Communicate for Success

Golf Pro Improved My Game Immediately

2008-04-26T15:00:00.007-05:00

Yesterday I had an exciting golf experience. My teaching pro--Mark Bowen, pictured above giving a lesson to Lauren Bell--gave me a 90 minute lesson. I went to him because I was having a big problem with my short shots into the green, those of 100 yards or less. This was especially frustrating because my tee shots have been long and straight, yet I couldn't score well because my wedge shots were unreliable.

Mark watched me hit a few shots, so he could identify the problem. Then in less than 15 minutes, he showed me the right grip, stance, and swing motion that would almost guarantee success when I followed his directions.

Next, we practiced hitting shots to the green from different distances, from as close as 10 yards up to 83 yards away. Mark demonstrated the changes I would need to make to adjust to the varied distances.

To my delight, the last 7 shots I hit to a green from 83 yards away were incredible. The were right at the target. Two of them almost went in the hole.

Notice two big points here. One is that I have played golf avidly since age thirteen. I have taken many lessons. Yet there is always more to learn. I slip into bad habits that I can't see myself. Only my golf coach can spot the problem and provide a solution.

The second point is that under the watchful eye of a skilled coach, I improved dramatically, hitting difficult shots with an ease and confidence I had never felt before. Today I practiced for another hour, to make sure I remembered Mark's tips. Fortunately, I did, and I hit many shots I was incapable of hitting just three days ago.

If you're a golfer, I recommend that you contact Mark, Director of Golf and Head Professional, Chattahoochee Golf Course, Gainesville, Georgia. His phone: 770-532-0066. His instruction will become one of your finest golf investments.

As Columbo used to say on TV, "Oh, and there's just one more thing. . . ." A few minutes ago, it dawned on me that this is why I provide communication coaching for individual clients. Like Mark Bowen, I get tremendous satisfaction from helping others strengthen their skills. One of my clients learns how to rely less on notes while giving a speech. Another one learns to control stage fright. Another client uses Power Point more effectively. I love to watch their progress.

To find out more about my speech coaching, visit my Web site's coaching page:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/coaching.htm

"But Bill," you're thinking, "I live too far away to take advantage of your on site coaching." Well, I have an accessible, cost effective solution. Sign up for my Online Coaching Program. Use this link to read the description:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/online_coaching.htm

Also, if you live in the United States, I encourage you to order my audio CD, "How to Become a Dynamic Speaker!" Read the description on my site:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/store/index.htm

Remember my motto: "Learn more. . .Earn More!"

What My Readers Say About First Impressions

2008-04-01T09:39:00.008-05:00

Recently Business KnowHow published my article, "Everything Counts in First Impressions." Here's the link:
http://tinyurl.com/33scd4

Concluding the article, I invited readers to add to my list of
offensive behaviors that ruin first impressions. Here are some
of the many responses, printed with permission.

"My personal 'favorite' of behaviors that mar first impressions: the
handshake without eye contact, like politicians do who are
focusing on their next greeting, not the current one."
Nancy Krug, Owner
Arcana Tileworks LLC
Windermere, FL

"A low cut blouse, constantly flipping the hair back."
Maudie Abraham
Moments Like This, LLC
Ypsilanti, MI

"Cologne or perfume too strong, that bothers me. Especially if
you can smell it in a large office area."
Sally Westhause, Results Program Manager
Avnet, Inc.
Phoenix, AZ

"Weak handshakes. Insincere responses, i.e. laughing weakly at
a joke or saying something like 'I understand' when you really don't."
Karen L. Graves
The Mom's Coach
White Plains, NY

"Overusing key phrases or words. 'Certainly' seems to be an
adverb that is constantly used whether it's appropriate or not."
Also, "jingling coins in your pocket" and "slouching in your
chair during a meeting, presentation or lecture."
Peg Barto, AIS
AMICA Mutual Insurance Company
Fairport, NY

Among one reader's 47 suggestions: cheap ties, bragging, put on
accents,playing with things on the table, too many rings, negative attitude
Bagalopal
Merchant Banking, Investment Banking, Stock Brokering
Mumbai, India

How to Talk With People in Desperate Situations

2008-03-26T16:57:00.009-05:00

You know the feeling--you steer away from dramatic situations your co-workers, prospects, clients, and friends face. You "just wouldn't know what to say" to someone going through:

Divorce
Loss of a loved one
Serious Illness
Job loss
Bankruptcy
Home Foreclosure
Recovery from a car crash
Children who break the law and bring disgrace

Watch this video, and in 6 minutes 25 seconds you will know how to talk with people and help them when their circumstances seem practically disastrous. In other words, you'll know what to say. . .in situations where you used to be speechless.

Anita Bruzzese Interviews Bill Lampton About Communication Strategies

2008-03-20T05:21:00.007-05:00

SMASH YOUR OLD LADDER TO SUCCESS--AND GET A NEW ONE

Are you still using the old ladder you thought would help you climb to the top of your profession?

Old ladder examples for job applicants:

"I can type and take shorthand really well."
"I'll need full secretarial assistance, as I don't
answer my work phone directly."
"To make a sale, I talk for thirty minutes nonstop, so nobody can
interrupt me with questions."
"No, I haven't gotten into computers at all. I'm just not technical."
"My leisure suit makes me look my best."

ANITA BRUZZESE HELPS YOU BUILD A BETTER LADDER
Obviously, those obsolete approaches won't get you climbing
toward success. That's why Anita Bruzzese--syndicated columnist
for Gannett News Service and USA.com, book author, and business career expert for more than twenty years--has launched a new
podcast titled "Smash the Ladder with Anita and Diane." Diane
is Anita's alternating hostess, Diane Danielson. This weekly audio
resource appears on blogtalkradio. It's lively, informative, and
highly relevant.

ANITA INTERVIEWS ME ABOUT COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
This week Anita hosted me for a thirty minute interview, focusing
on the communication strategies that will help us reshape our
ladder to success, after smashing the old one. You'll find the
audio version of the interview using this link:

http://tinyurl.com/2m8hs2

WHAT ANITA ASKED ME
The key questions Anita asked me:

*What are the greatest communication challenges in the
workplace today?

*What role does technology play in organizations? Are we
using it in the right way, or is it just making things worse?"

*How do you politely handle the co-worker who drops by
and interrupts you with a longwinded conversation?"

"How can we become better listeners?"

"What's a good way to make a favorable first impression
on someone?"

LINK TO THE INTERVIEW
To hear my responses and Anita's constructive comments,
set aside 30 minutes and click on this link:

http://tinyurl.com/2m8hs2

The interview will begin after a thirty-second audio
commercial.

FOUR ACTION STEPS TO TAKE AFTER YOU LISTEN
After you hear our discussion about the communication
strategies you need for a new ladder to career success,
I recommend you take these four steps:

(1) Share the interview link with your colleagues, and encourage
them to listen. Assure them it's worth 30 minutes of their
time.

(2) Discuss the interview at your next staff meeting, after
your associates have listened.

(3) Register for blogtalkradio, so you can sign in and make
comments on "Smash the Ladder" programs (including
this one) and other programs.

(4)Visit Anita Bruzzese's Web site to order her two
books, Take This Job and Thrive and 45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy--And How to Avoid Them. The link:
http://www.45things.com/books.htm

The New York Post placed 45 Things You Do That Drive Your
Boss Crazy among the top ten most notable business books
of 2007.

ADDITIONAL LEARNING RESOURCES
U.S. residents can order Bill's book, e-book, and audio CDs from
his online store:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

International residents can order his e-book from the above
link and his book from http://www.Amazon.com

TO SUBSCRIBE
To subscribe to Bill Lampton's newsletter, visit his Web site and enter your name and e-mail address in the slots provided:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Quarterback Eagle Day Won Big in Sports and Life

2008-02-25T11:41:00.012-05:00

Eagle Day and I grew up less than a mile apart in the tiny town of Columbia, Mississipi. In high school, he became one of my early heroes, because of his remarkable athletic skills. Consider these achievements:
--Earned 16 letters at Columbia High School: football, baseball, basketball, track
--All-SEC Quarterback at Ole Miss, leading the team to consecutive SEC crowns
--Most valuable back in Cotton Bowl, where he spearheaded a victory over TCU
--Cotton Bowl, Missisippi, and Ole Miss Halls of Fame
--Played fourteen years of professional football, most valuable player in 1962 in the Canadian Football League

Thrilling as it was to watch my boyhood friend and idol go that far, Eagle Day turned into a different kind of hero for me after his playing days. He became a solid family man, civic and church leader, and supporter of his alma mater. He spoke at youth camps and churches, and volunteered for numerous charities. He helped young athletes hone their skills. Professionally, he established a successful insurance business, then became Executive Director of the Mississippi Motor Vehicle Commission.

On February 22,2008, this grand champion of athletics and life died from cancer. I have lost a lifelong friend. Let me share with you, though, Eagle Day's ten lessons from winning at life, as I understand them from our many discussions across several decades.

LESSON ONE: Keep an upbeat attitude. Across many years, whenever I would call Eagle and ask, "How are you doing?" he offered a one-word answer: "Fantastic." Life to him was fantastic. He endured setbacks like everybody else, but he considered them nothing more than temporary challenges.

LESSON TWO: Have a goal. I asked Eagle once, "How did you have the discipline to keep going--practicing, eating right, training, and avoiding the bad habits most of us had as teenagers? What made you stick with athletics so faithfully?" He answered: "I wanted to catch the bus out of town." He loved that little town,yet he knew that his talent and dedication could take him many more places.

LESSON THREE: Never envy anyone else. Eagle grew up in very moderate economic circumstances. He could have become bitter about his school mates who enjoyed many more privileges. But he never complained. In fact, he told me once, "The other man's grass might look greener. . .but did you ever try to mow it?"

LESSON FOUR: Don't let others intimidate you. "Bill," he told me, "I never think of myself as better than anybody else. At the same time, I never think of anybody else as better than me. We're all on equal footing."

LESSON FIVE: Prepare thoroughly. "At Calgary, I was the first player on the practice field, and the last to leave," he explained. At Ole Miss, he had 150 plays to remember, plus their various formations. "Before a big game, I might not sleep more than three hours, as I pictured every possibility, and how I would react." In his words, "Win before you ever hit the field."

LESSON SIX: Call on your teammates. As head of the Motor Vehicle Division, he spent many hours preparing his board chairman for a leadership role in the meetings.

LESSON SEVEN: Always be available to those who need you. In 1975, my mother suffered a severe stroke, and was hospitalized in Jackson. I called Eagle, and told him how much it would mean if he visited my distraught, aged father. Eagle came to the hospital that afternoon. Immediately, I could see my father's spirits lifted.

LESSON EIGHT: Take a risk when you have the ability. Ole Miss was losing that 1956 Cotton Bowl in the closing minutes. Ole Miss had the ball, but it was fourth down. Eagle knew that Coach Johnny Vaught wanted Eagle to punt. Eagle had confidence he could complete a pass. He did, to get the first down. Shortly afterward, Eagle ran 25 yards to the five yard line. The score on the next play, plus the extra point, assured the 14-13 victory over TCU. Sports writers dubbed Eagle "The Mississippi Gambler." He disagreed, saying he knew all along he could make the fourth down pass play work.

LESSON NINE: Take pride in your appearance. Coach Vaught instilled that in his players--"Look good, and you'll feel like a champion." While others welcomed "business casual" and carried it to sloppy extremes, Eagle invariably looked like a man out of Esquire.

LESSON TEN: Look beyond human help. For many years, Eagle was active in Jackson's First Baptist Church. He ushered and attended Tuesday Bible study lunch meetings. In a speech to a men's group at the church, he concluded with: "Don't remember me as number 19 (his football jersey number). Instead, remember me as a man of integrity."

Shortly after Eagle's untimely death, I remembered what Vince Lombardi said about the Green Bay Packers: "We never lost a game. Sometimes the clock just ran out." I can assure you, Eagle Day was a winner in every phase of life. The clock ran out, but the score is in his favor nevertheless.

NOTE: Eagle Day's inspiring story plays a prominent role in my audio CD, "Maintaining Maximum Motivation: Strategies for Staying in High Gear!" To order your CD today and hear more about "The Mississippi Gambler"use this link to my online store (for orders within the U.S. only):
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Become a Champion Communicator Through Online Coaching

2008-01-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

BILL LAMPTON’S ONLINE COACHING PROGRAM—

“CHAMPION COMMUNICATORS”

Daniel Webster, one of America’s greatest statesmen and speakers, said:

“If I were to lose all of my possessions except one, I would save the power of communication, for by it I soon would regain all of the rest.”

Do you agree? Is "the power of communication" that powerful?

YOUR COMMUNICATION FANTASIES
To answer. . .think for a minute of what you have dreamed of accomplishing professionally. Examples of your optimistic daydreams:

Your interviewing aptitude gets you that prestigious job you want, though you are one of 200 applicants, with only five candidates reaching the interview stage.

Your sales savvy helps you outsell the rest of the sales team for an entire year. You ask the best questions, give convincing answers, and support your message with appropriate nonverbal communication.

Your writing talent enables your proposal to win the biggest contract ever for your company.

Your forceful speaking takes you to prominent civic leadership posts in your community, resulting in publicity, friendships, and meeting new prospects. You speak with poise and persuasive ability.

Your keen listening keeps morale high among your employees. They trust you enough to share their problems and candid recommendations, without fear of reprisals.

Your negotiating ability allows you to resolve conflicts before they damage your organization severely.

Yes, the ability to communicate could very well be that one asset you’d want to keep, as Webster suggested, if you had to face a choice of which possession to hold tight to.

Now let me ask. . .since communication is the springboard for your success, what are you doing to keep on developing your communication skills?

Anything regular, disciplined, systematic, part of a structured plan, sure-to-happen?

Probably not. Most likely, your improvement is haphazard, do-it-when-you-can. Some months you make progress, but most other months you put your energy elsewhere.

Well, this is where I come in. I want to enrich your communication talent!

Not now and then, not just once a quarter—but averaging once every week. That's right--I'll e-mail you 52 or more valuable training messages annually.

How does that happen? Simple: You select me as your Online Communication Coach.

“Won’t work,” you’re thinking. “I live in Idaho” or “My office is in Toronto.” Or even: “Check with me, Bill, next time you’re going to be in London, and we’ll arrange a coaching session.” Or “Forget it—there’s little chance you’ll travel to Glasgow or Quito.”

So you decide, “Good as the idea sounds, the distance between us makes your coaching impractical.”

Yet who said anything about a coach having to be present with you? Remember, around 1996 this electronic marvel called the Internet appeared. With it, e-mail emerged. And we’ve become pretty accustomed to online learning.

In fact, through a variety of technologies—including Skype,the internationally popular online phone/video system—I can communicate personally with you wherever you are.

That’s why I am offering you a slot in my new online coaching program, which is titled:

Champion Communicators

Your big advantage: Even though we may never sit down together for a face-to-face coaching session, I will coach you through “distance learning.” Regardless of your location, you will enjoy the same potential results my in-person coaching clients receive.

HOW YOU WILL BENEFIT
Once you sign up for the coaching plan, I will e-mail you—on a consistent basis, spaced so you will have time to read, listen to,and apply my tips and strategies—information that hasn’t been released to my regular newsletter subscribers.

Examples:•
. Brief, information-packed instructional videos/audios
• Concise video interviews I conduct with top professionals
• Short reviews of the best books relating to communication
• My comments about major news-making communication events
• Answers to questions you e-mail me
• Links to Web sites that will strengthen your communication
• Descriptions of my own communication strategies that have worked well

YOUR INVESTMENT
To enter the Champion Communicators regular online coaching program, you will agree to a one-year plan. Through Visa, MasterCard, or American Express, you will commit $24.97 monthly for a year, for an annual total of a modest $299.64.

NOTE: $300 is a fairly standard rate for one hour of on-site coaching from a well qualified professional at my level .

YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Twelve months into Champion Communicators you will be eager to sign up for another year. Why?

Because you will:
• Speak more persuasively
• Control stage fright every time you speak
• Write more clearly
• Relate more effectively with those whose styles differ from yours
• Listen with greater empathy and build a stronger team
• Maintain maximum motivation, because of your acquired skills
• Improve your marketing
• Boost sales
• Reduce embarrassing e-mail mistakes
• Strengthen interpersonal relations, including family dynamics
• Deal with the media effectively

. . .and so much more.

HERE’S HOW TO ENROLL
To participate in this
• dynamic. . .
• information-centered. . .
• value-saturated. . .
coaching program, start by e-mailing me, titling your e-mail:

CHAMPION COMMUNICATORS

My e-mail address:
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

Then I will reply, asking you to send the credit card information required to enroll you. You may send that data by e-mail or fax, whichever you prefer.Or possibly you’d like to give me your credit card data over the phone. That’s fine. Call me at
678-316-4300

YOUR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES. . .

TWO POTENTIAL SIGNUP BONUSES

FIRST BONUS—FOR CHARTER MEMBERSHIP PLAN
Sign up for the Charter Membership Plan, and you will invest $24.97 monthly in my company,Championship Communication, through your credit card. Remember, you are committing for 12 months,with the option to renew in 2009. A special signup bonus awaits only those who enroll now,during 2008, as Charter Members. This bonus will not be offered next year.

