Extended 2020 Lockdown

He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.............(Proverbs 9:17 King James) Lessons Learned in 2020 will be needed in 2021....Brace Yourself and Tarry with God to Thrive 

Lockdowns, which were implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in many parts of the world in 2020 and 2021, had significant and far-reaching impacts on various aspects of society. These impacts varied in magnitude and nature but included both positive and negative consequences. Here are some of the key impacts of lockdowns:

Positive Impacts:

Public Health: Lockdowns were effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19, reducing infection rates, and preventing healthcare systems from becoming overwhelmed. This helped save lives and protect vulnerable populations.

Accelerated Medical Research: The urgency of the pandemic led to rapid advancements in 

medical research and vaccine development. Multiple COVID-19 vaccines were developed and 

authorized for emergency use in record time.

Telecommuting and Remote Work: Lockdowns accelerated the adoption of remote work and 

telecommuting. Many companies and employees discovered the benefits of flexible work 

arrangements, leading to long-term changes in work culture and practices.

E-Commerce and Digital Transformation: Online shopping and e-commerce saw a significant 

boost during lockdowns as people turned to online platforms for their shopping needs. 

Many businesses invested in digital transformation to adapt to changing consumer behavior.

Environmental Impact: Reduced travel and industrial activity during lockdowns led to 

temporary improvements in air quality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions in some 

regions, offering a glimpse of the potential for environmental conservation.

Negative Impacts:

Economic Downturn: Lockdowns resulted in widespread business closures, job losses, 

and economic recessions. Many industries, such as hospitality, tourism, and small 

businesses, were severely affected.

Mental Health and Well-being: Isolation, anxiety, and uncertainty during lockdowns 

took a toll on mental health. Reports of increased stress, depression, and substance 

abuse were common.

Education Disruption: School closures and the shift to online learning disrupted education 

for millions of students. The digital divide also became apparent, with unequal access to technology and resources.

Social Isolation: Lockdowns limited social interactions and gatherings, leading to 

feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, were particularly affected.

Domestic Violence and Child Abuse: Reports of domestic violence and child abuse increased during lockdowns, as victims had limited opportunities to seek help or escape abusive situations.

Use this Christmas and Newyear Holiday Season to Bond with Family and the Needy Amidst the Covid19 Lockdown......It's been a Tough Year for Many 

 Invest in some Crypto Currency, it should Witness an Upward Trend  

See You in 2021

Growth in a Digital Landmine

Error moves with quick feet and truth must never be lagging behind........ Anonymous

Digital transformation is not just about technology. The approach a company adopts to communicates with its employees, organizes them, and reskills them will play a fundamental role in its ability to take advantage of the new consumer landscape.

Plug-and-play e-commerce technology, search engine optimization, big data, block chain and other distribution solutions are making it far easier for products to directly reach consumers.

Some compaanies like:
Coca-Cola recently reshuffled its leadership team to focus on growth, innovation, and digital by enabling them to build digital road maps for their regions and businesses
.
Unilever just acquired Dollar Shave Club (for digital subcription sales)

L’Oréal invested in Founders Factory (for digital startup accelerator)

Kassir Hussain of Connected Home observed that “In a space that can often be confusing and frustrating to consumers, our focus on regular user interviews, meetings,tests, and demos allowed us to build a product that was simple, easy to use, and addressed real consumer needs.”

Companies undertake transformation for various reasons:

Untapped Potential- Capturing unexplored value.

External Challenges- Disruptive entrants, changing consumer behavior, and macroeconomic pressures.

Strategic Goals- ESG value creation, M&A moves, diversity, equity, and inclusion principles.

Types of Transformation:

Digital Transformation- Infusing technology and tech-enabled processes.

Green Transformation- Prioritizing environmental sustainability.

Crisis Transformation- Navigating storms and disruptions.

CP Transformation- Crafting purpose-driven, inclusive organizations

We must continuously invest in periodic upskilling initiatives in a range of learning experiences to grow in the digital age.

See You at the Top

Strategic Persuasion

Together we can win.......................

Persuasion, the art of weaving words into a tapestry of influence, dances at the crossroads of reason and emotion. It beckons us to sway with its rhythm, to sway others toward our vision

When it comes persuasion and social media, today’s CEOs have made a remarkable transition over the past five years. A recent analysis by Weber Shandwick, found that 80% of the chief executive officers of the world’s 50 largest companies are engaged online and on social media. CEO sociability has doubled since they began tracking the social activities of chief executives in 2010, when only 36% of CEOs were social.

