There are many benefits to offering team building sessions and corporate retreats. At the end of a particularly successful corporate retreat that I recently facilitated, I overheard employees making comments the following comments:

“It’s because of sessions like this that this is one of the best places to work.”

“This company must really value its employees to invest so much time and money in us.”

Here are some tips to help you ensure that your next team building session or executive retreat is just as successful.

Clarify Your Objectives

Before you plan your team building session or corporate retreat, it is important to be clear about your objectives. Far too often, companies end up disappointed in the results because expectations were not clearly identified and articulated. Ideally, outcomes should pinpoint the desired impact on the business and be stated in measurable terms. Unfortunately, many organizations treat team building as a discretionary event and don’t attempt to link it to the needs of the business:

Examples of Team Building Objectives

• Improve customer satisfaction by 15%
• Improve employee satisfaction by 10%
• Reduce churn by 5%
• Improve the closing ratio of the sales team by 12%

Even “softer” outcomes like these could be stated in measurable terms if one takes the time to think through the specific impact on the business:

• Forge stronger alliances between geographically dispersed teams
• Fine-tune your marketing and sales strategy
• Reduce friction and “turf wars” between organizational levels and departments.
• Improve communication between teams and departments
• Improve your decision making process
• Identify strategies to reduce red tape and duplication of effort
• Brainstorm and generate new strategies to resolve business issues and overcome challenges
• Manage projects more effectively even within tight time frames

Planning Considerations for Team Building

Once you are clear about your objectives, it is important to determine:

• number of participants
• positions and levels of participants in organization
• physical disabilities and constraints
• budget
• time frame

If you are using an external team building consultant for your corporate retreat, identify a clear decision making process and decision making criteria. Ideally, you should be in a position to make a decision no more than 2 weeks after contacting prospective vendors. You should allow at least a month, preferably 2 months for adequate planning of your session. It amazes me how often we are contacted with companies who want to pull together a complex team building session in a two week or less than one week time frame.

Select the Right Locations for Team Building and Corporate Retreats

Your choice of location can make or break your team building session or corporate retreat. Let your objectives and theme drive the location selection decision and not vice versa. I recall a time when a prospective client had blown most of the budget on a high end conference facility. The result? There was little left in the budget for a facilitator.

Determine if you will require assistance with location scouting and be fair about it. An experienced team building firm should be able to help you find a location to fit your budget. However, it does take time to call around, check availability and come up with just the right fit. For foreign locations, long distance charges are often incurred. It is not kosher to expect consultants to do your location scouting for free. It is also not appropriate to do the event on your own and use the location suggested by a team building service provider.

If your budget is limited, scout around. You may be able to find some unique and cost effective locations for your events. You can stretch your budget by using summer camps during off-peak season, amusement parks, acting studios. the catering department of community colleges to save on the cost of refreshments, movie theatres, camp sites, and conservation areas. 3 looking to save money on location, it is important to book your session WELL in advance…..3 - 4 months in advance. To book a group camp site and shelter, you would need a 5 - 6 month lead time.

Select Your Theme

One of the best strategies for “spicing up” your team building sessions and corporate retreats is to come up with a theme. Based on your theme, you can select an appropriate venue, energizers, session starters, music, video clips, graphics for slides and handouts, and menu items. The key is to let your objectives and content drive the theme. To come up with your theme, create a mind map. Put your content and topics in the centre and come up with as many themes as possible that relate to your topics. If you want to fine-tune your sales and marketing strategy or prepare your team for “uncharted territory” and change, a Survivor team building sessions would be the most appropriate choice. If you want to hone project management and leadership skills or help them improve their effectiveness in pulling projects together within tight time frames, a team building session based on the TV show the Apprentice would be a perfect fit. If your team needs to improve its ability to cope with a fast paced environment, a surprisingly affordable polo team building sessions would fit the bill.

Set a Realistic Time Frame

Sometimes, companies are totally unrealistic about the time frame for a retreat. It is surprising how many people think that they can do a full blown simulation with debriefing, application exercises, and a presentation by a member of the senior management team in half a day. Let me stress this in bold. A half day simulation with adequate time for debriefing and business application exercises is just not doable. The only way that it can work is if the simulation or activity is very simple or short and you have one very clear and specific objective or core message that you want to convey. Of course, you can always find team building companies that will take your money and promise you the moon within a half day or even 2 hour time frame. Buyer beware. You have been warned. Of course, if your goal is strictly recreational, that is doable in half a day or two hours.

