Published by Robert A. & Vicki L. Prentice of Professional Development Systems
March 20, 2006 Issue 190
From the Desk of Bob
I am counting my blessings this week. I hit some black ice last Monday. I twirled down the highway like a ballerina, at 45 MPH, and finally come to rest in one of the fine ditches here in the state of South Dakota. I tell you true–I was shaking like a leaf on a cold fall day. It took most of three days to just get my head back on straight. Whew!
We are such a mobile society. Like many people, I am putting thousands of miles each year on my vehicles. Having my life literally pass before my eyes the other day has once again reminded me how in one quick second everything can change. Have you communicated to those closest to you just how precious they are to you, and how much you care for them? Have you told them that you LOVE them?
You do not have to personally experience an ICY blast to "get it together." This is something we should be doing everyday.
It's a great day to be alive! Bob
In this week's issue
Life Attitudes
Seeds of Success: Do What Works For Others
Understanding
The Prairie Beacon
Mr. Attitude's Life Tested Tools
Life Attitudes
"If there is any great secret of success in life, it lies in the ability to put yourself in the other person's place and to see things from his point of view–as well as your own.”
~Henry Ford~
"Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.”
~Rollo May~
"A single conversation across the table with a wise man is worth a month of study.”
~Anonymous~
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Seeds of Success: Do What Works For Others
By Robert A. Prentice
What is your favorite form of communication? Telephone, email, face-to-face, voice mail, instant messaging, cell phone, fax, smoke signals, podcasting, the printed word, a handwritten note?
I, myself, love to use any and all forms of technology whenever I can. Why just last night, I was communicating with five different people all within a span of a few minutes! I was able to talk to one on the cell phone, write an email to another, and carry on instant message conversations with the other three, all very quickly and efficiently. It occurred to me that all of these people had specific and unique ways that they required or requested their communications, and I was reminded about how vital it is, in this day of so many options, to zero in on the best way to communicate to others, based on what works for them. After all, what works for me may not work well at all for someone else.
For instance when you notice that someone dislikes talking on the phone, than a phone call is probably not the best way to communicate to that person. Likewise, if you send email after email to someone and they never respond, then you can conclude that emailing is not the most effective form of communication for them. On the other hand, someone who takes in information better when they see it than when they hear it, will appreciate a written note or email, and a person on the move, just wants you to leave a message in their voice mail, so they can call you at their convenience.
In life and in business, I am attempting to utilize every form of communications possible. I do my best to identify those who take in information via the written word and are more visual, and those who are more auditory in their personal listening and learning styles, and then work very hard to meet both of those needs.
Obviously if you–like me–want to avoid breakdowns in communication, it is vital that you find out what really works for the other person and use that means of communication with them, as much as possible. It is equally important to communicate for understanding. There is an old saying: “Talk in the language of the people.” In other words, when chatting with a Frenchman you’re likely to have better success if you speak French, and when talking to a child, you’ll want to talk in terms of a child’s interests and capabilities. Communicate in ways that people can understand.
Watch, listen, and observe how the people you are consistently dealing with like to communicate, and do what you can to get in step with them, so that when the time comes to communicate some vital information to them, you will know how to convey your message in a way that it will be received and understood. This will help you to achieve the success you desire in your communications.
Understanding
When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don’t blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce.
Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and arguments. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding.
If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love and respect, and the situation will change.
~Thich Nhat Hahn~
Bob "Mr. Attitude" Prentice is available for Keynote, conference engagements, and in-house company training assignments Call to schedule Bob TODAY! 800.437.9715
Read on...
The Prairie Beacon
The Prairie Beacon is a monthly positive attitude paper, published by Mr. Attitude, featuring Seeds of Success articles, motivational stories, quotes and attitudes, all guaranteed to challenge and inspire it's readers to live a richer, fuller and happier life.
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Mr. Attitude's Life Tested Tools
My training sessions consist of the principals, attitudes, and skills that I have discovered over the course of my life, and that I aspire to practice in my day to day living. These are the Life Tested Tools that I have to offer:
KEYS TO BETTER LEADERSHIP • Creativity Encounter • Planning for Results • Organizational Effectiveness • Understanding Ourselves and Others • Teamwork Works • Building Morale
KEYS TO BETTER SELLING • Gaining a Prospects Attention • Building Interest • Communicating with Conviction • Painting Pictures of Desire • Asking for the Business • Welcoming Objections • Showmanship in Selling • Total Customer Service • Bootstrap Marketing o Barter o Networking o Advertising o Podcasting/Blogging o Internet
KEYS TO BETTER LIVING • Attitudes for Excellence • Managing Stress and Time • Complete Life Strategy • Tapping our Potential
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Feel free to pass your Monday Morning Motivations on to a friend.
What a great way to let them know you are thinking of them!
:: bob@mrattitudespeaks.com
:: http://www.mrattitudespeaks.com
:: 800-437-9715
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