“Isn’t it about time that you got right with money? When I say “right” what I am talking about is getting money right emotionally. Money is a very controversial subject in our society. Mention money to almost anyone and it will bring out a certain level of discomfort because almost everyone lacks money. Statistics say that 97% of our population works for 3% of society.

Only around 4% to 5 % achieve a six figure income and one-twentieth of 1% of society achieve a seven figure income. “Why is it,” I ask, “that so many people struggle when we are living in a world with so many opportunities to create wealth?” In this information I will be presenting what I believe to be the reasons that hold so many people from receiving the money they deserve.

I have personally coached hundreds of great people in the last six years whose struggles with money issues have caused them to sabotage themselves over and over. One of the first questions to ask when it comes to money is, “Who was my role model when it comes to money, prosperity, finance, and abundance?” For most of us it was our parents and for them it was their parents. Let’s also state that this information is not about blaming anyone. You are now a grownup and your perception of money is now up to you.

The next question to ask is, “What did I learn in my education about money?” Typical high school curriculum includes courses about economics and government but nothing about how to attract money or how to have a healthy relationship with money. Traditional education teaches how to acquire job skills, and prepares students to get paid what a particular job is worth, not what the individual is worth.

Making more money requires education about free enterprise and how to get paid what the free market bears; getting paid on your terms and your time frame, and learning about service and value. The more valuable you become through the service you provide, the more you make. This is not about working hard because if that were the case, then all of the world laborers would be millionaires.

Over the centuries money has gotten a bad rap by being associated with corruption, greed, pain, and the misuse of power. A perception grew that somehow the rich deprived the poor and that wealthy people were bad people, were not loveable, were disconnected from love, and were greedy. The sad fact is that most people just don’t believe they deserve to have money freedom or peace of mind.

I believe that you can be rich, spiritual, and prosperous, and that with your abundance you can create love and compassion using your wealth to assist others strengthen their skills so that they too have the opportunity to be prosperous in life’s ways.

Most of us have been taught that “Money is the root of all evil,” but the actual quotation from the Bible is, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” Money itself is neutral – not good or bad. It is paper and metal that symbolizes an exchange of goods and services. Money is an energy that you either attract or repel. It is the negative emotions around money such as greed, obsession, and power that can bring negative experiences, and that keep most people from it.

In the last several centuries there has been radical change in opportunity, philosophy, and ways to create wealth. Many courageous forerunners paved the way for new thoughts and ideas about prosperity, abundance, self sufficiency, and enlightenment. Just in the last hundred years brilliant writers and speakers have emerged like Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnegie, Earnest Holmes, Katherine Ponder, Florence Scovel Schinn, Earl Nightengale, Louise Hay, Jim Rohn and Tony Robbins, to name a few of my favorites that have assisted me with my enlightenment.

A whole consciousness of self-help and personal development has become available to the masses. Bookstores and coffee bars are now as popular as some of the old traditional night spots, and we now have access to coaches and mentors to be emotionally, financially, and spiritually fit.

People now realize that they are responsible for their own empowerment. They see that assuming responsibility can bring them prosperity and allow them to become more and to do more. For this to happen, people have to have belief in themselves and grasp the idea that they can control their lives. In our me-too, microwave, lottery-mentality society very few people ever put the proper thoughts and proper actions together at the same time to provoke the results they deserve.

Plain and simple, most people don’t believe they deserve prosperity and abundance. They want, wish, like to, if only, pray for a miracle, and most of all want for change to happen. Sorry, it doesn’t operate that way. Too many people tiptoe quietly to their graves looking back only to say – “I wish I would have!”

Still, don’t lose heart for it can officially become “Now O’clock” at any minute. There are 86,400 seconds in every single day; 1,440 minutes, 24 hours, one day, one week, one month, one year, one lifetime. We can change at any moment. Is it hard or is it easy? You are one thought away from success or one thought away from failure. It is a choice we have the opportunity to make every single day.

I believe God wants us to be rich, prosperous, and free. God did not create fear, it is manmade. Fear overrides most people’s dreams and objectives. Most people aren’t even able to identify what they are afraid of. All they know is they are struggling just to keep up with the other sheep in the pasture.

You have to get past the thoughts that money is bad and will somehow taint you. Abundance is natural and spiritual. Money will not deprive you but could actually enlighten you. Many of the great teachers have given credence to the idea that abundance is spiritual and that it is the power of your thoughts that creates abundance for you.

If you are wealthy more often than not you will be dispersing your money commercially and charitably, supporting many people around you and adding to the velocity of overall wealth. There are literally trillions of dollars passing about electronically on any given day, and those signals are literally passing by you at all times.

If you stop and think about it, there are millions of dollars flowing through your body at the moment. Imagine making a slight flick of the wrist in order to stop some of that money in transit so it sticks with you. A flick of the mind is a flick of the wrist.

Money can be good – greed is not good. There are no reasons why you can’t be very rich, very rich in fact, and still be a very valuable generous spiritual person with a huge heart and compassion for everyone.

Jeffery Combs is an internationally recognized speaker, trainer, and author committed to assisting people with personal growth and development.

He can be contacted online . Jeffery & Erica Combs host The More Heart Than Talent Mindset Conference each and every January to assist you to create quantum leaps to success in your enterprise by bringing world-class speakers and personal development experts together in an inspiring and empowering 3 day forum EVERYONE can afford to attend!

Bad bosses, poor supervisors, inept managers create negative impact on the bottom line including less production, higher turnover and increased operating costs. These individuals all share one common trait – poor business ethics and values.

An organization is a group of people working together to achieve shared goals. Everyone should have the same high personal ethics and personal values respective to each other, the customers, the vendors and even the community. However, when supervisory or higher employees continually demonstrate negative values and ethics, the organization’s performance suffers from the bottom up.

Unfortunately, many of these same organizations believe the answer for these employee related issues is improved training for their employees and waste thousands of dollars focusing on the symptom instead of the problem. These organizations are living Einstein’s’ definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over again hoping for different results) on a daily basis

Florida State University just released a study (January 2007) of more than 700 people within a variety of industries and at different employment levels revealed some interesting facts:

• Almost two out of five bosses (39%) fail to keep their word
• One in four supervisors (27%) insulted those they supervised to fellow co-workers
• One in five (23%) blamed others for their mistakes
• Almost one in three (31%) used the silent treatment to show displeasure

All of these behaviors demonstrate that these bosses lacked personal values and personal ethics. This lack of ethical behavior may be attributed to top management because upper management has probably modeled the same behaviors. Finally, there is probably no core values adopted by the organization within the strategic plan. Even if there is a values statement, it is much more for show.