When determining an appropriate time frame, consider if there are items other than team building that you need to include in your agenda. A number of the companies with which we work have included vendor and client presentations, departmental presentations, and presentations about plans for the upcoming year into their corporate retreats and team building sessions. The key is to determine the content THEN select the appropriate time frame, not the reverse. So, what are some realistic time frames and formats for team building. Here are some ideas:

Half Day Team Building Format

1 Hour - Preparation/ Briefing Session Including Senior Management Presentation

1 Hour - Mini-Simulation or Recreational Activity

1/2 Hour - Debriefing Preparation Exercise

1/2 Hour - Debriefing Panels

1/2 Hour - Preparation for Application Exercise

1/2 Hour - Breakout Group Presentations ( Maximum 2 - 3 Groups - 10 - 15 minutes each)

TOTAL = 4 Hours

1 Day Team Building Format

1 Hour - Preparation/ Briefing Session Including Senior Management Presentation
3 Hours - Simulation
1 Hour - Lunch
1/2 Hour - Debriefing Preparation Exercise
1/2 Hour - Debriefing Panels
1 Hour - Preparation for Application Exercise
1 Hour - Breakout Group Presentations ( Maximum 4 - 5 Groups - 10 - 15 minutes each)
1/2 Hour - Breaks
1 Hour - Recreational Activity (Optional)
1 Hour - Evening BBQ (Optional)

TOTAL = 8 1/2 - 10 Hours

These formats are very basic. You will get feedback from some team members that they felt rushed during some of the exercises. Be prepared for this and don’t blame the facilitator. An evening BBQ or dinner buys you a bit more time and ends the session on a high note.

Here is a better format that can include an overnight stay at your location or a briefing a week before your team building session:

Pre-Briefing + 1 Day Team Format

Evening
1 Hour - Pre-briefing for Simulation Team Leaders
Dinner - 1 Hour
1 Hour - Preparation/ Briefing Session Including Senior Management Presentation
1 Hour - Simulation
Flexible - Team Recreational Activity or Competition Related to Simulation Theme
Day 2
3 Hours - Simulation (Continued)
1/2 Hour - Debriefing Preparation Exercise
1 Hour - Lunch
1/2 Hour - Debriefing Preparation Exercise
1 Hour - Debriefing Panels
1 Hour - Preparation for Application Exercise
1 Hour - Breakout Group Presentations ( Maximum 4 - 5 Groups - 10 - 15 minutes each)
1/2 Hour - Breaks

If you want to lengthen the time for the simulation or give people more time to prepare for their business application exercises, devote more time for outdoor recreational activities, vendor, client or departmental presentations, or other agenda items, we suggest a 2 1/2 - 3 day format. Remember, the briefing session can be done in advance and you can cut your session down to 2 - 2 1/2 days

Select Your Teams

There are a number of factors that you should take into account when you select your teams. Ensure that you:

• mix departments
• mix geographical regions
• mix organizational levels
• form team based on learning styles
• give team members who don’t get along with each other an opportunity to work together
• give the newer or more junior members of your team an opportunity to serve as team leaders

Analyze your group and assess their learning styles so that you can make decisions about team composition and a number of other key elements for your session.

Team Building: The Bottom Line

Team building sessions and corporate retreats can be rewarding experiences that pull your team together and bring you closer to achieving your goals and objectives. Careful attention to planning can help you avoid a session that people perceive as “a waste of time” and ensure that you get the results that you desire.

© 2006 Executive Oasis International - All Rights Reserved

Anne Thornley-Brown is the founder and President of Executive Oasis International, a Toronto based firm that helps executive teams in Canada, Jamaica, Asia, and Dubai design strategies to survive, thrive and grow in our turbulent economy. Their services include executive retreats, meeting facilitation, executive team building, and executive coaching.

Some of their executive team building building services include:

• Visexecutaries: Apprentice Simulation for Executive Retreats
• Survivor Team Building: Desert Survival
• Survivor Team Building: Wilderness Survival
• Executive Inc: Breaking Down Silos

For information about our executive retreats, please visit our web site:

Corporate Team Building for Executive Retreats by Executive Oasis International:
http://www.executiveoasis.com/executiveretreats.html

For more articles by Anne Thornley-Brown, check out the Spice of the Month Accelerated Learning Ezine:
http://www.thetrainingoasis.com/ezine.html

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Which sounds more appealing, getting up in front of a group of strangers and talking, while they all sit there looking at you like a dog watching a ceiling fan…or gargling with Drano? It’s no surprise how many would choose the Drano.