What you’ll get:
Once you have provided your credit card information, I will e-mail you my recently produced e-book,“E-mailing Excellence: 55 Tips for Cyberspace Success”

Your “netiquette,” or e-mail etiquette, creates an image of you as a professional. So this bonus will help you build your reputation as a highly competent communicator.

In snappy, to-the-point language, “E-mailing Excellence” shows you how to avoid those pesky e-mail mistakes that shatter your credibility. You'll bolster your reputation among colleagues, prospects, and clients.

The e-book appears on my Web site for purchase now, but
you get this signup bonus on a complimentary basis.

SECOND BONUS—FOR ADVANCED MEMBERSHIP PLAN:
The Advanced Membership Plan gives you the opportunity to make your full investment, $299.64,now, when you start the program. Again, this will be through your credit card.

Your Exclusive Bonus, not available to others in the online coaching plan: Anytime during 2008, you can schedule a one-time hour-long telephone call with me. We’ll discuss any communication issue you’re facing. Your only expenditure will be your charge for the call you place to me.

NOTE FOR U.S RESIDENTS:
U.S. residents have the option to commit to the Advanced Membership Plan with a check to Championship Communication for the full amount.

Mail that check to:
Bill Lampton, Ph.D.
Championship Communication
P.O. Box 908267
Gainesville, GA 30501-0920

PLEASE NOTE: Those in the Advance Membership Plan will also receive the e-book that goes to those in the Charter Membership Plan.

ACT NOW—REQUEST THE SIGNUP FORM
Make 2008 the year you will become a Champion Communicator. Accept my invitation to join this twelve-month partnership that will elevate your communication expertise--dramatically.

You'll know the difference "the power of communication" makes, as Webster said. And everyone you interact with will notice the new skill plateau you reach.

YOUR NEXT STEP
Send me an e-mail titled CHAMPION COMMUNICATOR. Then I will e-mail you the registration form.

Once you make your investment, I’ll start sending you fresh, vital communication tips, strategies, and guidelines.

My e-mail address:
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

A CLOSING TESTIMONIAL
When she was an executive with Trust in Business in Munich,Germany, Amy Hart wrote:

"I believe people are given unique gifts in their life, and you Bill have the gift of teaching and sharing with others the magic that communication can bring to every aspect of individuals' lives."

Bill Lampton, Ph.D., President
Championship Communication
“Helping You Finish in First Place!”
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com
678-316-4300
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

Bob Burg Tells Why He Wrote The Go-Giver

2008-01-17T09:56:00.000-05:00

INTERVIEW WITH BOB BURG

Shortly after reading Bob Burg's new book--The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea, co-authored by John David Mann--I enjoyed the privilege of interviewing Bob. Many of you know Bob through his other books, such as the bestselling Endless Referrals and Winning Without Intimidation. Reading this interview will help you grasp the book's purpose.

Q: Why did you write The Go-Giver? Was there a special message you wanted to get across to ambitious people, one they weren't getting so compellingly elsewhere?

BURG: The purpose of the book was to shift a "consciousness premise" which says there is some kind of exclusivity between benefiting others and benefiting oneself. There isn't. And, the premise of this book is that shifting one's focus from getting to giving (meaning constantly and consistently adding value to people's lives) is not only a nice way to live life. . .but a very profitable way as well.

Q: You have established an enviable reputation in the nonfiction arena, so why did you select a fiction format this time around?

BURG: Thank you for your kind compliment. The reason we decided to make this a short "parable/fable" instead of the usual "how-to" is because it seemed as though his message was made to be communicated in the form of a really fun to read story. The cool part--I think--is the surprise ending. And I totally credit the great storytelling to John David Mann. He not only is a hugely successful entrepreneur but a genius as a writer. The fact that it's such a fun read means that people will be more likely to absorb the message and read the book a second and third time.

Q: In your work with many corporate leaders, do you find real life examples of the characters you portray in The Go-Giver?

BURG: All the time. And, it was such a great feeling when, as we were sending the unpublished manuscript out to some of the top authors and business leaders around for their feedback and critique, they continually commented with words such as, "Yes, this is how it's done" and "Thank you, Bob and John, for finally sharing what the successful people already know and others don't want to believe." It really served as a terrific form of validation. And, of course, John and I, in comparing our own experiences, have both witnessed these traits in the many successful people we've had the pleasure to know and work with.

Q. Do you expect The Go-Giver to have any impact on what business schools teach during the next decade?

BURG: Great question. Difficult to say. I believe that--to the degree this book is embraced, first by individuals and then small groups and organizations and then, hopefully, larger and larger organizations and business--this can cause a definite shift, first in understanding and then in action. Remember, though, the message in this book is not particularly new; the very successful people are already operating as Go-Givers; what we're looking to do is to bring this way of doing business to the masses. Will the business schools begin teaching this? I don't know; personally, I'd love to see it as required reading in business schools. Then again, I'd like to date Cindy Crawford and that hasn't happened yet.

Q: What would be the most desirable result you could achieve among readers of The Go-Giver?

BURG: Perhaps the most desirable for me in the short term is simply to know that it made a significant difference in someone's life. We're already hearing from people who say that immediately after reading it their attitude changed and that soon after, their success level began to change. I love that. I absolutely love that. Long term; hey, I've always been a big thinker, so doing my part to perhaps cause a shift in Universal Consciousness with regards to this aspect works for me.

To order the book, go to the Amazon page featuring The Go-Giver:
http://tinyurl.com/25lc29

And for monthly tips that will "help you finish in first place" through powerful communication, subscribe to Bill Lampton's newsletter, Winning Words and Ways, by putting your name and e-mail address in the slots provided on the home page of his Web site:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Solve Your E-mail Problems--Now!

2008-01-03T18:52:00.000-05:00

ARE YOU READY TO SOLVE THOSE PESKY,
CREDIBILITY-SMASHING E-MAIL PROBLEMS?

You know the problems I’m referring to. . . .

--Joe from the sales department e-mails you and refers to his
“attached weekly report.” Oops. . .there’s no attachment.

--Elizabeth e-mails you, including a link to “an
important, relevant article you’ll want to read.” Alas, the
link is no longer active.

--Darlene sends you an e-mail she intended to send to
Audrey, her supervisor. Even worse, the e-mail talks
unfavorably about you.

--Art sends an e-mail that shares the latest joke he has picked
up on the Internet. You notice that he includes your e-mail
address in the TO section, along with those of twenty of his friends,
who now have your e-mail address without your consent.

Until now, you didn’t have a solution.

Sure, you told employees they were making e-mail mistakes. Yet you had nothing in writing to explain the problem, and to remind them what to do next time.

The result? The same problems mentioned above kept
happening. And others, too.

--Dorena sent Bill an e-mail, summarizing his performance appraisal the previous day. Bill became angrier than he was during the appraisal. Reprimands in writing carry far more impact than when issued face-to-face.

--Juan created an office stir by sending romantic messages to Consuela, two or three times daily. “I put in so much time here,” he reasoned, “that I can use the computer for my personal needs for just a few minutes. I still get my work done, just like always.”

Now, you do have a solution to these and dozens of other e-mail problems.

Really? That’s terrific. What is it? Where do I get it?

The answers:

What: Dr. Bill Lampton’s new e-book, “Excellent E-mailing: 55 Tips
for Cyberspace Success”

Where: Available as an e-book on Bill’s Web site shopping cart:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/store/index.htm

Well, I’d like to hear what other professional people say
about this e-book before I place my order.

That’s understandable. So let’s check on comments from experts.

Addresses and solves every major e-mail problem
I've looked over your e-mail tips and thought they were all really good! I can't think of anything you left out and you had many that I had never really considered, but made so much sense.
Anita Bruzzese, Syndicated Newspaper Columnist and author of 45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy. . .And How to Avoid Them.
www.45things.com

Advice is clear and practical
“A great compilation of common sense guidance on effective emailing and communication in general; Bill has a knack for offering very clear and practical advice for people and companies trying to improve the effectiveness of their internal and external communication”
Steven Freund, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/ReynoldsPlantation/Default.htm

Helps even veteran e-mail users, valuable for Information Age
Your E-book on Email pointers was outstanding. You provide solid, usable tips and practical steps that we can all use when working with email. Since you are helping people become “Champion Communicators” this E-Book is a great resource.

Any successful business person today must know how to deal with email. From keeping it short and pithy (on the sending side) to learning how to read the right stuff and eliminate the junk (on the receiving side) you do an excellent job with it, Bill. Even veteran email users can learn from this E-Book.

This book is a must-read work and must-implement tool for those of us in the Information Age. Thank you for packing so many useful ideas into it!
Terry L. Brock, Marketing Coach, Syndicated Columnist
http://www.terrybrock.com

NOTE: Watch Terry's one-minute video testimonial:
http://tinyurl.com/2lxggm

Emphasizes the courtesy that’s essential for business success
"It's unfortunate that ever-metastasizing email has now become the technology without manners. Respected business-types who hew faithfully to Emily Post's dictates at the dining table will think nothing of behaving like boors when it's time to sit down at the keyboard. Thankfully, Bill Lampton has packaged this nifty set of 55 email commandments to remind us that the accepted rules of civilized social intercourse translate with equal force to online correspondence."
Alf Nucifora, Nucifora Consulting Group
http://www.nucifora.com
Gives you the “winner’s edge” when you e-mail someone
"When you are face-to-face with someone, you can instantly see if you've made a mistake, ask what's wrong, and make amends. Send a horrible e-mail, and you may never realize the harm you've done to your career or your company. By applying Bill Lampton's 55 Tips for Cyberspace Success, you'll have the winner's edge instead by avoiding mistakes when you e-mail."
Donald Mitchell, management consultant, author of The Ultimate Competitive Advantage and other leading business books.
http://www.mitchellandco.com

Shows us how to make sure the message has the right “tone”
“This is a very comprehensive list. My biggest comment was addressed already which is read the email fully after writing and make sure the “tone” is what you intend. The worse thing about email is that sometimes tone is difficult to grasp. An email you meant to come across one way could come across different from what was intended.”
Jeff A. Lawson, MAI,SRA Carr, Lawson, Cantrell & Associates, Inc.
http://www.carratlanta.com

Everyone who reads the e-book will benefit
I found your e-book Excellent E-mailing to be a valuable collection of e-mail tips. Anyone who uses e-mail for personal or business correspondence would benefit from reading this e-book.
Joe Escobar, Editor in Chief, Aircraft Maintenance Technology
http://www.amtonline.com

Now. . .time to place your order.
All of these highly respected professionals have let you know the value of “Excellent E-mailing.” Clearly, Bill Lampton’s power-packed e-book will help you cut down on the mistakes that have frustrated you and your colleagues, angered customers, and confused everybody.

Your investment
Your investment is so reasonable that you will want to order copies for many of your colleagues in the workplace.

Imagine. . .you’ll get this outstanding guidebook for
merely $12.97 per e-book!

NOTE: Because “Excellent E-mailing” is copyrighted material, purchasers will understand that it’s not legal to buy only one copy and then circulate it among staff and employees. Once again, the $12.97 per copy investment makes it possible for you to order multiple copies without depleting your training budget.

Priced at just $12.97 each!

REMINDER . .HOW TO ORDER
The process is so easy. Have your MasterCard or Visa card handy,and go to Bill’s Web site shopping cart:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Then. . .as the e-book’s subtitle says. . .you will
enjoy “cyberspace success,” as never before.

PURCHASE TODAY. . .COMMUNICATE LIKE
CHAMPIONS TOMORROW!

Here’s that link again:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

"Paying the Correct Price"--A Personal Trainer's Advice

2007-12-18T05:51:00.000-05:00

Joe London gives his personal training clients top-caliber guidance at The Fitness Forum in Gainesville, Georgia. During the fifteen years I have known Joe, we have exchanged our ideas about life and success, quite frequently. Recently Joe sent me this article, which I'm delighted to publish. For all of us who are interested in succeeding, his words provide a sure-fire formula.

Here's the article:

"Nature cannot be tricked or cheated. She will give up to you the object of your struggles only after you have paid her price.” Napoleon Hill

I use this quote several times each week. It helps me get clients or potential clients to evaluate their current situation. This is how the conversation typically goes, “I’m not losing any weight”....my response “Nature cannot be tricked or cheated.” “I don’t feel like I’m getting stronger”....my response “Nature cannot be tricked or cheated.” My reply is perfect every time. The next common statement I often hear from people is, “I’m watching what I eat or I’m lifting weights or I’m doing my running..” The list goes on and on and on... ad nauseum. Well, Nature cannot be tricked or cheated.

"Red” Blaik was the football coach of Army in the 1940s and 1950s. He won two national championships and wrote a book titled, YOU HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE. This was his life mantra: if you want to win championships, you have to pay the price. Incidentally, he had a young offensive coach who learned about paying the price by sacrificing health and family in order to win ball games. His name was Vince Lombardi, and he led the Green Bay Packers to two Super Bowl victories.

I have learned about paying the price with an outfit called ebay.com. I have learned that I am only willing to bid a certain amount of money for some items. If I win the item, good; if I don’t win the item, no big deal. If it is an item that I want very badly, I tend to pay the correct price and win the item.

Basically, I am doing the same thing that a client or potential client would do. Either I am willing to pay a price or I’m willing to pay the Correct Price. It is pretty much black and white at this point, no middle ground.

I call this the ebay effect. People go through the motions of paying a price, and they hope they reach their goals with a low bid. What they are doing is paying a price, but they are not paying the Correct Price.

You want to lose weight? You need professional help such as a dietician or Weight Watchers. Most people balk at this idea and try to do it on their own, never paying the Correct Price.

You want to get stronger or faster? You need a professional when it comes to technique and program design. Most people (in my estimation 95%) would never think that their technique or faulty program design is the problem. They are paying a price, but not the Correct Price.

How will you know if you’re paying the Correct Price? Nature cannot be tricked or cheated--if you’re reaching your goals, you will know....and so will everyone else.

_______________________________________________________
For more guidelines about motivation, order Bill Lampton's audio CD--titled "Maintaining Maximum Motivation: Strategies for Staying in High Gear!"--by visiting his Web site's shopping cart:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/store/index.htm

Communicate Across Cultures--Terry Brock Tells Us How

2007-11-26T14:40:00.000-05:00

When internationally respected marketing expert Terry Brock
visited my Gainesville, Georgia office recently, I interviewed him.
Terry explained how he customized his communication when
he spoke in Dubai, Ireland,and Australia during his third
worldwide tour.

Among the guidelines Brock gives for communicating globally:
*Do your research. Analyze your audience thoroughly
*Learn the cultural differences, and respect them
*Use the local lingo, such as "G'day" in Australia
*Wherever you are, become a problem-solver
*Don't just rely on the latest gadget--give valuable information
*Recognize that people around the world might know technology
as well as you do

Join me as I interview Terry in this brief video:
http://tinyurl.com/2kppbz

Then visit Terry Brock's Web site to sign up for his monthly newsletter:
http://www.terrybrock.com/

A More Productive Way to Talk With Unhappy Customers

2007-10-15T06:03:00.000-05:00

BRIAN DELANEY

Want to learn a new--and better--way to talk with unhappy customers? Then read on, to see what a company executive told me recently.

To prepare for my presentations for the Virginia Pest Management Association's State Technical Meeting, I scheduled phone conversations with several of the association's most prominent members. One of them was Brian Delaney, President of the Association. Brian's company is ProTech Pest Control of Virginia.

Brian explained his strategy for dealing with upset customers. He called his approach "noncommittal agreement." Our habit, he said, is to "make a decision before the customer gets to give the whole story." We "jump to a conclusion" too quickly.

Through experience, Brian has discovered a more productive approach. He listens, without making judgmental comments like "that's where you're wrong" or "our agreement doesn't include that service." In a quiet voice, he just agrees: "I see. . .Hmmmm. . .Tell me more."

Brian reports that the results are often amazing. Because he does not challenge the customer, the customer becomes friendlier as the story unfolds. In fact, Brian says that "sometimes the customer even apologizes for taking up so much of my time, and for getting upset over something so trivial." Certainly that doesn't happen in every case, yet the "noncommittal agreement" nearly always defuses a tense situation.

Throughout the customer conversation, Brian prompts the customer with questions. This underscores Brian's willingness to hear what the customer feels and thinks.

When I gave my speech on customer care, I called on Brian to share his noncommittal agreement concept. After he spoke, I linked his statement with Stephen Covey's five levels of listening--and noted that empathic listening, Covey's highest level, mirrored Brian's noncommittal agreement.

Next time you face a dissatisfied customer, try Brian's method. Both you and the customer will experience an unusual calmness. Instead of escalating into a verbal brawl, your dialogue will resolve the issue faster. As Stephen Covey advised, "Seek first to understand, and then to be understood."