With all the national attention on corporate malfeasance to corruption politicians, we, as Americans, should not be surprised by the results of this study. Poor ethical behavior attracts poor ethical behavior and becomes the justifying reason for continued poor ethical behavior.

To stop this negative drain on productivity and the U.S. workforce in general demands that organizations adopt a values statement of non-negotiable behaviors within the strategic plan to be demonstrated to all external and equally important internal customers. Failure to adhere to these values is a reason for termination and termination will happen.

Ethics and values are part of the performance for all individuals. If management fails to treat everyone with respect, then how can management expect loyal employees?

Audit the leadership in your business to determine if you have bad bosses

Determine if a business management plan may help you with your ethics and values.

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Tags: ethics, management, communication, business, development

According to Michael Josephson, an ethics expert, there are four tenets that comprise ethical behavior: honesty, integrity, fairness, and concern for others. These four tenets are similar to the four legs of a chair. Even if only one leg is missing, the chair wobbles, and if two are missing, the chair collapses.

Priding oneself on your honesty and integrity isn’t anything if you’re also not fair or caring.

Ethical Behavior in Business – Today, one area of discussion that has been a hot topic is ethical behavior in business. The events of the past year make it appear that “business and ethics” are mutually exclusive. It is so downheartening to see that so many major businesses are being investigated for unsavory business practices. Mortgage companies, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, Wall Street, you name it. The institutions we once thought we could trust are no more. Have we never left the 1980s with its “greed is good” code of ethics?

The fact that today’s business leaders are unethical should cause us to want to do just the opposite by being even more ethical in our daily affairs. But, it can also be deemed the reason that they continue with their bad behavior. If your boss can make personal calls on the company phone, why shouldn’t you conduct your personal business on the company computer? When the leaders in the company set a poor example, it is only natural that the employees will follow it without a qualm.

Additionally, a downsized staff that is expected to produce an upscaled workload may feel that how they do their job doesn’t matter, as long as it gets done. When employees are under pressure from management to achieve company goals, they will do everything they can think of to increase productivity, whether or not it is ethical.

This pressure makes it seem that management is telling employees that it is alright to do whatever they need to in order to meet their goals, even if this includes lying, cheating, stealing, and so forth. The economy is unpredictable. In these uncertain times, it is that much more important that we monitor ourselves and do everything we can to keep our actions open and above-board. Unethical behavior is not okay, even when it goes unchecked. Business communication is one area that is likely to be ripe for improvement.

From the excellent book, Business Communication, Process & Product, by Mary Ellen Guffey, 2000, I would like to share five suggestions that will enable you to maintain yourself as an ethical business communicator.

1) Tell the truth. Statements that are misleading or untrue should not be made. It is not ethical to use partial truths or to exaggerate.

2) Label the opinions. Opinions are not the same as facts. Do not just repeat what someone else has already done; do your own independent research.

3) Try to be factual. Be aware that your own personal biases may be shown through your writing. Even if it is a topic that you feel strongly about, you are ethically responsible for objectively presenting the information.

4) Communication should be clear. The message should be written in such a way that it should be easily and quickly understood. Words that can be easily understood by the reader should be used. Avoid intentionally overwhelming the reader with lengthy, complicated sentences or words that the reader is unlikely to know.

5) Credit should be given. You should avoid plagiarism. Most folks know that you are supposed to use quotation marks when you use the actual words of the author. But I have seen many instances where writers don’t understand they also have to give credit for borrowed ideas. It’s still plagiarism if you have done nothing more than reorder the words in a sentence and maybe added a few words of your own, but haven’t attributed the idea to the author.

In conclusion, not only is being an ethical communicator the right thing to do but it is also required. Take the lead by being a good example. Running a successful business by ethical standards will encourage others to follow your lead.

Michelle Howe, MBA, president of Internet Word Magic, specializes in writing irresistible copy for websites. Transform the way you do business. Visit her website at http://www.InternetWordMagic.com for a FR^EE chapter download of her new book “Turn Browsers into Buyers” and FR^EE report, “The Five-Step Plan to Article Success.”

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Tags: ethical, business, communication, issues, code

In the corporate world, employees rely so much in the power of communication. I bet you still remember Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a representation of achievements of needs and wants and how these needs affect an individual as a whole. In the representation pyramid, you’ll observe that self esteem and self-actualization are higher level needs. An individual could reach those level only if his or her psychological, safety and love needs are achieved. But what if esteem and self-actualization are applied in the workplace? What gives?

Let’s put it this way. You may in the past, a passive employee who works so hard everyday and is just living within the boundaries of the company standards. You do your best for the company because you believe that you’re well compensated, you’re being taken cared for as an employee.

Then there goes the sudden twist of events. Abrupt changes left and right put your company into a spiral situation requiring the leadership to put through much effort in coming up with a critical decision to ramp down. The reason? Survival of the business in this economically challenged market, saving the best people who are fit to perform their jobs and compensate them according to their extra mile efforts. What about you?

Yes, you have the knowledge, you have the skill sets and you are capable of meeting good results. All the years of your service, you’ve remained in the same level for you’re well satisfied with what you’re getting and what you’re giving to the company. While you do not exert much effort to go extra mile in your job, you believe in yourself that you’re just doing good in your current level. The key ask is can you do more now that the business requires you to? Or you think it’s just a waste of time and effort to give more if you’re not to be given extra. Or that you’d want someone to provide you with extreme details or 10 critical reasons why you need to do more than what’s required of you before you’d take actions?

Apparently, many choose the latter. What’s more saddening is that abrupt changes in the workplace are treated as coercions. That’s right. Many employees are quick to think over the possible reasons, on “whys” and focus on the negative side of these changes. Many are quick to weave ideas that are beyond reasons and worse, fabricate these beyond unreasonable ideas and create “new needs” to other employees–the need to be confused, the need to be self-inadequate, the need to whine a lot, the need to perform less.

You may not be conscientious enough but have you thought about these so-called “new needs”? Understand that while we create and recreate our own paths for success, a dissatisfied and provocative individual like you can drag your colleagues’ personal success by influencing them with your own dissatisfying thoughts? Have you realized how influential could you be for others’ possible failures?

Sometimes, there’s really no need for us to know everything about business strategies. We have our sets of roles in the company so why not leave those matters to the appropriate people? From your end, why not lighten up your weights and perform your best accordingly or always aim to move your best foot forward?