Public Speaking has been ranked as the “number one fear” among thousands of us. The anxiety is overwhelming, you start to sweat profusely, your knees are knocking so hard you might break a kneecap, hands tremble like you dipped them in a fryer full of hot oil, voice starts quivering like someone dumped a bucket of ice water on your head and you can’t remember what it is you are supposed to be talking about. Why? Because you are scared to death.

I want to share with you some tips on overcoming this fear of Public Speaking.

1. Picture yourself doing it, go ahead picture yourself standing in front of all these people saying what it is you are going to be talking about. Picture yourself from start to finish. Begin with walking up to the microphone or podium, all the way thru your speech, and then finally wrapping it up to a successful outcome.

2. Practice, practice, practice…do your speech ‘out loud’ over and over again. Now, do the same thing to a real live person..(just make sure they will be honest with you about your presentation).

It’s been said: “Repetition is the mother of all skill”…it really is and you do it everyday in your real life, because you have done the same thing over and over again. You can just about overcome any fear you have by doing it over and over again. Sports are a good example…you see NBA players almost never miss a free throw, PGA players make 20 foot putts, NFL kickers put it thru the uprights. It’s not because they were born with some special skill…it’s because they practiced and practiced and practiced some more. The same holds true for Public Speaking.

3. Whip out the camcorder and tape yourself giving your speech. That way you will be able to see what the audience will be watching and listening to.

4. Get a grip…just before you give your speech, RELAX. Take some slow deep breaths and remind yourself that all these people are here to listen to what you have to say. They don’t know (or really care) what your personal life is like. Honestly, they could care less about anything going on in your personal life that YOU feel is adding to this anxiety.

The more prepared you are, the less anxiety you’ll experience, which in turn, will boost your confidence sky high. Then after you are all “said and done”…you will never look at a can of drano the same way again.

Mark Kessler is a 26 year radio broadcasting veteran and the current stadium voice of the NFL’s Washington Redskins, continues to have numerous Public Speaking engagements across America and is the owner of Public Speaking 411 - a comprehensive free resource on Public Speaking, offering tips and techniques and a wealth of information to help you overcome your fear of Public Speaking.

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As a nation, we annually waste billions of dollars on uneaten food,
over priced clothes, unused, unnecessary items, uncompetitive savings
account rates and excessive credit cards interest. American consumers
throw away money as never before and the credit card bills roll in
with their record of excessive Christmas spending. This makes January
a perfect time to start putting your personal savings finances in
order.

I know that I find something freeing, almost liberating about
spending money away on treats for myself. It can be something as
cheap as a pad of notepaper with some fancy design on it that costs
$5, or as expensive as staying at a hotel room instead of driving two
hours home after a conference. However, there is no reason why people
who save their money should accept miniscule interest rates or sky-
high credit card interest charges.

Spending a few minutes now to find a better deal will leave you
better off by December 31. Leaving things the way you have left them
in the past is like setting fire to your own money. By making a few
changes to improve your accumulation versus your spending will make
it so that the odd taxi home, the takeout chicken or spontaneous
clothing purchase will not have a dramatically negative effect on
your bank balance or credit card debt.”

Here are 10 easy ways to save money in 2005 and every year beyond.

1 SAVE ON FOOD

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive. Making your sandwiches
at home and taking them to work might cost you $3 a day if you really
go all out on the fixings and drink. Buying a sandwich, drink, and
chips at Subway or McDonalds and you’ve dropped $5 - $9 plus ingested
more calories, fat, and preservatives than is healthy for you. If you
cut $2 a day out of your spending, and weekly or monthly put that
money into a special account at your bank or freezer, you will have
$10 a week, $40 a month, $500 a year. Maybe that is your Christmas
present fund?