Persuasion—the compass that guides teams through tempests. A leader’s words ripple through the ranks, shaping culture, sparking innovation. It’s not just directives; it’s the art of igniting purpose, of kindling flames in weary hearts.

CEOs are considered “social” if he or she does at least one of the following: has a public and verifiable social network account on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Mixi; engages on the company website through messages, pictures, or video; appears in a video on the company YouTube or YouKu channel; or authors an external blog.

It is also important to be strategic about how and where you apply your persuasion techniques. You may need to create powermaps, which identifies who the relevant decision maker was on an issue, who they listened to for advice, and how close you are to those advisers.

The goal is to create an “echo chamber” effect, in which – even if you couldn’t reach the target directly – you could ensure that they would hear about your proposition favorably and from a variety of sources.

Power-mapping is a highly targeted form of influence that can enable you to bypass objections on any subject.

Finally Creating original content is the single most effective way to develop a strategic persuasive reputation. In just an hour or two a week/month, you can begin to demonstrate how you think about the issues facing your field and sharing your unique point of view. Your content creation sparks a virtuous circle: because independent reporters are likely to reinforcing your expert reputation with third-party validation.

Persuasion is the architect’s blueprint, the blueprint that transforms a hesitant customer into an enthusiastic advocate. It’s the marketer’s brushstroke, the stroke that paints desire across billboards and screens. It’s the CEO’s symphony, the symphony that harmonizes stakeholders’ interests into a crescendo of success.

See You at the Top

Conception of the Mind

Thoughts are nothing more than signals of energy.

Your thoughts extend beyond your physical body, they affect everything you do and the results you get.

Warren Buffett was for a time the richest man in America, not by working hard, but by investing smart. Starting with very little capital, he compounded his investment over many years at yearly rates far above stock market averages. He achieved this with a limited degree of analysis but consistently applying a few insightful thoughts.


William Levitt, was the master builder of Levittown, In the 1950s, he was the king. No detail was too small for his attention. He would personally pick stray nails and extra chips of wood from construction sites to make sure his construction team maximised all available resources. He sold his company in 1956 to ITT for $100 million, which is equivalent to a few billions today.

Then he was distracted.
He retired.
He married the wrong woman.
He moved to the south of France and lived on his new boat with his new wife.

William Levitt, went back into business. And he proceeded to go bankrupt. He was out of the business for twenty years, he came back, and he was not the same.

No matter how accomplished you are as a leader,
No matter how successful you are in business,

You have to remain vigilant about the details of your industry. You can not be competent based on experience alone. To stay ahead of the game you need to be retrained regularly, to apply the current technology and the latest research procedures.

Your Thoughts is something you have to work at to maintain your lead.

"The only thing that separates any one of us from excellence is fear, and the opposite of fear is faith.  I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence I can reach for, perfection is God´s business." -- Michael J. Fox

Excerpts from book Believe the Dream

See You at the Top
 

The Intelligent Business Ideas

One in every nine people on earth is a Facebook user and Twitter manages an average of 190 million tweets per day. If you’re not communicating with your customers via social channels as well as through email, you’re not reaching your audience where it lives, works and plays.

Berners Lee, the originator of the world wide web said that "the web is more of a social creation than a technical one, I designed it for social effect - to help people work together and not as a technical toy. The ultimate goal of the web for me is to support and improve our web like existence in the world. While businesses, governments and other social bodies often wish to control the web to further each of their interests, they are the background to the web, as far as I am concerned not the foreground..........the web university leads to a thriving richness of diversity."

A Stanford Professor quit his job. But he doesn't plan to go to another prestigious university. Nope. He, like others has discovered the power of teaching online; in his case, he reached 160,000 students in a single online course on artificial intelligence. This is more than a story of online learning or mass dissemination. It proves a point: What once required a badge and a title within a centralized organization no longer does.

One of the medieval sages, Socrates believes that the interchange of speech leads to truth, he claims that the written word by contrast to the spoken word is untrustworthy and corrupting because it is detached from the actions, honors and character of whomever offered it.

Validate or disprove Socrates but crystalize your business idea.

