Lorna McLaren: Quick Communication Tips - Better Communication and Less Stress

How to Connect to 97% of your Audience; Part 1

2011-02-28T22:02:00.000-08:00

When speaking to an audience, how can you ensure you’ll reach them? How can you connect to each and every one of them? When you have to deliver a message to various individuals, they’ll be filtering what you say based on their different personalities, values, and communication needs. So how can you be consistent in getting your point across so you don’t get filtered out by any of them? If you can’t connect to them, not only will they tune you out, they’ll resent having their time wasted.

Welcome to Part 1 in our 4 part series "How to Connect to 97% of your Audience"

Cultural, gender and generational differences aside, these communication tips cover 4 specific areas you need to be aware of to get your point across to the diversity of personalities in your audience.

I have a quote “Find the need and feed the need”. When it comes to effective communication, you need to implement these tips so you can connect to them AND keep their attention.

1^st tip is to speak to the needs of the largest chunk of your audience members; the Motivating personality.

These are the people who are your natural ‘motivators’. It’s in their DNA. They like to get motivated; they like to motivate others; like an enthusiastic and passionate salesperson, politician, orchestra leader, coach. They are persuasive - and they are more easily persuaded themselves when you speak to their needs.

What’s their big burning question that you need to answer? Why. And the best way to answer their why is with benefits. The motivators are motivated by positive benefits. As they are listening to your message, be it subconsciously, their predominant filters are constantly searching and questioning for this.

“Find the need and feed the need” The Motivators in your audience will filter your message and form their concepts around how you address the benefits of Why. If you don’t address it, you’ll lose your impact, won’t connect to them, and get filtered out.

So in structuring your message, you can engage the motivators by answering simple questions such as:

What’s in it for me?

Why does this information benefit me?

How does it benefit my customers, the success of our business, the bottom line?

Why and how will it benefit my family, my relationships, life in general?

This is what will motivate them to connect to you and your message and in turn, the Motivators will rally around your message and embrace your point.

We’ve all heard that benefits sell. That’s why Part 1 of this series is about the tip that will engage the majority of the personality and communication needs in your audience. About 40% of your audience will be Motivators. The average speaker will engage 40% of the audience. A masterful communicator will have far higher odds.

Stay tuned for the other 3 tips to help you ‘nail it’ as a master communicator who can connect to 97% of their audience. Oh, and if you’re wondering about the other 3%? I’ll cover that in the 4^th part of this series.

LornaMcLaren
Training Specialist in Effective Communication, Conflict Resolution, Stress Reduction
LornaMcLaren.com
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Email Tips: Increase Productivity and Valuable Time

2010-09-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

When it comes to email in the workplace, did you know the #1 complaint is that there is just too much of it? When you think about it, probably 50% of the emails in your inbox are of low importance or of no importance. A good chunk of your valuable time and productivity is spent managing your emails. We also have to recognize that when you do write emails, misunderstandings can and do happen. So during those productive times when writing emails, here are some tips to consider.

Aside from following company policy and mandates, before you send an email to somebody’s very busy inbox, ask your self the questions . . . Is this an email that needs to be sent? Do they need to be CC’d on all of this information? Is the email of personal content and not business related? Is email the right medium for this type of communication or would it be more effective to pick up the phone or see them face to face?

When you do send an email, here are some tips:
Put the purpose of your email in the subject box. By doing this, the reader can quickly determine the priority and relevance of your email. It allows them to manage their time more efficiently. “Response required on project X” “Confirm specs by 3:00”. If the subject box says "FW: FW: FW: FW: and then the title" Well, that may merit an instant delete and absolute frustration and disrespect of one's time.

Start your email off with a personal or appropriate greeting then quickly get to the point with your stated objective. Be brief, clear, and polite.

If your email is a request for information and if you have more than 1 piece of information or perhaps multiple questions you need answered, consider using a numbered list; 1, 2, 3. The reader will clearly know there are 3 things they need to send back to you. It makes it easier for them to follow your instructions. It also makes it more likely they will send you all the information you need and save you the hassle of emailing back to remind them of something they may have forgotten to include.

With no tone of voice or body language to go with your message, recognize you may be at a bit of a disadvantage because you can only use words. Please have more focused concentration on the specific words you use. Without the sound or visual to go with the words, a phrase may mean something completely different when reading that phrase in an email. You don’t want to spark computer rage. Even something as simple as the phrase “From now on” may take on a completely different meaning if the tone isn’t there to accompany it. It may be considered a threat, a reprimand. Now to get around misinterpreting a phrase, some people use symbols or emoticons; little happy faces to denote happy in reading that sentence. Or, I’ve seen a series of colons, dashes, and parenthesis to denote happy or sad. Not everyone understands what these series of symbols mean. We also see abbreviations like lol (laugh out loud) or btw (by the way). I saw one the other day of JMO. Apparently it means just my opinion. Who knew? Never heard that one before. So please be aware not to confuse the reader.

