time to get to know working styles, personalities, and preferences.
Give honest, regular feedback –Everyone on the team needs to get feedback in order to feel connected to the team effort. Even if that feedback is critical, the team member knows that their contributions are being noticed and evaluated. For the team to stay on track and avoid retreating into dysfunction, everyone needs to be talking with each other about expectations, goals, performance, and processes.
Build Cooperation--In a strong team, individuals rely on each other to make processes and interactions function as planned. Strong teams root out uncooperative members and either replace them with people who will move the team process forward, or coach them to more cooperative behavior.
Function Democratically--In a strong team, every team member's voice is heard. Each member of the team has a right to question the process, add input, and evaluate the progress of the team.
Assure Team Members are Well Trained--Any team is only as strong as it's weakest member. Team members are expected to function in a specific role that has its own set of experience and knowledge requirements. Newer members of the team may bring less experience to the team effort. They can make up this gap through training, education, study, and dedication. Assure team members have access to training that can help them contribute at their highest level.
Recognize Strengths--It can be hard to see the strengths in other team members. In a business climate where appreciation is often in short supply, many of us get out of the habit of looking for the strengths in others. It takes a change in mindset to start seeing individuals in terms of what we admire and appreciate in them. Take time to give honest and sincere appreciation to team members.
Celebrate Diversity--If we stop and think about it, most of us would be bored by having to work with a team whose members all had the same personalities. Team interaction is much more stimulating and interesting when the team has a variety of personal styles and characteristics. When we celebrate our differences, we acknowledge that all of us are enriched by our opportunity to work together.
Manage Results, Not Tasks--Ultimately, what matters is each team member's contribution to the team's goals and mission. Strong teams, with diverse personalities, learn to focus on the results each team member achieves, rather than trying to make individuals achieve the results in a certain way. This allows the individuals to express their personalities through their work, and still contribute significantly to the team effort.
Leverage Competitive Spirit to Create Cooperation--Friendly competition generates results. Keep the competition between the team and its own past results, not between individual team members. Make competition exciting. Review past successes and find ways to positively challenge the team to exceed those results.

Principle #17: Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.

Principle #16: Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers

Controlling Employees Emotions

Strong emotions are both a cause and result of conflict. People in conflict have a variety of strong and often negative emotions. These emotions often conceal the issue in dispute. The emotions are real though, and must be addressed for the conflict to be resolved comfortably for everyone involved.

Maintaining emotional control when we deal with relationship conflicts is probably the most important step, and the most difficult. People can reduce escalation of negative attitudes by learning methods to process anger, create healthy alternatives to destructive responses, and create dialogue to discuss the issue while maintaining control. Here are some actions to take when trying to maintain control. 

1. Stop and cool off- There is little point in trying to talk through the issues when both people are upset. Give it a little time and let tempers cool down. Come together when each party has achieved some sort of equilibrium.
2. Have everyone talk and listen to each other – Make sure that nobody is hiding from the issue at hand. Keep everyone talking and expressing themselves honestly and openly. 
3. Find out what everyone needs – Sometimes these dialogues can focus on complaints rather than developing solutions. Determine what everyone needs from the situation and strive for a solution where everyone’s needs are met. 
4. Brainstorm solutions – Everyone will have their own vision of an ideal outcome for themselves. The challenge will be to avoid forcing our solutions on the conflict situation, and allow solutions to emerge out of creative thinking on everyone’s part. 
5. Choose the idea that everyone can live with – One of the ways to break from a negative conflict cycle is to find solutions that you all feel are fair under the circumstances. 
6. Create a plan and implement it – To make sure that the conflict does not re-emerge, you must make a blueprint. Plan ways of working together that will keep emotional outbursts to a minimum.

 

Principle #15: Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.

Building Fans Through Business Professionalism

Everyone wants to project a professional image when starting out in a new role. Inappropriate behavior indicates lack of experience and makes others feel uncomfortable. People want to conduct business with people who are socially and professionally accomplished. Poor behavior reflects negatively on the individual and on the organization. To avoid the mess that always accompanies inappropriate behavior, cultivate a professional image that allows you to navigate the professional environment with ease and comfort.