Slash supermarket bills by making a shopping list and sticking to
it. Avoid picking up the over priced “bargain” extras placed at the
end of the aliases where they can tempt you. (Tip: Leave the kids at
home when you grocery shop.) Give the store’s own brand a try, their
value ranges can cost a third the price for name-brand items and
contain the same nutrition. Buy fruit and vegetables in local farmers
markets in season - prices are competitive, you know the people who
grow the food and you get to be outside for a bit of fresh air.
Make your meals at home and freeze portions for future meals. Often
times the home cooking is lower in fat, sugar and salt than ready-to-
eat meals and having the food in the freezer, ready to thaw will
reduce the temptation to by over-priced takeout.

2 SAVE ON DAILY SPENDING

Take a good look at what you really use. Do you have a gym
membership that you only visit occasionally but seem to renew every
year? Do you take the bus or taxi to work? Save a few dollars and get
in some free exercise by getting out a couple blocks early.
Leave the ATM machine card at home, and when you do use it, take
less money out than you normally do. It’s harder to waste the money
if you don’t have it in your pocket. Join the local library - you’ll
spend less time in bookshops. Shopping for purchases can also save
money - many major stores offer a price promise matching any
advertised price.

3 MORTGAGE SAVINGS

Penny watching will save a small fortune over the years, but taking
the trouble to find the lowest over-all cost mortgage available can
also save a small fortune. If you can recoup your costs through a
lower interest rate in less than 2 years, go ahead and refinance,
over the long haul that lower interest rate can save you some real
change.

2003 provided the lowest interest rates in 50 years, yet many
homeowners failed to switch to a cheaper mortgage rate. 2004 was also
a year of decent interest rates, yet many homeowners are still paying
too much interest. Instead of simply writing a check next month looks
into the possibility of refinancing.

4 CUT HOME INSURANCE COSTS

Cutting home insurance is also easy. Identify the level of coverage
you need and then shop around to find the lowest premiums based on
that coverage. If you are willing to self insure more than the
standard $500 deductible - that is pay the first $1,000 or $2000 of a
loss - you will find a significant savings in the annual rate. Just
beware, that many of the small things like broken windows, a few
shingles off your roof will not be paid by the insurer because they
cost below that $1,000 deductible.

Lower premiums are also offered by some companies to members of a
neighborhood watch or to the people with extra security. Good quality
locks, alarms, and security systems deter break-ins and some insurers
discount for that. Don’t forget your outbuildings when looking for
insurance coverage. Many of the items in your garden shed are
expensive to replace if they disappear.

5 CUT CAR COSTS

Your car can be expensive to operate. Fuel, maintenance, and
insurance can cost per mile more than the current 37.5 cents the IRS
says a vehicle costs to operate. Depreciation can total nearly 60% of
a new cars cost in the first 2 years. Keeping your tires properly
inflated, the filters clean and the starting and stopping to a
minimum will increase your mileage and decrease expenses.

Using the Internet will help you cut your insurance costs
dramatically if you go online to shop for a better insurance rate.
Another thing that will help with your insurance fee is keeping your
driving record clear of moving vehicle tickets - don’t speed.

6 SAVE ON UTILITY BILLS

Depending on where you live the deregulation of gas and electricity
means suppliers have competition now and deals are available if you
go looking. Consumers stand to save nearly a third of their gas bill
if they live in areas with competition and are willing to shop around
and ask for the savings.

You can save even more with energy-saving measures like drawing the
curtains at dusk, turning the TV off rather than using standby,
buying energy-efficient light bulbs and turning the thermostat down
just one degree, at night or while you are away during the day.
When you go to renew your cell phone - shop around. The act of
Congress mandating the option to take your phone number with you has
proved many cheaper rates and more incentives to get you to switch
from one carrier to the other.

7. LIFE INSURANCE

Life insurance rates have fallen the last few years, especially for
the term rates. At a minimum buy enough insurance for your spouse to
be able to live without employment until the kids are old enough to
go to school. Get on the internet and search for the best rate you
can find. You won’t even have to deal with an insurance salesman.

8 SAVE ON CREDIT AND BANKING

Credit is a way of life today, and many of us are paying through the
nose for trillions in unsecured personal borrowing on credit cards.
APRs can reach almost 25 per cent for in-store credit, and many
struggle to pay the interest, adding punitive years to the borrowing
term.

Instead look at low-cost loan to consolidate debts, or a new credit
card with an introductory rate of zero per cent on purchases and
balance transfers. You can even switch your borrowing from one card
to another as the free introductory rate expires. The key is to hold
your payments level, even as the minimum required drops. Doing this
will cut 20 years off most repayment times.