For key Speeches on Business Ideas:

Sir Richard Branson - Founder of Virgin
Martha Lane Fox - Founder of lastminute.com
Sir Terry Leahy - former CEO of Tesco
Rt Hon the Lord Heseltine - Founder of Haymarket Publishing and former Deputy Prime Minister
Steve Felice - President, Consumer, Small and Medium Business at Dell Inc.
Paul Lindley - Founder of Ella’s Organic
Robin Rowland - Founder of Yo Sushi!
Lara Morgan - Founder of Company Shortcuts
Doug Richard - Founding Dragons’ Den Panelist and Founder of School for Startups
Ashok Rao - Chairman of TiE Global Board of Trustees


Most modern institution promote mass education, one size fits all, an international curriculum that remain Eurocentric. However, the cyber culture is here to change that, and it bears similarity to the early adoption of letters that broke free from the religious medieval universities.

Steve Jobs statement on intelligent ideas "Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it; they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things."

See You at the Top

Good Communications

Effective Communications is a major key to your personal and business success. Knowing when to initiate a conversation, keeping it interesting and asking effective questions.

Create effective communications by following these seven steps:

Step 1: Exude confidence. When you're comfortable in your own attributes, you make others comfortable. If you take the attitude that you bring something to the table, you will see that attitude reflected in others. Enthusiasm is infectious.

Step 2: Show up with something to say. Always be on the lookout for material. Although it may sound contrived, read Journals for interesting, timely information that you can share at a party, meetings or business. Think about keeping a file that you can review before your next event.

Step 3: Begin with a question/joke. Besides showing interest in someone, one simple question or a joke can start an entire conversation. Asking something a bit unusual sets you apart from the crowd. Rather than, "What do you do?" ask, "How do you enjoy spending your weekends?". A joke can drop all the initial barriers against you.

Step 4: Find common ground. The surest way to build rapport is to find something you have in common and build on that interest. Don't shy away from topics that have nothing to do with business. They often create the perfect connection.

Step 5: Focus on others. Putting your energy and interest in another person marks you as a great conversationalist. Build a bridge by connecting with their problem.

Step 6: Be inclusive. Excluding others in the group is a conversation killer. Make eye contact with everyone in the group, not just the person who asked you a direct question.

Step 7: Close a conversation with style, take advantage and say, "It's been my pleasure talking with you, I hope our paths cross again soon." Before leaving, be certain to thank the hosts.

I wish You Great Success.

Mental Files

YOU are the greatest computer ever created!

The human memory has the ability to hear a 100-digit number or more once and then repeat it forwards and backwards, it has the ability to memorize a Shakespearean play word for word or memorize the stats of every football player. The human memory has the capability to meet 100 people in 20 minutes and recall every single name!

The question is, are you doing these things? 

If not, the reason is simply that you have not been trained to. 

An ancient Greek named Simonedes  developed a memory method called 'Loci'. With this method, 

Simonedes numbered locations in his home. He started in the doorway and then logically proceeded around his home. He reviewed these items so many times mentally that if you asked him what was number 25 then he could instantly tell you what piece of furniture that number corresponded to.

These 25 objects were actually mental files for Simonedes. Then if he had a list of items he wanted to recall he would place them mentally on these objects in his home. Let's say that you are a professional who wants to give a speech without notes. Simply turn the key points into pictures and then file them to your 'house files'. When you are called upon to speak simply mentally walk through the house and give your talk without notes.

For example, to give a one-hour keynote address about a book. You can write your speech out the night before. The first thing you want to do is to visualize the book on your front door and then mentally walked through your house and gave the one hour talk without notes. 

Anything that you want to recall simply turn it into a picture, place it on your house files and get ready to be amazed! 

I wish You Great Success.

Vocal Impact 2

Remember to try to 'fill down' with your breath - rather than filling up and lifting your shoulders and chest. The latter cuts you off from your breath powerhouse in your center.

Centering the breath enables you to:

• Project without push
• Be connected to a deeper place - thus giving you more gravitas.
• Work freely, because you would not be supporting your voice in your throat.
• Open up your pitch range - giving variety and interest.
• Resonate more effectively.

Find that centered, grounded position again and try to maintain it throughout the exercises.

Place the flat of your hand between the base of your ribcage and your navel.