Next tip. Never consider your emails to be private conversations. Employers may monitor email transmissions that have been initiated over corporate computer equipment. And please recognize, email messages can be used as legal evidence.

By now, most of us have learned through experience the importance of waiting 24 hours before responding to a heated email. And lastly, if you really want to make a point, or convey the severity of your words, don’t use CAPITAL LETTERS. First of all, it’s hard on our eyes to read in capitals. Yet if you have a series of words in capital letters, more so it may come across as you being very angry and out of control with your emotions. It’s like reading someone yelling. So if you need to have more impact, instead of capital letters, consider bold or italics.

Ahhhh emails. We complain about them but we just can’t seem to live without them. There is a purpose to email and we can be more effective in it’s use. So use these tips to free up your valuable time. Gain the energy of being productive at work rather than managing a workload of emails. I feel less stress just thinking about it. How about you?

LornaMcLaren
Effective Communication, Conflict Resolution, Stress Reduction
LornaMcLaren.com
FREE 3-5 min. Quick Communication Tips
audio podcasts to help busy professionals master the moment
go to http://www.QuickCommunicationTips.com

Visual Dominates

2010-07-04T14:04:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the 3 components of communication - words, tone of voice, and visual; the Visual is the most dominant.

Here are 2 facts to consider . . .

First, the nerve pathways from the eyes to the brain are 25% larger than the nerve pathways of the ear to the brain. That's quite fascinating. Second, the eyes are the only sensory organ that contains brain cells. Now that's cool! Visual dominates all senses.

Eye communication has the biggest impact. It connects mind to mind, 1st brain to 1st brain connection, and eye communication conveys involvement. Lets say, as an example, you are sharing great news with someone. You've got that excitement in your voice and the animation of your body just saturates to the brain. You've got conviction of message. However, if your body language is inconsistent with your message, you are nervous, insecure body language, and your eyes are darting back and forth - your words will not be trusted. Instead, the message you may be giving is inconsistent, insincere, not confident, or perhaps hiding something. What if you find yourself in a compromising situation or position and you need to establish trust with the people you are communicating with? Remember, YOU are the visual. So, be very aware of the message you are giving to others. When communicating with others, I guess it all boils down to "what you see is what you get".

Lets take this tip, Visual Dominates, and apply it to another area of communication.

Lets say you are doing a presentation, training, or conveying information. Link your information to a visual. If visual dominates, it sure makes sense to do so. We've all heard the phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words".

Now, here's a killer concept when it comes to visual . . .

It's hard for the eye to resist a moving object. These days, people are so into TV, computers, computer games, DVD's, movies, videos, and You Tube. So, to have even more impact, rather than using a stagnant visual, use something more animated. It's a powerful engagement tool! If you are not linking your information to a moving object or visual, remember - You are the Visual. Be aware of your body positioning, your movements, the natural flow as you communicate. When it comes to communication, Visual Dominates!

LornaMcLaren.com

FREE 3-5 min. Quick Communication Tips

audio podcasts to help busy professionals master the moment

go to http://www.QuickCommunicationTips.com

3 Tips for Men when Resolving Conflict with your Woman

2010-05-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

Gentlemen, these tips are for you. Women often have different perspectives and ways of resolving conflict compared to men. Also, the nature of the relationship you have with her will determine how you communicate; be it a business colleague, neighbour, relative, or stranger in the street. Yet when it comes to resolving conflict with your woman, your wife or significant other, it’s more important to do it well. There is more at stake when it’s your life partner. So these tips are designed to ‘open up a perspective’ on how to resolve conflict with your woman.

Tip #1
As an initial response to conflict, don’t get defensive.

It’s noble to want to protect her or feel responsible for her happiness, yet a gut instinct of defending yourself from being blamed puts you at a disadvantage. It may not be about you personally when she is expressing a criticism. If you first assume a defensive attitude, it may create a big misunderstanding that perpetuates. It takes you off course from actually resolving the conflict and it may create bad feelings between both of you. Also, if you go into defensive mode, your brain flips into emotional, knee-jerk reactions. It’s a fact. In the moment of stress and high emotion, our brains disengage from our reasoning abilities. It’s harder to see things rationally or objectively when in the emotional moment.

Tip #2
Don’t try to fix it, try to understand it.

Men, you do have a drive and capability to fix things. Remember, emotions are rarely clearly defined, people are different, and it’s hard to ‘fix’ something we can’t all agree on. Yet when it comes to conflict resolution, one of the biggest complaints from women is that their partner tries to ‘fix it’ when she simply wants or needs him to hear her out for the purpose of understanding. As you’re trying to fix the problem, she may feel it’s rude and disrespectful to not even allow her to get it off her chest. As we all know, sometimes just by being able to vent about a problem – half of it disappears just by being able to express it. So men, maybe she needs your strength as a supportive ear; a good listener. And as a bonus to this tip, if she feels that you are a good listener, it’s a great aphrodisiac.

Tip #3
Avoid blaming her ‘emotions’ as the cause and affect of the conflict.