Competition means better banking deals, though you might need to
find a small bank to get the best rates of interest or lowest cost
for services. Always pay attention to what your level of service is
going to cost you, what does a box of duplicate checks cost, and if
you accidentally bounce a check what is the overdraft charge and how
much you’ll be charged to receive a copy of your paper checks.

9 INVESTMENTS

Always make sure you are getting the interest rate you deserve for
whatever savings you’ve got. The rate will depend on your level of
comfort dealing with the internet, telephone banking or if you need a
live person to deal with. Online banks offer a higher interest rate
because they have less overhead costs than a brick-and-mortar bank
staffed with live humans.

Check rates regularly - banks tend to be slower to raise their
payment rate than when raising the cost of borrowing. Don’t forget to
max out your IRA, 401k, or whatever savings vehicle you have that is
tax deferred or tax free.

10 CUT TRAVEL COSTS

Using a website like www.travelocity.com can mean you save a lot of
money when buying a package deal. The savings can be really huge if
you are willing to shop online at the last minute. Shop around for
reasonable priced travel insurance - an annual insurance policy may
be cheap if you take several trips a year. Try to fly an airline that
is not in bankruptcy trouble so you can be confident they will
probably still be in business when you need to travel

Roger Sorensen

America’s Financial Guide can be found at ==>http://www.Slave2Work.com Subscribe to Money Basics via http://www.slave2work.com/ezine.html

Slave2Work.com - Are you ready for financial freedom?

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There is tons more to the UK music festivals this summer that Festival without Fields. From rock by the seaside at Edinburgh to folk and acoustic sounds at Cambridge, British Isles festivals market is in elegant health. Tickets for old favourites like Love Music Hate Racism and Maps Festival continue to be touted like hot cakes, but with Morrissey on Dot to Dot Festival Usher at Love Music Hate Racism and Jay-Z at Glastonbury the United Kingdom’s festivals are appealing to a huger age range than ever before.

To ask, what do folk wish from a music festival? Is it mind-blowing dance music so festival lovers can have fun all night, ear destroying heavy metal music for serious moshing or some spectacular soft folk music while you bask in the lovely sun? What is further principal really is the type of ambiance that you are looking for, the line ups and the facilities, all of which at different festivals vary a lot. The crucial rock festivals gets into swing usually at the tail end of April beginning of July the festival go on up & down the British countryside so there are always going to be a phenomenal festival that is near to you. There are never ever any disappointments as people of course are bound to choose an unbelievable festival that matches festival goers & what folk are seeking for.

The first time you attend a fine festival from the second you walk in the grounds to pitch your tent one might often feel this eye-opening buzz. Pop Festivals ordinarily seem to get better year after year. The only down fall that seems to get brought up year after year is the massive cost and price of chips and drink yet this cannot be helped. You are no allowed to take any of your own food or cola onto the festival site but folk are allowed to bring it into your campsite so it makes sense to eat and drink all festival hunters can before stepping into the festival grounds this way festival goers should be able to refrain from spending loads of money What makes an incredible festival great is for obvious reasons the the gorgeous weather, the fabulous atmosphere the bands and the amazing memories that festival goers are going to make along the way. Time Out offer the very best Summer Festivals tickets online.

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Diarrhea, like constipation, is one of those embarrassing problems that most people don’t like to talk about, but which we all suffer from from time to time. And diarrhea is not only a problem because of the discomfort it brings (which can be considerable) but also because of the damage that prolonged diarrhea can cause.

The damage I’m talking about is that in diarrhea your body loses minerals: particularly potassium. And while a day or 2 of the problem won’t cause any long-term damage, prolonged diarrhea can leave your body depleted of potassium and other minerals you need.

Diarrhea is — quite simply — loose, watery bowel movements. It doesn’t mean more frequent bowel movements, but only ones that are loose and runny. There’s often discomfort involved with diarrhea, too.

There are several causes of the problem. Probably the most frequent is that you’ve got some bacteria in your system, and your body is trying to get rid of it. Other causes can be spicy foods, or it can be a temporary side effect of some medicines.

If you begin having diarrhea, your body will probably need a rest, both physically and digestively. Slow down on your regular diet. This will allow the body to sort out whatever is causing the problem. Begin by drinking 2 glasses of water every time you have loose stools.