Speaking of Stephen Covey, use this link to access my four minute video--"What's Your Listening Level?"--that discusses Covey's five levels of listening:
http://tinyurl.com/2ran6d

Also, to order my book--The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life-- and read the chapter on listening, go to my Web site's shopping cart, which accepts Visa and Mastercard:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/store/index.htm

Smiley Face Turns 25--But Isn't Always Appropriate

2007-09-19T05:05:00.000-05:00

News flash!The wire services tell us that today, September 19, 2007, marks the 25th anniversary of the origin of the "Smiley Face." You know what I'm referring to. It is :-)

Seems that a Carnegie Mellon University Professor, Scott E. Fahlman, believes he is the first person to have used that symbol, now recognized universally. Soon his new way of indicating a smile spread around campus, then went way beyond the Carnegie Mellon boundaries.

It's easy to understand why the idea spread. Indeed, bright smiles enliven our days and lives. However, in the "Business Writing That Works" seminar that I have presented for leading organizations, I give some news about the Smiley Face that shocks participants: The Smiley Face is not a good idea in business e-mailing.

Why? Because e-mail readers are likely to misinterpret humor in writing. To illustrate, I tell seminar participants that I could see a good friend at the office coffee break, pat him on the back, grin widely, and say, "Joe, you're some kind of an S.O.B." Face to face, Joe would return my grin, and then chuckle good naturedly. However, suppose Joe opened his e-mail and found that same message. Chances are strong that he would react quite differently. . .with rage instead of laughter.

From experience, I can tell you that even with your close friends, :-) carries some risk. They might detect sarcasm, which you didn't intend at all.

Yes, I wish Smiley Face a Happy 25th. At the same time, I'll continue to teach and write about the pitfalls of e-mail humor.

Want more of my E-mail tips? Then read my article, "A Dozen Guidelines for Using E-Mail." Here is the link:

http://www.businessknowhow.com/internet/e-mail-guidelines.htm

If you think the article will benefit your colleagues, you may reprint with my permission, as long as you include the author ID.

And there's more e-mail advice on the way. Within a few weeks, I will release my new E-book, "E-Mailing Excellence." If you want me to notify you when it is available for purchase online, please send me an e-mail titled, "Excellence," and I'll be sure to let you know. My e-mail address:
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

Keep on smiling. . .but not in your e-mails.

For more advice about communication expertise, visit my Web site:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

You'll find more than twenty free articles there. Also,in the site's "shopping cart" you can order my popular book, The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication,Change Your Life!

Use the Communication Style That Works Best

2007-09-03T17:36:00.000-05:00

Frequently we think we have a personality conflict with someone. Yet the problem may be less complicated than that.

Watch this brief video, in which I describe the four major communication styles, and explain how important it is to adjust your style to communicate more effectively with those who prefer a style that suits them, not you.

Then if you're interested in completing the DISC Survey Form online--at moderate cost--and getting a 23 page report immediately that identifies your style, then E-mail me, titling your E-mail DISC Survey. My E-mail address:
drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

Learn Your Communication Style--Now!

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Owen Wilson Needed a Motivational Strategy

2007-08-31T06:39:00.000-05:00

Owen Wilson seemed to have it all. He gained international fame through his roles in hit movies, including Zoolander, Shanghai Noon, Wedding Crashers, and You, Me, and Dupree, with the latter one paying him a $20 million salary.

Owen was athletic, playing high school and college football--which gave him his twisted nose, after thirteen breaks.

Wealth, health, fame, dating famous women like Demi Moore, Sheryl Crow, and Kate Hudson--a great life, don't you think?

Looks like Owen Wilson didn't think so. On August 26, he attempted suicide. The news leaked out, and police confirmed the incident.

What went wrong? Some said his breakup with Kate Hudson caused his plunge into despair, depression, and disgust with life.

Yet I offer another explanation. Although Owen Wilson had the things that most of the world envies, he lacked something essential. He did not have a strategy for staying motivated when life brings unexpected and undesirable challenges.

Ernest Hemingway, for all his success as a novelist, didn't have that strategy either, and shot himself.

More positively, Christopher Reeve had a strategy for living triumphantly for nine years after his riding accident that paralyzed his body. . .but not his spirit. Amazingly, the second book he wrote carried the title Nothing is Impossible.

When I talk about motivation in my speeches and seminars, I help listeners establish their personal strategies for "staying in high gear" when life becomes tough.

First, I tell them about what other people do to remain upbeat. Example: An audience member told me she keeps a file labeled "I like me." In it, she puts nice notes or E-mails people have sent her. And when her life or career hit a stumbling block, she turns to that file and reads those compliments. Every time, she concludes, "Well, if all these people like me, I might as well like myself."

Second, I share my own favorite method for keeping my chin up. It's this: Every morning when I step out of bed, I imagine that I am stepping into an elevator. I have a choice. There are two buttons there, one marked Up, the other marked Down. Experience has shown me that if I punch the Down button, my day will--invariably--be lousy. On the other hand, when I push the Up button, and eat breakfast with a smile on my face, magical things happen. People return my phone calls, I find cheer surrounding me, and I accomplish plenty.

Third, I have audience members share their ways of getting through tough times. Often the discussion becomes highly inspirational. One person said, "When you wake up, notice that you have just experienced the greatest miracle of all. You have had a full day given to you. What you do with it us up to you. Just be grateful for the opportunity."

So, Owen Wilson, I wish you had been able to establish a system to help you through those times when you get bad reviews, romance fails, friendships shatter, health deteriorates, or someone else gets the award you think you deserved.

What about you? Can you be sure you will get where you want to be, in spite of big-time detours along the way?

Personally, I value life immensely, even though plenty has gone wrong for me:
*Almost died at age eight from a freakish infection that made medical history
*Fifteen surgeries as an adult
*Lost a prestigious job without any warning--one I thought I had for life
*Watched my mother suffer three years as an immobile stroke victim, until her death
*Almost didn't graduate from high school on time because of my chemistry course
*Became grossly overweight and lazy during my thirties

Erma Bombeck was right. The other man's grass might look greener, but it could be that's because it's over the septic tank. All of us have bad times, even horrendous times.

That's why I love to share my thoughts about pushing the Up button daily. I'm so eager to help you establish your personal agenda for "optimizing your optimism" that I have put my best advice, and the advice of those I admire, in an audio CD. The title: "Maintaining Maximum Motivation: Strategies for Staying in High Gear!" Please go to to my Web site and read what others say about this CD, then order your copy:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Listening to this CD--repeatedly--could be the best investment of time and resources you will ever make. Soon you will be able to say with Christopher Reeve, "I have my down days, but I haven't been incapacitated by them."

Terry Brock--World Renowned Technology/Marketing Expert

2007-08-06T18:33:00.001-05:00

Terry Brock, based in Orlando, Florida with his company--Achievement Systems-- has appeared in my blog previously. Yet he is worth spotlighting again--because Terry has helped many hundreds of people upgrade their technology skills and jet propel their marketing campaigns. I'm fortunate to be one of those entrepreneurs who benefit from his service.

A few days ago, Terry visited my office. In just a few minutes, he showed me how to improve my video production. As always, his instruction was clear, simple, and easy to remember. Most importantly, he was patient, knowing that technology isn't my inborn strong suit.

At lunch afterward, where the restaurant owner took the photo displayed above, we talked about Terry's third global trip, which he had just completed. As a keynote speaker, seminar director, and marketing coach, he has worked in seventeen countries, and in many states within the U.S. His worldwide impact is expanding rapidly.

Amazingly, though, Terry is never too busy to help an individual. He talks about E-Commerce (technology) and R-Commerce (relationships), and he excels in both.

There's a super lesson there for all of us. It's true that we have to keep up with the latest technology developments. However, our relationships with our colleagues, clients, potential clients, family members, and friends should never suffer while we are getting used to the latest gadgets and gizmos.

I have attended Terry's presentations. I guarantee that his sessions are information-packed, fun, high energy, and inspiring.

I recommend that you visit his Web site:
http://www.terrybrock.com

Sign up for his monthly free newsletter, Achievement Update. Consider his Online Coaching Program and his Individual Coaching Program. There's nowhere you could get more value for your investment. I am proud to call him my coach. You will be, too.

Veteran Journalist Writes Her First Book

2007-08-04T12:54:00.002-05:00

When writers get together for lunch, they enjoy talking about their latest writing projects. That's one reason I had looked forward to lunch with Alma Bowen, former editor of The Times, our newspaper here in Gainesville, Georgia.

Even before we placed our order, Alma said, "I have written a book." Having been through that process myself--writing The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life!--I congratulated Alma on her accomplishment, then asked her to describe her book. Here's how she summarized the plot, both then and in a follow up E-mail:

Title: The Cement Duck

Short Summary: "It is 1971, and a slick-talking stranger with a northern accent walks into a north Georgia bank to set up large checking accounts. He cashes checks, asking for the money in small bills. The bank president knows that a new Interstate is coming and he believes the stranger is buying property just outside the town to build a major shopping center, a project that depends on total secrecy.

"A total of $1.1 million disappears, a swindle so large and so sly that the nation's financial newspaper reports it, saying the swindle took place at 'a back-country bank.'

"The FBI agents arrive with federal bank auditors to investigate. They believe the swindle was orchestrated out of Philadelphia, but why had the north Georgia bank been selected? People became afraid and suspicious of old friends.

"The story is based on an actual crime in northeast Georgia in 1971 with all names of people and significant places changed."

I'll let you know when The Cement Duck (quite an intriguing title, don't you agree?) appears in print.

Meanwhile, you may order The Complete Communicator from my Web site's "shopping cart," which you will find at:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

When you order, please E-mail me to let me know how to sign your copy. That is, give me the name or names you want me to mention when I sign your copy or copies. My E-mail address:

drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

No Speaker is Perfect--Laugh at Your Mistakes

2007-07-06T10:39:00.000-05:00

Recently when I directed a 90-minute seminar about stage fright for the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC), a strong Atlanta area organization, I said that we can reduce our stage fright by accepting that we are not going to be perfect. We're all going to make mistakes. Admitting that to ourselves upfront relieves our tension. In fact, I advised, we should even learn to laugh at our bloopers. That's far more constructive than fretting about them.

Then I told the group about an embarrassing goof I committed while I was emceeing an annual alumni event for the college where I was vice president. In front of 400 banquet guests, I intended to say that one of the women honorees, who was present, had written a play about the college in 1950. Unfortunately, I said she had written it in 1850. The crowd laughed uproariously, and I learned why when someone explained my inaccuracy after the event.

Having described my own inglorious moment at the podium, I asked the GNFCC seminar participants to tell us about their most embarrassing experiences while speaking to a group. Alan Urech, pictured above, responded with a smile.

Alan recalled an occasion when he was presiding, and needed to introduce a man to the group. The man's name: Johnny Walker. Alan told his audience, "And now I want you to give a good welcome to. . .Jack Daniels."

As you can guess, our GNFCC seminar participants laughed for a long time. Alan's example was especially meaningful because he is unusually gifted as a speaker--articulate, poised, and polished. So if even he could get his thoughts twisted that much, the rest of us should accept our imperfections, and even chuckle about them, as Alan did about his.

To learn more about Alan Urech, an amazing business leader, please visit his Web site: http://www.stoneyrivercapital.com/

And for additional guidelines for becoming the speaker that audiences want to hear, order my audio CD--"How to Become a Dynamic Speaker!"--using this link:

http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Meet a Generous Expert--Doug Smart

2007-06-29T13:33:00.000-05:00

Not all experts are generous toward others. You and I have met highly successful people who are not approachable, except by those they consider their peers.

That's why it is so refreshing to meet leaders who have achieved plenty, yet have maintained their warmth, interest in others, and willingness to help people who need their friendship and mentoring.

Doug Smart, CSP, based in Roswell, Georgia, stands out as an expert who is glad to offer friendship and assistance. In many instances, he has served as my mentor ever since I became a professional speaker.

For example, I still remember my early attempts to become computer literate. During my twenty-three years in management, I had shied away from technology. Once I started my company, Championship Communication, there was no one to delegate to, so I had to get on a fast learning track to establish my Web site, distribute an E-mail newsletter, and eventually start this blog.

A phone conversation with Doug remains with me indelibly. I had no idea how to add blue text to my newsletter. With inexhaustible patience, Doug spent a half-hour with me on the phone, walking me through the process. The result: For several years my newsletter, "Winning Words and Ways," has contained color that provides variety and emphasis.

On more than one occasion, Doug has referred me as a speaker to prestigious groups. One was the Hospitality, Sales and Marketing Association International. Going on Doug's recommendation, HSMAI had me speak twice in Washington, DC. Also, Doug sponsored me to speak at the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) in Alpharetta, Georgia, where I presented a 90-minute seminar.

Without charging a penny for his services, Doug interviewed me as we produced two of the audio CDs you'll find on my Web site: "How to Become a Dynamic Speaker!" and "How to Succeed in Sales!" Purchase them, and you'll applaud Doug's interviewing skills--not a surprise to those who know about his extensive radio experience. Order these CDs from: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Doug's humanitarianism became quite public after hurricane Katrina. A New Orleans native, he wanted to stimulate support and relief for the storm's victims. Working with GNFCC, he spearheaded a fundraising effort that generated $16,000 for the struggling survivors.

Whatever your profession, I encourage you to affiliate with a mentor like Doug. For a decade, he has encouraged me, educated me, and befriended me.

Be sure to visit his Web site: http://www.dougsmart.com/ Your organization will benefit from his talents as a speaker, seminar leader, consultant, and author.

Doug calls his company Smart Business. That's more than just a connection with his last name. The company name reflects his ability to energize corporations in a variety of industries. Yours could be next.

"Every Customer Becomes a Friend"--More Than a Slogan

2007-05-15T18:07:00.000-05:00

Officially, he is J. Reid Moore, CFO of Republic Bank of Georgia, launched just six months ago in Suwanee, Georgia, near Atlanta. After 27 years in banking--including international stints in Brazil, Buenos Aires, Dominican Republic, Brussels, and Belgium--his credentials are impeccable. Predictably, he dresses conservatively and speaks quietly. Yet once Reid Moore starts talking about his bank's commitment to customer service, his eyes light up and you can feel his energy building.

The bank's slogan: "Every customer becomes a friend, and returns with a friend." Sounds interesting. You wonder if it came from a PR firm.

"Not at all," Moore clarifies. We didn't even choose our mission statement until we had brought our ten employees on board--five days before our opening. We spent one full day deciding what we wanted to be and accomplish. There was total agreement that we wanted to meet the needs of customers, not 'just sell them the flavor of the week.'"

Hiring procedures, not surprisingly, were unorthodox. A candidate for any position faced interviews with every employee, from the CEO to the entry level data specialist. In two cases, not everyone felt the candidates would match the desired "chemistry and compatability." The bank didn't hire them.

When completed, Republic Bank's building will have a homespun look--"lots of soft wood and rock, like a lodge." You won't notice people lined up to see a teller. Instead, bank personnel will welcome customers to individual tables, where high tech equipment will, quite quickly, perform all the transactions a teller would enact.

Having worked extensively with small banks as a consultant, Reid Moore knows the impact one disgruntled employee has on the work force: "When you have ten employees and one comes in with a sour expression, that means ten percent of your work force has bad morale that day."

Being a family means being flexible enough to help your colleagues. You cannot say, "That's not my job." You cross boundaries, and help your fellow employees serve customers well.

Another key word with Reid Moore: communication. "All employees have a right to know what we are doing. There are no secrets." For a half-hour before every Friday's opening, the employees meet, tell what is happening with them, and express their needs. No one feels reluctant to say, "Hey, I need help with this." Moore said it well: "We complement each other, we're not just bookends."

Some employees are surprised at the empowerment they experience. "You approve that bill for cleaning," Moore told one staff person, "your signature will be as good as mine."

Shareholders, too, stay well informed, with a monthly E-mail memo to every shareholder--far different from the typically stilted, and often dull, bank quarterly statements.

Moore smiled widely when he added: "We want every employee to have fun. At our quarterly
celebration (we avoided the word 'meeting') everybody got involved in a paintball fight."

Republic Bank extends recognition to employees with exemplary performance. Examples:

"Best Deal of the Quarter Award" went to Valerie, who closed a new loan application within two hours, while the CEO enjoyed lunch.

The MVP award honored Nicole, who "went out of her way to help others in her area."

The Customer Service Award went to all employees, who stayed long after closing time to count by hand the cash and coin savings of a new customer--$3,000 in dollar bills and $900 in change.

So far, new customers have come mainly by referral. "Nobody knows where our temporary building is," Moore observed, "yet they hear about us from very happy customers."

Republic Bank uses simple, inexpensive amenities to demonstrate genuine friendliness. The customer who got a car loan gets a thank you note with a $10 car wash coupon. The bank orders a $10 pizza for the family with a home loan, delivered at noon on moving day. "These gestures of good will generate far more powerful publicity than thousands of dollars of advertising would spark," Moore said.

Using a marketing firm from nearby Athens, GA, Republic Bank solicits customer feedback through focus group meetings.

Summing up our conversation over a delightful lunch, Reid Moore capsuled his bank's central purpose: "The people part and the ability to be creative separate us from every other bank."