Whether that’s the case or not, this tactic rarely works. How someone ‘feels’ is a bi-product of a specific problem or misunderstanding that has caused the conflict. And if the conflict is ignored or not resolved, it just snowballs. Emotions are not wrong per se, and sometimes we don’t choose them. Sometimes people just ‘feel’ a certain way. Yet if emotions get really raw ‘during’ your conflict resolution, it may be wise for both of you to respectfully take a break and revisit it later. As another perspective, if you blame her emotions for the conflict, it’s a weak defense. It can also be a cheap shot in trying to detach completely by blaming the whole thing on how somebody else ‘feels’ about it. It’s also a weak defense that is sometimes used as a tactic when somebody is actually caught doing something wrong. It’s a lot easier to blame the other person’s emotions than to fess up. Yet most importantly gentlemen, never, ever, ever blame it on hormones. Just trust me on that one.

Your relationship with your partner is so important. And effective conflict resolution can nurture the loving relationship you deserve.

3 Tips for Women when Resolving Conflict with your Man

2010-03-11T13:03:00.000-08:00

Men and Women negotiate, and resolve conflict differently. Yet, when it comes to resolving conflict with the man you live with, your spouse or significant other, it's more personal, more variables to consider, and more at stake.

Effective communication can nurture a long and strong relationship. Miscommunication may have the opposite effect. So, here are 3 Quick Communication Tips for Women when resolving conflict with your man.

#1 The Timing
Try to find a time when both of you are calm. When calm, we can think more clearly, objectively, and reasonably. If you try to resolve conflict when 1 or both parties are highly stressed or emotional, all that objective reasoning may go right out the window. Then, it may get personal. And remember, this is someone who you love, so you want to protect yourselves from being in a position where 1 person may have a ‘knee-jerk’ gut reaction response, and say something hurtful – that perhaps they wouldn’t have said if they were feeling calm and less threatened at the time.

#2 Be Direct in Asking for What You Want.
Don’t expect them to just ‘get it’. They may not understand hints, nuances, and subtlety. You need to ask for what you want and be direct about it. Watch the words you use. Don’t imply or infer. Don’t ask “could you” or “would you” and avoid saying “you should” as it may spark their reaction of ‘I’m being blamed.’ Instead, try using direct words like “will you” or “I need”. Remember, you’re partners, he wants to help and protect you.

#3 Get to the Point and Stick to the Facts.
Men are considered to be task driven and tend to do better when dealing with 1 thing at a time. Sometimes women, when resolving conflict, tend to tag on a lot of extra information. Don’t let your message get convoluted with all the 'Reasons' – focus on the results you want. And if your man feels bombarded with emotions, his defenses may go up. You are now asking him to fix many things – multi-task - and your message is less direct.

Stick to the facts. Facts can be understood by both parties. The emotions around the problem are not as easy to fix. Unlike facts, emotions are not clearly defined and can have many interpretations. As an example: “You make me feel . . . ” is harder to 'fix' than “The container needs to be repaired before pick-up this Friday”.

Of course, there are many things to consider when resolving conflict, yet I hope these 3 Tips will help my fellow Women, when it comes to resolving conflict with your man.

7 Tips for Air Travel & Security Line-ups

2010-01-07T13:02:00.000-08:00

With air travel getting more stressful and less dignified, here are 7 tips for check-in, security line-ups, and when on board the plane.

Get your boarding pass ASAP – Most airlines offer 24 hour advance check-in online and often you can change your seat if you don’t like the one they pre-selected for you. Less likely to be bumped and avoid the stress of being late for the check-in deadline when you have your boarding pass in your hand.
Dress for security success - Be aware of the accumulation of metal you may be wearing from shoes, buttons, buckles, to wire support bras to avoid the pat down frustration & humiliation search exercise under the glaring eyes of other frustrated travelers resenting you for the delay. Wear comfortable shoes without metal (ie: running shoes – most business shoes have metal in them) Take your belt off and shoes if you are unsure about the metal content of them.
Which security line-up to get into – if possible, get in the line-up that has more business travelers as they tend to be more savvy in packing & preparing for security. Sometimes families, party holiday people, and those delightful elderly who find it all new and confusing may delay the line.
Pack carry-on for success – YES, put all liquids in small 3 oz containers in a plastic bag. Even though every Transport Security Agent (TSA) will tell you, amazing how many people don’t do it and you’ll further prolong the ordeal for everyone else in line if you’re not prepared. A stuffed bag is harder to detect what’s inside so take out extra things to put in the bin if you’re packed to the max – electronics, anything metal. Regrettably, many flights currently will not allow ANY carry-on luggage so know in advance what restrictions there are.
Wear extra support socks as your feet will swell during flight.
Have food handy - Any flight under 3 hours will not offer you food & with delays, line-ups, & tight connections, eating can be challenging. Most airports tend to specialize in pizza, muffins, junk/fast food & carb heavy questionable sandwiches so bring something healthy. Examples: nuts, prunes, energy bars, tuna & crackers to-go that are found in grocery stores (fish, prunes, nuts are good for the brain) and have drinking water available.
Always be polite and respectful to the Transport Security Agents (TSA) even if they may be rude and less than diplomatic. Give eye contact with a pleasant expression. TSA’s are almost in the same hated category as parking meter attendants. Don’t give them a reason to feel defensive or disrespected – you don’t want to be singled out as they take the stress of their job out on you.