This sounds crazy to most people, since they are trying to cure the loose bowel movements, and they think (rightly so) that this will only make them worse. Well, it will, but only temporarily. And what it will do is allow your body to get rid of whatever is upsetting your system. (Remember, I’m a big fan of dealing with the problem itself, and not necessarily with the symptoms).

In addition to drinking the 2 glasses, eat bland, non-stressful foods. Ripe bananas are particularly good. In addition to providing bulk and fiber for your system, a ripe banana provides ample amounts of potassium, which is what your body is needing. Yogurt is good, too, but make sure your yogurt has active yogurt cultures. (If it’s homemade, it definitely does. If store bought, it should have “active yogurt cultures” on the label). Yogurt is milk cultured with a gut-friendly bacteria, and the bacteria help to replenish the bacteria your body normally has — and needs.

Your body has lots of friendly bacteria in your intestines. You need those bacteria to keep you in good health, as well as to help you digest foods. When you’ve suffered from diarrhea, your body may excrete some of those bacteria. So use yogurt to help get some back in there!

But the water is the main thing you need. The water will help the body flush the bad stuff (whatever it is) out. You’ll probably feel tired and need more rest when you’ve suffered from diarrhea. But keep drinking, eat lightly, sleep a bit more, and you’ll be better quickly.

Jim Huffman, RN specializes in natural and alternative healing therapies. His first book is ‘Dare to Be Free: How to Get Control of Your Time, Your Life, and Your Nursing Career,’ and is aimed at helping other nurses find satisfying, dynamic careers. His website is http://www.NetworkForNurses.com and his health blog is at http://www.shababa.blogspot.com

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Do you know that the ‘average’ woman spends about $600 a year on skin care and color cosmetics, according to the beauty industry? Whether she uses only cleansers and lotions or has an array of beauty products, shopping can be time-consuming and expensive. So, here are some quick tips on how to make the most of your beauty budget.

Part of the ’secret’ is to insist on quality for those items that matter … and the most important items are those that help you care for your skin. Look to see if the product line includes the following steps: cleansing, exfoliating, refining or toning and moisturizing. Then review the ingredients for compatability with your individual skin type and sensitivities. If you’re not sure how your skin will react, ask for samples and test them on your forearm.

Quality isn’t necessarily costly though you may spend a little more to find a product line that is the most effective for you. Conversely, expensive isn’t necessarily the best choice. Very high-priced product lines typically contain rare substances that may or may not work for you. Unless you are already using optimum products for your skin, you should notice a difference within two weeks to a month of starting a new regime. Your skin should appear clearer, smoother and well-moisturized.

After skin care, the right foundation or powder and concealer are important beauty buys. Depending upon the amount of coverage you want, select a foundation, creme to powder foundation, dual coverage powder foundation, pressed or loose powder and concealer that blend as closely as possible with your face. (With foundation, test the shade along your jaw line to compare the color with both your face and neck; watch to see if it “disappears” into your skin.)

Another part of the ’secret’ to making the most of your beauty budget is spending less on color products that change with the seasons such as eye shadows, blushes and lipsticks. Most product lines will offer the lastest “hot” colors, which tend to be similar, so comparison shop. Another idea is to accumulate a palette of primary eye colors which can be mixed to create your own “hot” colors.

There’s no need to spend too much to look your best!

© Copyright 2005. Charlotte Maddox. All rights reserved.

Charlotte is an experienced independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay Inc.

Register on Charlotte’s Mary Kay Inc. web site to receive a monthly email newsletter, Beaut-e-News(tm), with tips & techniques and a seasonal mailing of the “The Look” catalog with free samples plus the latest in skin care and color looks (complete privacy ensured).

http://www.marykay.com/charlottemaddox

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Did you know?

Did you know knowledge is knowing? Essentially knowledge is not only what you know but after knowing a fact how to use the wealth of information that you’ve obtained.

Let me elaborate.

Sometime ago a study was done regarding the usage of gainful information or shall I say the lack thereof. The reports were staggering. According to this study on a daily basis we are privy to an abundance of knowledge but only use about twenty-percent of what we encounter in this lifetime. It kind of makes your mouth fall wide-open with shock, right.

Why is that I ask? There are several reasons why humanity in large numbers does not put to good use the data obtained.