Business professionalism refers to the code of behavior that is expected of you in a leadership role. Set yourself apart by demonstrating proper business etiquette in meetings. There are eight elements to good meeting etiquette.

1. Promptness: Develop a reputation for being on time and you will earn the respect of other organized professionals. Others arrive on time and they will expect you to be prompt too. Nothing is more frustrating to a team than constantly waiting for a tardy participant.

2. Greetings: Take the time to greet everyone with a friendly, personal greeting. You will have the time to do this properly if you arrive a little early to meetings so that you can greet others as they arrive.

3. Honor the territory: Sometimes the meeting is on your turf and you are responsible for conducting it. When the meeting occurs on someone else’s territory, you should step back and allow them to conduct the meeting.

4. Look the part: Whether the other participants in the meeting are in formal business attire or dressed casually, you should do your best to fit in. If professional attire is expected, you should wear it; if you are coming in from a job site, take a few moments to dust off and look presentable. If you wear one, it is appropriate to remove your hat during an inside meeting.

5. Listen: In meetings, you should listen at least twice as much as you talk. Keep your eyes and attention focused on the speaker.

6. When guests arrive: Take time to introduce the guest to the rest of the group.

7. Leaving the meeting: Don’t rush out in a hurry; it will seem like you are eager to get away as fast as possible. Stay behind for an appropriate length of time to help straighten up the meeting room, talk informally with other participants, and ask the facilitator any relevant questions.

8. Follow up: Be clear on assignments given during the meeting and be prompt in completing your assignment by following with any requested information.

By implementing these basic practices in meetings, you can up demonstrate positive etiquette and strengthen your professional standing in the group.

Principle #14: Get the other person saying, "yes, yes" immediately.

Principle #13: Begin in a friendly way.

Staying Flexible during Change

Think of yourself as stretchable, expandable, and able to adapt to anything new. Who wants to view themselves as static, inflexible, and unable to adapt? Periods of change are unpredictable, and we may be asked to adapt to changes that we never anticipated. In order to stay flexible, follow these guidelines:

1. Set short-term goals
It is best during changing times to think ahead, but not too far ahead. Focus on goals and tasks that can be achieved in the immediate future. That way we can achieve measurable and motivating results, even if the change plan is altered in some way. Instead of abandoning our efforts because of changing priorities, we complete our short-terms goals and move on.

2. Work in intense bursts of activity
Some people call this the "blitz mentality." Complete tasks with intense periods of creative output that produce concrete results. That way we have measureable outcomes that motivate and inspire us to continue our work and, in the process, better engage change.

3. Focus on team efforts
Teams are in a constant state of changing responsibilities and deadline. By aligning ourselves with others who are aiming at similar goals, we create the opportunity for flexibility in achieving results. We become more focused on others and less likely to retreat into our own comfort zone. We gain motivation and inspiration from the other members of the team, making us more likely to successfully play a leadership role.

4. Plan for possible change scenarios
The most important strategy for staying flexible during change is to prepare for various change scenarios. If we create a plan for each possible set of change circumstances, we are prepared to engage change in any way that affects us in the workplace. This gives us more flexibility, greater confidence, and makes us more likely to be successful in leading change without authority.

Principle #12: If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.

Principle #11: Show respect for the other person's opinion. Never say, "you're wrong".

Principle #10: The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.

5 Tips For Leading Change Without Authority

During periods of change, we sometimes think too far ahead. If we allow ourselves to get caught up in “what if” thoughts, we lose track of today. Take on the changes one day at a time, and the process seems less overwhelming.

Create a worst-case scenario. We haven’t truly faced head-on until we have faced the worst-case scenario. Always ask yourself, what is the worst that could happen for me as a result of this change? Consider how the change might push you beyond your capabilities, might create negative consequences with managers and team members, and how it might drain your energy and productiveness.

Prepare to accept it. This isn’t a matter of saying to ourselves that if it happens, it happens. It means thorough planning for the worst-case scenario. It’s the same sort of planning that emergency responders conduct. Maybe there won’t be a disaster that requires that level of preparation, but if it happens, they are ready. Plan to improve on a situation to avoid a worst-case scenario; we must be willing to throw our energy and resources into the effort. Consider all the possible ways that the worst outcome can be avoided. In the planning process, consider communication, marshalling team effort, and intervening preemptively.