It’s true that before an individual reaches the 4th or 5th level of personal satisfaction, underlying factors on personal needs must be met. People work to earn a living, to meet those physical needs– food, shelter, clothing. Yet at times, many fail to realize how important it is to maintain esteem and and self-actualization in the workplace. For one to feel valued in the workplace, one has to take immediate course of action in return and that is value the work given to you. Valuing your work means regarding your work with utmost consideration, rendering focus, commitment, loyalty and quality to the company. That said, no amount of abrupt changes would shake your security for you know you’ve given your best shot and no one can ignore your commitments.

Mina Togonon is Journalism graduate, someone who’s most willing to learn, adopt and would love to share her opinions and talents for development. She writes out of passion in her personal blog 24 Hour Paradigm, she teaches out of commitment and she lives in a society where women are garnering status and power…silently but getting stronger everyday.

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Tags: ethics, communication, business, technical

Do you understand what behaving ethically entails? According to Michael Josephson, there are four principles of ethical behavior: honesty, integrity, fairness, and concern for others. You can think of these four basic principles as the legs of an imaginary stool. One missing leg will create a wobbly stool, but two missing legs makes the stool collapse. If you aren’t fair or caring, your pride in being honest and having integrity means nothing.

Ethical Behavior in Business

As of late, ethical business behavior has been a number one topic of concern. Reviewing the events of the last year, it would appear that the words “business” and “ethics” are conflicting terms. Whether you look to Wall Street, mortgage companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or private companies like AIG, never mind all of the mortgage companies being investigated for questionable business practices, the news is depressing. It appears that the 1980′s mantra “greed is good” never truly went away.

The criminal dealings of top entrepreneurs have been uncovered, which should motivate other individuals to behave more ethically. In truth, however, it commonly acts as an excuse for not changing poor behavior. What harm can there be in using your company’s PC computer for personal business when your manager uses the company’s telephone for personal long distance calls? When employees see how company management conducts itself, they begin to feel no shame for whatever little indiscretions they may have committed themselves.

Managers can unintentionally be signaling that unethical behavior will be tolerated when they put pressure on a smaller, downsized staff to produce more. When employees feel forced to meet company goals by whatever means possible, ethical behavior may go by the wayside.

They get the message, “It’s OK to be dishonest, as long as you meet your objectives.” As the economy takes us on a roller coaster ride, we need to evaluate our own thought patterns to ensure that we don’t allow ourselves to fall into unethical behavior just because it looks like we can easily get away with it. There is always room for improvement in your business communications.

These are five guidelines to assist you in communicating ethically (source: “Business Communication, Process & Product,” Mary Ellen Guffy, 2000):

(1) Be truthful. Statements that are misleading or untrue should never be made. It is also not ethical to tell partial truths or to exaggerate.

(2) Be sure to label opinions as opinions. Do not attempt to convince anyone that something you merely believe to be true is already a proven fact. Do the work; research thoroughly and assure yourself that you aren’t just representing another person’s opinion as your own.

(3) Do not show bias. Understand that your own subjective beliefs may come through in your writing. Even if you are passionate in your opinions, ethics call for you to be dispassionate in your presentation.

(4) Your communications should be easy to understand. You should put down your thoughts clearly, so they are simple to comprehend. Make sure that what you write can be easily understood by the reader. Don’t muddy the waters by using convoluted sentences and all sorts of hard-to-comprehend industry jargon.

(5) Credit your sources. Do not copy anyone’s work. Most people have the basic knowledge that they must use quotation marks if they are using a direct quote from another writer. Yet there are a number of people who do not understand that they need to properly credit other people’s ideas as well. You are still cheating if you paraphrase sentences and throw in a handful of new words without crediting the author.

Summation

Not only must you communicate ethically to be successful in the long run, but it is also morally correct. Be sure you conduct yourself in the way that you would want others to emulate. If you conduct your affairs ethically and are successful, other individuals will follow your lead.

Michelle Howe, MBA, president of Internet Word Magic, specializes in writing irresistible copy for websites. Transform the way you do business. Visit her website at http://www.InternetWordMagic.com for a FR^EE chapter download of her new book “Turn Browsers into Buyers”.

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Tags: business, code, ethics, behaviour, communication, considerations

In today’s highly competitive economy, it is difficult to maintain a significant market advantage based on your professional skills alone. Developing trusting relationships with your clients is vital to your business success as well. No matter what business you are in, the most powerful value-added contribution you can make to any business relationship is the trust factor.

The trust factor is even more critical in today’s business climate with the level of trust in Corporate America continuing to be at an all-time low, and suspicion of “all things corporate” remaining on the rise. To make matters worse, large corporations and small businesses alike continue to use antiquated techniques, such as gizmos and gadgets, to try to win over new clients. When instead, they should be trying to address the heart of the matter by utilizing trust-building techniques that will most effectively resonate with consumers and new prospects.

Clients and prospects are in search of trust in their business relationships, but building trust and credibility does not happen overnight. To cultivate trust, it takes the risk of being open with clients and prospects. This enables them to perceive you as a real person—one with strengths and weaknesses that come into play as the relationship develops. When trust is reciprocal, you will find that your confidence in others is rewarded by their support and reinforcement of what you also stand for as a business entity.

What is Trust

What is trust? Trust can be defined as a firm belief in the honesty of another and the absence of suspicion regarding his motives or practices. The concept of trust in business dealings is simple: Build on an individual’s confidence in you and eliminate fear as an operating principle.

Letting Go of Fear

Let go of fear, which restricts your ability to relate to others. Letting go frees you of behavioral constraints that can immobilize your emotional and professional development. Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of being hurt, fear of the unknown—all these are roadblocks to developing and growing a trusting relationship with clients. Let go of your fear of losing an account or not having the right answers. Leave all your fears at the client or prospect’s doorstep.

Other critical steps in cultivating trust are knowing who you are and knowing your potential value to your clients. The relationship that forms because of this can have a tremendous impact on your sales. People don’t just buy from anyone. They buy from people they can trust. The rapport and credibility you can establish with the trust factor go a long way toward building a client’s confidence in your ability to meet his business needs.

Trust has both an active and a passive component in a business relationship. The active feeling of trust is confidence in the leadership, veracity, and reliability of the other party, based on a track record of performance.

The passive feeling of trust is the absence of worry or suspicion. This absence is sometimes unrecognized and frequently taken for granted in our most productive relationships.

Building Trust With Care

So how do you build trust with clients? First, you need to care about them. Obviously your clients care about your knowledge, expertise, and accomplishments. However, they care even more about the level of concern you have for them. Successful trust building hinges on four actions: engaging, listening, framing, and committing. The trust factor can be realized once we understand these components of trust and incorporate them in our daily lives.

