Golf Pro Improved My Game Immediately

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

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

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

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

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

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

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