Keep busy. Sometimes change has the effect of slowing us down, leaving us disorganized and unmotivated. It is during these periods in our careers that we need to summon the most energy possible and keep busy. Not only will this keep us from dwelling on our concerns, but it will also enhance our image in the organization at a critical time.

Cooperate with the inevitable. We can’t avoid or deflect change. It’s a part of everything we do in our careers. When we remind ourselves of this, we don’t waste time and attitude fighting inevitable change.

Do the very best you can. The most fundamental rule of business professionalism is to do the very best we can at all times. This motivates us internally, driving our efforts through whatever changes we are facing. Whatever way the change ends up impacting our careers, we want to be able to say to others and to ourselves that we did our very best. Put enthusiasm into your work. What are the ways that we can boost our enthusiasm about our work? How do you get motivated? What can you do to make sure that you are giving the most energy to your work that you can? During periods of change we need as much enthusiasm as we can muster. When we are enthusiastic, we get more done better, faster, and with less. We experience more enjoyment and feel a sense of accomplishment from our work.

Principle #9: Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.

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Dale Carnegie Colorado is proud to present the Dale Carnegie Course for Teens: GENERATION.NEXT. The course is eligible for 2 college semester credits at most universities. The program will run August 10th, 11th and 12th in Denver. Call 303-964-8688 for more information or visit our website at http://www.dalecarnegiecolorado.com/

Principle #8: Talk in terms of the other person's interests.

Seven Types of Listeners and Tips to Better Listening Skills

Exceptional listening skills and the ability to persuade others to your way of thinking make the difference between good and great teams. Pure listening builds trust, credibility and respect. One reason is because when you fully listen, instead of trying to compose your response, the result is a relevant and on-target response. What you say is proof of how well you listen.

The “Preoccupieds”
These people come across as rushed and are constantly looking around or doing something else. Also know as multi-taskers, these people cannot sit still and listen.

Tips
If you are a “Preoccupied” listener, make a point to set aside what you are doing when someone is speaking to you.

If you are speaking to a “Preoccupied” listener, you might ask, “Is this a good time?” or say, “I nned your undivided attention for just a moment.” Begin with a statement that will get their attention, be brief, and get to the bottom line quickly because their attention span is short.

The “Out-to-Lunchers”
These people are physically there for you, but mentally they are not. You can tell this by the blank look on their faces. They are either daydreaming or thinking about everything and anything else but what you are saying.

Tips
If you are an “Out-to-Luncher”, act like a good listener. Be alert, maintain eye contact, lean forward, and show interest by asking questions.

If you are speaking to an “Out-to-Luncher”, check in with them every now and again and ask if they understood what you were saying. As with the “Preoccupieds,” begin with a statement that will catch their attention, and be concise and to the point because their attention span is short.

The “Interrupters”
These people are ready to chime in at any given time. They are perched and ready for a break to complete your sentence for you. They are not listening to you but focused instead on what they want to say.

Tips
If you are a “Interrupter”, make a point to apologize every time you catch yourself interrupting. This will make you more conscious of it.

If you are speaking to an “Interrupter”, when they chime in, stop immediately and let them talk, or they will never listen to you. When they are done, you might say, “As I was saying before…” to bring their interruption to their attention.

The “Whatevers”
These people remain aloof and show little emotion when listening. They give off the impression that they could not care less what you are talking about.

Tips
If you are a “Whatever”, concentrate on the full message, not just the verbal message. Make a point to listen with your eyes, ears, and heart.

If you are speaking to a “Whatever”, dramatize your ideas and ask questions of the person to get his or her involvement.

The “Combatives”
These people are armed and ready for war. They enjoy disagreeing and blaming others.

Tips
If you are a “Combative”, make an effort to put yourself in the speaker’s shoes and understand, accept, and find merit in his or her point of view.

If you are speaking to a “Combative”, when he or she disagrees or points the blame, look forward instead of back. Talk about how you might agree to disagree, or what can be done differently next time.