Engaging clients and prospects occurs when you show genuine concern and interest in their business and its problems. Maintain good eye contact and body posture. Good eye contact signifies openness and honesty. And your body language and other forms of nonverbal communication speak volumes about your attitude toward them. By the same token, you want to be cognizant of your client’s or prospect’s eye contact and body language.

Listening with understanding and empathy is possible if you think client focus first.
Let the client tell his story. Put yourself in his shoes when you listen to his business concerns, purpose, vision, and desires. Show approval or understanding by nodding your head and smiling during the conversation. Separate the process of taking in information from the process of judging it. Just suspend your judgment and focus on the client.

Framing what the client or prospect has said is the third action in trust building. Make sure you have formed an accurate understanding of his problems and concerns. Confirm what you think you heard by asking open-ended questions such as “What do you mean by that?” or “Help me to understood the major production problems you are experiencing.” After you have clarified the problems, start to frame them in order of importance. By identifying the areas in which you can help the client, you offer him clarity in his own mind and continue to build his trust.

Committing is the final action for developing the trust factor. Communicate enthusiastically your plan of action for solving the client’s problems. Help the client see what it will take to achieve the end result. Presumably, what you have said up to this point has been important, but what you do now—how you commit—is even more important. Remember the old adage “Action speaks louder than words.” Show you want this client’s business long term. Complete assignments and projects on budget and on time. Then follow up with clients periodically to see how your partnership is faring.

In the final analysis, trust stems from keeping our word. If we say we will be there for our clients, then we should honor that commitment by being there. Trust results from putting the client’s best interest before our own, from being dependable, from being open and forthcoming with relevant information. It is impossible to overestimate the power of the trust factor in our professional lives. Truly, trust is the basis of all enduring, long-term business relationships.

Robert Moment is an innovative business strategist and author of ,”"It Only Takes a Moment to Score”" and upcoming book “”Invisible Profits: The Power of Exceptional Customer Service”". Robert show entrepreneurs how to successfully build and grow profitable service-based small businesses. Visit http://www.howtostartyoursmallbusiness.com and download the FREE Special Report “” 17 Profitable Ways to Turn Your Ideas into Wealth.”"

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Tags: communication, skills, interpersonal, training, presentation

The Locksmith Industry Suffers From Fraudulent Companies Across the Country

The locksmith industry is an industry based on trust. A home owner or business relies on that trust when they move into a new home or change employees. Recently, the sanctity of this trust is being broken. Companies across the country are charging outrageous prices to people who are in situations where they have no choice but to pay.

Most often, a locksmith services are needed when the situation is delicate. Someone is locked out or going through a divorce and these fraudulent companies are preying on the emotions that are involved in those situations. To take advantage of this is appalling to say the least. Stories of people paying up to $1,700 to get back into their home are broadcast on the internet and news, but the problem persists.

So what steps are being made to help rectify the situation? If a customer uses Google to search for local locksmiths in their area, there are numerous results. Yet, the locations of these locksmiths do not even exist. This means if someone calls for service, has the work done, and needs to speak to someone at an actual location, they will never be able to do so.

Also, chances are that the technician that did the work will not answer phone calls or offer any help after payment. Yet web searches continue to list these locations. In my opinion there is one simple solution to this problem. These search engines should be sending some kind of verification form to the locations via standard postal services. If they could just verify the addresses, some of this madness could end. It will never completely solve the problem. There is always going to be people claiming to be locksmiths who are completely unqualified, but it will help. And until there is licensing for this trade, the problem will never completely end, but until then steps need to be made to stop this scam.

I wrote this article because I am a third generation locksmith at The Flying Locksmiths in Randolph, Massachusetts and we spend a lot of time fixing what these so-called “locksmiths” have done. I see this problem on a daily basis, and it’s just not morally right. Something needs to be done and for now all I can do is spread the word. Buyers beware! Find a trustworthy locksmith before you actually need one. It might save you from suffering locksmith fraud.

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Tags: ethics, communication, information, global, business

I recently watched the movie, Doubt, starring Meryl Streep. As described in the movie reviews, the film takes place in 1964, and centers on a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him of abusing a black student. He denies the charges, and much of the film’s quick-fire dialogue tackles themes of religion, morality, and authority.

I don’t want to spoil the story by giving away too much, but there is one scene that I thought was brilliant. The priest, played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, discusses the topic of gossip during his sermon to the congregation. He describes a woman who has gossiped about another and goes to her priest to confess her sin. He tells her to go to the top of her roof and gut a pillow, then return to him the following day. She does as instructed. Feathers from the pillow fly across the sky.

She returns the following day and reports what she has done. The priest next instructs her to go back and gather all the feathers and restuff the pillow. She tells him that she cannot perform this task as the feathers blew away. She can’t even guess how far they flew or where they went. He tells her that it is exactly the same thing with gossip.

When you talk disparagingly, or spread gossip, you have no idea how far the message will travel, where it will spread. Once you say something it is impossible to take it back. My friend Jackie, an educator and public speaker, has seen the devastating effects of gossip in personal relationships, as well as the workplace. This is what she has to say about the topic:

“Gossip is not only hurtful, it’s destructive. Criticism and gossip stops any work environment from being a positive, joyful, fun, fulfilling experience. We can be having a wonderful time at our jobs, then one negative or critical person walks in and everyone seems to follow the negativity feeding frenzy. It’s like inviting ants to a picnic. Unfortunately, what follows is the whole environment turns negative. We find ourselves agreeing with, and even adding to the gossip and criticism that is being tossed about. From there it spreads and fuels the fire of discord – often beyond repair.”

In addition to ruining people’s reputations, gossip in the workplace is bad for business. It results in loss of jobs, retraining costs and a serious decrease in morale and productivity.

Jackie offered this advice for turning the tide of gossip in the workplace.

“We each have an obligation to stop this vicious cycle of negativity and destruction. When we catch ourselves being critical or wanting to gossip, we need to stop and refuse to allow ourselves to fall into that trap. We may have to work on this for the rest of our lives as the programming is strong and society as a whole tends to be negative. We have to choose not to participate or associate with the people that seem to thrive on the negative side of life. We have to learn to say, “I’m sorry you feel the way you do, but I really can’t let your negative attitude interfere with my joy and happiness.” It may be hard at first, but when you hear gossip, you need to have the courage to stop it, or at the very least, learn to walk away.”

Although gossip may seem titillating, when we listen or participate in gossip and negativity, we allow the verbal negativity to grow and have more power. In order to lead a happier life, we must learn to focus on the positive people, places, and things we enjoy. By doing so, we not only become happier, we are able to defuse, or erase, the negativity in our environments. The old saying, If you can’t say something nice about someone don’t say anything at all, is more true than we realize.