1. Subtle distractions: example the cares of this world.

a) Jobs, children, school and other productive activities that requires our full attention.

2. Anxiety: Comes in many forms.

b) Depression, emotional stress, jobless, homeless and sickness.

3. Unsatisfied: Usually unhappy with current state of affairs

c) Ignorant, unfulfilled, low selfesteem and hopeless.

With over two-decades of writing and reciting poetry, Michelle has branched out to share her literary works to the world. A native Pennsylvanian Michelle loves to inspire, encourage and entertain her family, friends and fans. Now she proudly awaits the release of her upcoming collection of poetic expressions. To her credits she has published, ‘Accidental Love’ the novel.

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You are considering making changes to your bathroom. You want to paint the walls and maybe change the tile on the floor. Why not also add a new bathroom sink. They are simple to install and most sinks come within a budget that you can afford.

It may seem easy to ignore the nice touch a bathroom sink provides to the look and feel of the bathroom, but the sink just ads that extra touch that tells your family and guests to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. You can check out and compare the prices online and you can even have one shipped to your home.

Not only can you pick your own style and color of sink, but you can choose the type of handle you want to turn the water on or off. There are several designs to choose from. If you are still not sure, ask the experts online. There are experienced and can provide answers to your questions. You have several styles to choose from and the prices are reasonable. Set your budget and find your bathroom sink today.

Bathroom sinks are simple to install and can be fit to your counter top. They can match your surrounding bathroom colors and are a great touch to make all the difference.

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Contrary to popular belief “FEAR” doesn’t mean “Forget Everything … And Run”! But what are you supposed to do when negative thoughts creep in, force you to live in stress, and cancel out peace of mind?

If you’re like most sales pros, you’ll be tickled pink to know that fear can indeed be conquered. You can greet every single day with a sense of excitement at the thought of having “confidence on demand” and you can own every prospect that has the good fortune to meet with you!

Bottom line? Conquer fear and you’ll come out on top.

Of Course You Want To Leverage Your Limited Time For Unlimited Dollars

Selling at the top to million-dollar decision-makers is the strategy you want to master, because senior-level executives focus on business and write big checks. Experience shows you the primary focus of mid-level decision-makers is keeping his/her job.

You have incredibly valuable solutions and services that’ll benefit your prospect companies, and your “message-to-market-match” fits better at the executive level than any other.

Your all-powerful business-changing message is this, “I have solutions to reduce your expenses and increase your revenues.” And that message is best matched to executive-level prospects that are doggedly sniffing around for solutions to their rising expenses and plummeting revenues.

Your experience forces you to conclude, “If I continue to call at low levels where the daily cry is, ‘Save my job, spend no money’you’ll continue to hear that annoying phrase “‘We get hundreds of calls from people like you.” If you’re like your colleagues, this kind of treatment is getting on your last nerve!

Now, I ask youwith this kind of rejection day in and day outwho wouldn’t expect feelings of fear to creep in?

You Can Concede Defeat or Recognize a Red Flag When You See One

Look past what appears to be a dead-end, low-level sales call and find the action steps that’ll take you toward your goal. Understand that what appears to be rejection is actually a “red flag” waving, directing you to call higher. That’s where your solutions/services can be understood, valued, and desired, in the big picture scheme of your prospect’s profit picture.

If you misread the red flag as bona fide rejection, you’ll freeze in fear, and conclude all is lost. This does not have to be your choice! You can take action from an entirely different perspective. Determine to search for ways to get past obstacles to top-level cold calls.

Success Is Reached In Zigzags

As a successful sales pro, you understand that success rarely comes directlyas a crow fliesthat success is reached in zigzags by trying a strategy, running into snags, taking corrective action to get back on course, and moving more directly toward the goal again. Look at a snag not as a dead-end, but as a helpful means to a positive outcome.

We all know that unshackled fear, left to its own devices, takes us down a path that fills us with doubt, insecurity, and feelings of failure. What if you’re frozen in fear? Is there hope for you? Can you thaw out and move forward again?

Absolutely, Positively, No Doubt About ItThere Is Hope And Promise Of Success.

Your success is dependent on a relatively short list of attitudes and skills that can be learned, exercised, developed, and maintained.

1. Role-play objection overturns with a colleague or your spouse. Lack of confidence comes from lack of skills. This practice-without-pressure will build skills and keep “fear” from nagging you with the question, “What do I say when I call for an appointment?”