The “Analysts”
These people are constantly in the role of counselor or therapist and they are ready to provide you with answers even when you have not asked. They think they are great listeners and love to help. They are constantly in an analyze-what-you-are-saying-and-fix-it mode.

Tips
If you are an “Analyst”, relax and understand that not everyone is looking for an answer, solution, or advice. Some people just like bouncing ideas off other to help them see the answers more clearly themselves.

If you are speaking to an “Analyst”, you might begin by saying “I just need to run something by you. I’m not looking for any advice.”

The “Engagers”
These are the consciously aware listeners. They listen with their eyes, ears, and hearts, and try to put themselves in the speaker’s shoes. This is listening at the highest level. Their listening skills encourage you to continue talking and give you the opportunity to discover your own solutions and let your ideas unfold.

Tips
If you are an “Engager” keep it up. People truly appreciate this about you.

If you are speaking to an “Engager” take the time to acknowledge their attentiveness. Thank them for their interest in you and your topic.

Principle #7: Be a good listener. Encourage other to talk about themselves.

Principle #6: Remember that a person's name is ot that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.

“Warrior Transition Program” and Dale Carnegie - Fort Carson Colorado

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Dale Carnegie Principle #5 - Smile

12 Tips for Negotiating and Compromising with Difficult People

Negotiating is the process of attempting to agree on a solution. Compromising, or settling on a mutually agreeable solution, is the result of successful negotiations. Compromise is all about being flexible. It means being able to generate alternate solutions when you’ve “hit the wall.” Whether it involves a person you can’t get along with, an idea you know will work but that others are reluctant to agree to, a change in office systems, or a turf war that needs ending, learning to negotiate and compromise is essential to your success.


1. Have a positive attitude. - Your attitude is essential to the outcome. You have a much better chance of coming to an outcome involving mutual gains if you approach the negotiation as an opportunity to learn and achieve a win-win outcome.


2. Meet on mutual ground. - Find a mutually agreeable and convenient physical space to meet that is comfortable for all involved. Agree on when you will meet and how much time is available to devote to the process. Whenever possible, deal with negotiations face-to-face. Be careful about using the phone and e-mail. A lack of facial expressions, vocal intonation, and other cues can result in a negotiation breakdown.


3. Clearly define and agree on the issue. - Agree on the statement of the issue using simple and factual terms. If the situation is multifaceted, search for ways to slice the large issue into smaller pieces and deal with one issue at a time.


4. Do your homework. - Take time to plan. You must not only know what is at stake for yourself, but you need to know the other side’s concerns and motivation. Take into consideration any history or past situations that might affect the negotiations. Know the must-haves (nonnegotiable items) and nice-to-haves (negotiable items). Determine the best resolution, a fair and reasonable deal, and a minimally acceptable deal.


5. Take an honest inventory of yourself. - Determine the level of trust you have in the other person and the process. Be conscious of aspects of your personality that can help or hinder the process.


6. Look for shared interests. - Get on the same side by finding and establishing similarities. Since conflict tends to magnify perceived differences and minimize similarities, look for common goals, objectives, or even gripes that can illustrate that you are in this together. Focus on the future, talk about what is to be done, and tackle the problem jointly.


7. Deal with facts, not emotions. - Address problems, not personalities. Avoid any tendency to attack the other person or to pass judgment on his or her ideas and opinions. Avoid focusing on the past or blaming the other person. Maintain a rational, goal-oriented frame of mind. This will depersonalize the conflict, separate the issues from the people involved, and avoid defensiveness.


8. Be honest. - Don’t play games. Be honest and clear about what is important to you. It is equally important to be clear and to communicate why your goals, issues, and objectives are important to you.


9. Present alternatives and provide evidence. - Create options and alternatives that demonstrate your willingness to compromise. Consider conceding in areas that might have high value to the other person but are not that important to you. Frame options in terms of the other person’s interests and provide evidence for your point of view.