Because we are bombarded with negative messages every day – particularly in the media – spreading bad news is becoming more common place than ever before. Gossip is just another evil way of creating more negativity and unhappiness in the world. One way to curb the practice is to think before speaking, or repeating information. Ask yourself, “Is what I’m about to say going to be hurtful in any way? What is my motivation for saying this? Is what I’m about to say coming from a place of love and respect, or a place anger and cruelty?” By asking ourselves a few questions before we speak, and trying to communicate from a compassionate viewpoint and not a critical one, we can save ourselves, and others, a lot of pain and grief.

Sally Marks
Coauthor of upcoming book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. Check out her blog at Here

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Tags: ethics, person, results, communication, global

You want it. Everyone does.

Only trouble is, the more you need it, the less likely you are to get it.

Why? Research shows that 98% of us do one or more of these three things when we have a difficult message to convey – and we think we’re doing “the right thing”:

-We Ease In: We try to make our point without being obvious about it. This can come out as:

Leading questions: “How do you think your presentation went?” (while privately thinking it was a disaster) or “Don’t you think it would be better to…” (while privately thinking it would be foolish to do anything else).

Or in statements that only partially share what we’re thinking: “You might want to consider another strategy.” (while privately thinking that the current strategy has at least three major problems, and is costing the team its reputation)

-We Censor: We simply don’t say what we’re thinking at all.

-We “Data Dump”: We just say what we’re thinking. Plain and simple. If we’re thinking the presentation was a disaster, we say it. If we think it would be foolish to do anything but what we think should be done, we say that.

The problem? No matter which option we choose, we approach difficult conversations believing we’re right. People who disagree with us are wrong. We understand the situation – those who see it differently don’t. We have pure motives – those who disagree don’t. And to make matters worse, we’re usually unaware that we’re thinking this way.

This way of thinking and these strategies dramatically limit the amount of useful feedback we get and give – they also generate defensiveness. Judge for yourself – how do you respond when people approach you like this?

Changing the way you think and changing the way you act creates a more productive option.

Here’s what this new option looks like:

1. Try to keep your assumptions specific and linked to hard data – instead of thinking “that presentation was a disaster,” think “she didn’t answer three of the board’s questions, she yelled at Ted and Mary, she said she forgot to collect the cost data. I’m very concerned.” How? A key question to ask yourself, or to ask others: “What did this person say or do that led me to believe this about them?”

2. Be Transparent and Curious. Share your views, treat them as potentiallyright, and ask questions about what others think. Instead of saying “You didn’t answer three of the board’s questions,” say “I think there were three times when you didn’t answer the board’s questions (and give the examples). Do you remember that any differently?” For this to work, you have to be genuinely curious as to the other person’s view, and be open to missing something in some way. You also need to be consistent – these are not “tools” to be used when it’s convenient or comfortable to do so.

How would you react if someone gave you feedback in this way?

For us and our clients, thinking and acting this way has a few key benefits:

-It greatly reduces defensiveness – yours and others’.

-It significantly increases learning: you both get the specific, candid feedback you want, and can make specific, powerful changes if you wish.

-Because you’re being genuinely curious, and saying what you’re thinking, there’s an important additional side-effect of all this: increased trust and higher quality relationships.

What are your reactions to all this? Please come to the Mutual Learning Action Group and share them.

© 2005 Matt Beane

Matt Beane is an associate with Roger Schwarz & Associates and co-authored a chapter of the recently published “Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook: Tips, Tools, and Tested Methods for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches,” available at any quality bookseller.

This article was originally published in Fundamental Change, Roger Schwarz & Associates’ free, monthly ezine. You can subscribe at this site.

In exchange for subscribing, you’ll receive a link to a free .pdf copy of “Holding Risky Conversations,” a chapter from our recently-published fieldbook.

We write Fundamental Change to help you create workplaces and communities that are highly effective and that improve the quality of life.

Every month we:
* Address issues important to you as practitioners and leaders
* Share client examples and case studies
* Offer tips and tools for challenging situations
* Offer resources to help you become more effective

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Tags: ethics, groups, workplace, articles, communication

Breaking news may feature the Enron debacle, WorldCom activities, or accounting problems but we live our everyday business life making ethical choices that affect our employment and businesses. Consider the ethical choices made in these situations:

-A restaurateur hired a firm, used the firm’s ideas, benefited from them and refused to pay for the services rendered.
-A partner used intellectual property created by another partner for his own personal benefit.
-An independent consultant who was hired to sell a particular firm’s services and products used that firm’s database of customers and prospects to sell his own speaking services.
-An employee took a new job with a prospect’s firm and continued on working both jobs until the first employer found out and fired her.
-A business person volunteered to perform specific services for a nonprofit organization and failed to perform those services, did not make other arrangements to perform the services, or even acknowledge that the commitment had been made.
-An employee used hours of regular, paid, in-office time to research how to start her own new business.

While these are not on the newsworthy scale of an Enron, they are on a scale that affected each business involved, some even resulting in disastrous outcomes.

We all try to learn from our own mistakes and from those of others as well. We now employ lawyers to write, review and potentially defend every business agreement. We are ready to go to court if need be. The distressing fact is all of that preparation and cost still will not stop someone from behaving unethically. And unethical behavior may indeed still be legal behavior.

What is so difficult about applying the concept of right and wrong to everyday business decisions? I would venture a guess that, sociopathic behavior aside, the vast majority of business people know when they are about to do something that is ethically questionable. Most will have a debate in their own minds about should I or shouldn’t I. What is your instant response when you get change for a $20 when you know you gave the clerk a $10? The answer to that internal debate is what determines our ethical behavior.

While we can point fingers at corporations, lawmakers and politicians, we have a personal responsibility to contribute to the ethical fabric in our everyday life. So how can we support each other is those debates? What can we do to help each other arrive at an ethical decision and behave in an ethical manner?

I challenge every ethical business person to step up and make your voice heard when you witness unethical behavior. You not only have the right, you have the responsibility to do so.

I challenge every business organization, every chamber of commerce, every professional association, every Rotary, Lions and other Club, to participate in a meaningful way in actively rebuilding business ethics. Not just in your mission statement, but in your day-to-day member services and even through your own leadership.

There are many ways to start right now to begin rebuilding a strong culture of business ethics. Use your ubiquitous brown bag lunch sessions to address the everyday dilemmas of business ethics. Select a speaker for your next luncheon who can address the process of making ethical decisions. Have round table discussions about solving ethical problems. Schedule an ethics workshop at your next leadership retreat.

