smarter every day magazine - vol 2 issue 2

Smarter Every Day MagazineSmarter Every Day MagazineVol 2 Issue 2Vol 2 Issue 2

Smarter Every Day Magazine Vol 2 Issue 2

Table of Contents

Got Change?...........................................................................3

Two Important Words..............................................................6

Time Serious..........................................................................11

Tell Me Where it Hurts..........................................................16

cover photo courtesy: Sydney Baldonado

Copyright © 2012 Smarter Every Day. All Rights Reserved Page | 2


Michele Wes ton

Got Change?

No, I’m not asking what you have in your bank account. I’m asking about how you are currently dealing with change in your life…at work or home.

Does having your kids out of school for the summer put a cramp in your routine? Is your job getting the best of you? How’s that new computer or software application working out for you? Does the stock market have you feeling down? Are certain co-workers driving you crazy? Does the aging process have you frustrated?

One of the most common reasons why attitudes turn south is when change happens. Because we are naturally creatures of habit, anytime anyone or anything threatens or challenges our sense of security, we put up our guard and express our resistance.

Besides stimulating teamwork or improving customer service, the most frequent



reason I work within an organization is to help their leaders and employees through change. So one of the training programs I’ve designed is called “Seek Comfort with Change”. Doesn’t that sound like an oxymoron? Putting two words together in the same sentence,like “pretty ugly”, “jumbo shrimp” or my favorite…”Microsoft Works”.

Change stimulates our emotions. We can feel confused, overwhelmed or even paralyzed. Begin by recognizing anytime you face an activity, responsibility or relationship with which you have limited knowledge or experience, you will feel uncomfortable or even afraid. Here are four tips for coping with fear:

1. Trust your fear. Let it guide you, not bind you. 2. Expect mistakes. Realize mistakes are a natural part of change and growth. 3. Develop strategies for coping with a worse-case scenario. In the unlikely

event it happens, you will be prepared. 4. Get started and take one step at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed with

factors out of your control.

One thing is for certain – CHANGE happens. In fact, it’s happening in our world more rapidly than ever before and will only continue! You may not be able to change the situation you are in, but you can learn how to change your thoughts and feelings about yourself, dealing with the change and other people to become



a happier, more positive person… at home or work!

About the AuthorA professional speaker, corporate consultant, and bestselling author, Michele Weston, is a dynamic and highly effective presenter. Since 1989, Michele has specialized in the healthcare, insurance, banking and a variety of service industries. Michele is a Certified Speaking Professional, a designation earned by fewer than 10% of professional speakers worldwide. Michele is a diamond award-winning distributor. Learn more at: www.micheleinspires.com

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Billy Arcement

Two Important Words: Responsibility and Accountability

As one looks through the mainstream of today’s society, there is an important missing element. Too many wait for others to do what they ought to do. They want privileges but no responsibility for doing what it takes to earn life’s privileges. They want to have but not do.

Acceptance of personal responsibility for our actions and the results that come from them is the apex of maturation. When one accepts what happens or does not happen to them is directly related to how much responsibility they have taken for their life, true personal freedom is achieved. What a powerful feeling to understand that you are in charge of your life.

As members of this great society, we each have the responsibility to use our



God-given talents for the betterment of humanity. If we each do our part, we can build a great community, state, and nation. That is our charge and we should not neglect this obligation.

Hand and hand with responsibility is accountability. Not only are we charged to do something with our life, we are also charged to be accountable for our actions. In other words, the world owes us nothing. We must earn our rights. And, while we earn those rights, what we do to get them becomes accountable.

One might argue that these are unfair positions. Certainly, we can’t control who our parents are nor can we control the environment into which we were born. While this is a valid position, the true answer goes much further. You see, it doesn’t matter where one starts. What’s most important is where one finishes.

Countless individuals are born to extreme poverty, dire circumstance, and awful parents. Their odds for becoming successful are higher than most face but not impossible to overcome. What happens is directly related to how much responsibility these individuals take for changing their circumstances and a personal willingness to be held accountable for the actions taken.