10. Be an expert communicator. - Nothing shows determination to find a mutually satisfactory resolution to conflict more than applying excellent communication skills. Ask questions, listen, rephrase what you heard to check for understanding, and take a genuine interest in the other side’s concerns. Reduce tension through humor, let the other “vent,” and acknowledge the other’s views. Focus less on your position and more on ways in which you can move toward a resolution or compromise.


11. End on a good note. - Develop a win-win proposal and check to make sure that everyone involved leaves the situation feeling they have “won.” Shake on it and agree on the action steps, who is responsible for each step, how success will be measured, and how and when the decision will be evaluated. Be open to reaching an impasse for non-critical issues; you can agree to disagree on minor issues.


12. Enjoy the process. - Look at the benefits of learning other points of view. People report that after overcoming conflict and reaching an agreement, the relationship grew even stronger. Reflect and learn from each negotiation. Determine the criteria to evaluate the process and the solution.

Dale Carnegie Principle #4: Become genuinely interested in other people

Principle from How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Find out the right way and wrong way to practice Dale Carnegie Principle #3: Arouse in the other person an eager want.

The best salesman in business

Since then, more than 30 million people worldwide have been embellishing, bedecking, and otherwise disfiguring their copies of How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie. Upon its release in February, an iPhone app loaded with videos, charts, and homilies immediately became the top-selling paid business app in the iTunes store (it just landed on the iPad as well), and a new edition of the book -- only the second since its original publication -- may be arriving in stores next year. Not that Dale's heirs need the money; HTWF is already the most successful business advice book in the history of the solar system. Originally published in 1936, it has been translated into 47 languages, including Hindi, Nepalese, and Telugu. Last year alone, the very fortunate Simon & Schuster, which has controlled the rights to HTWF since its birth, sold 300,000 copies -- hardcover, paperback, and audio -- just in the U.S. By comparison, Malcolm Gladwell is a parvenu.

Read more @ http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/29/news/economy/dale_carnegie.fortune/  or click on the title

Principle from How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Find out the right way and wrong way to practice Dale Carnegie Principle #2: Give Honest, sincere appreciation.

10 Rules of Public Speaking

Nervousness and being frightened with public speaking is a common factor for all who give speeches. There are 10 rules and tips that will help you gain confidence and control over any anxieties you have and these rules will help you improve upon any speech.

The best and first rule to follow is to know your material. Pick topics that interest you and do extra research on your favorite topic to be fully informed, but you don’t need to use all the information on the subject. Bring up personal stories and make the topic seem conversational, using humor is always acceptable and helps with remembering the material.

Second rule, practice and rehearse your material out loud, and if you can, use a microphone, or something that represents a microphone. When practicing, remember where pauses worked best and keep them there, or revise as needed. Practicing also helps with how much breath is needed for a segment of your material. Time yourself, because you don’t want to go over the allotted time.

Third rule, it’s not a bad idea to get to know your audience in both senses, personally and in general. As members arrive, go up to them and introduce yourself and ask them a question that will let you know a little bit more about them, this way, when you look out, you’ll be able to connect better and feel you’re among friends instead of a group of strangers. For the general aspect, understand the mind-set of the guests you’ll be addressing, for example, you don’t want to talk about carnivorous actions if most of the audience is vegetarian.

Fourth rule, get the feel of the room you’ll be speaking in. Arrive a bit early and walk around the area and if the microphone is set-up, practice using it and any visual aids you might be using during your speech or lecture.

Fifth rule, you need to be relaxed when you first begin to speak, one way to accomplish this is to address the audience, this will calm your nerves and give you a small amount of time. Pause after addressing the audience, smile and count to three before you start your speech. For some reason, this approach has always worked. This is also something you should put into your practice time.

Sixth rule, while practicing, visualize yourself actually giving the speech. See yourself speaking with confidence and see yourself enjoying the subject you are speaking about. See the audience enjoying your speech as well, see them laughing at the appropriate moments and applauding at the end.

Seventh rule, understand that your audience wants you to succeed, they aren’t their to humiliate you, they are there because they really want to hear what you have to say. But, they also want to be informed, stimulated, intrigued and entertained, so keep this in mind when you are organizing your material.

Eight rule, you don’t need to apologize for being nervous, basically because they won’t really know that you are unless you tell them.

