Coachable

Time is the sum total of all the events around you. Manage your events and you will ultimately manage you time effectively.

Create a leverage, be unique and your time investment will reward you financially.

I recently joined my local toastmasters at Canary Wharf and meetings are held at Morgan Stanley. I found it fascinating especially after Clive Broadband from my club won the speaking and evaluation contest then went on to win the district evaluation contest with 27 clubs representing London.

A good time investment.

My dentist Stephanie found it difficult to see why anyone would spend time on public speaking, 

she was not convinced you needed to join a club to improve your confidence or communication. 

"This public speaking is just like motivational speaking it has no impact in your lifestyle and 

your daily challenges."

I scribbled a note to her.

"It is just like your patient telling you that my teeth are white and clean, what do I need a 

dentist for?"...............

With public speaking your pitch, voice quality, articulation, timing, vocal variety all affect your delivery. A mentor you can spot your gaps and assist in improving your delivery.

Finding a Mentor:

Identify Your Goals: Determine what you hope to achieve through mentorship, whether it's career advancement, skill development, or personal growth.

Research Potential Mentors: Look for individuals who have experience and expertise in your area of interest. They may be colleagues, supervisors, or professionals in your network.

Reach Out: Approach potential mentors and express your interest in a mentorship relationship. 

Be clear about your goals and expectations.

Mutual Fit: Ensure that there is a good fit between you and your potential mentor in terms of 

personality, values, and communication style.

Formal or Informal: Mentorship can be formal, with set goals and timelines, or informal, where the relationship develops naturally over time.

Be Open and Coachable: Be open to feedback, advice, and new perspectives. Mentorship is a two-way street, and your willingness to learn is essential.

Express Gratitude: Always show appreciation for your mentor's time and guidance. A thank-you goes a long way in maintaining a positive mentorship relationship.

I cannot over emphasize how taking daily steps towards your goal ultimately rewards you with accomplishments. 

I wish You Great Success.

Headline Words

Most visitors take 10 seconds or less to decide whether to stick around or move on to the next site. The secret to selling successfully online is finding the RIGHT WORDS 

The most important words are the ones in your HEADLINE, it needs to capture their attention -- 

spark their curiosity-- and compel them to read further. And it has to do it fast.

"Unbreakable" Headline Rules:

Rule #1: RELATE A PROBLEM; Whatever their problem is, relate to it. Show them YOU know what it's all about. 

Demonstrate a clear and genuine understanding of their wants and needs.

Rule #2: PRESENT A SOLUTION; You've described a problem. Now you've got to solve it -- in a way that creates a powerful image in the mind of your visitors.

Rule #3: FOCUS ON BENEFITS; People aren't so interested in what your product or service is, they want to know what it does. Specifically, they want to know what it'll do for THEM.

Rule #4: SPEAK DIRECTLY TO YOUR VISITORS; If your customers say "dude," you say "dude." But if they're the kind of people who say "folks," then don't say dude.

The most important ideas end up lost in the visual clutter.

BUT: if you limit yourself to just one important idea per line and use simple formatting tricks Such as bolding and italics and ALL CAPS... Then your readers can get your meaning in a single glance!

TEST your headline, run them for a couple of weeks, then compare the results against other headlines.

I wish You Great Success.

Mentoring

All our individual experiences are wisdom and currency to negotiate our future.

I attended a forum today called MENTOR (Men Engaging Nations To Optimize Resources) and the sessions were profound, I have decided to act on and implement the knowledge immediately. Hence forth I will have a label called Journal; this will be notes on my thoughts and activities.

A mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor or guide who provides support, guidance, and knowledge to someone less experienced, often referred to as a mentee. Mentorship is a valuable relationship that can be highly beneficial in personal and professional development. 

Here's what you need to know about mentors and mentorship:

Role of a Mentor:

Guidance and Advice: Mentors offer their expertise and insights to help mentees navigate challenges, make informed decisions, and set and achieve goals.

Networking: Mentors can introduce mentees to valuable contacts within their industry or field, 

expanding their professional network.

Skill Development: They help mentees develop specific skills and competencies relevant to their area of interest or career.

Feedback: Mentors provide constructive feedback and critique, helping mentees improve their performance and self-awareness.

Emotional Support: They offer encouragement, motivation, and a listening ear during difficult times.

Accountability: Mentors hold mentees accountable for their goals and commitments, ensuring they stay on track.

Ten Books Everyone Should Read:

1. The Bible - the best-selling book of all time tells the story of sin and redemption, the story of mankind, of despair and hope. It is quite literally the story of our lives.

2. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - this is arguably the best personal development and wealth building book of all time. It belongs on everyone's bookshelf.

3. How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler - this book will teach you to do just what the title promises - read a book for all it is worth so you come out the best you can be at the end.