The points in this article go beyond individual application. They also bear a direct correlation to the current status of our country. Economic decline is ramped. But the spirit of rejuvenation is surfacing. With such rejuvenation comes responsibility. Each citizen must accept this responsibility. Civic leaders must do their part as well. A unified front of responsibility will do wonders for potential economic turnaround.

Accountability will be judged by the vision and achievement resulting from actions taken. Right decisions reap right results and turns accountability into a positive event. We should all pray for guidance to make the right decisions and bring positive change to our nation.

Responsibility and accountability—two important words individuals must master to reach their full potential.



About the AuthorBilly Arcement is a professional speaker/author, MEd—The Leadership Strategist, shares his messages on common sense leadership and personal development with business, government and education leaders. He authored Searching For Success, now internationally published. His newest book, Journeying on Holy Ground, provides insightful guidance for establishing priorities on life’s journey. His website, www.SearchingForSuccess.com provides information about his services.

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Donna Satche l l

Time SeriousTime seems like it is flying by so fast. It's already July and half the year is already gone. For those of us working on our goals and dreams, time is precious. If you are like me, there always seems to be individuals or events disrupting me and preventing me from doing what I intended. They come in the form of telephone calls, emails, verbal requests, emergencies, invitations, and so much more. Some are unavoidable. Some are welcome. Some are great opportunities. Some are a nuisance. These disruptions can be time consuming and continuous disruptions can be draining.

Except in the case of emergencies, it is best to think through all requests for help, lunch engagements, invitations to events, favors for friends (or relatives) and other so-called "opportunities." Many times we feel we must answer immediately, and we say "yes" when we should have said "Let me get back to you." We should check our calendar and fully consider whether we have the time, energy, or interest before responding. Not taking the time to think and feeling like I had to say "yes" has cost me time, money, and energy doing things while my goals sat on a shelf. I have had out-of-town guests who stayed for weeks



instead of one or two days. I have served on committees that ended up requiring much more time and work than I thought they would. I have spent hours on phone calls, at social activities, and helping others while my goals were unattended. How about you? Have you found yourself in similar situations?

How can we deal with the disruptions that will come into our lives? There are several strategies. Below are two of them.

The first is knowing how to say "No." There is a popular saying: "No is a complete sentence." I like to add to it an ending, so it becomes "No is a complete sentence that most people cannot or will not say." Why? Because many of us, including myself, have a problem with being that direct and curt. So we end up committing one of the cardinal sins of communication - TMI (Too Much Information). We just can't seem to resist the impulse to offer more details than necessary. So we say, "No, I can't help you today because I have a meeting downtown at 2:00, and I am sure it will not be over until 5:30, and then I need to rush home to fix dinner." The person asking the favor can then respond with, "Well, if you can come over at 11:00 or 11:30, you can leave by 1:00 to go to your meeting."

Now that's a fine plan if it is something you want to do. If not, you have to come



up with another reason why you cannot help or end up saying "OK" when you don't want to. However, few of us can just say "No" or even "No, I cannot help."

The solution is "no" with limited information. So responses are replies like:

- No, I already have plans for Saturday.- No, I will be studying for a test.- No, I will be really busy over the weekend.- No, I am working on a project.- No, that's not in my budget.

Now the person with the request has no information to use to try to rearrange your day, so you can do what they are asking of you. Some people find it necessary to add, "I am sorry" between the "No" and the information. An apology is not necessary, but if it works better for you, then use it.

A few years ago, I was taking a class on stress management where I was introduced to the idea that "plans" can be anything we anticipate doing. They don't have to just be tasks, like going to the dentist, working on a theme paper,



taking our car for an oil change, attending a meeting, or going to work. So your plans can include staying home to relax, playing with the kids, or having some alone "me time" to unwind.

Another strategy I call "Let's make a deal." Here you discuss what you can do that is less or different than what is being asked of you. You can think about it as "negotiating the terms of the request." For example, you tell friends you can help them for two hours instead of all afternoon. Or you can donate $25.00 to the organization instead of purchasing a $50.00 ticket for the banquet. Or you are willing to serve as Director of Events but not Vice President. I think you get the picture.