For more information, visit the bank's Web site: http://www.republicbankofgeorgia.com

To read my comments about how our attitudes impact customers, read this article:
http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/attitude.htm

To order my audio CD about how to give magnificent customer care:

http://www.commlampton.com/store/index.htm

South American Colleague Crosses Many Boundaries

2007-05-08T04:44:00.001-05:00

Several weeks ago, my E-mail Inbox contained a message from Monica Yaneth Loeb Willes of Cali, Colombia, South America. She requested my permission to translate more than a dozen of my published articles into Spanish and post them on her Web site. As you can guess, I welcomed her interest in introducing me to a new audience. So my first impression was: Here is an adventurous professional who crosses boundaries.

Soon, Monica directed me to her site--and I could see several of my articles posted in Spanish. Check her site: http://www.empresariovirtual.com

As our correspondence developed, I realized that Monica knew plenty about me from my articles, Web site, and blog. I needed to learn more about her life and work. I expressed this to her in an E-mail. Her reply let me know that she has spent her life crossing boundaries--and will continue to do that, with remarkable success. Check these examples:

TECHNOLOGY: How well versed were you with computers in 1980? Well, that's when Monica started mastering technology--"selftaught," as she puts it. She wrote her first commercial quality software at age 12, got a contract with Xerox Colombia when she was 15, and soon built an impressive list of corporate and government clients.

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Not content with mastering the technical side of communication, she moved into graphic design. She exports "overseas" her expertise in slides creation

BUSINESS: "I felt the need to understand what I did from IT side from the managers side as well. That prompted me to study the career of business management studies at the Universidad del Valle, one of the best in my country." Monica studied also the complete human resources and marketing management emphasis.

HEALTH CARE: Recognized as an expert in medical informatics, for more than fifteen years Monica has served as an external IT consultant in hospitals such as Centro Medico Imbanaco, Hospital Unversitario del Valle, and other leading medical organizations in Cali, Colombia. Currently Monica contributes her services to physicians of all specialties. Worldwide, she assists physicians in doing medical presentations and also in establishing their Web sites.

RELIGION: Ten years ago, Monica felt compelled to pursue religion more deeply. Living in a country that did not recognize ordination of women, she became connected with a Christian chat room, dialoguing with other programmers. By 2000, she founded Christian Hope Ministry and Network. Since 2003 Monica has co-directed that organization with Pastor Matt Smith (NC) and Mrs. Pat Goshorn (PA). Monica helps poor churches by improving their ministry through websites and knowledge based resources. Pioneering even further, she became an ordained pastor--the only one in Latin America from her denomination.

LANGUAGE: Self-taught in English, Italian, and Portuguese, and speaks "German and Spanish because of my family roots." Two years ago she started studying the Hebrew version of the Bible--"really complex, but amazing."

PUBLICATION: Monica has written sixteen books--the first one at age 17. Soon she will produce them as E-books, making them available worldwide.

PATRIOTISM: Her confidence in Colombia convinced her to "start a business now in times where others are leaving." Her commitment: "I have decided to help to raise this country and not only dream but also work hard for a better future for other Colombians who stay here too."

That's part of the motivation for her Web site, where she not only features my articles but will feature my instructional videos and my book, along with other authors, speakers, and trainers. Monica intends to "tell the entrepreneurs here and in all Latin America that there is more ahead than just the conventional ways of doing marketing."

Looking ahead, she foresees "Colombia in peace that I have never seen." She continued: "I don't want that the children of the future live in a violent Colombia where I have lived, but in a place where they can develop as human beings and live a reasonably happy life."

Her goal? "My dream is to position my company as a world quality class organization and I am sure with time I will achieve it."

My prediction: Monica, as many boundaries as you have crossed already, so early in life, I have full assurance that you will achieve whatever you want.

My appreciation: Thanks to Monica, for showing us that we can communicate to the fullest extent of our potential--if we use boundaries as bridges we step across.

Tour Guide Made Our Italy Trip Unforgettable

2007-04-04T10:02:00.000-05:00

When twenty-two people from the Gainesville, Georgia area signed up for a ten-day tour of Italy, coordinated by our bank, we knew very little about our destination. One thing we did know and agree on--the person Collette Tours would send as our guide would "make or break" the trip.

Landing in Rome, we met our vivacious guide, Jovanka Mrdja. Immediately, she energized us. She gained our confidence with her knowledge, poise, upbeat style, and tasteful humor.

In the photo above, Jovanka shows us a map of Florence, Italy, suggests places we can see on our own, and tells us what time to meet back in the city square, so we can walk as a group to the tour bus. And yes--it was raining, and quite chilly, as you can tell from the garb and umbrellas. Yet we didn't grumble about the weather. Jovanka was providing so much fun that we hardly noticed the elements.

As we traveled across Italy by tour bus, Jovanka shared what she had learned during two decades as a tour guide. In every locale, she talked about the major people and historical events that had shaped the city or site. Her English is impeccable, and she has mastered several other languages.

When I coach people on improving their speaking skills, I urge them to follow this advice from actors: give "The Illusion of the First Time." The meaning: No matter how familiar you are with your material, state it as though you had just thought of it that moment. Give it the same vitality you felt during your first encounter. Well, Jovanka did exactly that. We almost felt that she was rediscovering the Pantheon, the Vatican, the Roman Forum, and everything else she showed us and described. Her enthusiasm never waned. Neither did her energy, despite early alarms and late-night dinners.

Jovanka's home base is Vancouver, B.C. In a sense, though, the entire world is her home, as she fits in anywhere--splendidly.

For more information about how to "communicate like champions," as Jovanka does every day, visit my Web site: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

"Please Tell Me a Story"

2007-03-05T12:43:00.000-05:00

During our childhood, we enjoyed hearing a relative say, "Once upon a time." We knew they were going to read us a story or tell us one.

When we reach adulthood, we don't lose our love of stories. As a professional speaker, I sprinkle my speeches and seminars with relevant stories to illustrate my main points. Not only are stories great as teaching devices, they create interest and maintain attention.

Are you are aware that some people become professional story tellers? Recently I became acquainted with one, Karen Chace of East Freetown, MA, when she wrote me about one of my published articles. In the E-mail exchange that followed, Karen said: "Children love stories but I find that adults need happily ever after as well, more than ever. Some of my most successful venues have been for adults."

As for her role with children: "I teach children how to story tell, which is a wonderful way to instill oral presentation skills at a young age, something that will help them throughout their lives."

I encourage you to visit Karen's Web site: http:www.storybug.net You may want to bring Karen to your organization for an unusual type of program that will appeal to everyone in your group.

Solving The Four Most Common Customer Service Problems

2007-03-03T13:26:00.001-05:00

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to work with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Dearborn, Michigan. A highlight of a symposium I attended was hearing a dynamic two-hour presentation by Theo Gilbert-Jamison, the company's Vice President Vice President for Training & Organizational Effectiveness. Immediately afterward, I met Theo, and told her that no one else could have kept the after-lunch crowd as interested as she did.

Soon afterward, Theo left the Ritz-Carlton to form her own company, Performance Solutions by Design, based in Conyers, Georgia, adjacent to Atlanta. Check her Web site: http://www.psbydesign.com

She has gained an international reputation as a customer service expert, and I recommend her book, The Six Principles of Service Excellence, to my clients and newsletter subscribers. Recently I asked Theo to discuss the four most common customer service problems that organizations face. She replied:

1. No common vision or mission for the organization – Senior leadership has not articulated with the purpose, vision, or mission of the organization. Therefore, employees are lost without any directions on how to properly provide excellent service or how to help the organization move forward. If by chance there is a written organizational vision and mission, oftentimes I find it is outdated, poorly written and lacks any elements that contribute to creating a culture of service excellence. The only way to overcome this common problem is to sit down as an executive team and iron out the service philosophy (vision, mission, service standards) of the organization.

2. Lack of Leadership Alignment – Senior leadership often has varied definitions of what excellence within their organization is or means. Because they have not invested the time in synergistically defining the purpose of the organization, every leader, department and employee is left to their own devices to figure out with it is. The result is that in one or two areas of the organization there is a heightened awareness because the leaders continually emphasized service excellence; while in other areas of the organization leaders are not aligned with the concept of service excellence and it is not a priority for them. This leads to pocket of excellence, inconsistency in service, and employee disengagement and frustration. To overcome this problem, once the service philosophy has been established, every leader within the organization should be aligned with it. There can be no compromise.

3. Service Excellence Not Linked to Business Strategy or Goals – When service excellence is not measured, it is not strategically linked to achievement of the business goals. When service excellence is not part of the strategic plan, it falls off of the radar screen after 2-3 months. Leadership begins to focus on the latest trend in technology, and often neglects the human aspects of good customer service. To overcome this problem, make service excellence one of the key indicators on the strategic plan. Also, make service excellence a business goal. Remember, what gets measured, gets done.

4. No Long-Term Commitment to Drive Excellence – Unfortunately, most leaders are not looking for a long-term approach to enhancing the customer’s service experience, they want the quick fix. A half-day customer service training class will only create a temporary awareness about customer service or service excellence. Only a long-term approach that involves varied interventions (i.e. training, process improvement, employee accountability, and communication) will fix the problem forever. Remember, service excellence is a journey – not a destination!

I'm grateful to Theo for contributing her expertise to my blog. Again, I encourage you to order her book, The Six Principles of Service Excellence and visit her Website, where you'll find a description of her services, along with her contact information:
http://www.psbydesign.com

Barbara Vu--Not Just Another Face in the Crowd

2007-02-26T16:03:00.000-05:00

When Barbara Vu attended my seminar--"How to Become a Dynamic Speaker!"-- we spoke briefly afterward while she purchased my book, The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life! At this stage, she seemed to blend in with the group, another aspiring professional eager to improve her communication skills.

However, because I had copied her credit card number incorrectly, I E-mailed her. As we started corresponding, I found that she was far from just another face in the crowd. When she told me what had happened already in her young life, the headlines I had read about similiar cases became reality, front and center. The big difference between Barbara and most highly publicized cases we hear about: her mistakes weren't fatal, as they are for so many who don't get a second chance.

To be specific: At age fifteen, lonely, feeling isolated from and unappreciated by her family, suffering from lack of self esteem, she sought help where millions of frantic individuals look--in alcohol, cocaine, and methamphetamine. How did she celebrate her "sweet sixteen" birthday? She didn't. She was rushed to the emergency room, at the point of death.

However, that shocking event didn't stop her enslavement to destructive habits. Only when her home life collapsed completely did she seek a different kind of help. In her words: "I knew that it was time to stop. That night, I bowed my head to pray. I prayed to the Lord to give me strength and determination to fix what I have done. I prayed all that I could and I promised Him that I would change my life around and make my parents proud of me as well as loving myself."

What resulted?

"My prayers were soon answered when my cousins from Atlanta, Georgia asked me if I would like to stay with them. I knew this had to be God's doing because he saved me when I had no hope for life. I know God has a purpose for me being here and I am doing the best I can to become a better person. I grew up faster and matured quicker than most kids, but I am proud of it."

To what extent has she rebuilt her shattered life? "It has been two years since I've been in Georgia and I have accomplished so much. I am trying my best to be a straight A student and I am on the honor roll. This past October, I was selected to be the artist for Taste of Norcross and I designed the logo. It was an honor for me because I have such a great passion for art."

There's more: "Just recently, I have been nominated to be Norcross' student of the year." Ironically, as I write this, Barbara "will be attending the banquet" tonight.

Her plans have evolved almost magically. A business major, she wants to use her artistic skills to enhance her business impact. Equally as important, she intends to speak to young people, urging them not to slip into the drug scene that almost annihilated her. Also, she will encourage parents to give their children love, encouragement, unconditional backing, and self-respect. She knows too well how desperate children become without those qualities.

Today I passed Barbara's name along to a church group that will invite her to tell her story. They're in for a mesmerizing presentation, I'm sure.

Already, Barbara is a skilled writer. One day we'll read her story in her first book, I predict. She will become a grand illustration that no one has to stay at the bottom.

Definitely, she is not just another face in the crowd. In fact, if you look at her picture above, you'll notice an unmistakable glow surrounding her.

I'll close with her observation that after her incredible comback from devastation, she saw life anew: "Everynight before I go to bed, I would talk to God. I would thank Him for letting me see another beautiful day and live life the way I'm supposed to. I know I still have a whole life in front of me and I will NEVER take that for granted again."

Anita Bruzzese Writes a "Must-Have" Book

2007-02-17T10:39:00.000-05:00

Several years ago, I started reading "On the Job," a terrific weekly column carried by Gannett Newspapers. The columnist, Anita Bruzzese--pictured on the left-- gave superb advice about how to succeed in the work force.

Her writing style captivated me--humorous, upbeat, yet content-rich, sprinkled with practical illustrations that came from her numerous interviews with successful professionals.

Now Bruzzese has produced a book that capsules the advice her columns offered. The title grabs attention quickly: 45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy--And How to Avoid Them.

My review of this book for Amazon displays this title: "Don't Go to Work Without This Book." Really, you shouldn't.

Without fail, Bruzzese scratches readers where they itch. In fact, hers is not armchair counsel. "I work for a living," she explains in this book's Introduction, "and have since I was fifteen."

Beyond her own experience, she draws on the hundreds of letters she receives from readers, and "hundreds of interviews I have done with company managers and career experts." Her conclusion: "Something is seriously wrong here, folks."

In 45 Things You Do, Bruzzese spotlights what's wrong--what we do, or don't do, on the job and even off duty that jeopardizes our standing with the boss, and frequently annoys our work associates as well. Office romance, enjoying the office holiday season party too much, inappopriate clothing, gossiping, crying at work--nothing offensive escapes her sleuthing eye.

In every case, fortunately, she tells us how to eliminate toxic behavior from our professional life.

I wish this very helpful book had been available when I started my twenty-three year management career. I would have benefited two ways. First, I would have avoided stupid blunders of my own that angered my bosses and threatened my career. The unfortunate part was that I didn't consider my behavior risky, much less out of bounds. Yet with each careless act, my bosses must have moved me into the "do not promote" category.

Second, I would have made this book required reading for every person I supervised, so they would ease my mind and improve their performance dramatically.

Now that I serve as a consultant and coach for top-level corporations, I will recommend 45 Things You Do to my clients. They will thank me, and will praise Anita Bruzzese for her terrific practical guidelines.

To order 45 Things, visit Anita Bruzzese's Web site:

http://www.45things.com

Remember. . .don't go to work without this book.

For more information about communication, motivation, customer service and sales, visit my Web site:

http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Ice Wasn't the Only Cold Item Marly Noticed

2007-01-16T08:04:00.000-05:00

MARLY SILVERMAN

After my speech at the "Ultimate Day of Balance" in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in 2004, I met a highly energetic member of the audience, Mary Silverman. Marly signed up for my free monthly newsletter, "Winning Words and Ways," which you can do by visiting my Web site and entering your name and E-mail address in the slots provided on the home page.
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Marly and I exchange E-mails regularly, as she keeps me informed about her nonprofit organization, P.A.N.D.O.R.A, described in the organization's Web site:
http://www.pandoranet.info

In a recent E-mail, here's what Marly reported about horrible customer service she experienced:

I have to say that since I began reading your newsletters and insight, I can't help myself but resort to evaluating sales personnel and services when I go to Walgreens, CVS, Wal-Mart, Staples, Macy's, Office Depot, Kinko's, etc.

Yesterday we had a refrigerator crisis, and I had to buy several bags of ice. I went to a neighborhood gas station and I said, "I need to buy a couple of ice bags."

Then I realized that it would not be enough for the cooler I had. So I began to pick up more bags.

There was one gentleman and one young girl there. They saw me doing more than one trip. . .and they never offered me a hand to help me and never followed up with "I see you decided to buy more, can we help you?"

Instead, when I finally got ready to pay for the ice bags, the gentleman (misnomer perhaps) said, "If you had told us that you needed more than two bags I would have given you the bigger pack. Now I have to open those packs again and replace what I had in there."

I looked at him and at her with some grin on my face and I said, "I am so sorry that by being your customer I am also making you work extra hard. This is a service station, isn't it? Next time I will go the gas station across the street where perhaps as a customer I will be sincerely appreciated."

The man's mouth dropped, the young girl tried to tell me that the word "couple" meant only two, and by that time I just paid them for the ice, as she told me "Have a nice day, and I hope you come back real soon."

I smiled back and I said, "It will be awhile before I come back here."

NOTE: Do you have an incident about bad customer service that you want to share? Then please hit the COMMENTS button below, and follow the instructions.

For more articles about customer service, visit the "Free Articles" page on my Web site:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/free_articles.htm

A Candid Look at Newscaster Trivia

2007-01-16T06:01:00.000-05:00

My good friend Bill Kalmar, pictured on the left, granted permission to reprint his superb advice about TV newscasts. Bill writes for top-level newspapers and magazines, and has added comments and articles to this blog previously.

His reaction to newscasts reflects my opinion exactly, and my guess is that you'll identify with his viewpoint quite easily.

Be sure to add your comments by clicking the COMMENTS button, then following the instructions.

This Just In! Felix The Cat Rescued!