4. As a Man Thinketh by James Allen - this book will ground you in the belief that whatever you believe you become. Based on the bible verse that teaches us the same principle: We are what we think.

5. The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason. Written in parables, this is a classic on thrift, 

financial planning, and personal wealth. Everyone needs to read this book.

6. The Lessons of History by William James Durant. This book gives insight as good as any book on the changes that have taken place over time in economics, politics, military customs and more. 

Very insightful.

7. The Story of Philosophy by William James Durant. In this book, Durant summarizes the lives and influence of philosophy's greatest thinkers. This is very important for us, as we know that our philosophy determines how we live and what we achieve.

8. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

9. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

10. The 360 Degree Leader by John C. Maxwell

I believe all our experiences both the joy and sadness, the failure and the success can be package into products for community benefit.

I wish You Great Success.

Competency Skills

Competency based interviewing is a style of interviewing used to enable a candidate to demonstrate certain behaviors/skills in a working setting. The basis of this being that past behavior can be a good indicator of future behavior. A competency is now something that can be measured.

You will be asked to provide an example of a task or situation in which you have demonstrated a 

certain behavior or attribute. You will then be asked probing questions to establish what actions you took and the results of those actions, and the effects of those actions on other people.

You should remember that the language that you use in answering these questions is crucial. You 

should use language such as “I” did this or “I” did that rather than using the word “we”. The potential employer is interested and concerned with what you did not what the team did.

For example, for a Business Analyst an organization may be looking for competencies such as analytical skills, business understanding, and communication skills both written and verbal.

The best approach to adopt when answering competency style questions is called the STAR model. This will enable you to structure your answer in a clear, logical and concise fashion.

Situation – Describe the situation you were faced with (ideally a recent example)

Task - What did you have to do?

Action – What were the actions that you took and why?

Results – Outline the outcome.

Preparing for a competency-based interview.

First of all, know your CV.

You must know exactly what is written on your CV; after all it’s about you. Forgetting what you did in a certain job or when you were there is simply unforgivable! It will also create a very bad impression.

You should then review the job description to try to identify what competencies the organization is looking for.

You should think of concrete, tangible examples to demonstrate the behaviors / attribute that they 

are looking for.

It is always a good idea to practice answering competency-based questions with a friend.

Example Questions:

What were the most recent important decisions that you have had to make?

Tell me about a difficult decision you have made?

Tell me when you have had to make an unpopular decision?

Some comments as to the reason the questions are asked, and the responses expected.

1. "Tell me about yourself."

The interviewer is really saying, "I want to hear you talk."

This is a loosener but it is a common question so your response can stay the same. Write a script and rehearse it so it sounds impromptu. Spend a maximum of 4 minutes describing your qualifications, career history and your range of skills, emphasizing those skills relevant to the job on offer.

2. “What have been your achievements to date?"

The interviewer is asking, "Are you an achiever?"

Again, this is a common question, so be prepared. Select an achievement that is work-related and 

fairly recent. Identify the skills you used, the resulting achievement and quantify the benefit. 

For example: "My greatest achievement has been to design and implement a new sales ledger computer system -bring it in ahead of time and improve our debtors' position significantly, saving the company £50,000 per month in interest."

3. "What is your greatest weakness?" The interviewer is really asking about your self-perception and level of self-awareness.

This is another standard question for which you can be well prepared. Don't say you have none - this will guarantee that you have further problems. You have two options: use a professed weakness such as a lack of experience (not a lack of ability) in an area that is not vital for the job; or describe a personal or professional weakness, that could also be considered a strength, and the steps you have taken to combat it. 

An example would be: "I know my team think I'm too demanding at times - I tend to drive them pretty hard but I'm getting much better at using the carrot and not the stick." Do not select a personal weakness! 

such as: "I'm not a morning person - I'm much better as the day goes on."

I wish You Great Success.

Reading Skills

"You're the same today as you'll be in five years except for the people you meet and the books you read.".....Jones

Isn't it interesting that most homes valued over $250,000 have a library?

You can open up a new world with a simple visit to your local library or bookstore.

So why is reading important?

1. Reading opens up new worlds. Reading allows you to travel far away and experience different cultures, religions, places and people, and all through the pages of a wonderful book. At a fraction of the cost of actually going there 

2. Reading challenges you. Sometimes we think we know it all. We think we have a tremendous grasp on a certain topic. But then, we read something that challenges us. It makes sense. It takes our preconceived ideas and shreds them. It pokes holes in our theories. It takes us on a line of reasoning we hadn't considered. And we are better for it, because someone took the time to expose us to something new--through his or her writing.