Be patient, take a breath, and try to have a positive attitude about it all.

Bon Voyage!

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20 Tips to Communicate with your Teenager

2010-01-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

Effective communication is one of the most important skills yet when our children become teenagers, it gets more challenging. Communication may become more stressed, painful, frustrating, confusing, anger inducing, heart wrenching.

These communication tips are designed to help you open communication, resolve conflict, and reduce stress for you and your teenager.

Put Yourself in Their Shoes. It’s a challenging time. Their developing bodies, brains, hormones, peer pressure, independence, and natural inclination to defy authority is in full swing. Think about it, would you want to go through puberty again?

Build their self-esteem. It’s a time when they need it most. They yearn for parents to be proud of them and be accepted by others - even if they don’t show it. Low self-esteem is one of the most crippling diseases out there.

Sleep is a Factor. Before we assume they are lazy remember, teenagers do need more sleep. Also, when overtired, we can’t think straight. A sleep depraved teenager and fatigued parent is not a good mix for effective communication.

Be a Guide on the Side - not a Sage on the Stage. Most of us don’t want to be told what to do and how to do it. Educate means to bring out from within, not being a know-it-all.

Reinforce Positive Attention. Attention is a form of reward. Acknowledge what they do well so they are inclined to do it again. Some kids behave horribly because any attention is better than none at all.

Be Specific When Praising. The more general it is, the less impact it has. Acknowledge the specific behaviour or skill they used when praising them.

Never Say Always. Accusing them of Always doing or being a certain way often triggers the shut down, tune out response.

Avoid Saying Never. Never comes across as blame, accusation, or guilt inducing. You’ll be tuned out again and resentment will build.

Be Aware of Stress. Under stress, we can’t think as rationally and may say things we regret. When you and/or your teenager feels stressed, it may be wise to delay communication.

Listen. If you change the letters around, it also spells the word Silent. Hear them out without interruption. One of the best ways to honour someone is to listen to them.

Ask for Specifics. If you don’t understand what they mean, ask for an example or something specific. In encourages understanding and avoids assuming, or getting it wrong.

Don’t Nag. A teenager’s most common complaint with parents. Teenagers don’t always listen, they forget constantly, it’s mentioned in scientific/medical journals. Expect to experience the frustration of chronic reminder syndrome. Even when you’re right, they’ll resent it when nagged about it.

Involve Them in Conflict Resolution. Ask them what they see in the way of resolution? What would they do if they were you? It encourages negotiation and accountability.

Criticize in Private. Being criticized in front of siblings, friends, or in public is rude and displays bad manners. Losing face in front of others may only motivate your teenager to resent you and themselves more.

Prepare In Advance. It is wise to take time to think and prepare how to best communicate. Forethought wins.

Be Objective Not Personal. “By not providing your resume in time, you missed the opportunity to be considered for the job” is objective. “You’re so lazy, you didn’t even get your resume there on time” is personal.

Change Body Language to Reduce Conflict. Standing over them, in their space, pointing your finger, or standing full-on face to face (especially father and son) can increase stress. Try sitting down, equal eye level, stand to the side so shoulders are closer than torsos, even tilting your head to the side implies your openness to listen and decreases their defensiveness.

Be The Parent. It’s great to be their friend yet remember, they need you to be the parent. Call them on it when they go astray or too far. Reinforce what is right and wrong, talk to them, and lead through example.

There is an End in Sight. Coach them through it and don’t be too hard on them or yourself. Provide a safe environment to grow and make mistakes. Sometimes we don’t realize how much we needed, respected, or learned from our parents until we become adults.

Having a child is when we truly understand and experience the depth of love. When they reach those trying teenage years remember, communication challenges are normal. You are not alone. Just do your best and trust the rest.

Brilliant Customer Service; the Spock and Serotonin Effect

2009-11-04T22:17:00.000-08:00

Did you know that every time you perform a kind or considerate act, it automatically strengthens your immune system? It also stimulates production of serotonin in the brain. And the more serotonin you have, the better you feel. So, being nice to others is good for you, and it feels good? This sounds like a bit of a win-win to me. Yet it doesn't just stop there.

Equally exciting, is that the person receiving the kindness is going through the exact same thing. You are both experiencing increased happiness and stronger immune systems. What is also fascinating about this, is that people who witness the kindness, will also experience the same benefits of increased health and happiness. Talk about the ripple effect, I'm smiling just thinking about it.

How can you tap into these amazing benefits? You can do it every day at work by delivering brilliant customer service. It's brilliant because you light up your life and the lives of others as a result. It also happens to be brilliant for business. Feeling good has a direct impact on your productivity. So, we're happier, healthier, and more productive.