Have you noticed that our airwaves no longer carry normal, informative, unadulterated news anymore? "Breaking News" has now become the standard format and thus all news is now presented in an excitable almost breathless tone. News anchors announce what they consider events so extraordinary that it now has the moniker of "Breaking News" or "Important Bulletin". And of course we at home ponder the urgency of the segment particularly when we discover that a cat previously reported as being lodged in a sewer drain has now been rescued! How would we sleep at night not knowing if this miracle had ever taken place!

Recently in a ten-minute span on our local TV stations there were three "Breaking News" stories. One actually had to do with a cat that the day before had become lodged in a sewer drain and now through the diligence of some firefighters was rescued. Oh the joy when Tabby was pulled to safety!

Another "Breaking News" segment informed us that Prime Minister Tony Blair's plane had just overshot the runway but there were no injuries nor did the other 300 obviously nondescript passengers on board realize what had transpired. Had Blair not been on board would we have known that a plane slipped a few feet off the tarmac?

And of course a football game I was watching was interrupted with a "Special Bulletin" so that we could be informed that a former U.S. President was to undergo hip replacement surgery. No additional information on the operation was offered but I sure was pleased to have missed a seventy-eight yard touchdown run to learn that the procedure would not be life threatening!

If this is "Breaking News" how would the networks handle the landing of space aliens, or the discovery of the Loch Ness Monster or Sasquatch (Bigfoot) seen shopping at a local mall? Since we have become conditioned to viewing mundane stories under the "Breaking News" headline, the networks would have to invent a new methodology to attract our attention.

How about "End of the World News" or "If you Miss This Next Segment You Will Awaken In The Morning With Boils On Your Butt"! That might get our attention. As it is now, it is still safe to leave the room when "Breaking News" comes on because it is unlikely to neither stir our curiosity nor make us alter our schedule.

And let's not forget the excitement in the voices of the local weathercasters when after reviewing their Doppler 10,000, they insert the "Storm Watch Alert" on our screens or interrupt The Hoagy Carmichael Hour on the radio to announce that without the slightest accumulation of snow outside, most of the schools in our community have already announced their closing for the next day! Then we are mesmerized for the next five minutes as we hear Barney from the local hardware describe how many snow blowers and shovels are in stock.

Those of us who were brought up watching The Huntley Brinkley Report or Walter Cronkite remember when news was straightforward, meaningful and reported without smiles, inside jokes, asides, innuendo, sarcasm and commentary. Just can't imagine Huntley interrupting Brinkley to inform us that a broccoli recall has just been announced although the infected vegetable was shipped two months earlier and to date no illnesses have been reported.

So trying to determine what is real news and what is blather has become somewhat of a chore. Maybe all this trivial news was prevalent before but now with advanced communication and 24 hour news programs we are just made more aware of it.

Oh, wait a minute some "Breaking News" just flashed on my TV screen. Seems Time Magazine just named me their Person of the Year! Now that's news even though everyone in the United States also has that distinction. Well, in any event I'd better update my resume to include that recognition! And just maybe I'll be on the 11 o'clock news right after the "Breaking News" story of the deer that was seen wandering through the woods with a plastic Halloween pumpkin on its head. Oh the intrigue!

Bill Kalmar, Former Director of the Michigan Quality Council (1993-2003)
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Examiner (1996-1997)
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Overseers (2000-2003)

For additional information about communication, visit my Web site:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Dave Lobaugh: Not Handicapped at All

2006-12-13T13:01:00.000-05:00

Life had gone quite smoothly for Dave Lobaugh for 71 years.

--Solid family with wife Gloria, two sons and a daughter.

--Retired from Shell Oil at age 55, then established a highly successful consulting practice, serving top-tier clients like Kroger, Stanley Tools, and M & M Mars, focusing on team building and other communication topics.

--Captain of his high school golf team in Toledo, Ohio, kept a 2 handicap in his 30s, and in semi-retirement shot in the 70s regularly with his golf pals in Milledgeville, Georgia.

Then the smooth, easy life ended. In March of 1996, Dave was building cabinets in his home workshop downstairs. Suddenly, he lost control of his radial-arm saw. To his horror, the saw severed four fingers from his right hand.

Within hours, the orthopaedic surgeon said that reattaching the fingers would require 12 to 14 hours of surgery. Dave declined: “My fingers already were arthritic. It would have been difficult for me to retain any function.”

At first, deep depression swept over him. By phone a few weeks ago, Dave told me, “Lying in that hospital bed, I contemplated suicide. I pictured myself taking my boat to the middle of Lake Sinclair, tying weights around my feet, and ending it all that way.”

However, his despair did not last long. Relying on “a support system that was everywhere around me,” Dave Lobaugh rallied, like a golfer who had played a lousy front nine and needed to finish strong with only pars and birdies. Within a week, he was swinging a putter one-handed in his living room.

His wife Gloria and his friend Nathan Morgan helped him construct a velcro-supported glove for his right hand, to simulate the grip he had used for 56 years. By summer he returned to the game.

Then came a moment of magic. During an August 1996 round with his longtime three golfing pals, Dave watched his tee shot on Milledgeville Country Club’s 15th hole head straight for the green—and the flag. Bounce, roll, plop. . .a hole-in-one. Remarkably, after so many years of firing right at the pin with two five-finger hands, this was his first ace. Yet another was to follow in October of 2000, four years after his workshop mishap.

Still, don’t consider him a one-shot wonder. Later, he won the club’s senior championship and after that the super-senior championship. At age 77, he fulfilled another golf fantasy, shooting the same score as his age.

Oh, I should mention as well that Dave Lobaugh conquered other health challenges. He went through colon cancer surgery in 2000 and quadruple bypass heart surgery in 2001.

David Franklin, head pro at the Milledgeville CC, commented about Dave: “His attitude never changed. He was ready to get back playing golf. That’s a tribute to his character.”

A personal note: For five years while I was vice president of Georgia College in Milledgeville, I knew Dave as a cheerful friend and golf companion. We also talked about consulting, a mutual professional interest that was to blossom for both of us eventually. I admired Dave as a successful business leader, and as a golfer who could outscore me any day.

However, I didn’t get to know the real Dave Lobaugh until he overcame a loss that most of us would consider devastating and insurmountable.

Today, at age 81, Dave plays twice a week. On those outings, you can be sure he is grateful for every swing.

My company motto is “Helping You Finish in First Place!” Thanks to Dave Lobaugh for demonstrating what makes a person finish first, even when the odds are strongly against you.

NOTE:
You can comment on this article (and any other article on this blog) by hitting COMMENT, and then sharing your reactions with other blog readers.

For other inspiring stories, order my audio CD, "Maintaining Maximum Motivation: Strategies for Staying in High Gear!" It's available, using MasterCard or Visa, on my Web site's shopping cart:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Longtime Friend and Booster Shares Lunch at Luna's

2006-11-17T08:15:00.000-05:00

Recently, Wilbur Ramsey--one of the most prominent business men in Gainesville, Georgia--joined me for lunch at Luna's Restaurant. We talked about our long friendship, initiated in 1988, and about many other topics.

Not only has Wilbur remained a grand friend, he has been an enthusiastic booster for my career--encouraging me, applauding my successes, and sharing the business knowledge he gained during his distinguished professional life.

In addition to making his mark in business, Wilbur served on numerous boards, both commercial and nonprofit. Having watched him in action, I can assure you that he strengthened every group he joined.

Proudly, he was part of the "Greatest Generation," as Tom Brokaw called those who defended freedom in the Second World War.

I'm grateful for my affiliation with Wilbur Ramsey. I hope that you, too, have established ties with one or more outstanding people who brighten your day because they believe in you and your mission.

Oh, I strongly recommend Luna's Restaurant if you come to northeast Georgia:
http://www.Lunas.com

And to learn more about my services, please visit my Web site:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Monique Dearth--Energizer Bunny Entrepreneur

2006-09-29T13:56:00.000-05:00

Everyone who has started his or her own business wants to get acquainted with others who have taken that leap into the unknown. We like to talk about the challenges, the excitement when growth happens, fresh ideas and directions, new strategies for the Internet, and much more.

Recently, I shared lunch and conversation with Atlanta-based Monique Dearth, founder of Incite Strategies, Inc, which she launched in 1999, following a sterling ten-year career in GE's HR division. By 2004, the Atlanta Business Chronicle listed her among the 50 young rising stars in the city.

In the brief span since she started Incite Strategies, Inc., Monique has given presentations across the U.S., in the U.K., Mexico, Thailand, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and Australia. Just this week, a major corporation hired her to give five keynote speeches at company locations.

Beyond that, she cares for her husband and two young children, and somehow creates time to volunteer in her church, professional organizations, school, and other causes.

When I kiddingly gave her the label "Energizer Bunny," Monique admitted that she had gone to a party as that character a couple of years ago. My reply: "You didn't even need a costume."

To read more about Monique's professional activities, visit her Web site:
http://www.incitestrategiesinc.com

To learn more about my company, visit my Web site:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Comments About Favorite Broadcasters

2006-09-25T08:58:00.000-05:00

When I distributed a Special Report titled
"Lessons from Best Broadcasters," some of my
newsletter readers responded, identifying their
favorite broadcasters and telling why they watch
and listen to them:

Katie Couric: She is genuine. She doesn't try to be who she isn't.
She is sincere, straightforward and friendly; and yet her interviews
show she is intelligent and prepared.
Matt Lauer: Down to earth. Straightforward. Doesn't rock the
boat, buts does ask the important, risky questions from time
to time.
Andrea Strahan, Denver CO

Howard Cosell--He was pompous, funny, precision like, using
words with surgical expertise when he was giving his
viewpoint. He used words I didn't know which caused me to
keep a dictionary nearby. His vocal tone, pause and emphasis
kept me glued to his conversation. He also kept me in
stitches with his disdain for whatever!
Mike McGowan of Wichita Falls, TX, who has been working in Baghdad, Iraq the last two years "in support of our troups."

Monica Pierre of WWL radio--Monica Pierre truly speaks
from the heart. When one hears Monica's warm, soothing
confident voice filled with encouragement coming across
the airwaves, stress is immediately replaced with peace.
That was especially true during hurricanes Katrina and
Rita and their aftermaths as Monica provided her listeners
a much needed sense of comfort in a world so suddenly
turned upside down for everyone, even her!
Carol Pierce, Baton Rouge, LA
NOTE: Carol has her own remarkable Katrina story to tell.
Visit her site: http://www.jumpnow.com

David Brinkley--Whose style of delivery was so interesting
and unique that many other broadcast news guys--some
of whom I worked with--often found themselves trying
consciously or unconsciously to imitate him.
Dick Mendenhall, veteran radio and TV personality,
Athens, GA

Walter Cronkhite--Totally believable, resonant and distinctive
voice and delivery, and a unique ability to handle both
news reading and live on the scene reporting,
e.g. Vietnam, interviews, Kennedy assassination and
the evening news for years. Trust was his to a
remarkable degree.
Bun Perkinson, Perkinson & Associates, Southern Pines, N.C.

Now, what's your opinion? Who are your favorite broadcasters, and why? To share your ideas, just hit the COMMENT button below, then write your response.

To read about the "Media Magic" seminar I offer for corporations and associations, please visit this site: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/speeches.htm

Make the Sale--Then Zip the Lip

2006-08-27T18:37:00.000-05:00

During my five years as Vice President for Development of Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina, I became acquainted with Joe Pinner, who was a beloved TV personality with Columbia's WIS-TV. Joe served as a charter member of the college's Board of Visitors, and we established a lasting friendship.

Not only did Joe maintain a long,distinguished media career--with the same station, which is unique in his business--he used his regional fame to support many humanitarian causes. His honors and volunteer record gave him great credibility among his viewers and other admirers.

As I said, Joe and I have kept in touch. In response to my recent blog about sales expert George Harned of Office Depot, Joe shared this gem from his experience:

I have mentioned to you about the time as WIS-TV's Mr. Knozit, Walt Disney World had invited me to Florida to be their guest for what I recall was their 10th Anniversary. I presented my case to the General Sales Manager asking for the permission I doubted would come, as the station usually did not allow such things. I must have been initially convincing about my going by suggesting taping segments for my children's show because when I finished, he simply said "O.K, sounds good"!

Taken aback, I then began to embellish what I could do while on this free junket when he abruptly interrupted me and quietly said, "You would NEVER be a good salesman!" Well, as you can imagine, my enthusiasm was immediately quelled and I rather meekly asked why and he simply said "If you keep going on talking , you might just talk yourself out of going. When I said 'O.K., sounds good', you should have said 'thank you very much' , turned on your heels and left! The same thing goes when a client signs the contract, say 'thank you very much' , turn on your heels and get the hell outta there!"

You're right, Joe. When you have made the sale, zip your lip.

For additional information about communication, customer service and sales, visit my Web site:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

High-Ranking Sales Leader Shares His Formula

2006-08-21T06:57:00.000-05:00

For almost eight years, George Harned has been my "point man" at Office Depot. Whether I was buying a camera, printer, computer, or DVD burner, George helped me get exactly the right fit. Patiently, he answered my questions and helped me meet my needs economically.

In recent conversations, I learned that George earned a terrific honor. Out of 43,000 Office Depot sales personnel, he ranked 29th. Obviously, he has a sales formula that works well, not just with me but with thousands of other customers. You'll be glad to know that George accepted my invitation to describe his sales strategy for my blog readers. Here's what he wrote, in his exact words:

CARE AND FEEDING OF A SUCCESSFUL SALE: SIX STEPS

1. THE APPROACH.....It is very important that first contact with a customer is preformed correctly. Your appearance says a lot about you. Is your hair well kept? Clothes clean and pressed. Tattoos if any, covered up...If not you are screaming to the prospect "I'm incompetent." If a customer walks into my domain and I am busy with someone else I let the prospect know I see them...a nod of the head or a wave of the hand to let them know I think they are important and they will be served as soon as possible....I usually approach the customer...making eye contact and say "Hi, I'm George your computer guru." This sets up the tone of the sale...I'm not going to be pushy nor am I going to ask them if they want fries with that.

2. FACT FIND.....Ask questions...90% of the sale is listening...what do you want the product to do for you...what is your budget...what is the level of your knowledge of the product...this is their talking time....customers love to talk about themselves.

3. IDENTIFY NEEDS....After the fact find...repeat back to the customer what they have told you--the things they desire.. This shows them that you are paying attention and really want to help.

4. MEET THE NEEDS OR THE PRESENTATION.....This is your time to talk...present the product that meets the needs of the customer...this is the time to overcome objections....and set up the close.

5. AFTO.....Ask For The Order...If you have executed the 4 steps above to perfection and don't AFTO...then all is lost...thousand of books have been written on this one aspect...because if you don't do it right you are sending the prospect to another place and to a better salesman.

6. ASK FOR REFERRALS...OK you have closed the sale...but it is not over...YOU MUST ask for referrals and give your new friend at least three of your business cards...I can't count the number of times a new prospect comes in with one of my cards.

GOOD LUCK....Remember...Good salesmen are not born...they are made...read all you can on the subject...I have.

Thanks, George, for this superb advice, and for your ongoing superlative service.

A closing note. With Radio Shack, a former employer, George directed training seminars around the nation. When you read his "Six Steps," you can see why Radio Shack selected him to train others.

To read a description of my speech/seminar titled "Championship Selling," use this link: http://www.commlampton.com/speeches.htm

Mike Stewart--Most Versatile Man I Know

2006-08-19T09:01:00.000-05:00

Ten years ago, shortly after I had started Championship Communication, a friendly fellow walked up to me after a meeting of the Georgia Speakers Association. After introducing himself as Mike Stewart, he asked: "Do you need any help developing your Web site?"

"No,thanks," I answered, "because mine is OK just like it is."

Politely, he said: "Well, call me if you ever need my services."

Within a few months, I had compared my fledgling Web site with sites displayed by other professional speakers. Soon I knew that my site lacked the professional touch theirs had. So I called Mike, and we initiated a magnificent working partnership, and a genuine friendship as well.

A decade later, Mike and his capable assistant Sarah continue to enrich my site, far beyond the basic framework I was foolishly satisfied with at first. Take a look: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Meanwhile, Mike Stewart has become the most versatile man I know. He was one of the first masters of audio for the Web, and rightly took the moniker, "The Internet Audio Guy," featured on this site: http://www.soundpages.com and this one: http://www.internetaudioguy.com

More recently, Mike moved into video production, assuming another name, "The Internet Video Guy." Check the site: http://www.internetvideoguy.com As a video expert, Mike trains other professionals to produce videos, both for marketing and instruction.

He directs audio, video and marketing seminars around the United States, and in England and Australia.

Yet Mike's skills are not confined to technology. He's a master musician, composing music that sells quite well on the Internet. Recently he recorded his first Jazz CD. And for years he has played in a band. How did one person get so much talent?

The photo above shows Mike where I have seen him many times--at the computer in my office, instructing me patiently and installing new programs.

How glad I am that Mike moved to his new lake home, just a few miles from my Gainesville, Georgia office.

But remember. . .because of the Internet, we have become the "global village" Marshall McLuhan predicted thirty-five years ago. So contact Mike, wherever you live. You'll benefit greatly, just as I have.