3. Reading opens up new ideas. There are so many ideas we have never even heard or considered. Yet, by picking up a little book, we can be confronted with ideas that can revolutionize the world around us. These are ideas that can change your finances, your family, your work, your attitude - your life! Reading allows you to receive ideas galore!

4. Reading reinforces our beliefs. We can open a book written by someone special, and as we read we remember why we believed in the first place. The book lays the groundwork of the thoughts we have. It reinforces our logic. It makes us strong and reminds us of who we are.

5. Reading allows you to interact with the greatest minds. You could gain incredible insights into the minds and ideas of people like George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., Winston Churchill, Mother Theresa, and Aristotle just by opening a book. Imagine being able to delve deeply into philosophy, politics, religion and more, with the greatest minds that have ever lived...all inside a book.

Over the centuries books have brought hope to the masses. They have paved the way for rulers both good and evil. Books have been destroyed - burned and shredded - by the powers that be. Books have brought down cruel nations and rulers and obliterated social structures that have outlived their usefulness. They have inspired the individual. They have shared the private thoughts of the rich and the poor. They have shown us the way - the way to live and the way not to live.

Reading is truly at the center of the term "personal development." That should tell us something!

 

Some thoughts on Developing a Reading Plan.

Do it daily and regularly. 

Set aside time each day. 

15 minutes each day is better than an hour a week.

Make sure it gets done at the same time each day.

Prepare your mind, so it can absorb the information.

Prepare the atmosphere, choose an atmosphere that is conducive. 

Keep a journal. Take the time to write down what you are learning and how you can apply it.

Choose a variety of books. Don't just read one genre. Rotate through different books. 

Interact with the authors as you read. 

Ask questions and then continue reading to see if they are answered. 

If you disagree, write it down. Write down examples of how the principles work or don't work. 

Make your reading as interactive as you can.

Read things that you might disagree with. 

Pick up a book by authors whose viewpoints you know you will disagree with. 

Tips for Improving your Reading Speed.

1. Read, read, read. Just like any task, the more you do it, the faster you can get.

2. Develop your vocabulary. The better you know the language, the easier it will be for you to read faster.

3. Don't move your lips while you read. It slows you down.

4. Don't make any noises while you read. It is your subconscious trying to read with you and it slows you down.

5. Don't read each word individually. That slows you down. Read groups of words together and your mind puts them together in logical order.

6. Sweep your hand gently and quickly through the middle section of the page and read as you go. Start slowly, practicing, and go faster and faster until you reach your highest rate.

This can be a stretching exercise.

Above all: Do it. Go to the store. Buy books. Read them! Because the books you don't read can't help you!

I wish You Great Success.

Interview Skills

There are five things that every candidate should know prior to setting foot in an interview:

1. The importance of enthusiasm

2. How to open the interview

3. How to sell their strong points and strengthen their weaknesses

4. How to talk about salary

5. How to close the interview

The importance of enthusiasm

Showing enthusiasm and energy at an interview is vital. Currently there are fewer job openings than people looking, so it is quite common that the most qualified individual will not be offered a job because they do not covey the enthusiasm, excitement, or sense of urgency that a company is looking for. Leave an interview conveying strong desire, energy, and enthusiasm to work for that company. You should leave having the interviewer thinking you really want the job.

Selling your strengths and strengthening your weaknesses

No matter how qualified or confident a person is, an interview is a stressful situation. It's filled with questions that can catch a candidate off guard or trick him into providing information that he 

did not wish to divulge. Also, candidates forget their strengths during interviews. Write down and 

learn specific achievements that you are proud of. This will help you verbalize their strengths in 

an interview and they will come across as strong, capable candidates.

Speaking of salary…don’t!

During the interview, when the question of salary arises, try to answer the question in the following manner:

"I'm very interested in this opportunity, and at this time, my salary requirements are open and negotiable."

Putting a price tag on yourself can be potentially fatal. It can lead to two serious problems. First, 

asking for too much money can stop an interview in its tracks. The interviewer might not realize that there is flexibility in that number and negotiation is always an option. Second, by asking for less money than what would be generally offered, a candidate has put a price tag on themselves and negotiating for more money in the future becomes very difficult. By answering the salary question in the above manner, a candidate has left room for negotiation and a better chance at being invited back for a second interview or getting an offer.

Ending the interview: The final question

You will have one last chance to sell yourself and one final question that you need to ask:

"Mr. Smith, I want to thank you for taking time to meet with me today. I want you to know that I am very interested and excited about this opportunity. In your opinion, do my skills meet the requirements that you are looking for?"

This is a very important question, because it allows you to know exactly where you stand at the end of the interview. You ideally want to hear the interviewer say yes. If the interviewer says yes, then you should ask what the next step will be and to let the agency know the feedback. This is their last chance for you to sell your skills and show that you are capable to excel at this job.

I wish You Great Success.