The art of communicating brilliant customer service is even more powerful when it comes to problems. This is good. Think about it, if you don't have problems to fix - you don't have a business. Business is all about solving problems for people and brilliant customer service is about doing it well so you, and your business prospers.

Have a sincere intent to be of service, pleasant, considerate, and understand how to communicate that from the start. There are some powerful foundational things to know when it comes to ensuring customer service success from first impressions, to building rapport, and problem solving. It's enlightening, empowering, and according to research, it's good for you.

So go out there and be brilliant. And in doing so, (to take the words from Spock, of the star ship Enterprise) you will 'live long and prosper'.

Customers Don't Want to Hear Your Excuses. aka: don't mess with my chocolate!

2009-09-29T14:13:00.000-07:00

With any business, sometimes things go wrong; a glitch happens, an error. For whatever reason, the customer did not receive the product or service your business said it would provide. Often customers are fine with it, as long as you take ownership of the mistake you made and resolve it. Basically, deliver what you said you would.

As customers, we often like to hear the reason, so we can understand. But the last thing we want to hear are excuses for why it wasn't done right in the first place. It's a passive-defensive response, guaranteed to irritate the customer, and customers may question your consistency in providing future products/services.

Here's a classic example, it happened a few weeks ago at a Boston Pizza in Lethbridge, AB. Now, I've been to this chain in various cities. They deliver as they advertise; it's consistent. In fact, their Chocolate Explosion Cake is amazing! I've got a substance abuse problem with chocolate and their portions are huge!

So, I finished delivering a full day seminar, missed lunch, it's 5:oo, and I'm ravenous. Across the street from the hotel I notice a Boston Pizza. Great service, however the potatoes aren't hot and the salmon is overcooked and hard on the ends but no problem. I'm hungry, I'll eat the middle bits, more than enough food here and it's still delicious. What I'm really pining for is my chocolate explosion that I deserve and have been dreaming of since I walked in the door. Ooh, ooh, I can't wait!

The moment it was placed before me, I knew something was wrong. It's supposed to look chocolaty brown with chunks of white cheesecake in the center laced throughout the soft, smooth mousy/praline like substance being held up by a bottom layer of crumbled chocolate cookie. Ohh, how it cuts with a fork. Ahh, the textures. I had my coffee and Globe & Mail to savor it with; it was all planned! But instead, it was frozen solid, layered with frost, looked mostly white. It was impenetrable. I couldn't get my fork or knife through it.

In that moment, I felt a hint of righteous indignation. I didn't order a rock hard frozen cake, and why would you serve it to me like that in the 1st place? With beautiful politeness, I confirm with the server I have appreciated her service, yet did not expect or want a frozen cake. "Could I have it the way you usually serve it?" She offers to 'put it in the microwave' for me. Now, for those readers who are not shocked by this comment, perhaps this blog isn't for you. If your mouth is open with surprise, wait, theres more . . .

You can't microwave a dessert item like that and perhaps she just doesn't know. "Could you please see if the chef or kitchen staff have a different suggestion?" I ask. She returns with a message "He said all they can do is microwave it and it's not his fault. The guy who was supposed to take this dessert out of the freezer forgot so there is nothing he can do about it." Hmm, I ponder - if I was told about this oversight before being served, I could have chosen to receive it frozen, or change my dessert order.

Now, as a customer, I didn't feel like being a problem. The caramel/chocolate sauces were already drizzled over it and the dollops of whipped cream were starting to chill against my cake. There can be a solution to this without ruining it, wasting it, or having the restaurant feel they have to give it to me for free.

"Would you please prepare my dessert to go? I'll let it thaw and enjoy it in my hotel room later." I'm feeling smug as I've created a win/win - the restaurant has an opportunity to keep the customer happy and I can have my cake and eat it too . . . well, when it thaws out, that is.

However, I must say I was surprised when my to go dessert was delivered to me by the manager. He starts off by stating how it wasn't his or the chef's fault it was frozen, I heard the same lame excuse blaming someone else's forgetfulness and they would have happily micro-waved it for me. Yet the coup de grace for me was when I looked at my dessert. It was naked, no caramel/chocolate drizzles, no dollop of whipped cream. I mean where's the customer service love in that! Ouch. I didn't feel like being an inconvenience by asking it to be prepared as it is advertised, I'm still paying full price for it.

You see, this story goes beyond mere cake. It's a reflection of that particular management team, the leader, and how they train their team in customer service. As a franchise owner, I believe you have an expectation to maintain the standards of the chain - you're part of the overall team success. Adhere to your standards of consistency. When there is a glitch in your quality control, please remember, customers don't want to hear your excuses. Give them options and just do the right thing.

A glitch only turns into a problem when the customer has not been treated professionally and with consideration.