Breathe out fully through an open mouth; notice that little moment of 'nothingness' deep inside you as your body changes gear from breathing out to breathing in. Wait for the impulse for you next IN breath and the relax the area beneath your hand in order for the breath to replace. Repeat 6 times, 

always making sure not rush the exercise.

Breathe out fully and easily through an open mouth, letting the outgoing breath last for a mental 

count of 5. Relax the area in the center of your body, as in the previous exercise, in order for 

the breath to be drawn in. Then release the breath for six mental counts then 7, 8, 9 and 10 - always relaxing in your center, not lifting your upper chest. Think of the outgoing breath as warm quality 

and allow your throat and jaw to release and feel spacious.

Then repeat the exercise but count aloud easily to five on one breath. Send the counts to a specific 

place across the room. Repeat, gradually extending the counts as far as you can without feeling strain. 

Always stop when you feel your breath supply has been exhausted.

Repeat - this time intoning the counts. Start on a comfortable, mid register, but try going to your 

lower register and upper register, before going back to your most comfortable range. Keep the voice forwards as though the sound is leaving you on an arc of energy.

Ribs - Place the back of your hand on your ribcage. Breathe without lifting your upper chest, feeling your lower ribs expanding. Then find a point some distance away from you. Focus clearly on that place and send a stream of hissed sound on 's' to that place for 5 mental counts.

Repeat on a 'z' and a 'v' - focusing the sound across the space in a steady stream.

RESONANCE

Using your breath support, hum a very internal hum and feel all the vibrating places on your face, 

neck and skull. Turn the hum into a 'chewy' hum to get the facial muscles involved. Try to focus the hum to different surfaces, notice how the voice resonates differently in each place. Repeat as you go from 'mmm' to 'ah' then 'mmm' to 'oo'. Also, to different surfaces. Try saying the opening of a speech, feeling the vibrations of your voice coming forwards into your cheeks, lips, back of neck and top of skull. Do it on different pitches. Speak it feeling grounded with your energy filling your personal space and beyond.

ARTICULATION

First massage your face and jaw, being aware of any particular tension areas. Yawn vertically, 

horizontally and with your lips together - each time keeping your tongue tip in light contact with

 the back of your lower front teeth and programming your soft palate at the back of the roof of 

the mouth to rise.

Stretch your tongue out onto your chin to release tension from the tongue root. Speak with your 

tongue out on your chin and then with it back inside your mouth noticing how free it feels as a 

result. Say the "the sixth sheik's sixth sheep's sick" with precision and clarity, without missing out any of the sounds. When you feel it is clear, speed it up, still maintaining clarity.

Repeat on: Peggy Babcock (6 times -gradually speeding up) and Popocatepetl, Popocatepetl, 

Popocatepetl - Pop

Finally:

Always make sure you understand and believe in what you are saying. This applies equally to 

conversation as it does to presentations and speeches

Wherever necessary and possible, prepare the material to be spoken.

Most listeners want to hear you speak, they are generally on your side and want you to do well.

I wish You Great Success.

Vocal Impact 1

With just ten minutes of gentle exercise per day, you can build vocal stamina and improve the 

tone of your voice.

Always start with some gentle limbering to release excess tension from your body. Work from a 

‘centered’, grounded position, with a strong spine, but working towards releasing the muscles you are not using.

The breath is the powerhouse for the voice, so once you feel your body is released and centered, 

start to focus on your breath. Always try to breath to the base of your lungs not into the top 

or you will risk causing shoulder and chest tension.

Once you feel the breath is ‘centering’, then go onto sounds, words, sentences and whole speeches.

The Exercises:

Finding A Centered Position:

The body works at its best when it is firmly grounded and working in a state of equilibrium. 

First get the feet right, put them together, turn the toes to 'ten to the hour', turn out the heels so the feet are parallel. 

Within a short time, this will happen instinctively without you having to go through the whole process.

Close your eyes and start to part the area just below the belly button. Focus all your attention there and try to imagine the area beneath your hand as a ball of powerful energy. Imagine that energy spreading out all over your body. Feel the strong connection between your feet and the 

floor. Let your knees have a little 'give' in then- not bent and not braced back. Notice if you feel more connected in this 'centered' position.

Stretching:

First have a really good stretch. Stretch up to the ceiling, keeping your shoulders down, but 

feeling the stretch coming from your ribs and arms.

Develop into a stretch and a yawn to release the jaw and open your throat. Keep your tongue tip touching the back of your lower front teeth as you do this and consciously open the top of your throat.

