Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, "What you do speaks so loud, I cannot hear what you say.” So when it comes to public speaking, what is it that gets in the way of being heard? Standing Ovation Presentations (©2014, Motivational Press), by Robyn Hatcher helps readers identify their primary communications style and offers a variety of tools for public speaking training. Here are some of the author’s speaking tips:
- Use a teaser. Grab the listener’s attention with a quote, a story, related questions, or statistics.
- Stand with power. When presenting, stand with your feet hip distance apart, your knees slightly bent, and your weight slightly forward.
- Pause. People need time to absorb your words. You can pause for as long as four seconds at a time.
- Gesture. People remember more of what you say when you gesture.
- Focus on the listener. How will you engage, courage, help, or inspire? Focus on giving, not getting.
21 Ways to Build Your Business with a Book (©2014, Advantage Media Group), by Adam Witty, teaches how to quickly and easily use a book as rocket fuel to propel the growth and expansion of your organization. In addition to providing the building blocks for how to write a book, the author, who was selected for INC Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list of America’s coolest young entrepreneurs in 2011, recently talked about what it takes to get that hum every CEO wants, both in the office and in one’s respective industry.
- Staff your team with A-players; they’re worth the wait. An A-player is someone who brings all of the necessary qualifications to the table, perhaps more than you were expecting, and that something extra as a human being. Of course, that isn’t always readily apparent during a 45-minute interview; it can take time to see the true colors of a talented individual to come through. Also, it’s important to have A-players who put the team first; egomaniacs who cannot collaborate can to grind productivity to a screeching halt.
- Having fun. Having fun not only helps your team do well, it’s a sign that you’re doing things right. Where fun and work meet is the understanding from staff that they’re making a difference. You want a team of individuals who are motivated by the why of what they do. Fun at work means having energy and enthusiasm while tending to the tasks at hand.
- Make staff and members your extended family. A family environment significantly facilitates a team mentality, especially for those quiet geniuses who like to keep to themselves because they’re shy. But why stop there? Extend the love to members, suppliers and other crucial components of the organization. Without these folks, your association couldn’t survive.
- Understand the why. The right content in the right person’s hands at the right time can change the world forever. Share stories, passion, and knowledge to guide and help others learn and grow.
- Commit to lifelong learning. Seek to uncover and promote the leader in every one on your team by encouraging all staff (and members) to follow a path of personal and professional development. With increased knowledge, experiences and skills, people lead to a more fulfilled life, which can profit everyone within a working environment.
Are you one of the thousands of Baby Boomers who are turning 65 this year and are starting to think about retirement? Revolutionary Retirement. What’s Next For You? (©2014, Reboot Partners, LLC), by Catherine Allen, Nancy Bearg, Rita Foley, and Jaye Smith, is about designing, planning, and enjoying retirement, whether you keep working or not. While many Boomers are already following their passions for volunteering, traveling, creating new endeavors, golfing, and grand parenting, 75% of Boomers are financially unprepared for retirement, and 70% are still supporting their adult children. The books provide insights on creative and fulfilling use of time, how to keep making money and make it last, ways to improve, and keep, your health, as well as building and leaving a legacy.