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Persuading Toddlers to Teenagers to Eat Healthy Food; Fun tips on Mealtime Manipulation

2009-07-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

Knowing and wanting your children to eat healthy food is one thing. Getting them to do it is another. As they learn to exert their own will and say 'no' in the various stages of their development, rather than the stress of forcing, lecturing, giving ultimatums or any of that 'bad vibe' stuff, try using a bit of merry manipulation. It's fun, creative, and time better spent for all of you. Instead of a 'battle of wills', mealtime can be fun and a bit playful - and we all know how well kids learn through play.

Basically, whatever 'turns them on' at that particular age of their life can inspire you to create that same sense of fun with food. Get them eating it without them associating it to something they don't like. Here are some ideas . . .

You can turn it into a game of cause and effect. Every time you take a bite out of it, it makes you do something. You can't help it - it's as if the food takes control of your body! Take a bite out of their food and pretend it makes your arm wiggle all over the place. Oh no, this food makes me hop on one leg! And when I eat this, it makes me fall to the ground as if I am dead for 5 seconds. Then, let them try it.

During the particularly defiant stages, sitting beside my son with my plate just close enough for him to reach it, I'd try things like "I didn't give you any "X" because I'm afraid you'll like it too much and I don't feel like sharing so whatever you do, don't touch it" (said in a mock stern tone). They love to defy so use that against them. Is it manipulation, perhaps, yet is it fun. You bet! I once told him that the reason I didn't want him to eat a particular food is that it will make him invisible to me for 5 seconds. Of course I'd find reasons to look away or get up for something - always able to see him somehow in my peripheral vision or in a reflection. Then, when I notice he eats it, I make a big do about ''oh no, where is my son! He was here a second ago, I can't see him anywhere!" Then 5 seconds later, pretend you can see him again. Or, pretend when they eat a certain food, it makes You do something - so they have fun manipulating you.

One afternoon, my 2 young sons and I saw a show about dinosaurs - herbivores. After, I rigged lettuce leaves on bungee cords and hung them over the backs of chairs and other fixtures and we'd walk around the room like dinosaurs eating the leaves. I'd been trying to get them to eat lettuce for ages and this worked like a charm.

Pizza is a great place to sneak healthy food into them. I got away with hiding broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets, lots of veggies under that layer of melted cheese. For 1 son, I called it 'Rainbow Pizza' - he loved rainbows. And for the older son, when he questioned the unusual colours in the pizza, (my inspiration was the Monty Python skit about the chocolates filled with lark's vomit?), I just told him it was bugs, monster vomit and Kryptonite. He couldn't wait to eat it.

From a young age, we started the tradition of a fruit drink each morning. Fresh and frozen fruit, juice and add yogurt or flax oil (hardly noticeable in taste) to keep the drink from separating. Makes great Popsicles, too. It's easy, fast, and delicious. And with a supply of various frozen fruit it provides fantastic variety and combinations.

Of course as they got older, they were pretty well trained to eat a variety of things yet if they still tried to get out of it, I'd try other types of merry manipulation like - public peer pressure. Elementary school boys don't want to be embarrassed in front of their friends so I'd threaten to give them a big slobbery kiss in front of everyone if they didn't eat some of the healthy stuff. Yep, that worked. As they became tall, strong, teenagers, I had to change my strategy so I'd threatened to show my old lady stomach if they didn't finish their food. Even though I am in good shape, no teenager wants to see their mothers stomach - ewwww.

Parenting comes with such responsibility and when it comes to healthy nutrition for our children, try a bit of merry manipulation. It's fun, creative and reduces stress.

Bon appetite!

Partner over Passion; Choices Women Make when Dating

2009-07-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

When it comes to single women over 40 and their search for 'that special guy', maybe the good guys do win in the end.

I've been pondering this of late since 2 good friends of mine are going through strikingly similar situations when it comes to finding that 'relationship'. Their stories are so exact in their timing and situations that it's eerie, especially since we all live in different cities and these women are unaware of the others existence.

Here's the dish . . .
Great mothers, they both raised children while balancing work, and are now accomplished in their chosen professions. They're fit, good looking, happy, confident, divorced, and in their mid to late 40's. Their children are late teens and beyond. They would be considered 'a great catch' by many.

After venturing out into the world of dating, they both finally met someone who rocked their world! These guys connected to them in so many ways - it was passionate. "It's like I've found my soul mate". Yet as electrifying the excitement of the relationship was, so came the jolts of big misunderstandings, heated arguments and realizations that, oh no, I can't stay in this relationship. Too different in their values in certain areas that it would not work out. Both spent 2 years on that Rollercoaster with the man who felt so right yet was so wrong. It's one thing to know it's not the right relationship, it's another thing to turn off the chemistry and walk away. Chemistry is magic and it doesn’t come often.

Then, within a week, I get a call from both of them - same story. I knew they had both met a great guy 2 years ago and that they had some separation periods throughout because both women felt a little unsure when pressed for a stronger relationship. Now, both men wanted a commitment of marriage. This was their dilemma.

Without a doubt, both men were really nice who absolutely adored them. Family and friends thought he was perfect. Never any big conflict or waves. They had so much in common from activities to lifestyle, the perfect partner yet . . . there was no zing. These guys were everything these women thought they wanted yet there was no electrifying chemistry, no big passion spark or 'ahh' this is sooooo right when you're in their presence. You know the feeling I'm talking about?