Stretch up and hold the body in a tight position for a moment.

Flop down as you breath out fully.

Pushing:

To release tension around the arms and shoulders, imagine you are pushing against a wall a foot away at shoulder height. Push really hard, then gradually release the effort and allow your arms to fall easily beside you.

Head & Neck:

Then release your neck by allowing your head to fall heavily onto your chest. Raise it slowly until it feels well balanced on your shoulders. Try to use the minimum of effort and try to 

engage the muscles at the back of the neck - not the front.

Repeat this three times, imagine your head getting heavier as it falls and lighter as it rises.

Repeat the above exercise, allowing the head to fall to the back and then each side in turn.

Each time there should be no sensation of 'placing' your head, but of allowing it to find its 

resting position on its own.

Chest & Shoulders:

Lift your chest up and forward until you feel an exaggerated hollow in the centre of your back. 

Hold it there for a few mental counts and then release the chest.

Roll your shoulders forwards three times and back three times.

Then lift them up to your ears and try to move them into different shapes.

Try to speak with them up around your ears.

Then loosely shake them up, notice the contrast while you speak.

Wrist & Ankles

Shake out your wrist - trying to make them go as completely floppy.

Remember, even tension in your hands- although a long way from your voice box it affects the way you sound.

Then do the same for each foot - shake them out as though you could gently shake your foot off.

Replace on the ground and feel the connection.

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.

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.

The Essentials: Effective Presentations.

Yes, we need to hit the mind with our message, but we also need to stir the heart with passion. 

The leader who is only rational will have bored followers who aren't inspired to go anywhere. 

The leader who is only emotional will have excited followers who do not know where to go! 

It takes both. Help them see the big picture.

1. Have a goal: Are you there to inspire? Encourage? Challenge? Comfort? Motivate? Deliver bad news? Good news? 

Is it just informational? Are you trying to motivate them to action? If you know where you are going and where you want to take the audience, you can then work back from there and create your presentation. Like Stephen Covey's old axiom, "Begin with the end in mind." Be sure to know your goal.

2. Keep it simple: Be yourself - take slow deep breaths you don't have to be someone else. One mistake many people make is in trying to emulate the style of another person. This rarely, if ever, works. Why? Because you are not that person! Be yourself. That is, who others are expecting.

You can be simple and be very good at the same time. So be sure to keep it simple. 

Remember the world would not fall apart if you do a rotten job.

3. Be passionate about your topic: People want to see that you are passionate about your topic. Aristotle said that there are three areas integral to persuasion: logic, ethics and passion. You need to be a person of good character, have logical reasoning, and say it with passion. Also, be optimistic. Napoleon said, "Leaders are dealers in hope." As presenters, we pull people in and bring them along by giving them hope. 

Be sure to let your passion and optimism come through! Understand that you are your own worst critic.

4. Balance the format of your information: Use facts and figures and use stories. Include lecture as well as audience participation. In this day and age, with waning attention spans, we do well to change up the format on regular intervals. People are used to modern media which makes single person speaking a tough act. Be sure to use different formats in your presentation.

5. Tell stories: The best way to start with a crowd is to make them laugh, the audience becomes more relax and receptive. The joke does not have to be related to the topic. Stories are things that people can connect with. They can remember them. They see them in pictures. What would you be most apt to remember two weeks after hearing a speaker: The exact percentages of his or her statistics, or a well-told story? Be sure to build stories into your presentation so people remember the points you want them to remember.

6. Mastery of your material: This is the foundation of an effective presentation: It tells people 

you are serious about the topic, that you care about it, and you are qualified to speak to them about it. Fear comes from wondering if you will make a mistake, know your material. You will feel more comfortable and will come across as very credible. Audiences are looking for credibility, be sure to know your material.

7. Timing: Focus on the first five minutes, this time is critical as it allows you to settle and get 

comfortable. One of the skills of an effective presenter is that they can craft their presentation to 

fit the allotted time and then discipline themselves to stay within that time frame. Starting on time 

and ending on time will show people that you respect their time. Speakers/leaders shoot themselves in the foot by not finishing on time. Be sure to always stay within your time limits and leave your audience wanting more!

 

I believe leaders and almost anyone can become a better speaker and presenter if they practice their skill. It doesn't require a tremendous amount of advanced training, either. Just mastering the basics will take you to the next level and allow you to become a much more effective communicator.