And on a personal level, participate in those meetings, sessions and roundtables. You can also mentor other business owners, business people, employees and students in the practical applications of day-to-day business ethics. We need you to let your colleagues know that you find it unacceptable to behave in an unethical manner. Make it plain and simple. Be clear with your peers that they can expect you to be ethical in your actions and that you welcome communication if they ever think you are behaving otherwise.

Let’s apply the 80-20 rule. If 80% of business people are operating in an outwardly supportive, ethical environment, don’t you think it will affect the 20% who are going through that internal ethical debate? We can affect this ethical morass we find ourselves in. Let’s stop blaming the rest of the world, take a look in the mirror and make some changes.

* From the 1976 film “Network” written by Paddy Chayefsky. The line was delivered by Peter Finch who played anchorman Howard Beale.

Gloria Berthold is President of TargetGov at Marketing Outsource Associates, Inc. She is one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women, a Winner of the Innovator of the Year Award, Past-Chairwoman of the Baltimore/Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce, a national speaker, educator and expert in government contracting and effective business-to-business marketing strategies. She can be reached through this site.

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Tags: workplace, training, ethics, communication, behavior

Selling has a murky reputation, ask anyone. Salespeople are infamous for their deceptive practices. Would you buy a used car from a salesman?

I said all of that to get it out of the way before you thought it. Yes, it’s clear that sales is an activity without the shining reputation of politicians, lawyers, real estate agents and journalists. Ok, I am kidding, there.

So what am I on about in suggesting that honesty has an important place in selling? There are two reasons. The first is the rather obvious moral one; it is a good thing for other people, society and the planet if there is more rather than less honesty.

The second is not as self-evident. When a person deceives, or rather attempts to, he or only makes a so-so job of it. What I mean is that even if they can manage to utter deceptive words, body language, micro gestures and delivery give the game away.

With all the news about terrorism and security issues, there has been much coverage of how information is obtained when suspects are interviewed. One key indicator of deception is hesitation in supplying (making up) an answer. The other is that when a person is lying, it takes so much brain effort that they don’t produce the body activity which is normal when someone is giving a description of an event or situation which has really occurred.

I’m passing on this information to you but there’s really no need, because everybody always reads body language all the time. That is a very definite statement, so let me give you the justification. Before humans evolved speech, they, like other animals, still communicated with one another. A mixture of grunts, squeals and body language was the medium. Everybody became skilled at it – since survival depended on being able to recognise danger.

We still have that mechanism. It operates unconsciously all the time. The way it informs us about the intentions of others isn’t by delivering a word-message. Instead we get feelings. You take to someone, feel relaxed in their company, or are put-off and made cautious when you sense falseness.

If a person is honest in what they say, their body language confirms the words. Certain gestures are characteristic of honesty. And because our skill at reading body-language is so acute, we can spot fakers very fast. So even when a politician is schooled in such gestures as the ‘open palm’ and the ‘direct gaze’ other micro-clues give them away. Look at dancers who wear ‘professional smiles’ for an example.

A great thing about honesty in sales is that it permits you to be spontaneous and genuine in your enthusiasm for what you are selling. Enthusiasm is catching and highly convincing. What’s more by being honest you avoid any nagging doubt about the value of what you are doing for your customers.

If this seems pollyanna-ish to you because there are situations where a ‘white lie seems justified, be careful. People aren’t stupid, you’ll get found out and when that happens you’ve lost repeat business and referrals.

Try being honest – you might like it :-)

Close more sales and increase your income with free professional Sales Training Tips

Here’s how to hire a Really Good Salesman

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Tags: communication, skills, interpersonal, training, presentation

In today’s highly competitive economy, it is difficult to maintain a significant market advantage based on your professional skills alone. Developing trusting relationships with your clients is vital to your business success as well. No matter what business you are in, the most powerful value-added contribution you can make to any business relationship is the trust factor.

The trust factor is even more critical in today’s business climate with the level of trust in Corporate America continuing to be at an all-time low, and suspicion of “all things corporate” remaining on the rise. To make matters worse, large corporations and small businesses alike continue to use antiquated techniques, such as gizmos and gadgets, to try to win over new clients. When instead, they should be trying to address the heart of the matter by utilizing trust-building techniques that will most effectively resonate with consumers and new prospects.

Clients and prospects are in search of trust in their business relationships, but building trust and credibility does not happen overnight. To cultivate trust, it takes the risk of being open with clients and prospects. This enables them to perceive you as a real person—one with strengths and weaknesses that come into play as the relationship develops. When trust is reciprocal, you will find that your confidence in others is rewarded by their support and reinforcement of what you also stand for as a business entity.

What is Trust

What is trust? Trust can be defined as a firm belief in the honesty of another and the absence of suspicion regarding his motives or practices. The concept of trust in business dealings is simple: Build on an individual’s confidence in you and eliminate fear as an operating principle.

Letting Go of Fear

Let go of fear, which restricts your ability to relate to others. Letting go frees you of behavioral constraints that can immobilize your emotional and professional development. Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of being hurt, fear of the unknown—all these are roadblocks to developing and growing a trusting relationship with clients. Let go of your fear of losing an account or not having the right answers. Leave all your fears at the client or prospect’s doorstep.

Other critical steps in cultivating trust are knowing who you are and knowing your potential value to your clients. The relationship that forms because of this can have a tremendous impact on your sales. People don’t just buy from anyone. They buy from people they can trust. The rapport and credibility you can establish with the trust factor go a long way toward building a client’s confidence in your ability to meet his business needs.

Trust has both an active and a passive component in a business relationship. The active feeling of trust is confidence in the leadership, veracity, and reliability of the other party, based on a track record of performance.

The passive feeling of trust is the absence of worry or suspicion. This absence is sometimes unrecognized and frequently taken for granted in our most productive relationships.

Building Trust With Care

So how do you build trust with clients? First, you need to care about them. Obviously your clients care about your knowledge, expertise, and accomplishments. However, they care even more about the level of concern you have for them. Successful trust building hinges on four actions: engaging, listening, framing, and committing. The trust factor can be realized once we understand these components of trust and incorporate them in our daily lives.

Engaging clients and prospects occurs when you show genuine concern and interest in their business and its problems. Maintain good eye contact and body posture. Good eye contact signifies openness and honesty. And your body language and other forms of nonverbal communication speak volumes about your attitude toward them. By the same token, you want to be cognizant of your client’s or prospect’s eye contact and body language.