As we are using these strategies, it is important for us to understand that at some point we will need to ask for help, a favor, or assistance in some form or fashion. We will have an event we want friends and colleagues to attend. We will have a cause we would like people to support. We will need someone to watch our children, work with us on a project or help us get something accomplished personally or professionally. We will need favors in the form of someone's time, talents, money or energy. We are then being a disruption in someone else's plans. So remember that and do what you can to help, attend, and support others when possible; just make sure it is a definite decision you have made and not a "knee-jerk" response that you later regret.



Lastly, when you are the person asking a favor or making a request, be willing to accept a "no," "yes" or a response that is less than what you wanted to hear. In the case of the latter two, be considerate of the person's time and be appreciative of their efforts. And don't forget the two words most of us learned as children: "please" and "thank you."

About the AuthorDonna Satchell of STARR Consulting & Training is an achievement & business speaker, success skills trainer, author, and the creator of the Just Get Serious® programs that inform, motivate and propel people into action towards greater success. She provides seminars on customer service, teamwork, time management, public speaking. She also delivers exciting motivational speeches which inspire individuals to live more rewarding, fulfilling and successful lives. Visit www.JustGetSerious.com for information about programs/products and to view videos of Donna's speeches.


http://justgetserious.com/


Hal Coleman

Tell Me Where it Hurts

If you’re attempting to sell a product or service to someone, the most important thing you must do is establish relevancy.

How is your product or service relevant to them and their life? How does it affect them? What will change for them if they make the purchase?

You do this by showing them how it will either alleviate a pain or bring pleasure.

PROVEN FACT: People will make a purchase much quicker to alleviate pain than to find pleasure. Why? It has to do with our pre-programmed basic survival instincts.

These types of decisions are made in the subconscious mind. This is the primitive part of our brain. It is our old reptilian brain. It has been around for 450 million years. It is what I refer to as Elmo.



Sadly, the world of commercial marketing and advertising is a universal, vast wasteland of squandered money with low ROI. Why? Because advertisers and marketers are…for the most part… unaware when it comes to knowing how to communicate with Elmo (the subconscious mind). They market to the conscious mind of the consumer, thinking it only logical that, given the facts, people will reach the right conclusions.

ANOTHER PROVEN FACT: People don’t act logically. They act based on instincts (fight or flight) which have evolved in our brains over millions of years. And pain avoidance is one of the most primitive, basic instincts of all living things.

Knowing this and using it to your advantage will greatly increase the response you get from your marketing, advertising and sales presentations.

EXAMPLE: Domino’s Pizza, founded by Tom Monaghan in 1960. (He sold it to Bain Capital in 1998 for $1 billion!)

When people were surveyed and asked what they disliked most about ordering pizza, their answer was universal: “You never know when it will arrive…and it is always cold.” This was clearly a pain!

Once Monaghan had identified the pain, he presented the solution: “Fresh hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less…or it’s FREE!”



And the rest is history.

So…ask yourself this question: What pain will my product/service alleviate for my customers? Once you determine this, then you simply have to convey it to them. Their reptilian brain (Elmo) must clearly see how buying from YOU will help THEM. If they don’t see that, they will never purchase from you…period.

Bottom line: You absolutely must make your product or service relevant. And the best, most effective way to do this is by identifying their pain and showing them how your product/service will alleviate it. And then they will buy it.

Make sense? I hope so.

Now…go grow your business!

About the AuthorHal Coleman is a successful entrepreneur, businessman and entertainer. He graduated from The University of Georgia in 1974 with a degree in Entomology. He has owned and operated 8 different businesses over the past 35 years, including a pest control company, which he grew from a “one-man-with-a-spray can” operation into a million dollar business using his straight forward, step-by-step approach to network relationship marketing in his community. Hal can be contacted at: www.thenetworkingninja.com


http://www.thenetworkingninja.com/


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smarter every day magazine - vol 2 issue 2

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