I wish You Great Success.

The Fundamentals of Effective Communication.

Success is heavily dependent upon our ability to communicate.

Improving your ability to communicate will be one of the most important things you will ever do.

One of the easiest ways to improve your communication is to start by working and improving on 

the fundamentals.

Communication is powerful - The Bible says, "The tongue has the power of life and death." 

This is true, the ability to communicate is a powerful responsibility. You have within you the 

incredible power of communication. You can create tremendous things in your life if you communicate effectively. The knowledge of communication combined with a good heart is the first step in 

unleashing an incredible force!

Communication must be purposeful. In order to be effective. In order to become an effective communicator, you should know what you want to communicate, when you want to communicate, and how you want to communicate. Decide what kind of communication will enhance your life and your environment, and then plan your communication steps.

What you say must match what you do. Remember, people watch what you do, not just what you say. 

What you do always outweighs what you say. If you say one thing and do another, people will follow what you do.

Improve the Big Two Speaking and Writing: When it comes to communication, these are the Big Two 

that everyone can improve upon--speaking and writing. For every one step that you take to increase

your ability to speak and write, you will improve your desired position two steps. Just set your 

sights on the next level above where you are now. Once you get there, then continue to work to the next level.

Here are a few tips on becoming a better speaker and writer:

Becoming a better speaker:

Join Toastmasters

Take a college course on public speaking.

Give a speech in front of a mirror.

Just speak - wherever you can.

Becoming a better writer:

Keep a journal.

Join a writing club.

Have people who are more skilled than you help edit (critique) your letters and emails.

Take a college course on writing.

Write that book you've been thinking about

Becoming a better speaker and writer will be based on three things: doing it, getting feedback, 

and acting on that feedback.

I wish You Great Success. 

Be a Better Blogger

Creating a better blog involves a combination of engaging content, effective design, and strategic promotion. 

1: Define your Niche

The first step is to clearly define your blog's niche and target audience. 

This helps you create focused and relevant content that appeals to your readers. 

It will also help you determine the voice and writing style that's appropriate for those you're addressing.

In keeping with your blog's niche/purpose, you should have a defined theme. For example, if the purpose of your blog is to express political opinions, the theme might be to promote a low-tax, nonintrusive government.

#2: Create visual appeal.

Your blog site should also be visually appealing, use relevant images to enhance your blog posts. Consider using infographics, videos, and other multimedia elements to make your content more engaging.

You can use color and font styles to set the mood and tone--just make sure the tone. 

matches the content. Whatever your theme, it's best to avoid dark letters on a dark background, tiny or overly fancy typefaces, and other elements that make your blog hard to read.

If your blog is hosted on a public blog site, you may be limited in how much you can change the design, but there will usually be a number of preconfigured visual themes you can choose from. 

#3: Use the proper tools.

Blogging is made much easier, faster, and more convenient if you use a dedicated blogging program or the features of a blogging Web site that lets you compose posts in the Web browser or via e-mail.

Use analytics tools to track the performance of your blog. Understand which content resonates with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly.

#4: Make it easy to navigate.

If you're designing your blog site from scratch, Create a user-friendly navigation structure. Make it easy for visitors to find the information they're looking for by organizing your content logically... For instance, if you're using comments and RSS feeds, make sure it's clear to readers how to post a comment or subscribe to the feed.

You should also make it easy for readers to find past posts. Make sure archives are organized not just in chronological order but in categories to make it easier to find particular posts.

 

Keep clutter to a minimum but be sure to include the elements that readers need.

Make your site searchable, if possible, so users can find posts using keywords. You can put a free Google search box on your site see (google.com/searchcode.html#both).

#5: Stay in one place.

Many bloggers experiment with different blog hosting sites and/or with hosting their own sites, especially early on in their blogging experience. It may take you awhile to find the best setup but try to do so as soon as possible and then stay in one place so your readers can find you. 

Moving around to different URLs too often is sure to lose you some readers.

If you have an established blog and it's necessary to move it to a different address, try to publish a last post on the old blog that points readers to the new blog and leave it up as long as possible.

#6: Engage your readers.

Perhaps the most important factor in attracting and keep readers is establishing a relationship with them. Encourage reader engagement through comments, social media, or email. 