Listening with understanding and empathy is possible if you think client focus first.
Let the client tell his story. Put yourself in his shoes when you listen to his business concerns, purpose, vision, and desires. Show approval or understanding by nodding your head and smiling during the conversation. Separate the process of taking in information from the process of judging it. Just suspend your judgment and focus on the client.

Framing what the client or prospect has said is the third action in trust building. Make sure you have formed an accurate understanding of his problems and concerns. Confirm what you think you heard by asking open-ended questions such as “What do you mean by that?” or “Help me to understood the major production problems you are experiencing.” After you have clarified the problems, start to frame them in order of importance. By identifying the areas in which you can help the client, you offer him clarity in his own mind and continue to build his trust.

Committing is the final action for developing the trust factor. Communicate enthusiastically your plan of action for solving the client’s problems. Help the client see what it will take to achieve the end result. Presumably, what you have said up to this point has been important, but what you do now—how you commit—is even more important. Remember the old adage “Action speaks louder than words.” Show you want this client’s business long term. Complete assignments and projects on budget and on time. Then follow up with clients periodically to see how your partnership is faring.

In the final analysis, trust stems from keeping our word. If we say we will be there for our clients, then we should honor that commitment by being there. Trust results from putting the client’s best interest before our own, from being dependable, from being open and forthcoming with relevant information. It is impossible to overestimate the power of the trust factor in our professional lives. Truly, trust is the basis of all enduring, long-term business relationships.

Robert Moment is an innovative business strategist and author of ,”It Only Takes a Moment to Score” and upcoming book “Invisible Profits: The Power of Exceptional Customer Service”. Robert show entrepreneurs how to successfully build and grow profitable service-based small businesses. Visit this site and download the FREE Special Report ” 17 Profitable Ways to Turn Your Ideas into Wealth.”

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Tags:communication, skills, interpersonal, training,

Lots of questions there, here is the answer in a nutshell:

Adverts are not usually perceived as being credible, but PR on the other hand seems much more believable because people believe that the papers, magazines, radio, TV etc would not publicise the stories if they were not legitimate.

The media are just looking for stories they do not really care if it is believable or not, but the public on the other hand take more notice of editorial and news stories rather than adverts which is why you seriously need to consider getting some PR for your building firm.

It is incredibly easy to get in the media with your stories, not sure what to write about, no problem, just pick up your local newspaper and read the stories that are already in there, write something similar and send it in. It is that easy.

If you see a story relevant to your business you can piggy back that story, you simply write a press release that helps solve a problem or give a suggestion to help the people involved in the story that you are piggy backing.

The media needs you – you have the stories that they need, they do not care where they come from as long as it is of interest to their readers.

Contact the papers and ask them how and where to send your Press Release write your story with an attention gabbing headline and keep it to one A4 page. If they need more information they can contact you. Do not follow it up with a phone call it will only annoy them and hinder your chances of getting your PR.

Be imaginative, you could write about you latest building project you have just completed which has made a real difference to someone’s life or you write about the progress of your new apprentice encouraging other local business owners to take on more apprentices. Your stories need a human angle, people like to read about people.

UK Builders – Do you want to discover powerful marketing strategies that will help you to grow your profits? Download this: Marketing Guide for UK Builders.

Leonardo Wood specialises in helping UK contractors and small business owners with their sales & marketing to help them grow their businesses.

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Tags:public, communication, strategy, advertising, marketing

If you know how to use press releases to make money online, you are likely to have the jump on your competitors when it comes to launching a product or starting a new business. Launching a new product can be tough because there are so many factors to consider, and it is even more challenging to make a new business known to your target consumers. There are many ways to reach out to your potential customers, but one of the best ways is to promote your business is through the use of a press release.

A press release is a means of communicating with the media and the public to inform them about the products and services that you are offering. Since the advancement of information technology has made worldwide communication more efficient nowadays, there are many ways available in which you can distribute your product information to your target audience. Sending out a press release is one of the best ways to inform the masses about your products, provided that it is well-written and the launch timed right, and so help you to make money online.

A press release is more subtle than ad advertisement, and it relies more on factual information than on marketing language to stir interest among consumers. You can focus on the features and benefits of your product without making an outright sales pitch. The release should be based on the credibility of your product rather than advertising hype that do not convince consumers of its quality. Having a credible press release enhances and expands your customer base, which will ultimately lead to better sales.

It has been proven time and again that a press release is one of the most effective ways to inform and educate people about products and services, and that its content is regarded as more believable that a direct advertisement. To make money online using press releases you have to ensure that they are well written and aimed directly at the reader. The reader should believe that it is written just for them. They are not adverts as such.

The most effective press releases are those that are succinct, data-focused and straight-to-the-point. Your press release should contain the kind of information that will convince your potential customers that you are selling quality products that are useful to them. It must contain all the aspects of good news feeds like who, what, when, why, and how.

The headline must be catchy so that it can attract the interest of the readers and make them want to find out what you have to say. The content of the press release must be truthful and detailed, and it should be engaging from the beginning to the end. Making money online is about persuasion, and your press release will likely be the first exposure that your potential customers have to your product. It must make them want to find out more about this great new product, or new business that has just been launched.

The main components of a good press release include the headline, which should catch the attention with a good benefit, just as any sales headline should, without being too sensational and offering impossible things. Thus, your new ebook on how to make money online could be launched with the headline “New Product Shows Internet Beginners how to Achieve Financial Independence”, and not “Make $10,000 in your First Week”.

The second headline is not believable. The first will not blow people away, but it will catch the interest of your intended audience. If you are targeting the more experienced then rephrase the headline to “New Product Takes Internet Marketers to Another Level”. A bit of thought could come up with something better, but you get the idea? You are not selling with a press release, just grabbing the readers attention. You could be more directly sales oriented with “Increase Sales by 30% Using New Tool”, as long as the benefit is feasible and believable.

Then comes the body of the article, where you describe the product in factual terms and focusing on what it can do for the purchaser. Finally end up with a short summary of the benefits and a URL or email address. You have to give the reader something to click on while their interest is still hot.

Double space it and make it no more than 1 – 2 pages long. To make it look more professional finish with three hash signs (#) centered under the last line. That is standard for a press release.

Sending out a press release is a cheaper way to gain publicity compared to the other means of advertising that are commonly used these days. If it is launched in the right place, it will be spotted by some reviewers, columnists, reporters or broadcasters, who will in turn get more people to read it. Having an effective press release also gives you the assurance that you have the backing of media groups, and this will help maintain visibility for your products.

Many companies have benefited from knowing how to use press releases as a marketing tool to help them make money online, and it is certainly not as risky as some of the other marketing strategies that are being used in the business world today. The success of your release depends on how well it is written, its timeliness, and the right medium to publish it.