2. Fortify yourself with the written testimonials of your favorite clients, read them when “fear” brings up thoughts of, “Why on earth would any executive want to meet with me?” Let the words of your most successful clients be the words that address this little question.

3. Remember, moving forward is hard when you believe the next step will suck the life out of you. Change your belief with a true perspectiveF.E.A.R. is simply False Evidence Appearing Real. And that you can handle exceptionally well.

Use these simple tactics to conquer F.E.A.R. and capture profits.

Forward this article to friendsthey’ll thank you for it!

For your FREE mini-course “Jealously Guarded Secrets to Cold Calling Company Presidents” visit http://www.ColdCallingExecutives.com! Or call Your Sales Coach for Extreme Profitability, author/speaker Leslie Buterin (like butterin’ bread) at (816) 554-3674 9-3 CST (that’s Kansas City/Chicago Time).

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Do any of these statements describe your feelings?

___ You often feel that your spouse criticizes you unfairly.

___ You feel that your spouse consistently looks for nit-picking things to criticize.

____You feel that your spouse routinely criticizes you for things that have been blown out of proportion or are beyond your control.

If you answer “yes” to at least one of these statements, you may be living with a spouse who finds it easier to find fault than to praise. If you’re already doing your best to please your mate, this may feel like a “no-win” situation.

So what can you do? How can you live in harmony with an overly-critical spouse who doesn’t think that he (or she) is being unfair?

The following ten tips can help you devise a strategy to cope with the excess negative energy directed at you by your spouse:

1. Try to listen without getting defensive. Hear your spouse out and let him (or her) say what’s on his mind. It will only make things worse to become defensive and cut your spouse off prematurely. You want your spouse to feel “heard.”

2. Even though you may be thinking “Here we go againsame old gripes,” keep an open mind to the possibility that there may be a different twist this time. Fox example, perhaps a certain gesture, tone of voice, or oversight you weren’t aware of at the time has intensified your spouse’s critical reaction.

3. Recognize that your spouse’s perceptions are different from yours. And you can’t argue with a spouse’s perceptions or tell her that she’s “wrong” to feel that way. Launching a direct attack to convince her that she’s off-base will almost always fail.

4. Resist the urge to counter criticism with criticism in return. That will only add fuel to the fire and ensure that negative feelings will escalate.

5. Consider whether your spouse is making any valid points that you need to look at. It’s all-too-easy to get upset and decide that the criticism is off-base and miss the part of the criticism that may be valid.

6. Work on not taking the criticism so personally. This can be difficult because it feels so personalafter all, it’s directed at you.

But it’s not always just about you. Your spouse may really be irritated at herself but instead take her feelings out on you by throwing barbs of criticism in your direction.

7. Realize that just because your spouse criticizes you doesn’t mean you have to let that determine your mood or spoil your day. Don’t give your personal power away so easily.

You get to decide what to focus on, and you are responsible for how you feel. Your spouse can’t “make you feel bad” without your consent.

8. Schedule a time to talk with your spouse about your reactions to the constant criticisms. Tell him (or her) that frequent criticism doesn’t make you want to try harder.

Instead, it produces feelings of discouragement and negativity. State that over time, it could also negatively affect your passion and sexual relationship.

9. Write your spouse a letter outlining your concerns about the damage that constant criticism could do to your feelings of love and emotional intimacy. Use the “sandwich technique.” Start off the letter by expressing what you like and appreciate about your spouse.

Then state your concerns about the long-term effects that frequent criticism could have on your feelings toward your spouse and the marriage. Last, end by making more positive remarks and sharing how much you love your spouse and value your relationship.

10. Ask your spouse to go to marriage counseling with you. Say that you need to take care of some emotional debris that is accumulating for you in the marriage.

State that you want to schedule the counseling sessions so that your marriage can be the best possible for each of you. Taking this course of action is following the sage advice by Henry Ford: “Don’t find fault, find a remedy.” That’s a sure way to create a win-win situation for both you and your mate.

Nancy J. Wasson, Ph.D., is co-author of Keep Your Marriage: What to Do When Your Spouse Says “I don’t love you anymore!” This is available at http://www.KeepYourMarriage.com, where you can also sign up for the free weekly Keep Your Marriage Internet Magazine to get ideas and support for improving your marriage.

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