Ninth rule, if you focus on the message and not about how nervous you are, then you’ve won the battle. Your own anxieties will be pushed to the background and your material will shine forth and foremost, which is what your want your audience to be focused on, your material and not you.

Finally, the tenth rule, you need to get stage time, gain experience. The only sure way to hone in on the craft of public speaking is to keep doing it. There are many organization geared just for public speaking. If you want to get over your fear of public speaking, it’s best to participate in the organizations. They usually will have meetings in the morning hours before work or in the evenings, after work, so there’s no excuse.

Dale Carnegie - Principle #1: Don't Criticize, Condemn or Complain.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS - Presentations

Tip #1 - Use Proper Preparation

The effective speaker should have a clearly organized and purposeful presentation. Here is the basic structure of a successful presentation:

• Opening - Favorably attract immediate interest from the audience
• Message - Clearly state your message or theme
• Evidence - Establish credibility and inspire respect and confidence by using convincing evidence
• Closing - Leave the audience with a favorable, memorable impression

Tip #2 - Do Your Research

Before presenting, make sure that you are familiar with your topic and are comfortable with the information you are about to present. You should also know the purpose of your presentation. Some of the most common purposes of presentations are:

• Convince/Persuade to get action
• Inform
• Motivate
• Entertain
• Keep this in mind as you prepare your presentation.

Tip #3 - Enhance Your Presentation

Working to enhance your communication skills will add impact to your presentations.

• Develop increased flexibility through the use of expression, gestures, and voice modulation
• Demonstrate ownership of unfamiliar material
• Present written material in a captivating manner
• Improve your delivery of written material
• Overcome barriers that restrict your flexibility
• Use evidence to prove points (i.e. statistics)

Tip #4 - Deliver a Strong Closing

The end result of giving a powerful presentation should be that your audience comes away with useful information. Here are some guidelines on communicating with greater impact:

• Have energetic body language and an upbeat tone of voice
• Maintain eye contact with your audience
• Avoid being tied to a script or lectern
• Get your audience involved by using examples and holding a Q&A session

Download - Dale Carnegie Guide to Effective Public Speaking http://tiny.cc/jkk6x

TIPS FOR SUCCESS – Leadership/Management

Tip #1 - Engage Employees

A key quality of a leader is the ability to "move people" to action. Here are some guidelines for inspiring cooperation:

• Begin with honest, sincere appreciation
• Develop an environment that encourages ideas and show respect for the other person's opinion
• Create opportunities for feedback to close the communication loop
• Ask questions instead of giving direct orders
• Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest
• Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves
• Recognize human potential and reward the accomplishments of others

Tip #2 - Plan Properly

Having a planning process is crucial to success. Try following this process:

• What should be accomplished in the scope of this plan?
• Determine the reality of the current situation.
• Define and set the goals
• Work out a definite program, including the action steps.
• Estimate the cost of the plan.
• Set timetables.
• Implement the plan.
• Follow Up

Tip #3 - Set Achievable and Measurable Goals for You and Your Team
Here are some tips on how leaders can coach employees to persevere in the attainment of their goals:

• Prioritize your goals. Brainstorm with your team and place all the ideas into categories – urgent, important, and unnecessary. Develop a numbered list of specific goals.
• Establish a production schedule with intermediate goals. Make an actual schedule so you can put dates to all the ideas. Intermediate steps allows you to watch the progress of the production and evaluate your team’s performance.
• Communicate the goal system and objectives to your team. Obtain your team’s input about how to best meet these goals. Let each member know what they are personally responsible for producing.
• Reward success. Keep your team and yourself motivated to achieve your goals by giving a small reward each time a goal is met. Let everyone know you value his or her effort and time.

Tip #4 - Delegation

Failing to delegate tasks is a common problem among inexperienced managers. Delegating allows you time to do your job and helps employees to grow toward their own potential. Consider the following delegation tips when tasks need to be completed:

• Identify Opportunities
• Select the Person
• Plan the Delegations
• Hold a Delegation Meeting
• Create a Plan of Action
• Review the Plan
• Implement the Plan
• Follow Up