Carol Oon is the “nice” mentor who writes articles on Home Business and Affiliate Marketing strategies. To get a free 7-day e-course on how she earns a living online, visit this site For more tips, you can also visit her blog Please feel free to distribute this article in any form as long as you include this resource box.

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Tags: press release, online, money, communication, advertisement

If you know how to use press releases to make money online, you are likely to have the jump on your competitors when it comes to launching a product or starting a new business. Launching a new product can be tough because there are so many factors to consider, and it is even more challenging to make a new business known to your target consumers. There are many ways to reach out to your potential customers, but one of the best ways is to promote your business is through the use of a press release.

A press release is a means of communicating with the media and the public to inform them about the products and services that you are offering. Since the advancement of information technology has made worldwide communication more efficient nowadays, there are many ways available in which you can distribute your product information to your target audience. Sending out a press release is one of the best ways to inform the masses about your products, provided that it is well-written and the launch timed right, and so help you to make money online.

A press release is more subtle than ad advertisement, and it relies more on factual information than on marketing language to stir interest among consumers. You can focus on the features and benefits of your product without making an outright sales pitch. The release should be based on the credibility of your product rather than advertising hype that do not convince consumers of its quality. Having a credible press release enhances and expands your customer base, which will ultimately lead to better sales.

It has been proven time and again that a press release is one of the most effective ways to inform and educate people about products and services, and that its content is regarded as more believable that a direct advertisement. To make money online using press releases you have to ensure that they are well written and aimed directly at the reader. The reader should believe that it is written just for them. They are not adverts as such.

The most effective press releases are those that are succinct, data-focused and straight-to-the-point. Your press release should contain the kind of information that will convince your potential customers that you are selling quality products that are useful to them. It must contain all the aspects of good news feeds like who, what, when, why, and how.

The headline must be catchy so that it can attract the interest of the readers and make them want to find out what you have to say. The content of the press release must be truthful and detailed, and it should be engaging from the beginning to the end. Making money online is about persuasion, and your press release will likely be the first exposure that your potential customers have to your product. It must make them want to find out more about this great new product, or new business that has just been launched.

The main components of a good press release include the headline, which should catch the attention with a good benefit, just as any sales headline should, without being too sensational and offering impossible things. Thus, your new ebook on how to make money online could be launched with the headline “New Product Shows Internet Beginners how to Achieve Financial Independence”, and not “Make $10,000 in your First Week”.

The second headline is not believable. The first will not blow people away, but it will catch the interest of your intended audience. If you are targeting the more experienced then rephrase the headline to “New Product Takes Internet Marketers to Another Level”. A bit of thought could come up with something better, but you get the idea? You are not selling with a press release, just grabbing the readers attention. You could be more directly sales oriented with “Increase Sales by 30% Using New Tool”, as long as the benefit is feasible and believable.

Then comes the body of the article, where you describe the product in factual terms and focusing on what it can do for the purchaser. Finally end up with a short summary of the benefits and a URL or email address. You have to give the reader something to click on while their interest is still hot.

Double space it and make it no more than 1 – 2 pages long. To make it look more professional finish with three hash signs (#) centered under the last line. That is standard for a press release.

Sending out a press release is a cheaper way to gain publicity compared to the other means of advertising that are commonly used these days. If it is launched in the right place, it will be spotted by some reviewers, columnists, reporters or broadcasters, who will in turn get more people to read it. Having an effective press release also gives you the assurance that you have the backing of media groups, and this will help maintain visibility for your products.

Many companies have benefited from knowing how to use press releases as a marketing tool to help them make money online, and it is certainly not as risky as some of the other marketing strategies that are being used in the business world today. The success of your release depends on how well it is written, its timeliness, and the right medium to publish it.

Carol Oon is the “nice” mentor who writes articles on Home Business and Affiliate Marketing strategies. To get a free 7-day e-course on how she earns a living online, visit this site For more tips, you can also visit her blog. Please feel free to distribute this article in any form as long as you include this resource box.

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Tags: press release, online, money, communication, advertisement

Effective public relations management depends upon developing and executing well structured plans and achieving specific goals. Plan your work then work your plan. Stay focused.

However, I’d bet most public relations professionals responsible for managing a department or just an individual program must constantly deflect requests to take on arbitrary projects that may be well intentioned but only drain staff time and deplete valuable resources.

In my experience, when managing organizations’ public relations activities, many random requests came shortly after various departmental or even board meetings where someone decided that a certain activity or project would generate “great publicity.”

I can recall numerous requests I received as a department head to publicize essentially “feel good” events that did nothing to advance the organization’s strategic business or public relations goals. Such requests frequently came when my department was managing a crisis communications situation or otherwise juggling numerous priority projects.

For a time, I did my best to satisfy such requests. But soon the effort took its toll. No matter how early I arrived in the morning or how late I stayed in the evening or how much extra work I tackled every weekend, I couldn’t stay ahead of the curve. I knew I was in trouble when my typical day started before the delicatessen on the corner opened and ended after it closed.

My solution: I learned to say “No.”

I stopped projecting the impression within the company that my department would take on any project or satisfy any request — especially last minute, ill conceived requests. I learned to explain politely to people that their request didn’t fit into the organization’s public relations plan or business plan and I couldn’t devote staff time, finances or other resources to take it on.

Sure, some projects were emergencies and had to get done. That’s why we call it “crisis communications.” But every unscheduled project didn’t require immediate action, and many weren’t worth doing at all.

Of course I ruffled lots of feathers, but soon my staff and I could focus more intently on key projects the department had on its plate. Maintaining schedules and hitting our deadlines became easier.

And, consider this: For a public relations manager, one of the most time consuming and distracting aspects of crisis communications is the need to deal with numerous unconnected requests for information and action. If dealing with such requests is a time consuming distraction during a crisis, why make it a significant departmental activity when no crisis exists?

Here are five criteria you can use to determine if a project gets your “no” vote. For me, any one of the five can stop a project before it starts:

* No significant publicity value
* No budget
* No staff
* No time
* No position in the organization’s public relations objectives

You can do more when you do less. Learn to say “no.”

Brian R. Salisbury, a writer and a public relations and communications consultant, combines a wealth of communications know-how with an engaging writing style to help his clients shape the most effective messages and deliver them with the greatest impact where they count most. Visit Brian’s Website and subscribe to his free public relations newsletter and receive his free report “Ten Key Components of a Successful Public Relations Program.”
Article Tags: communication, company, department, manage, Public Relations
Posted in Public Relations