And you'll find that Mike is a heckuva nice guy.

Selling and Serving the Mary Kay Way

2006-08-09T08:33:00.000-05:00

Lynn Janke is smiling because she is sitting behind the wheel of the second car she won as a Mary Kay Cosmetics sales leader--in just four years, while she was holding another full-time job, and moving up the ranks rapidly there, too!

Lynn became a top-level sales person and sales manager for several reasons.

First, she maintained a dedication to learning. In fact, I met Lynn when I was doing a book signing for The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life! I remember vividly that this was around 9:00 p.m., and she was still looking for books that would upgrade her knowledge and skills.

Second, she became highly assertive. To find new representatives, she would stop highly professional women in shopping malls and describe the benefits of affiliating with Mary Kay Cosmetics. As you can guess, that takes not only a venturesome spirit, but a communication style that wins people over quickly.

Third, Lynn displayed a love for her product. Her enthusiasm, bordering on an evangelistic style, was genuine.

Fourth, she identified many ways to keep in touch with clients creatively, using the Internet, telephone, and personal cards as well as face-to-face conversations.

Fifth, Lynn gave thank-you gifts to buyers.

Sixth, she managed her time wisely to balance two careers and keep her life balanced.

Seventh, she became an accomplished speaker, eventually teaching a communication course for Mary Kay representatives.

It's clear that Lynn Janke has offered a fine formula for selling and for serving clients.

Here's a book I recommend: Jim Underwood, More Than a Pink Cadillac: Mary Kay Inc.'s 9 Leadership Keys to Success. You will enjoy the story behind Mary Kay Ash's rise to the top. My favorite saying of hers: "Everybody you see today wears an invisible sign that says, 'Make me feel important.'"

To order my audio CD, "How to Succeed in Sales!" go to: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/store/index.htm

Radio DJ Endures a "Mark Twain Moment"

2006-08-05T09:40:00.000-05:00

My monthly newsletter--"Winning Words and Ways"--included an article about Mark Twain, describing an embarrassing experience he suffered through during one of his first appearances as a professional lecturer. When he stood up, his mind went blank. For two minutes, he faced the audience without uttering a word. Eventually, he started talking. As history shows, he became one of the most successful and popular lecturers ever.

The point I made with the illustration was that none of us should try to be perfect, because even the best presenters have their off days, yet recover and keep improving.

Bill Platt, who syndicates my articles through his excellent company,The Phantom Writers,responded by recounting a similar mishap with an audience:

Many years ago, I used to be a d.j. at a radio station, back in 1999. I did pretty good at that.

While I was working at the station, a friend of mine tapped me to emcee a fund-raising concert. I had a lot of reservations about doing it, but finally agreed after much prodding.

It went really well until... I announced the band and the curtain did not open. My friend poked his head through the curtain and told me they were having technical problems. He told me to keep talking for about ten minutes.

I was stunned and unprepared. I had a Mark Twain moment. I stood and stared at the audience for about three minutes... Although it felt like an eternity. It was a true "deer in the headlights" moment for me.

Then I proceeded to stutter and mutter for twenty minutes waiting for the band to get their stuff together.

I knew half of the people in the audience, so it was much worse for me.

I did not give in again to public speaking until last year, when I did a telephone interview with a mlm company online. Ironically, they had scheduled me for 45 minutes, and they forced a stop at an hour and a half. I enjoyed it.

I know that I definitely have public speaking in my future again. AND most importantly, your article today has given me the boost I need to overcome my "deer in the headlights" fear.

NOTE: Visit Bill Platt's Web site: http://thephantomwriters.com

To read my articles about improving your communication skills, go to: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/free_articles.htm

Orthodontist Followed Great Communication Principles

2006-08-01T14:40:00.000-05:00

Recently I had the privilege of renewing acquaintance with a
friend from my hometown, Columbia, Mississippi. His name:
Jim Woods, DDS.

Now living in Clemson, South Carolina, Jim can look back
with pride on an outstanding career as an orthodontist in
our home state. Outside of his office, he dedicated himself
to his wife Joan and their four children, and to extensive volunteer work with the YMCA.

Sure, during our lunch reunion we talked about friends we both knew growing up.We talked, too, about the central role that communication plays in professional success. I asked Jim, "What were the main communication strategies that you used with your staff, your patients and the parents of patients?" One week later he answered:

"I have thought over your kind request (with the input of former staff) and here are some important communication strategies that were used as I dealt with staff, patients, and parents":

1. In all things that you say or do: Be truthful, fair, and kind
2. Technology should never be substituted for personal contact.
3. Listen carefully and take notes as needed.
4. Write (by hand) notes of thanks and congratulations when warranted.
5. Attempt to live and work by The Golden Rule.

Dr. Woods added: "If I had to rate the most important of these, it would have to be numbers 1 and 5."

Having read these communication guidelines, we can readily see why Jim Woods has excelled in his profession and in life.

For more tips about powerful communication, visit my Web site: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Who Is That Mysterious tlhh?

2006-08-01T13:22:00.000-05:00

______________________________________________________

Have you gotten a letter from me that carried these initials in the
lower left corner?

BL/tlhh

If so, you may have wondered who tlhh, my
assistant, is. I am proud to introduce her to you.

Her name is Terrie Hoopaugh. Terrie lives in Oakwood, Georgia,
near Gainesville, my location. I started using Terrie's highly
professional executive services ten years ago. Not only is
her productivity prompt and accurate, she fulfills her
assignments with the bright smile you see in her photo--every time.

Terrie has carried out some mundane, routine work for me.
An example: typing the names and E-mail addresses of my
newsletter subscribers onto a spread sheet. Yet she has
demonstrated her skills at much higher levels, such as
evaluating the letters I draft, and making creative
suggestions for improvement.

When I asked Terrie what motivates her to deliver outstanding
work and maintain such a highly positive disposition, she answered: "My two daughters will be in the work force one day. I
want to give them an example of what it takes to
succeed--dedication, training, and loyalty. If they
see me practice those principles, that's worth more
than anything I can tell them."

Clearly, Terrie Hoopaugh represents thousands of
virtual assistants who enable entrepreneurs like me
to establish a thriving business, and make more
progress every year. I thank her for her vital
contributions to Championship Communication.

For more tips about powerful communication, visit my Web site: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Travel Agency Head Uses Communication Skills to Serve His Community

2006-07-29T12:46:00.000-05:00

When I served as Enrichment Lecturer for the Regatta, an Oceania Cruise Lines luxury ship, my audience included Fred and Carol Smith of Midlothian, Texas. Retired teachers, they operate a travel agency, Fred and Carol's Traveltime.

During our cruise, Fred said, "When you come to Dallas for presentations, let's get together." I took him seriously, because he and Carol attended all four of my lectures, and we shared the table for several meals. So when the Environmental Protection Agency hosted me for a seminar in Dallas, Fred picked me up at the airport, and we enjoyed dinner at a downtown restaurant, before I went to the hotel Fred had recommended for me.

While we talked that evening, I learned that the Midlothian Lions Club had selected Fred "Lion of the Year," because of his service to the Lions programs in a six county area. Besides assisting in the formation of new clubs, and speaking frequently, Fred and Carol (also a Lion) raised over $10,000 for the Lions Sight and Tissue Foundation, to supply free eye exams and glasses to children in the area.

Additionally, Fred and Carol received the Howard Snyder award, given only to individuals who have donated at least$10,000 to the foundation.

Clearly, Fred and Carol are more than just nice people I met on a Caribbean Cruise. They participate actively in civic and charitable causes.

You can be sure that I look forward to my next Dallas presentation, so Fred and I can dine together again. Maybe this time Carol, who was on a cruise while Fred and I enjoyed dinner, can join us. It's a privilege to know such caring people, who use their strong communication skills to serve others.

Next time I give a motivational speech, their example will be a grand one to include.

For more tips about powerful communication, visit my Web site: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

A Coaching Client Who Moved to the U.S. From Germany

2006-04-10T06:39:00.000-05:00

For a three month period, I am providing weekly sales coaching for Bernd Baier, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Bernd serves as President/CEO of Aivant L.P., “The High Availability Company.” Aivant’s headquarters are in Stuttgart, Germany, Bernd’s native land.

Through Aivant, Bernd offers a service that companies need. When they purchase his “Business Shadow” protection against loss of computer information, they are preventing work force shutdowns that eat up dollars and frustrate employees and customers. Check his Web site to view a brief movie about Business Shadow:
http://www.Aivant.com

Bernd serves as a classic case of someone with a good sales record who wants to establish a great business career--and mastering sales is the essence of succeeding in business. That’s one of my major satisfactions in coaching—working with professional people who want to achieve more, by improving their knowledge and skills.

Bernd represents a growing number of sales pros who work internationally. After launching his career in Germany with Hewlett-Packard, he moved to Atlanta to bring High Availability to mid-size companies in America, Canada and other locales.

A seasoned traveler, Bernd spent one day with a New Jersey client two weeks ago, then met with another in Florida the next day.

Early in our coaching sessions, Bernd completed the DISC Personal Style Analysis Survey, and we discussed the results very thoroughly. The advantage: Bernd identified his predominant communication style, and he learned how to adjust to people whose styles differ from his—a great asset in selling. We used Mike Stewart’s book, Close More Sales, to increase our understanding of DISC.

If you want to know more about the DISC system, and how I can administer it for you online, then e-mail me, using this title for your E-mail: DISC Survey. Please send your request to drbill@ChampionshipCommunication.com

And if you want to find out what my coaching will accomplish for you, check the Coaching page on my Web site: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/coaching.htm

Bill Bell

2006-01-09T07:43:00.000-05:00

Successful Sales Professional Recalls Career Turning Points

2006-01-09T05:56:00.000-05:00

Soon after publication of my book—-The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life!—Bill Bell, a reader from Otto, NC, wrote a very nice letter, saying the book was helpful to him. For awhile, we exchanged e-mails, then decided to meet for lunch—which we do now on a monthly basis. We share mutual interest in sales, communication, motivation and customer service.

Bill Bell had a superb three decade career in advertising sales. So I asked him if there had been any career-changing moments he could report. In his customarily clear writing style, here was his answer:

Bill, you raise a good question about events that enhanced success. In my case there were two: First and most dramatic was when I went in business for myself. I had been employed as an advertising sales representative for a publisher of trade magazines, and was doing quite well. But the company asked me and several others to become independent reps keeping the same magazines, at a higher rate of commission, and being responsible for our own expenses. Though this arrangement sounded a bit intimidating, it turned out to be the luckiest opportunity that I've ever had. Suddenly I was free to make my own decisions, no longer had to try to please a boss, and was totally out of company politics. Sales and commissions increased and with them the joy of being in control of my own destiny. More publisher clients came along too, and then the need to hire office and sales staff to serve my growing business.

The other major upgrade in my sales career came after I read a book called "Conceptual Selling" by Stephen Heiman. I had read several books on salesmanship, from all of which I learned something. But this one opened the doors to ideas that I had never thought of or read about. Suddenly I was a more effective salesman, and person generally, than ever before. More sales and lasting customer relationships were the result. A small anecdote: I no longer "called on people". Instead I "met with prospective clients". In other words, I became a "professional" and with it came a joyous feeling of success, the memories of which I will long cherish.

To read three free articles about sales and marketing, go to:
http://www.commlampton.com/free_articles.htm

How to Overcome Your Fear of Technology

2005-12-05T19:02:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago, I became acquainted with Terry Brock, an Orlando-based internationally recognized technology expert. Having attended his presentations, shared lunch with him, talked with him over the phone and exchanged numerous e-mails, I can tell you that he takes very complex techology trends and explains them in clear language. I needed that (still do), and I'll bet you do, too.

At my request, Terry wrote this brief article for my blog. I am privileged to share it with you. Please note his contact information at the end of the article.

Overcoming Your Fear Of Technology

By Terry L. Brock

It is all around us. We complain about it when it doesn’t work but we wouldn’t have our lifestyles as they are. Sure we have cell phones, cable television, Internet connections and that wonderful voice mail. But think about living life without that. Would you really want to return to no phones, no medical advances, no connections when you’re subject to the elements, disease and a ripe old age of (average) 30??? I don’t think so.

Anything in life has trade-offs. There is a good side and a down side. The challenge is to embrace the good and move from the downsides, or minimize them.

As a professional speaker and syndicated columnist writing about marketing and technology I get a lot of questions about how to overcome that fear of technology. Here are some simple steps you can take to master any technology coming down the pike both now and into the future.

1. Break It Into Bite-Size (Byte-Sized Perhaps???) Chunks. This is an important concept in learning anything new. At first, it can appear overwhelming. If you try to learn a complete new language at once you’ll feel overwhelmed and not make it happen. But, if you take it word by word and phrase by phrase, you’ll gradually gain a complete understanding of the language. When you think about it, isn’t learning technology much like learning a new language?

2. Be Pragmatic Focus On What Is Useful. Realize You Don’t Have To Know It All. It can be quite frustrating when you try to grasp everything. Focus on what is going to help you most in your work or for the project you have at hand. That means you have to wear blinders. Don’t be distracted by the other nifty cool things that are out there. Technology, like surfing the Web, tends to open a lot of possibilities. Focus on those things that are going to help you accomplish what you want. This will be the solution to make it pragmatic and fun.

3. Build “Success Upon Success.” This was the admonition of Walter Wriston, the former Chair of Citibank. Small victories help build that necessary confidence. As you gain confidence the fear melts away. Keep gaining confidence in small areas and build one upon another. You build a steam this way like a locomotive gaining speed. After a while, any obstacle is blasted away as you charge forward. This is important to eliminate the fear and gain real progress and success.

4. Look at What You Already Know. Hey, you’re a professional. You’ve already accomplished some specific things. This took TME (time, money and effort) on your part to achieve it. If you’ve done that already, you can do other things. One of my clients is a medical doctor whom I’m coaching how to work with technology. He admits that sometimes the technology is overwhelming. I admonished him (in a coaching style, of course) that he had already gone through medical school. He has built a very successful practice. He performs life or death operations on his patients every day and has for over a decade. If he can do that,he can learn how to use something like audio or video on the Net. Think about what you have already done. If you’re in business or a profession, you have certain marketable skills. As you learned these you can learn additional material.

5. Don’t Try To Do It Alone. Think about what is involved if you become a lawyer. You have to go to school. You read a lot. You take tests. You work with others (professors) who know a lot about the subject of Law. To gain competency and eventual mastery in any field, you have to read, study, learn and work with professionals that can guide you. Be willing to part with your capital to gain that knowledge. Hire coaches to help you gain specific skills in specific areas. This is the way we gain knowledge today. It can help you enormously.

6. Learn How To Learn. Today’s world is about learning and growing. What you did before is nice but you have to start fresh each day. That means learning new things. That means stretching your brain. If you can learn how to read rapidly with a purpose you’ll do better. Learn how to memorize vast amounts of information. Learn about Mind-Mapping and what it can do for you. These skills are most important to gain relevant information quickly. Learning how to learn is one of the more critical skills you can develop today.

There are other things that can help you but these six steps can get you started. If you’d like to know more about technology, drop me a quick e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or visit a special page on how I can help you get what you need. Point your browser to: www.terrybrock.com/yoursuccessnow.htm and learn about how you can get the information you need to overcome the fear of technology.

I wish you much continued success.

________________________________________
Terry Brock is a marketing coach who helps business owners market more effectively leveraging technology. He shows busy professionals how to squeeze more out of their busy days using the right rules and tools. He can be reached at 407-363-0505, by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com.

Copyright © 2005, Terry Brock, All Rights Reserved Internationally. No portion may be reprinted or used in any way without prior written permission.

For more information about powerful communication, go to: http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Why I Provide Personal Coaching for Clients

2005-11-29T07:37:00.000-05:00

What really excites me about my profession? Fortunately, everything I do.

Sure, I get a great kick out of speaking to a live audience, especially when the applause and comments afterward tell me I met the organization's needs. There's superb satisfaction, too, when something I have written appears in a prominent publication. Occasionally I get opportunities to appear on radio and TV, and that provides a thrill. And I welcome every invitation to spend a couple of hours as Master of Ceremonies for significant events--where I enjoy the challenge of keeping attendees interested and entertained.

Yet as nice as those highly visible experiences are, I get just as much satisfaction from the private personal coaching I offer clients. Not long ago an executive worked with me for two intensive afternoon-long sessions, concentrating on Presentation Skills, so he could be at his best when he spoke to his industry's national convention. When he called me after the event to say he had received highly positive feedback at the convention and afterward, his report was as stimulating as any public response I have experienced.

Another factor inspired me to become a coach to executives and aspiring professionals: Coaches have made a major difference in my life and career. One coach in California and another in Georgia gave valuable advice about marketing my speeches, seminars, coaching and consulting. Terry Brock, an internationally known technology expert based in Orlando, Florida, has helped me understand digital photography, blogging, RSS Feeds, audio/video recording for the Internet-- and so much more that I could not have learned independently. Truly, every dollar and hour that I have invested in coaching has generated lasting dividends.

To learn more about my coaching, check this page on my Web site:
http://www.championshipcommunication.com/coaching.htm

Remember my motto: "Helping You Finish in First Place!"