They didn't have it from the beginning or throughout. And they do love their man - yet love means many things. Although both women get along with their ex-husbands, they don't want to go through the agony of a failed invested relationship again and fear making a mistake.

So as women, we're wondering. Do we have to compromise the passionate chemistry to find the perfect partner? Is there something 'wrong' with us if we can't just appreciate how fortunate we are to have found a nice guy and shallow to expect more? Are we all supposed to believe the 'zing' will fade anyway so let that expectation go?

Have we become smarter by giving up on finding that magical chemistry that is so elusive? Or have we given up in our expectations? Hmmm

In the end, it looks like my friends are going to chose the quality of Partner over Passion. I support and will route for them whatever decision they make. Although I don't know their partners well, I really like them. They're really nice guys and I'm thrilled to see them win.

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When Aproaching an Unsuspecting Customer, Recognize When NO really means "Back-off now, or you'll never see me again"

2009-07-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

No can mean many things when uttered by a customer. Yet when it comes to the unsuspecting customer, be extra careful.

An unsuspecting customer is someone who didn't come to you, you approached them.

Now of course, the worst case scenario of this is with phone calls to your home, unsolicited intrusions into your inbox or that 'knock' on your front door. Granted, these are intrusive and hard to avoid yet at least we can have a smidgeon of control by call blocking, spam filters, and signs on our property. I'm talking about those times when you are out in public and someone 'approaches you'.

We know we can't avoid being advertised to or stop people from approaching us in public yet it can be done with an element of respect and consideration. An example of this are kiosks in airports. You are walking along to get to your flight, you see them, they see you, they approach you to promote their product - you can simply smile and shake your head No and walk on by. The sales person respects the unsuspecting customer's privacy and disinterest (in a product they weren't looking for in the first place) and the customer respects the sales person for not infringing on their request to be left alone.

Now, I have nothing against a sales person giving it another attempt - I respect that. Maybe your customer/communication skills and passion for your product can inspire the interest of the unsuspecting customer. If you don't have those skills or, if you're only out for self-interest, look out! You and the product you are representing may never have a chance with that customer again.

Here's an example of where it went horribly wrong.

Yesterday, I was racing around town catching up on 'all those errands' that just pile up. Really hot out there maneuvering through traffic as I go from bank to mailbox to dry cleaners to grocery store, all the while resenting how much time this eats up in my day. I dashed into a healthfood store - the last stop, grabbed the vitamin bottle and went directly to the cash registrar.

There was a Sales Rep for a new product lurking by the check-out counter holding brochures. I knew she was going to approach me and I could tell she was not keen in her 'job'. Not wanting to be bothered dealing with an unskilled, unmotivated 'sales person' while trapped with her at the till while my purchase goes through, I tried to avoid the 'inevitable pitch' and do it in a way that was respectful for all involved.

The 1st time she asked me to see her product, I simply said

"I appreciate it yet regrettably, I have absolutely no time today. Perhaps later, just not today. Thank you for understanding." I thought that was pretty direct in a polite way.

Sales Rep: "Oh, I thought you were someone who was interested in their health."

Although I was surprised by her comment, she was in her 60's, probably unskilled in understanding the effects of how she words things and I wanted to be polite.

"Perhaps another day. Please know at this time, I am on the verge of a headache and I've a very hectic day. I'm sure you can appreciate why now is not a good time for me."

The Sales Rep continued to push her product. Incredulous! Since I teach people how to communicate with diplomacy, I thought I'd practice a bit more of what I preach even though I could feel an insulting comment bubbling to the surface. So, I turned to face her directly, steadfast engagement with her eyes and a slow, even tone said . . .

"With all due respect to you, please know - without a doubt - that now, is not the time to promote your product to me."

If she had respected my wishes, and just let me go, perhaps next time in that store, I'd check out the new product yet no. She pushed again to show me her product.

I left that store knowing I would NEVER COME BACK.

Shame on:
- the company who hired a Rep with no customer service skills and no desire to learn them

- the Rep who ignored the customer's pleas for the self interest of 'making a sale'

- the store employee who witnessed and allowed a customer to be harassed by an outside Rep

When you approach an unsuspecting customer, listen to what they mean when they say NO. If not, when it comes to getting their business (add music here) You're never gonna get it. Never, ever gonna get it.

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When Canadians Dare to be Bold

2009-07-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Canada Day!

Canadian flags are everywhere. Maple leafs proudly displayed on shirts, hats, painted on faces, even the flags on vehicles reserved for hockey teams have now been replaced with the national flag. Parks are filled with music, celebration, the fireworks just finished.

It's great, yet it also seems somewhat brash . . . for a Canadian. Rather loud and attention getting behaviour . . . don't you think?