Respond to comments promptly and foster a sense of community on your blog.

If you don't have a reason to keep your identity confidential, you may be able to benefit (attract the attention of headhunters in your field, become recognized as an expert in a particular area, etc.) by using your real name and providing contact information.

Engaging readers involves winning their trust and thinking of the reader first. If you make claims, back them up with cites and links. If possible, don't link to sites that require a subscription or free registration. 

#7: Establish a blogging schedule.

Blog readers are a fickle bunch. Once you've drawn an audience, they expect to find new content when they visit your blog. That doesn't mean you have to post every day, but you should establish a minimum blogging schedule and stick to it. Let readers know, preferably in a static text box at the top of your blog page, that you will update the blog daily, weekly, on Mondays and Fridays, 

Regular updates help build trust and keep readers coming back for more.

If you need to deviate from your schedule (for example, you're going on vacation), 

let readers know that you won't be posting at the regular time and give them an idea of when you'll be back.

#8: Keep it concise.

 In truth, most readers have short attention spans and/or crowded schedules themselves and would prefer to read a short, pithy post rather than a long, complex one.

Write in a clear and concise manner. Break up large blocks of text with subheadings, bullet points, and images to improve readability.

You'll also attract more readers with common words than with obscure ones, so unless you're writing for a particularly scholarly audience, follow the old KISS advice: Keep it simple, sweetheart.

#9: Proofread before publishing.

Even if you're an English professor, it's easy to end up with typographical errors, misspellings, and grammatical flaws in your posts if you don't proofread before you hit the Publish button. 

It's difficult to catch mistakes in your own writing, because you tend to fill in what you thought you typed, rather than see what's really there. This is particularly true immediately after writing. 

If possible, have someone else proofread your post before you publish it. Otherwise, let it "cool off" for an hour or a day so you can approach it with a more objective proofreader's eye.

And although it's best to catch mistakes before they're published, one huge advantage of Web content is that, unlike print copy, it's easy to change if you discover a problem after publication.

#10: Go syndicate yourself.

You don't have to wait for readers to come to your blog every day or every week. Instead, you can take your blog to them. Use RSS to feed your new blog posts to readers who sign up. This makes it easier for your readers, who don't have to remember to visit your blog Web site to check for new posts--and whatever makes it easier for readers is good for authors. 

You can syndicate just your post titles, short summaries, or entire posts.

Most public blog hosting sites give you the option to syndicate your blog, and it's usually as easy as clicking a button or two in the configuration interface.

Finally Develop a strong brand identity for your blog. This includes a memorable logo, consistent color schemes, and a distinctive writing style. It is also a good idea to Explore different monetization strategies, such as affiliate marketing, and sponsored posts.

I wish You Success.

Socialize for Search Engine

Networking on social media is an effective way to build professional relationships, expand your professional network, and enhance career opportunities.

The key to getting the most out of these social web sites is to start small.

By spending time at these sites, you'll discover what type of information is popular, get tons of ideas for new articles, and find out exactly what's on the minds of regular Internet users. Eventually, start creating some valuable and interesting content of your own,

Identify the social media platforms most relevant to your industry and professional goals. LinkedIn is a primary platform for professional networking, but other platforms like Tiktok and even Instagram can also be valuable depending on your field. 

The main things you should be doing on social media sites:

* Do create a profile with a link back to your web site

* Do tag your articles with relevant keywords 

* Do participate in victual events, webinars and discussions to build your credibility

* Do contribute to the growth and value of these sites by creating and submitting content that is entertaining and solves problems

* Do get a good grasp of what's receiving attention on that specific site before submitting content

* Do invite your friends to go online and vote for your links -- within reason

* DO Offer recommendations to others, as it can foster positive relationships.

* Do give your articles intriguing headlines that will get people to read further

* Do be yourself -- these communities don't reward fakers 

Here are a few things you shouldn't be doing on social media sites:

* Don't spam sites with links only to your own articles, or bookmarks pointing only to your site 

* Don't go overboard when encouraging friends to vote for your links -- organized "gangs" of voters often get discovered and "booed off" these sites

* Don't submit boring or irrelevant content -- this will only hurt your reputation

* Don't be there just to promote yourself -- nobody wants to be friends with people who are only out for themselves! 

By following these rules, you'll become part of the online community, and people will begin to value your opinion and see you as a credible source of information.

I wish You Success.