Vince Dooley: A Great Communicator, A Superb Host

2005-11-14T06:18:00.000-05:00

Vince Dooley, who spent four decades as football coach and Director of Athletics at the University of Georgia, ranks very high among the most effective communicators I have ever known. I met Vince when I was teaching speech communication at the university, and I admired his poise and command of language when he hosted his own radio and TV shows. He remained as unshaken in defeat as he did in victory.

Soon after I started my company, Championship Communication, I had the privilege of working with Vince Dooley. He had me direct a Customer Care seminar for the Georgia Athletic Association. Not surprisingly, he was a superb host. In addition to providing a sterling introduction, he participated energetically in the ninety-minute session.

Here Vince and I are smiling about the release of his latest book, Dooley: My 40 Years at Georgia. I recommend the book, as a highly interesting account of his life and career. He writes as compellingly as he speaks.

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Those Candles Don't Mean a Thing!

2005-11-11T13:50:00.000-05:00

Not long ago my family helped me celebrate another birthday. The occasion was very enjoyable.

Yet I did more than open presents, smile and laugh. I did some serious thinking,too, because birthdays really trigger my thought process.

One of the main things I said to myself when I blew out the candles on the cake was this: "Those candles don't mean a thing."

What was I feeling when I said that? Well, candles can't communicate. All they do is light up the place for a minute or so. Strangely enough, though, people act like those candles say plenty.

Examples: If you have had only 30 candles on your cake, your supervisor might assume you are too young for a managerial post. If your cake has held 40 candles, younger neighbors might consider you something of a fossil already. If you have blown out 50 candles, you will find that the job market does not seem to be as receptive as it once was. And when you have extinguished 60 candles, well-meaning people start asking when you are going to retire.

In other words, our society has established behavioral patterns we think everyone in a certain age bracket fits--and we communicate our expectations repeatedly.

I will offer this simple illustration to counter that baseless assumption. When I was vice president of a college in Kentucky, a 94 year old lady returned to finish her degree. When a sudden January snowstorm cancelled classes, she said her biggest regret was that she had to miss her bowling class!

She was right on target. She had blown out lots of candles, but that did not stop her from an energetic life style.

As a favorite saying goes, "Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

The Eyes Have It

2005-11-11T09:36:00.000-05:00

In my cruise ship lecture about the 1960 Kennedy/Nixon TV Presidential Debates, I
noted that Nixon--according to observers--made the mistake of looking at the panel members who questioned him, rather than looking at the camera. Kennedy, on the other hand, looked into the camera, so viewers would think he was talking with them directly and individually. Several writers believe this subtle difference helps explain why Nixon seemed the victor on radio, while Kennedy scored higher among the TV audience.

In fact, throughout his career, Nixon earned the description "shifty-eyed," not a complimentary reference.

Frequently, social scientists identify lack of eye contact as an indication of dishonesty. So when you are doing any of the following, make sure you maintain eye contact with your listener or listeners:
Selling a product or service
Reporting on what you have accomplished
Telling someone how much you care
Saying why you should get a raise or promotion

In Cicero's words, "The eyes are the windows to the soul."

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Me With Celebrity Cruise Lines Activities Manager Paul van Horne

2005-11-10T11:38:00.000-05:00

Whenever I make a presentation, I work very closely with my host or hostess. It's so great when my host helps with technical arrangements such as sound and Power Point, gives a stirring introduction just before I start my speech or seminar, and takes care of dozens of details that accommodate the audience.

I am proud to share this photo, which shows me with Paul van Horne, Celebrity Cruise Lines Activities Manager. Paul truly defines the word hospitality. We worked together for a week, and I felt so privileged to have his highly professional services, along with his immediate friendship. He exemplifies the Customer Care that I encourage my clients to practice.

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Sometimes I Work at Sea

2005-11-10T09:54:00.000-05:00

I'm glad to say that all of my presentations are not landlocked. In the past three years, I have had the opportunity to speak aboard wonderful cruise ships--the Radisson Diamond, The Regatta with Oceana Cruises and most recently the Horizon, which at that time was with Celebrity Cruises, but has moved to new ownership.

This view shows the top deck of the Horizon. I used that track regularly to walk off the many calories I consumed when I wasn't giving my three lectures:

"Orson Welles'1938 War of the Worlds Broadcast"
"Edward R. Murrow: Father of Radio/TV News"
"Kennedy/Nixon 1960 TV Presidential Debates"

My next cruise outing will take me through the Caribbean in February, and will bring warm relief from the north Georgia winter.

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Put Your Photo on Your Business Card

2005-09-23T05:16:00.000-05:00

When I spoke at HSMAI's national convention in Washington, DC, I invited audience members to give me their business cards afterward if they wanted to receive my free monthly e-mail newsletter, "Winning Words and Ways." Sixty-one people did that.

When I returned to my office and went through the cards, I tried to remember the people I had met so briefly. One person's card stood out from all the rest. Why? She had her photo on the card.

I recommend that you put your photo on your card, if company policy allows it. If company policy does not allow it, suggest a policy change.

I learned this good practice from real estate agents. Once when I was selling my house, a group of realtors came through and left their cards. The agents I identified with quickly and wanted to contact had included their photos on the cards. They became real and personable right away.

So if you have thought that putting your picture on your card was a sign of vanity, I invite you to re-evaluate your idea. No, you are simply helping people remember you--which is why you hand them your card anyway.

A final two tips. Make sure your photo is top quality, very clear with high resolution. Second, use an updated photo. If your photo is ten or more years old, your prospective client might wonder what else you are deceptive about!

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

All He Wanted Was to Exchange an Item

2005-08-26T15:22:00.000-05:00

In The Herald Bulletin of Anderson, Indiana, Bill Kalmar describes a recent incident when he attempted a very simple exchange of an article that did not fit his daughter. See what you think of the obstacles he encountered, and how he responded to them, by using this link to connect with his article:

http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/story.asp?id=15114

Then hit COMMENT and let us know your reactions.

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Join the Prominent Leaders Contributing to this Blog

2005-08-26T14:57:00.000-05:00

Ever since I started this blog several months ago, I have welcomed stimulating ideas from nationally prominent leaders. Among them are:

Sales gurus Bill Bell and Doug Smart, CSP
Customer Service expert Bill Kalmar
Business strategist Don Mitchell
Public Relations leader Marilynn Mobley
Professional organizer Monica Ricci

I am very grateful for their contributions, and I am sure they will keep on sharing their insights.

Wouldn't you like to join them? The steps are simple. After any of the blog's articles, click COMMENT, and you will be walked through the process .

The originator and host of the blog can make a blog successful, yet a blog will not become outstanding without having others participate. So I invite you to read through the posted articles, then share your observations. Thanks for joining these other provocative thinkers!

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Your Facial Expressions: What They May Be Saying About You

2005-06-21T13:32:00.000-05:00

Take a couple of minutes to listen to the brief audioblog below, and you will hear my suggestions about the importance of facial expressions. Before listening, think of the many terms we use to describe faces: "sourpuss," "smiley," "stone face," "grumpy," "stern," and "angelic" are among them.

To achieve powerful communication, we want our facial expressions to reflect accurately what we are thinking and feeling.

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

2005-06-21T13:31:00.000-05:00

Losing Golfer Talks About Winning in Life

2005-06-21T08:32:00.000-05:00

Sports writers and announcers had practically conceded the 2005 U.S. Open Golf Tournament to Retief Goosen. He was the defending champion, he had a three-stroke lead as he started the final round at Pinehurst and he was known as “Mr. Cool,” because he had never wilted under pressure.

Yet Goosen surprised the golfing world by shooting 81, eleven over par, moving him from first to eleventh. Most people would think he would be enraged, bitter and full of self-blame. Instead, he commented: “This is nothing serious. Nobody has died or anything. I had a great Father’s Day this morning with the kids, and the family is a lot more important than playing anyone out there today. . . .I obviously threw this away, but I will be back next year.”

Wow! I suggest that we keep these words in mind the next time we:

Lose a sale that we were 100% sure we would make
Make a speech that doesn’t match our usual level of poise
Say something we wish we hadn’t said to a customer
Send an e-mail with inaccurate information

Thanks to Retief Goosen, we can decide that a bad day doesn’t mean we are a bad person or will have a bad life. As in golf. . .tee it up again, and try for a better score.

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Small Talk Can Be a Big Advantage

2005-06-17T08:19:00.000-05:00

“Let’s skip the small talk, and get right down to business.”

That comment personifies the type-A, hard driving, make-every-second-count individual, who considers common conversation a waste of time. Judging by the twenty-three years I spent in management, and what I advised in my book-- The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life! --the colleague who allows no straying from the main topic misses some great advantages. Here are three of them.

Small talk creates a connection with people who would otherwise remain very unconnected with you. Imagine that your colleague Sally makes her decisions based on data, while you are more inclined to rely on your intuition and hunches. So how do you two interact harmoniously? Small talk certainly helps, such as “Last night we went to that new restaurant, Poor Richard's. Have you been there?” You establish a common bond. When conflicts arise, that bond makes both of you a bit more tolerant.

Small talk makes a person appear “up to date,” well informed. This is why it’s advisable to keep up with the news. When someone says, “Looks like there's a new storm brewing in the Caribbean,” you don’t want to be confined to “Oh, really? Haven't heard about that.”

Small talk relieves tense situations. Your sales manager calls you into his office for a performance review. Instead of confronting you instantly, he says: “We finally got some rain in our neighborhood yesterday. What happened over your way?” You breathe a silent sigh of relief. While you know he will move next to your slumping sales figures, you no longer expect a hostile scene.

When I coach executives about their communication skills, I discuss the value of small talk, and give them tips on how to talk about events not related to their work. For more about my coaching services, check the description on my Web site:
http://www.commlampton.com/coaching.htm

Maybe we should stop calling it "small talk," because casual conversation plays a big role in our personal and professional relationships.

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Put Your Best Voice Forward!

2005-06-12T18:41:00.000-05:00

Click on the audioblog below, to get my tips about how to make your voice mail message represent you well. Your voice is you--that's not an exaggeration. So put these tips to work to make a great impression when people call you.

2005-06-12T18:40:00.000-05:00

For Once, I Agree With Ted Turner

2005-06-12T18:08:00.000-05:00

To see why I agree with Ted Turner, listen to the audioblog below that contains my comments about CNN's founder.

2005-06-12T17:59:00.000-05:00

Adhering To Rules Is Not Always Wise

2005-06-11T15:50:00.000-05:00

This excellent advice comes from:

Bill Kalmar
Lake Orion MI
Former Director of the Michigan Quality Council
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Examiner
Former Member of Baldrige Board of Overseers

Dining out with a friend or associate can be an enjoyable experience even when the discussion is about work if the meal is delightful and the customer service is impeccable. The conversation tends to be focused on work related topics and the meal and service become secondary which makes for a successful meeting.

Recently, I had a luncheon meeting with a friend I had not seen in about a year. We had a lot of catching up to do on business issues and both of us looked forward to meeting. We agreed to meet at a large nation wide restaurant chain. I ordered first and requested a cup of soup and a small Greek salad. The waiter asked me if I wanted the soup and salad combo, which consisted of a bowl of soup and a salad. I passed on the combo. My friend ordered the combo but with a Caesar salad.

Several minutes later the waiter delivered my cup of soup and placed a Caesar salad in front of my friend. Both of us were obviously surprised and my friend inquired as to why he had received the salad first instead of the soup. The waiter politely responded that if you order the combo the salad comes first followed by the soup. Obviously if you don’t order the combo, as I did, you receive your soup first. Trying to explain to the waiter that since both of us wanted soup and salad it would seem appropriate and logical to bring both soups at the same time. Our protestations made no sense to the waiter as he kept mumbling something about how the combo is served – salad first. A lot of our “business conversation” over the next hour kept coming back to this rather ridiculous soup and salad fiasco!

This episode just points out the adverse impact one can have on customer service when rigid processing rules are carried out to the extreme. One can only imagine the presence of Combo Police in the kitchen making sure that no one has the audacity to break the rules and bring out the soup first when circumstances dictate such as in our case – we both wanted to eat our soup at the same time!

I had another similar confusing experience at a nationwide coffee shop several years ago. I had ordered a cappuccino and while it was being prepared I noticed a sign that read “Coffee refills 50 cents”. After I finished my cappuccino I went to the counter and asked for a coffee refill for 50 cents. The young lady who waited on me asked the manager behind her if she could comply with my request since I had not ordered a coffee originally but had ordered a cappuccino. Surprisingly the response was an emphatic “No”. Had I ordered a coffee I could have a refill for 50 cents but since I ordered a cappuccino I could not take advantage of the offer.

I countered that a coffee was only $1.35 while a cappuccino was $3.50. The answer was still “No”. I then asked how would one know if my empty paper cup contained just coffee or a cappuccino. Believe it or not, the manager told me that he would be able to tell since there would be foam in my cup. (This guy has obviously missed his true slot in life – he should work in the CSI lab. Anyone who can detect foam in a cup and then refuse to grant a coffee refill is detective material!) I then stated that I would wash out the foam at a nearby drinking fountain and return. This exasperated him and he reluctantly filled my cup with coffee after I paid him 50 cents.

Both of these episodes illustrate a need for customer service personnel to exercise a bit of common sense when dealing with customers even if it means deviating slightly from their rigid processes. The goal of customer service should be to “Wow” customers and not make them feel like they are on a game show – if you fail to adhere to their rules, you lose!

For more information, please visit my Web site:
www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

A Restaurant That Doesn't Know What "Rush" Means

2005-06-11T09:41:00.000-05:00

Greg Robinson and I became acquainted when we both held vice presidential posts at a medical center in Gainesville, Georgia. Now Greg serves as CEO of Lowcountry Medical Associates in Charleston, South Carolina, and I head my company, Championship Communication. Fortunately, Greg and I stay in touch.

After reading one of my monthly e-mail newsletters, Greg wrote about an incident he and his wife Mary had at a local restaurant:

"Mary and I had a bad experience one evening in a popular local restaurant. We arrived early and had only thirty minutes to order dinner, eat and leave for a church meeting. We asked the waiter to recommend something that would fit this difficult situation. The waiter did not comprehend but that was not immediately obvious to us. The experience was a disaster--the food took forever, we had to gobble it down in less than 2 minutes and it wasn't very good. I wrote a very nasty e-mail to the restaurant."

The restaurant manager exchanged a couple of e-mails with Greg, and included an offer for a refund or a $50 gift certificate for another visit to the restaurant.

Greg's reaction: "Although their offer was very generous, we have never eaten there again and did not accept the $50 gift. There are so many good restaurants in Charleston- - why bother?"

Well stated, Greg. We all know the axiom, "You never get a second chance to make a good first impression."

For more information, please visit my Web site:

www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Hardware Store Scores an "Ace" in Customer Care

2005-06-11T09:06:00.000-05:00

Bill Bell, a member of my prestigious "Circle of Champions," lives in Otto, NC. He sent me this account of a Customer Care incident incident he witnessed in nearby Franklin:

In our Ace Hardware here in Franklin, I was looking for some wood screws. The aisle with the screws and bolts was temporarily blocked by a store clerk and a lady who needed some kind of a fastening device, but had no idea what kind it was or hardly how to describe it. I was pleased to overhear and watch the kind, patient and genuinely helpful assistance that the clerk rendered this customer for one very modest sale. He asked a few questions then showed her several kinds and sizes until she found one that she thought might replace the one that was lost. It was a heart warming scene especially thinking of stories my Pat has told me about being intimidated, hurried and talked down to by hardware store clerks in times past when she needed some rare, almost undescribable item that might be found in a hardware store.

Two observations:

Note that I use the term Customer Care. I prefer that to Customer Service. Why? Because we can service someone without demonstrating care. You have seen that happen many times, I am sure.

Second, the Pat that Bill mentions is his lovely wife, who has been a gracious hostess every time I have visited in their home.

For more information, please visit my Web site:

www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

A Waiter Who Adjusted His Level of Service

2005-06-11T08:52:00.000-05:00

Bill Kalmar--mentioned in my blog "Customer Service Expert Responds to Two Articles"--wrote this about a waiter:

"Your comments on customer service struck a chord with me. Maybe it's just me but it seems that when we dine at an upscale restaurant and don't order a drink, the customer service seems to deteriorate (not at the Ritz Carlton of course!) Mary and I went to a top restaurant in the area several years ago and since we don't drink we both ordered ice tea. The waiter of course had given us an elaborate wine list menu but we pushed it aside and asked for the nonalcoholic beverage. He obviously was distressed knowing that he would be missing out on padding our bill with an extravagant amount for the wine. His demeanor suddenly changed and while he was courteous, he was also distracted and used all of his energy with the people next to us who were ordering a bottle of wine. We never went back!"

Ah, Bill, because you have worked so closely with the Ritz-Carlton, as I have, you are right that this incident wouldn't happen there. You did what we call "voting with your feet," by leaving, and never coming back.