Now don't get me wrong. I love Canada and I proudly extend a most heartfelt and appreciative acknowledgment to this country, all Canadians, everyone who has enjoyed Canada, and all those who hold this country near and dear in their hearts. It's just that on a whole, although Canadians are proud of their country, it's not something that they display in such an overt manner, except for today. It's as if Canada Day gives Canadians 'permission' to be bold and demonstrative.

As a communication style, Canadians tend to be more reserved. Polite, quick to apologize, somewhat humble, and not too confrontational (notice the inference?). We're not that direct or demonstratively aggressive.

Perhaps it was a comedian I heard on CBC radio who summed it up perfectly "When we get mad, we write a letter"

When I'm in the United States, it's common to see American flags laced throughout the residential areas. Americans are patriotically demonstrative - especially on their home turf. Canadians aren't, unless they are traveling - then the flag comes out . . . on their luggage.

And to those Canadians living abroad, I'd like to extend a special 'good thoughts' your way. My most memorable Canada Day's were when I was far away; 5 of them in France and 4 in 4 other countries. I felt a special excitement to see who else was Canadian & have that instant common bond - we'd search each other out - reminisce and appreciate. We'd dare to be boldly Canadian.

The funny thing about Canadians, we may not be demonstratively patriotic the other 364 days of the year. We may not flaunt our flag on our front lawns. We may not even remember the words to our national anthem. Yet today we can step out of our reserved mode and dare to be bold.

Happy Canada Day.

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Multi-tasking and the brain

2009-06-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

Consciously trying to multi-task, being pressured into multi-tasking, or when our immediate focus is distracted with the intent of taking on yet another task simultaneously while . . . be aware. It's tough on the brain.

When you try to accomplish various things simultaneously, you'll probably end up doing a half-buttocks job on all of them. It trips up the brain and dilutes it's ability to focus. It's frustrating, debilitating, stressful, less productive, and perhaps even dangerous.

Example: you're stressed about an event that happened while trying to pass cars and get somewhere fast while explaining your frustrations to your passenger while she's interrupting you to remind you of the directions to take, AND simultaneously entering phone numbers into her iPhone, clearly unable to focus more than a minimum on your story and she knows it so she starts asking you questions about your dialogue out of feigned interest yet her next question comes with such bullet speed, you know she wasn't really listening to the answer you didn't have time to complete in the first place . . . meanwhile, YOUR cell phone goes off, maybe it's your son? oh! remember to take the next right at the light, hmmm, if I just reach a little to the left of my pocket I should be able to turn on the bluetooth and take the call or to at least turn off that distracting ringing while keeping my eyes on the road, oops - almost forgot to check that blind spot, what was that question you asked me? Where was I?

Multi-tasking at work, while cooking, while talking/listening to someone when you have way too much on your mind at the same time; its just different variations of the same dilemma.

Heres the truth about multi-tasking - it's not more efficient.

Terry Small's latest Brain Bulletin "The #1 Brain Myth and Why it is Dangerous" has some great information and facts from brain scientists to bust open this myth. I'm a fan of these brain bulletins. If you want to try them out, go to http://www.terrysmall.com/newsletter.asp and sign up. I've also experienced Terry's brain information live when we were presenters at the same conference. He's engaging, and so enthusiastic about his topic and the audience's understanding of it.

So remember, when it comes to doing many things well, to be the master - be a 'solo-tasker'

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Managing employee issues

2009-06-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Financial Post, June 7th, Canwest News Service

An article titled: "Why Managers can't manage" by Derek Abma.

I was saddened because I was saddly not surprised by this article as I read it on the plane from Kelowna to Montreal. I was on my way to a large communications company to teach various department leaders skills on managing emotions and stress at work. Mr. Abma's article reminded me of what seems to be a chronic problem and not enough being done about it.

It's a good eye opener. Mr. Abma referenced conclusions on Shepell-FGI's survey of human-resources professionals who attended the Health, Work and Wellness Conference in Vancouver in October. Not only are these statistics shocking to read, it's even more shocking so know how true it is.

Here's part of what he wrote:

"Among the findings, 84% of respondents said their organizations have no formal process in place to deal with declining employee productivity or behaviour problems. As well, 81% reported not having a structure in place to deal with issues of employee absenteeism, and 64% said their companies have no specific measures for supporting workers who return to work after an extended absence.

The Shepell-FGI report said employee stress levels rise in tough economic times, which can negatively affect productivity and lead to more absenteeism or disability leave. Karen Seward, Shepell's senior vice-president of business development, said much of the problem comes down to managers' inability to discuss personal issues with their employees. Survey: Supervisors lack the tools to deal with employee issues"

If communication in leadership is so important, and if people are our greatest resource, then why are leaders not trained in the obvious skill of effective communication and stress reduction? How stressful for them to not have support structures in place to deal with these issues - stressful for their subordinates - and a stressful plunge in health, productivity, and the bottom line.

A never-ending project is usually one that was never clearly defined in the first place.

Give your leaders clearly defined techniques and skills in how to communicate effectively, give them the clearly defined structures in place to deal with employee issues then watch the 'statictics' change for the better.

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