For more information, please visit my Web site:

www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Customer Service Expert Responds to Two Articles

2005-06-09T12:20:00.000-05:00

I met Bill Kalmar of Lake Orion, Michigan, when we participated in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company's “Legendary Service Symposium” at the Ritz-Carlton Dearborn. Bill was there to emcee the event, and I was there to write a series of articles about the Ritz-Carlton for Expert Magazine. I invite you to read those articles online:

http://www.expertmagazine.com/EMOnline/RC/part1.htm

Bill is a former Director of the Michigan Quality Council, and he has served on the Malcolm Baldrige Award Committee, so he has dealt with customer service at the highest levels for many years.

In response to two recent articles in my blog, Bill wrote:

Both articles--"A Jewel of a Jewelry Store" and "Customer Care Pays Dividends"--illustrate what separates "Good Customer Service" from "Exceptional and Memorable Customer Service". Organizations that know how to ratchet up their customer service to higher levels are able to transform "Regular" or "Normal Customers" into "Loyal Customers". Loyal Customers will shop at your organization and buy services even if there is a store or company closer and even if the closer store charges less for the same product. Loyal customers appreciate extraordinary customer service!. This group of loyal customers has now become ambassadors for your company and will spread the word about your service to new potential customers. So if you can't afford your own Public Relations Firm, institute a policy of providing exceptional and memorable customer service and new customers will beat a path to your door!

For more information, please visit my Web site:

http://www.championshipcommunication.com/

Handle Stage Fright: Make the Right Choice

2005-06-03T09:05:00.000-05:00

Every time I direct a seminar on Presentation Skills for corporations, government agencies, banks, hospitals and other groups, I begin by talking about Stage Fright—because I know that’s the number one concern speakers feel.

Among the guidelines I share about stage fright--guidelines I learned during a decade as a full-time professional speaker--this may be the most helpful one: Make the right choice.

You see, speakers have three choices when they stand up to speak.

First, they can focus on themselves entirely. Their self-talk goes something like this:

“What if they don’t like me?”

“Did I wear the right outfit, or is this too informal?”

“Sometimes I stammer when I get excited. That could happen right now.”

“Are they paying attention, or do they seem distracted?”

All right, what’s the result of this choice?

Every mistake becomes magnified in importance.
We get so wrapped up in performance that we forget what we want to achieve.
“Paralysis by analysis” turns us into robotic reciters, not speakers.

The speaker’s second choice: Focus on the audience

To begin with, change your opinion about audiences. Too often we think of an audience as a room full of critics, ready to analyze our every word and gesture. Really, though, the vast majority of listeners are not critics—they are your cheerleaders. They want you to succeed. They are glad you are the one up there speaking, not them. Too, from experience they know how uncomfortable an event is for everyone involved if the speaker fails.

Then pick out the most responsive listeners as soon as you can. They are easy to find. They are attentive, usually smiling and physically alert. Their supportive nonverbal communication elevates your confidence. Look at them frequently to draw strength from their feedback.

Involve the audience when you can. Today’s audiences don’t want to be passive. Even in my convention keynote speeches, I ask participants to shake hands, raise their hands, stand up and stretch or carry out brief assignments as partners.

Your third choice: Focus on the message.

Haven’t you noticed that when you are genuinely involved in your message, when you are determined to persuade others about your conviction, that speaking changes from a chore to a privilege? Your creativity increases, and you come up with catchy word combinations you had not planned. Your adrenalin flows, and you become animated on the platform. You are not preoccupied with the impression you are making. Yet, amazingly, you become more impressive than ever.

Now then, which of these three choices have you usually made when you face an audience?

If you have selected the first option, you have made yourself highly susceptible to Stage Fright. On the other hand, when you focus on your audience (as a friendly, receptive group of people who want you to succeed) and your message (as a deeply held conviction you can hardly wait to share with others), you will feel competent, confident and committed. Not only will you sense this, your audience will. That's when speaking becomes exciting and productive.

For some of my other tips on “How to Become a Dynamic Speaker!” I suggest that you order my recently-produced audio CD that carries that title. For thirty-five minutes, Doug Smart, CSP, another professional speaker, interviews me on this vital topic. You can read a description of this CD and place your order at:
http://www.commlampton.com/store/index.htm

And here's a book I recommend highly: You Are the Message, by Roger Ailes. Available in paperback and audio CD. Ailes was a speechwriter for the first President Bush and Ronald Reagan. He has been a speech coach for nationally famous CEOs. Now he is President of Fox News. I totally endorse his approach to public speaking.

For more information, please visit my Web site:

http://www.championshipcommunication.com/

Have You Cleaned Your Glasses?

2005-05-30T13:50:00.000-05:00

Many years ago, I heard a piece of advice I liked immediately, and I have never forgotten it:

"Don't call the world dirty because you forgot to clean your glasses."

In communication terminology, that reference is to perception. Sometimes we cannot see the world around us accurately--the people and events--because dirty glasses mar our vision.

Consider these vision blockers on our "window to the world" (which is what perception really is) that distort our view:

Stereotypes: We assume that if someone is a member of a certain group, she is doomed to behave in a certain way. Examples: "Computer 'techies' don't have well-rounded personalities" or "Anybody over age 60 lacks energy enough to do the job."

Past experiences: "Margaret lost her temper at work a year ago, so I can never consider her for a leadership position. Obviously, she is too unstable."

Parental teachings: "My father told me that Rotary was the only club worth affiliating with, so I won't accept invitations to attend functions sponsored by other clubs."

What about you? Are there any spots on your glasses that make you think the world is dirty? If so, clean them off. Then you will communicate more accurately and productively.

For more information, please visit my Web site:

www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

"How Did You Write Your Book?"

2005-05-30T12:39:00.000-05:00

When I started participating in book signings soon after the publication of my book--The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life!--shoppers asked me one question repeatedly: "How did you write your book?" Also, I hear that question after my speeches and seminars, when I remain to sell and sign my book and other educational products, including audio CDs.

Here is how I answer that question:

1. The book started as a radio series. Three times a week, I hosted a brief radio program for a station in nearby Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia, where I once taught Speech Communication.

2. When the series of radio broadcasts ended, I noticed that I had generated eighty-five short written segments, which I had read on the air. It occurred to me that the advice I had given was worth putting into book form, so more people could benefit from my tips about communication.

3. Before I approached a publisher, I outlined the book, proposing nine chapters. Then I gathered "clips"--copies of articles I had published in numerous newspapers and magazines.

The clips served two purposes. First, they let editors know that other publishers had accepted my writings. Second, they revealed my writing style.

4. Fortunately, the second publisher I "pitched"--through a cover letter, the outline and the clips--offered me a contract, and gave me a deadline for completing the manuscript.

5. For ten weeks, I wrote all day every day, six days a week. Usually, I wrote and edited for 8-10 hours daily.

6. My efforts produced 201 double-spaced pages, which the publisher formatted into the 148 page book.

7. Not long after publication, bookstore customers would ask, "Do you have an audio version?" This alerted me to the need to record my book. I did that, in my own voice, resulting in 5 audio CDs--complete and unabridged.

So if you are an aspiring writer, keep these steps in mind. Writing a book requires intense discipline, research, and careful editing and rewriting. It's not something you accomplish in a week or so. Still, the end result assures you the effort was worthwhile.

I invite you to order The Complete Communicator, either in hardback or on audio CD. You can order online from my Web site's "shopping cart":

http://www.championshipcommunication.com/store/index.htm

"Winning Words and Ways"--My popular monthly newsletter

2005-05-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

"Winning Words and Ways" is the name of my free, monthly e-mail newsletter. In every issue, I give practical tips you can put to use immediately. The newsletter covers these topics:

Communication
Motivation
Customer Service
Sales

One of the unusual features: Frequently I quote subscribers who have responded to recent issues. I like showman Jimmy Durante's statement: "Everybody wants to get into the act!"

To subscribe, simply go to the home page of my Web site and enter your name and e-mail address in the slots provided for the newsletter, on the left side of the page. Here's the link to my home page:
http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Customer Care Pays Dividends

2005-05-30T10:13:00.000-05:00

For more than three decades, Bill Bell enjoyed a highly successful career as an advertising salesman and executive. His superb communication skills explain why he reached the pinnacle of his profession. When Bill read my blog "A Jewel of a Jewelry Store," he sent me this response, titled "Customer Care Pays Dividends." Thanks to Bill for permission to include another clear illustration of why taking care of your customers is one of the most productive investments you will make.

Bill Bell wrote:

In the early 60s I went to an Atlanta photography store to buy a good camera that would provide dependable service for the indefinite future. The fellow who waited on me presented a camera that would meet that need, a well known and highly respected brand. I bought it then and there, and was impressed with his thorough and patient instruction in how to use the new equipment. I asked his name, which was Bill Wallis, gave him mine, and said I’d be back when I needed attachments of any consequence.

A year or so later I did go back to Bill for a close-up attachment of a certain type that I thought would be needed for my new interest in wild flower photography. He said that what I named would certainly do the job, but was quite expensive and would not perform any better for my purpose than a device of another type and much less costly. I followed his recommendation, which proved to be eminently successful, and thanked him for saving me several hundred dollars.

This second demonstration of "customer care" resulted in my buying virtually 100% of my photographic supplies and equipment from Bill Wallis for the next twenty years or so until he moved to Florida, bought a thirty foot sailboat and retired. During the years of our association he and his wife had opened their own store, and I had become a semi-professional photographer. Bill’s philosophy of business returned significant dividends for his company not only from me, but surely from hundreds of others who must have likewise appreciated his "customer care" attitude that remained unchanged throughout his career.

For more information, please visit my Web site: www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

The One Job We Cannot Delegate

2005-05-28T15:39:00.000-05:00

During my twenty-three years of management, I delegated hundreds of tasks, ranging from typing to arranging special events to filing to writing reports. Yet there is one responsibility we cannot pass along to someone else: keeping our motivation high.

Mistakenly, some people expect their motivation to come from:

Their boss
Their spouse
Their family
Their friends
Their mentors
Their teachers
Their teammates

The truth is, while these individuals and groups can assist us with our motivation, the major effort has to come from us.

In subsequent posts to my blog, I will mention motivational steps and strategies that I find helpful--strategies I mention in my speeches, seminars and in my audio CD titled "Maintaining Maximum Motivation: Strategies for Staying in High Gear!" For now, though, take the first step of recognizing that although help may come from others, you are the primary force in attaining and nurturing your motivation.

You can order my motivation CD from my Web site:

http://www.championshipcommunication.com/store/index.htm

Happy listening!

Daniel Webster's Magnificent Statement

2005-05-28T14:05:00.000-05:00

During all the years I have studied and taught communication, I have come across some marvelous and memorable statements about the impact of communication on a person's life. Cicero, Quintilian, Aristotle, Socrates, Plato and other geniuses contributed their wisdom to this topic.

Yet no one, in my view, has surpassed the words of Daniel Webster, one of America's outstanding statesmen and orators:

If I were to lose all my possessions except one, I would save the power of communication, for by it I would soon regain all of the rest.

For more information, please visit my Web site:

www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

A Jewel of a Jewelry Store

2005-05-28T12:52:00.000-05:00

My favorite ring kept slipping off my finger. Once or twice, I heard it hit the pavement in our driveway, indicating that unless I did something about the misfit I would lose it soon. The ring has strong sentimental value, because it's from my beloved Ph.D. alma mater, Ohio University.

As I entered the jewelry store--Gainesville Jewelry, in my place of residence, Gainesville, Georgia-- seeking a remedy, I was skeptical. The ring is quite thick, so cutting it down to a lower size might be cost prohibitive.

The assistant behind the counter could sense my attachment to the ring. Had she been working for profit alone, she might have told me, "Yes, we can cut it down a quarter size or a half size. Either way, the cost will be $100." What she said instead was no less than astonishing:

"Sir, here's my recommendation. Let us put a ring guard on for you. This will take away your worry about losing this fine piece of jewelry."

"A ring guard," I responded, "what's that?"

Quickly, she answered my question by inserting a small gold piece inside the part of the ring that goes underneath my finger. "See," she told me, "it's not even visible to anybody. Only you will know it is there, and you will forget about it, because there is no discomfort."

Then I asked the key question: "How much for the ring guard?"

"That will be $3.00--and I can put the guard on and adjust it right now."

"Did you say $3.00?" I could not believe a cost that low.

"That's right."

"Well, thank you for telling me about this. Let's take care of it now."

Within a couple of minutes, I had the ring on my finger--quite comfortably. As I paid the $3.00, I thanked the clerk for her superb help.

"Oh, one more thing, sir," she said with a genuine smile. "Let's take a minute to show you how to adjust the guard. You may want to change the size sometime without having to come back here."

After she demonstrated how to make the adjustment, I walked out of there fully satisfied. Truly, Gainesville Jewelry is a "jewel of a jewelry store."

Use this link to read a description of my popular speech/seminar, "Championship Customer Care": http://www.ChampionshipCommunication.com/speeches.htm

Always Treat Your Customers With Dignity

2005-05-27T10:38:00.000-05:00

When I entered my ophthalmologist's office, I was nervous. This was the day they would show me how to insert my contact lenses, a totally new experience. I'm not sure how you react, but I get a bit jumpy when somebody wants to put a finger in my eye. Even though I was nervous, I felt the staff would be professional enough to usher me through the experience. After all, they had done that with hundreds of other patients.

"Bill," the receptionist said, "we are extra crowded today. Do you mind if we take you to a room that's not a regular examining room?"

"Sure, that's OK," I responded.

One of the assistants named Betty walked me down a hallway, and turned left into a small room. Motioning with her hand, she said "Sit there, please." I sat where she indicated. Suddenly, I realized that Betty had directed me to sit on a toilet. Gads--as if I didn't have enough to be upset about already.

Somehow Betty and the ophthalmologist taught me how to insert the lenses into my eyes, and how to blink and roll my eyes around until the contacts got in place. That part of their professional skill was sufficient.

Can you guess "the rest of the story"? I am sure you can. Within a week, I found a new ophthalmologist and had my medical records transferred there. Why? The answer is simple. The doctor and his staff had not respected my dignity.

Keep this in mind in dealing with customers. Even an angry customer will "come around" when you treat him or her decently. Yet the minute you disrepect them, they are gone--and justifiably so.

What about you? Have you had any horror stories like mine? If so, I would like to hear about them, and so would my blog readers. Thanks for your helpful response.

For more information, please visit my Web site:

www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Lampton's Law for Cell Phone Users

2005-05-27T08:28:00.000-05:00

Picture yourself seated in the van transporting you from the airport to the parking lot. Pretty tight space, huh? Suddenly, the silence is broken--no, blasted--by the guy sitting next to you. Oblivious to his surroundings, he says in a loud voice, "Hello, Mary, just landed a few minutes ago. Is the meeting still scheduled for this afternoon? Do you have all the reports on my desk for me to review? And tell me, what important calls do I need to return right now?"

OK, this inconsiderate fellow has just:

Invaded your privacy and the privacy of everyone else in the van
Flaunted his conviction that he is incredibly prominent in the business world
Risked sharing confidential information with a bunch of strangers, one of whom could by chance even be his competitor

If scenes like that drive you crazy, then I am confident you will like my solution. I call it "Lampton's Law for Cell Phone Users." I suggest that you share it with family, friends and all of your work associates. Here it is:

LAMPTON'S LAW

"If someone wants to hear your cell phone conversation, one of two things will have happened. First, they will have called you. Or second, they would have accepted your call.

Therefore, if neither of these has happened, the people in your vicinity are not at all interested in what you have to say. In fact, your phone conversation will offend them. So if you must make a cell phone call, move away to a more private place. Even there, lower your voice. Become invisible and inaudible to those around you when you talk with the only person who has expressed interest in hearing you."

If you are a manager, explain Lampton's Law at your next staff meeting. Circulate it in writing. Add it to your company newsletter. Before long, you will experience increased courtesy and consideration by cell phone users. When that happens, call me on your cell phone to tell me about it!

For more information, please visit my Web site:

www.ChampionshipCommunication.com

Is Anybody Listening?

2005-05-26T18:54:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we wonder whether anybody is listening at all. We hear comments like these:

"Did you say that was for here, or to go?"

"You want that report by when. . .Wednesday or Thursday?"

"What did you say your name was, and what's the problem with your car?"

Yes, we have heard those comments, and many more, which indicate that the people we are talking with are not paying attention. So here is a superb way for you to stand out from the crowd and "Communicate for Success":

1. Listen carefully to everything someone says to you.
2. Give nonverbal signs you are listening--eye contact, nodding your head, sitting or standing alertly.
3. Use verbal cues to indicate attentiveness: "I see" "I understand" "And then what did you do next?"
4. Respond not just to facts but to the emotions expressed: "Your child is sick, you say. You must be very worried about that."
5. Use reflective listening: "It seems to me you are saying that you are disappointed because someone else got that promotion."
6. Repeat a person's name during the conversation. We really do love the sound of our own names. "Bill, I agree with you."

From more than twenty years of management experience, I am convinced that good listeners get much farther professionally and personally than outstanding speakers do. There are more good speakers than good listeners.

Try these tips, and you will become "The company other people love to keep."

Do your experiences confirm the power of listening? And what listening tips do you want to add?

For more information, please visit my Web site: