Tip #525 - Lemons Into Lemonade

Lemons Into Lemonade

December 23, 2014

By Carla Sprague

It’s no secret that life can be challenging. Unexpected events, situations or challenges can arise that seem to put a stop to the ideas, plans or dreams you have, hence the infamous quote, “When life gives you lemons…” But outside forces don’t have to slow you down, let alone stop you. One thing we sometimes forget is that we are not alone in our struggles. We are not the only ones to experience loss, setbacks, failure, and so on. It’s easy to feel alone – to wrongly believe that no one gets us or understands what we are going through. That lie – that belief – is a mindset created to extinguish your passion, dreams and purpose.

I’ve got good news for you – when life gives you lemons, there is an opportunity to learn. The opportunity to learn is to receive insight and understanding on how others were able to rise up from the ashes and burn a brighter flame then ever before.

So what’s the big secret to get up from under that rut? One word: mindset.

After reading Miles Jennings’ article on Entrepreneur.com, we thought you might be able to relate to one (or all!) of the 5 thoughts that crush success. We are certainly not strangers to the challenges of a negative mindset, and it’s important to take a positive approach to these common mindset minefields. In fact, our trainings continue to show that Dale Carnegie was a strong leader on this exact topic when he said, “Happiness doesn’t depend on external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude.”

It’s not necessarily our circumstances that must change, but rather our ability to make lemonade out of the lemons. Or, as Jennings so eloquently puts it, “Challenge this thinking by asking, ‘How can I do this better?’”

We want to hear from you – what is the one mindset you struggle with the most, or what tools and experiences have you used to overcome negative thoughts?

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #524 - Networking Etiquette

How many times have you entered a room where you didn’t know anyone and either stood in the corner waiting for someone to approach while you continually check your phone? Or, in your attempts to conquer your fear, you leap right into a conversation with a group of people, nervously chattering and rambling on (and on!) about what you do and how everyone in the group should work with you. Or, maybe you breeze through the room with confidence and interest in others, handing out and receiving business cards with no follow up to ever take place.

It’s no wonder networking has started to take on the artificial feel of fake and shallow. It’s because the majority of people have no idea how to network! They know they “should” network and maybe they even want to and enjoy it, but have no idea how.

As Kevin Daum points out, decades ago there used to be etiquette class for networking. Where is that go?! People simply don’t know how to genuinely connect with one anothers in a way that is professional, courteous and mutually beneficial (unless they have attended Dale Carnegie courses, of course). Daum’s article on etiquette rules is a great resource for getting better results at networking – and leaving a better impression.

All 12 of Daum’s rules are insightful – trust us, these are not the types of rules made to be broken – but we have two personal favorites: Look people in the eye and smile (#10); and, Ask if you don’t know (#11).

Looking someone in the eye can be a challenge, but it shows interest, as well as confidence and focus. Daum admits to struggling with this rule and yet notes, “I find it changes the entire emotional dynamic in a positive way.” Smiling is one of Dale Carnegie’s secrets to success, because it allows you to build rapport, earn trust and enhance relationships – three important aspects of strong business building. Networking is really about creating a connection with another person, think about it: would you approach and build a relationship with someone who never had a smile on their face? It makes someone approachable and even memorable. In a room full of people networking, those are valuable traits to exude.

We like rule #11 for the simple fact that we know you can avoid that awkwardness completely. But, before we go into that, we want to point out that if you do forget a name, we agree with Daum that it is better to ask than forget and appear to be insincere in your networking efforts. Forgetting a name can seem like you don’t care or that you view the other person and unimportant – two ways to guarantee someone having a negative reaction or response to your attempts at connecting. In fact, another Dale Carnegie principle is to “remember that a persona’s name is that that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” If you struggle with this, let us know – we have a course designed just for this concept on how to never forget a name.
Tell us – have you taken a Dale Carnegie course? If so, what are some of the tips and trainings you have learned that have made you a better networker?

Kevin Daum’s 12 Networking Etiquette Rules can be found here: http://www.businessinsider.com/networking-etiquette-rules-you-must-follow-2014-11

For more information, visit our website! 

Tip #523 Ways to Delegate More Effectively

 

Delegating tasks efficiently is the most effective way to get the most out of your team's performance. After all, as a leader within your organization, your team looks to you for direction. The decisions you make affect everyone's workload, process and daily tasks. The way you delegate tasks can also eliminate redundancy and frustration experienced by your team members.

Here are five ways to improve your delegation methods from your friends at Dale Carnegie Training:

1. Provide Work That Team Members Can Complete Individually - Everyone enjoys the feeling of completing a task. While assembly line philosophy is important for efficiency, every team member wants to accomplish something specific. To provide this sense of completion, emphasize how each team member is furnishing a component of the bigger picture.

2. Clearly Communicate Deadlines - Ensure that everyone understands individual tasks, the purpose of these tasks and specifically when they are due. By providing firm deadlines, you will help your team learn how to manage their own time individually and as a group. If the project is large, include a timeline and due dates for milestones.

3. Convey Your Expectations - It is imperative that everyone understands your goal or output. In fact, it is perfectly reasonable to tell someone what your expectations are so there isn't any confusion to what you want or need.

4. Provide Your Team With The Right Tools to Do Their Job Better - Few things are more frustrating than receiving a task while lacking the tools required to complete it in an efficient manner. Make sure that your team has the necessary tools to get the job done, including computer software, a contact list, pertinent information sources, and suggested resources.

5. Give Rewards - Rewards let teams and individuals know that they've done a job well. While money can motivate, so can creative rewards. Before you delegate tasks, consider how you will reward top performance.

Delegation allows each team member to take responsibility for a piece of a larger project or goal. This can help you develop a more effective team and identify team members with leadership skills and qualities. As a leader in your organization, you must effectively delegate tasks and tell everyone your expectations and goals.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #522 - "Born Leader?" Think Again!

At Dale Carnegie, we believe that by working hard on personal and professional development, you can be taught how to be a good leader. Leadership is about how to connect, communicate and collaborate with the people around you. These are skills, and while they may come easier to one person over another, skills, by definition, are "the ability do something well." Practice makes perfect, and it seems Kate McKay over at Entrepreneur.com would agree.

In fact, her recent article, "5 Skills You Must Acquire Before You Can Lead," talks about the hard work it takes to lead and lead well. While all five skills she mentions are valuable, we thought highlighting two actionable skills would be a great way to jumpstart your leadership potential.

First, practice self-reflection. You might think leadership starts with learning about other people, but it actually starts by taking a look in the mirror. Learning from your own mistakes and failures is one of the fastest ways to become a good leader. No one is perfect and we all make mistakes, but if you can learn from them, you will be ahead of the game. In fact, a popular Dale Carnegie quote teaches us to "Develop success from failures." Experiences - both good and bad - are meant to be used as lessons and tools for future decisions.

The second is to find your "Why" - your clear vision of what you want. This is what will motivate, encourage and inspire you when you face challenging times. This is what allows you to push through the storms that lead to success. Your why has to be big enough - rewarding enough - to take the risks that are required to be a great leader. Again, while some people are natural risk takers, every single one of us has a passion and a purpose in this life - a "Why" to hone in on and motivate us.

In closing, to become a stronger leader, start with these two skills. Think back and reflect honestly on your past mistakes and failures. Acknowledge them, own up to them, and then learn from them. Then, move on to looking inside to what motivates and moves you. What do you want your life to look like and WHY do you want it to look that way? Focus on this "Why" in the good times and the bad, and let it encourage you to push through the hard times. 

When you are ready, visit Kate McKay's article to get the next three skills:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/239365

For more information, visit our website! 

Tip #521 - R-E-S-P-E-C-T- Find Out What It Means...

We've all heard the Aretha Franklin song about Respect - and quite frankly, the respect she's looking for is something we all desire. Hence why the song lives on through the decades. Respect is an issue that can build up or tear down relationships, friendships, and even businesses. Often on the heels of respect is trust. So what happens when the unthinkable occurs - you hire someone who doesn't respect your leadership and management style?

Drew Hendricks of Inc. addresses this topic with candor and clarity with his article: "How to Manage an Employee Who Doesn't Respect You." It can seem complicated and convoluted to work with employees who don't respect you; and in fact, fear of that rubbing off on the other employees can be a very real concern. It certainly doesn't help positive employee engagement! But, as Hendricks reminds us: to be the leader is to continue to maintain a high level of integrity. While he gives quite a few helpful tips, we are going to highlight our favorite one right now, and you can visit the article below to learn the rest.

His first point is to maintain a positive attitude, and in the heat of the moment, we know that can be difficult. Hendricks notes, "Employees tend to feel more positive when they believe their opinions matter to the organization as a whole," so if there is discourse in a meeting or in front of other employees, maintain your positive attitude and pull them aside later and ask them to communicate about any concerns they have. 

Let an employee know you hear them in a positive manner. Because we recognize the challenge (and importance!) of maintaining your positive attitude as a leader, we would add a side comment about the positive impact of 5-10 minutes of positive, influential reading every day. Starting with something like Dale Carnegie's "How To Win Friends And Influence People" may be beneficial in order to keep that positive attitude when dealing with a situation where someone isn't respecting your leadership.

As you will see, this positive attitude is the basis and foundation for the remaining actions Hendricks advises taking when you have an employee who doesn't respect your leadership style.

To read the rest of his helpful ideas in the full article over at Inc.com, please visit:

http://www.inc.com/drew-hendricks/how-to-manage-an-employee-who-doesn-t-respect-you.html

For more information, visit our website! 

Tip # 520 - You're Only as Strong as Your Biggest Weakness

Being a leader is about exemplifying the values and activities that inspire and encourage others to action.  At Dale Carnegie, we are based on the truth of one man's belief in the power of self-improvement. One of the best ways to promote and encourage self-improvement is to face your biggest weaknesses. In the Inc. article written by Minda Zetlin found below, there are 5 questions to ask yourself in order to help support that process.

Zetlin starts the article by realizing that for most of us, our weaknesses are nothing more or less than traits we try to hide, overcompensate for, or cover up. However, she went through an internal process to really notice and acknowledge her own weaknesses and not just try to hide them. This can leave one vulnerable but ultimately stronger. The first step is recognition of any weaknesses; the second step is to work on strengthening them. The article starts with three questions that beg for internal assessment. They require you to take a step back and think outside of your usual mode of operation, to review the situation and think about alternative ideas, solutions or situations.

The fourth question, "Can you get help with your weaknesses?" mentions "Getting assistance from someone else is a perfectly legitimate and very effective way to overcome a weakness."  Zetlin makes a great point that when recognizing and working on personal weaknesses, sometimes it is difficult or even impossible to adjust, shift and strengthen independently. That's why at Dale Carnegie Training, we offer a variety of courses around personal development. Some may say you are only as strong as your biggest weakness, and we want to help support you to strengthen those weaknesses. Effectively learning to strengthen weaknesses and use them as strengths is an efficient way to add value as a leader.

The article closes with two more questions that really drive home understanding the core of your weaknesses and how to make different choices in the future. If you would like to read the whole article, please visit:

http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/5-ways-smart-leaders-overcome-their-greatest-weaknesses.html

For more information, visit our website! 

Tip #519 - Working Less to Produce Better Results?

You've probably heard, "The key to success is not hard working but smart working." Many of us (if we're honest) find ourselves busy, but not necessarily more successful. Cammi Pham's article on Business Insider highlights several key qualities that are keeping you from success.

 Most notably, napping, saying "No", and asking for help!

 So what does this mean for you, our readers?                     

 The three main takeaways from Pham's article are the following:

 1.  Let people help you

 In the Dale Carnegie community, we talk a lot about how to treat people and engage them as leaders. But part of being a great leader is recognizing we can't (and shouldn't) do it all. We need to create a team of support. When we are able to focus on our strengths and rest assured trusting and knowing there are others doing what they do best, it allows your work or business soar. Community is not only helpful to your team, but provides better content and response to those around you.

 2. Stop being a perfectionist

 None of us are perfect. We are perfectly unique and that is cause to celebrate. Life is messy and that's ok! As Dale Carnegie says, "Always be yourself, no matter what." Embrace the journey and relax into your imperfections - it will actually help you become more successful.

 3. Take a break

 Stress can compound if we don't have a way to release it and allow our brains to rest. That is when creativity and solutions usually come - when we allow ourselves to take a step back, relax, reflect and breathe. While it might seem like you don't have the time to walk away, it's actually the opposite - you can't afford NOT to take a break. While it seems counterintuitive, it will allow you to focus and be more efficient when you are working, allowing you to work less and experience more success.

For more information, visit our website! 

Tip #518 - 5 Quick Morning Tasks For Efficient Living

We talk a lot about how to be successful, to be a good leader and to make a change in the world and in your future. Dale Carnegie has left many wise messages on how to communicate, how to relate to people and how to create good habits. So with that in mind, it's always intriguing to read what other people think are good habits to create a successful and productive day. James Reinhart's infographic on 5 morning rituals struck us as helpful because of how practical (and quick!) his recommendations are. While we like all 5 steps, here are 2 you can start right now and see the results of: 1.) 7 minutes of exercise in the morning. No, we are not going to turn into your personal trainer and tell you all the exercises you "Should" do or "Need" to be doing right now. We aren't going to talk about your weight goal or BMI. However, 7 minutes of exercise is a great way to start the day because it's not too much of a time commitment but it is, as Reinhart so eloquently puts it, " long enough to shake off any residual sluggishness from the night before - including that extra glass of wine." 2.) Pick 3 Wins for the day. Focusing on the positive and finding 3 things each day to be celebrated is an amazing habit to help take the sting of failure away and to keep perspective. "Worry vanishes when I keep my mind open to the many blessings I possess." Dale Carnegie knew what he was talking about and it seems Reinhart understands the value of focusing on the positive. This shift in mindset can and will absolutely result in more efficient and effective living because you won't be so bogged down by any failure or negative interactions. Ready to tackle all 5 tasks? Visit the article here:  http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230734 For more information, visit our website!

Tip #517 - 5 Winning Basics for Success

Greetings!   

In leadership and sales training meetings, the focus is always on the importance of fundamentals. In every aspect of leadership and sales as processes, mastering the basics often means success and increased opportunity in businesses and organizations.

 

Teams win or lose based on that same continuous focus of doing the basics well. The fundamentals win games, and it is the same with organizations and achievement. Doing the simple things well is a must for businesses today. The basics count.

In Dale Carnegie's famous Golden Book, which focuses on the Carnegie Principles from How to Win Friends and Influence People and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, the fundamentals of successful relationship building found therein give all of us the best advice possible.

Dale Carnegie Training offers five important basics that make us all winners in business and in life:

• Become a Friendlier Person: Be honest and never complain to the customers. Show a genuine interest in their needs and wants and smile as much as you can.

• Win People to Your Way of Thinking: Show respect and get others to do most of the talking. Sell from the customer's point of view, not yours.

• Be a Leader: Show appreciation and give praise to others. Ask questions. Use encouragement and try to make the customer happy.

• Fundamental Principles for Overcoming Worry: Prepare for challenges and try to improve them by learning.

• Don't Worry About Criticism: Remember that an unjust criticism is often disguised as a compliment. Just do the best you can.

No matter what we do for a living, from accountant to footballer, there is indeed pure gold in the words of Dale Carnegie.  Success is always driven best when it focuses on common sense.

Tip #516 - Networking: Dale Carnegie Style

If you've heard one thing in your professional career, more than anything else, it's probably: Network, Network, Network.

But, in fact, people rarely explained what that meant and how to effectively network. Hence the events where a bunch of people are milling around, passing out business cards, seeking their own agendas and trying to sell everyone something while pretending to like you or create common ground. Sound familiar? You leave the event and immediately feel like you need to scrub off the schmooze and may even be disappointed yourself that your goal of making a sale didn't happen.

Been there, done that.

Professionals are catching on. In fact, it seems like there is a new article on "How-To Network" at least once a week. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - a lot of people could benefit from the advice!

We at Dale Carnegie love this article by Natalie Bounassar for Entrepreneur.com. Why? First and foremost because she goes back to the root of networking - in other words, the Webster Dictionary definition. Doesn't get much clearer than that. But also because she cites two key concepts we speak on over and over again:

1.         The cultivation of productive relationships

"Stop treating people like tools." Remember that concept of networking with your own agenda in mind. Strike that; replace it with a goal of creating connection.

2.         Reciprocate kindness and generosity

One lesson right from Dale Carnegie Training: Create happiness for others. Sounds like Bousnassar and Carnegie could have been great friends - or at least in agreement about spreading happiness. The bonus to all the personal development? The focus on the greater good of authentic and positive relationships naturally leads to success and a better professional career - but it's because your personal mindset and focus are in the right place.

To hear the rest of Bounassar's story and how to really network, check out her article here:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237576

Tip #515 - Ready to Increase Your Employment Value?

I'm fairly certain no one wakes up one morning and says, "I want to be the worst employee at my place of business today." Or grows up to have a dream to " find a place of employment where I can really decrease productivity and bring the team down."

People inherently want to succeed; they want to find value in their work. But, life happens and sometimes it's hard to remember that. Eventually it can feel like being a good employee is no longer an option, or turning it around and getting started on a more productive, positive path seems overwhelming, exhausting and impossible.

One of the best points Emmie Martin makes in her Business Insider article is that the, "good news is that anyone can mold themselves into a high performer, simply by changing their outlook and attitude at work."

While changing your outlook and attitude might be simple, it can often be anything but easy. We at Dale Carnegie recognize that - it's why we offer the courses we do! - and want to offer some additional tips.

First, Rome wasn't built in a day. We agree with Emmie Martin that holding yourself accountable is a quick way to turn it around. Just like changing eating habits or incorporating a gym routine into your schedule takes time, so does changing your attitude. That being said, if you do back pedal into that snarky place of negativity or laziness, 'fess up! Admit it quickly, and emphatically; apologize, and move forward.

Which brings us to our next tip. Don't worry about the past. Worrying or getting hung up on past choices won't change anything. If anything, it only delays the positive changes you are capable of, thus slowing down your ability to increase your employment value. Your strengths and talents are exactly what the world needs - once you have the right outlook and attitude.

Lastly, do the best you can. Always strive towards your own personal best, whatever that may look like. Leave behind the comparisons and the competitions and focus on being the best you can. As Martin says, "focus on your strengths."

We at Dale Carnegie believe in you and your ability to succeed!

Tip #514 - Points for Effective Meetings

At times we all wish we could see a bumper sticker on the back of a car that reads, "Meetings Happen"! Because, it is inevitable that some time through the week, we are sitting in a meeting of some sort. 

Picture this for a moment; it is a great morning and we are getting a lot accomplished around the office.  We are catching up and meeting deadlines. It feels good to be in accomplishment mode. An e-mail pops up on the screen. An impromptu one hour meeting is called in the conference room. It starts in 20 minutes. Productivity is over for a while.

Engagement is important and meetings are a part of process improvement here in Connecticut. Although unannounced meetings can challenge efficiency, it is often because of meetings that we become more effective and proficient.

It is also important that meetings have an action plan, an agenda with current deliverables, and results. In many organizations, meetings have little purpose or preparation. Recent studies have suggested that only about half of all meetings are productive.

Any gathering needs to consider participants. A defined process makes these sessions a top priority and purposeful. Leaders need to ask if every suggested attendee needs to be present. They need to ask, are the meetings aligned with current goals and objectives? Is there an environment of open and honest dialogue?

The ingredients of productive meetings should include the following 12 points:

(Before)

• Have a plan
• Prepare information prior to the meeting (groundwork)
• Have an agenda to pass to everyone (include charts and materials as needed)
• Facilitation is needed to control the meeting
• A gatekeeper can make sure everyone participates
• A scribe takes notes or utilizes a whiteboard to bullet commentary
• A timekeeper manages the time effectively  

(After)

• Follow up with all attendees within 24 hours to gauge feedback
• Provide a short summary/ abstract of the discussion
• Thank all the participants for sharing
• Set the next date
• Include a "rate the meeting" comment section in the e-mail

Organization, quality on interaction, and topic can make or break a meeting. Purpose and goals combine to increase employee engagement.

Meetings will always part of organizational process. Making them worthwhile and productive moves everything forward.

Tip #513 - Using Motivation in Sales Training

Motivation is a key component for any kind of success, no matter what the venture. In the competitive business world of today, however, it is an enormously effective tool, and its applications are much more obvious than anywhere else, perhaps, because the effects are immediately visible.

Motivations enters the picture when it's necessary to begin something, has the power to sustain teams while the project is underway, and it can serve as an inspirational seed for the next project or challenge. It comes in useful, then, for any beginning, middle, and end, and it has a role, certainly, in sales training.

The best training will find ways to bring the focus back to motivation, no matter what the technique, or what the goals of the sales team might happen to be. The four components of selling, based on actions, appearance, content, and method of delivery, all tie into developing a sales team that is highly motivated. Interestingly enough, these are also the natural products of a motivated sales team.

Motivation isn't simply a theory, then, and it's never successful when it's designed with manipulation in mind. It is something that comes from a great love for the work, and a real pleasure in working with clients and customers. It's also a daily practice.

A motivated seller is effective only insofar as they are able to truly connect to the client in a meaningful way, because the bottom line in any kind of negotiation is based in content. When the content is there at the beginning, then it's never a matter of manipulation, but simply a matter of finding the right path to the goal. When a goal is met again and again, motivation comes naturally. 

When things become challenging, then motivation is an excellent tool to get things jump-started again, and for these reasons, it can be more valuable than gold. Learning how to motivate a team, and teaching people to motivate themselves is the golden path for moving from one success to another.

Tip #512 - Tips for Better Employee Management

Employee management is, for all intents and purposes, the day-to-day engagement of employer-employee relationships on a professional, work-related level. To manage your employees well, you need to think of them less as the physical incarnation of their job roles and more as the people who make your business' success possible.

In the past, employee management was something of a more rigid experience. These days, successful businesses find that employing a little finesse to their management practices is much more effective. To that end, your friends at Dale Carnegie Training came up with six tips to get you started down the path to becoming a stronger leader:

1. Establish An Open Line Of Communication - The first step, if not the very foundation, of great employee management is to establish a line of open, honest and comfortable communication between employees, leaders and managers. The more uncomfortable an employee is with their employer, the less likely the two are to be on the same page. Comfortable communication comes from familiarity, so get to know your team. This will make working together feel much less like pulling teeth later down the road.

2. Focus On Strengths, Not Weaknesses - Every employee has individual strengths and weaknesses. It stands to reason that you hired them for whatever their strengths may be. That is why spending more time correcting their weaknesses or shortcomings is a waste of time and energy. You didn't hire the employee to spend all your time fixing their shortcomings or to fit a square peg in a round hole, so instead focus on actively fostering the growth and development of their strengths.

3. Be Reasonable With Your Expectations - Part of being a leader at your business is being a visionary - someone with big goals and big ideas. Unfortunately, it is easy to forget how much time, effort and energy goes into executing a new initiative or project, which can cause leaders to unintentionally overwhelm or overload an employee with too many expectations. This in turn can cause undue stress and frustration for the employee, negatively affecting your ability to manage them.

4. Plan Accordingly When Expanding Roles - The business world is still in a state of financial flux. With many companies regularly downsizing, many employees are required to pick up the extra workload. The trick to effectively managing the assignment of additional responsibilities is to plan accordingly so your employees don't feel they have been thrown in the deep end. It is better when an employee has time to acclimate to his or her new role and responsibilities.

5. Be Consistent And Reliable - As a leader or manager at your business, you have a lot on your plate-no one questions that. Information and ideas channel through you from a hundred different directions, not to mention new initiatives and projects that fall on your shoulders to develop. But even in spite of your own heavy workload, it is imperative that you be consistent and reliable when interacting with your employees. It may prove difficult, stressful even, but it is crucial that employees feel they can rely on you to get something back to them promptly.

6. Invest In Employee Training - Providing opportunities for employees to improve and strengthen their skills shows your genuine interest in investing in them. Naturally, any employee who feels valued is likely to be reciprocal when being managed. Paying for employees to attend skill-strengthening classes like those offered by Dale Carnegie Training reinforces the idea that you are invested in them as an employee and as a component to your business's continued success.

Employee management is by no means a walk in the park. It takes a lot of hard work and concentrated effort on the part of leaders and managers. But as with all things that come as a challenge, the end results of your labor will strengthen your company significantly. Good employee-employer relationships allow for better communication, which in turn allows for fluid, dynamic management.

Tip #511 - Managing Stress and Goal Setting

Goal setting is a worthwhile and necessary function on the road to success. But over-striving to meet goals often results in more stress, and thus, the need to find ways to reduce it.

When attempting to reduce goal-oriented stress, your friends at Dale Carnegie Training of Western Connecticut recommends first examining the goals you've set for yourself. Goals should be difficult, but achievable with persistent effort. Goals that are too far fetched, such as doubling your income in one year, nearly always lead to failure and discouragement. 

Attainable goals work because you persist and focus your efforts in a specific direction. Without that direction, we'll often find ourselves bouncing from one task to another like a pinball, more at the mercy of outside forces that have no stake in our welfare or success.

The good news is there are ways available to us to combat goal-induced stress. The first line of defense is to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Also try to establish a firm time each day that you won't work past. Pre-plan vacations and weekends so that you have something to look forward to outside of work, and schedule social events with friends at least once per week. However, be mindful of not over-booking social activities so that you can build in some time rest and recuperation.

Also keep in mind that goals need to be set for all aspects of your life, including relationships, finances, home, physical and mental health, as well as spiritual development. Be specific and reasonable when setting goals so that you don't invite more stress into your life. The more you regularly review your goals and focus on them, the more likely it is you'll meet them. 

Write down your goals, read through them periodically, visualize them and consider keeping a picture journal that represents your achievement of those goals. And don't resist making adjustments to those goals when necessary. Career plans seldom unfold exactly as plotted, and you need to be flexible and adaptable in order to keep an overload of stress from creeping into your life.

Tip #510 - Creating a Strong Leadership Image

Being a strong leader is a combination of a number of things. For some, it is a natural gift-a magnetism that gravitates others to them and makes them an effective leader. For others, leadership is a quality built up over time, constructed and refined and practiced until it gains effective gravity.

First Impressions are Everything

The first thing someone notices about us is our appearance and behavior. They see how we dress, hear how we speak, and notice how we hold ourselves. Then they add all these all up to make a first, initial assessment.

However, in addition to your appearance, it is important to consider other elements that define your leadership. Here are five tips from your friends at Dale Carnegie Training of Western Connecticut to help you or someone you know develop a stronger leadership image:

1. Maintain Balance - Smart leaders know how to strike a balance between being both strong and supportive. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, as you have to straddle a fine line between being a leader who can take a joke and one that commands respect and authority. Whatever you do, never toggle between the two types in extremes, or you will lose your employees' respect.

2. Avoid Self-Absorption - Whether your company consists of three employees or three hundred employees, the moment your business becomes more than just you, it becomes a team moving toward a mutual goal. Remember, isolating yourself from your employees is never a smart business move. Strong leaders are inclusive, not exclusive.

3. Show Interest And Energy - A disinterested and lethargic leader can expect more of the same from his or her reports. Strong leaders possess a genuine passion for what they do that turns the daily grind into a welcome challenge.

4. Practice Your Speaking Skills - Take a moment to Google public speaking and vocal training. If you can, attend a Dale Carnegie Training course that teaches vocal training techniques. The ability to speak articulately is a powerful tool that lends itself well to projecting credibility as a leader, and as such is something you should not take lightly.

5. Communicate With Clarity - In addition to the ability to speak well part of strong communication is communicating with clarity in written form. The rule of thumb here is to "write like you speak, speak like you write." Be conversational, be concise, and have a logical flow to your written documents.

Your leadership image is comprised of many elements. Your appearance, your behavior and mannerisms, the way you speak and the way you communicate all contribute to the concept of you as a leader in your organization. Business leaders should treat each of the items above with equal regard, and give serious consideration to every component mentioned if they strive to present themselves as a strong, competent, dynamic leader in the business world.

Tip #509 - Tips for a More Effective Hiring Process

Most managers agree that hiring is one of the most important aspects of their job. It also tends to be one of their least favorite responsibilities. Ask any manager what their strategy for hiring is, and most will just shrug and tell you they really don't have one. This is because the hiring process is an exhausting one. There is paperwork to be filled out, rules to adhere to and even time constraints to consider.

In order for your business's hiring process to be more effective, you need to streamline it. It needs to be broken down to its essential steps so that hiring is quick and easy for everyone involved, from the manager down to the new employee. Here are seven tips for accomplishing that from your friends at Dale Carnegie Training of Western Connecticut:

1. Put An End To Long Delays - Just as you are considering more than one candidate, they are considering more than one potential employer. Like many other aspects of business, recruitment is competitive. That means there is no time for passing paperwork throughout an organization before taking any real action. Top talent won't stay available for long, so managers need to address the hiring process sooner versus later.

2. Don't Rummage Through Résumés - Sifting through stacks of résumés from unqualified applicants is a waste of time and energy. Make sure that your recruiters understand the job requirements thoroughly so that every applicant they forward to you meets the minimum requirements. This expedites the hiring process right from the start.

3. Improve Your Interviewing - Good interviewing is a lot like good conversation. Both require a balance of push and pull, and, in the case of interviews, both formal and casual conversations are appropriate. Also, keep in mind that candidates who make good interviewees do not necessarily make good employees. We suggest crafting interviews to be multifaceted, so you get to know the employee as a person as well as a worker.

4. Come To An Interview Prepared - Managers should never go into an interview blind, especially when dealing with top talent. Smart candidates will come equipped with both market research and competitive benchmarking, hoping it gives them an edge, so managers should conduct their own research in order to go toe-to-toe with candidates.

5. Minimize Documentation - Part of what jams up the hiring process is excessive paperwork. Sure, certain legalities need to be recorded, but a lot of this paperwork is just useless and never looked at again. So why bother having it?  Slimming down employment paperwork so that it is less of a hassle for managers means less of a hassle for everyone.

6. Observe What Does And Doesn't Work - In larger businesses, several managers may have hiring responsibilities. When this is the case, these managers need to be in communication with one another. They ought to swap hiring success stories in order to put together a more effective hiring strategy based on experience, instead of just theory.

7. Give Managers More Control - Many managers feel disconnected from HR, which can sometimes cause them to lose a top candidate. They claim that the offers approved by HR just aren't competitive enough. At the end of the day, hiring a new employee should be about strengthening your team, not saving as much money as possible. Hiring based on dollars and cents is never wise, so give managers better salary survey data, and afford them more control over how high their offers can be.

Ultimately, hiring rests on more than just a manager's shoulders. Managers, HR and recruiters need to work as a team to make the hiring process fluid and more likely to bring a new, ideal hire into the fold. This requires the process to be streamlined - disassembled then reassembled so that all the fat has been trimmed off and the hiring process has been made quick, easy and painless.

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Tip #508 - 4 Cost Effective Ways to Re-engage Your Employees

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to do someone else's job for a day? Some organizations take this question very seriously and use it as a means of employee engagement. This is one of several low-cost tasks that management can do to increase employee engagement and discussion about job satisfaction in the workplace.

If you're looking to reinvigorate your employees, or even if you just want to change the corporate culture, consider these creative, inexpensive employee engagement solutions from your friends at Dale Carnegie Training of Western Connecticut:

1. Change Your Company's Wardrobe - While your organization might allow the typical "dress down Friday," you might want to switch things up a bit. Consider allowing a sports jersey day, a Hawaiian shirt day, or a company colors day when appropriate.

2. Interview Employee Day - Have you ever looked at someone's job title in your organization only to wonder exactly what it is that person does? Set aside some time for your employees to "interview" each other about their roles in the organization. This will inspire personnel to achieve new goals in the company and to make new contacts within the organization.

3. Change Your Music - Most offices/warehouses allow employees to listen to music as long as it is kept at a low volume or via headphones. While this can boost productivity, it can also create a level of isolation. For a change, allow employees to appreciate each other's musical tastes by asking everyone to contribute a song to an office playlist for the day. Alternatively, you might want to consider using a free web-based service such as turntable.fm, Pandora or Spotify.

4. Have Your Staff Switch Jobs For a Day - Job swapping is a great way to enrich your staff as it allows your staff to explore other areas of interest and gain appreciation for what their coworkers do. Additionally, it inspires individuals to communicate beyond their own teams as they get to learn about new departments. This can also reveal a great deal about your employees' interests. To best accomplish this, coordinate a 30-minute meeting between employees so they can learn about the essential job duties and what must be accomplished within the work day.

Employee engagement does not have to be a large or expensive program or process. Most employees are curious about the jobs and interests of others, and you can learn a great deal about your employees' goals by allowing them to learn about each others preferences and job duties.

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Tip #507 - 5 Ways to Delegate More Effectively

Delegating tasks efficiently is the most effective way to get the most out of your team's performance. After all, as a leader within your organization, your team looks to you for direction. The decisions you make affect everyone's workload, process and daily tasks. The way you delegate tasks can also eliminate redundancy and frustration experienced by your team members.

Here are five ways to improve your delegation methods from your friends at Dale Carnegie Training:

1. Provide Work That Team Members Can Complete Individually - Everyone enjoys the feeling of completing a task. While assembly line philosophy is important for efficiency, every team member wants to accomplish something specific. To provide this sense of completion, emphasize how each team member is furnishing a component of the bigger picture.

2. Clearly Communicate Deadlines - Ensure that everyone understands individual tasks, the purpose of these tasks and specifically when they are due. By providing firm deadlines, you will help your team learn how to manage their own time individually and as a group. If the project is large, include a timeline and due dates for milestones.

3. Convey Your Expectations - It is imperative that everyone understands your goal or output. In fact, it is perfectly reasonable to tell someone what your expectations are so there isn't any confusion to what you want or need.

4. Provide Your Team With The Right Tools to Do Their Job Better - Few things are more frustrating than receiving a task while lacking the tools required to complete it in an efficient manner. Make sure that your team has the necessary tools to get the job done, including computer software, a contact list, pertinent information sources, and suggested resources.

5. Give Rewards - Rewards let teams and individuals know that they've done a job well. While money can motivate, so can creative rewards. Before you delegate tasks, consider how you will reward top performance.

Delegation allows each team member to take responsibility for a piece of a larger project or goal. This can help you develop a more effective team and identify team members with leadership skills and qualities. As a leader in your organization, you must effectively delegate tasks and tell everyone your expectations and goals.

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Tip #506 - 5 Tips for Hiring the Right Employee

Recruiting top talent is one of the most challenging aspects of running a business. Sure, finding someone who is interested in working for you may be easy, but finding the right employee for your company is easier said than done. To help facilitate the hiring process, many companies employ a number of tactics such as administering personality and competence tests and employing a variety of interviewing techniques.

Approaching an interview from several different angles is the key to finding your ideal candidate. Unfortunately this is often overlooked by busy employers. Remember, interviewing is a two-way street. Just as you are exploring how well a potential candidate will fit into your company, they are exploring whether they truly wish to work for you.

If you are looking to bring your A-game to the interview process, then prepare by following the five steps below from your friends at  Dale Carnegie Training of Western Connecticut:

1. Organize Yourself - You need to prepare as extensively for an interview as you would expect the interviewee to prepare. If you truly want the best candidate to work for you, put aside time to create a checklist of the qualities and skills you hope to find in such an employee.

2. Speak With the Recruiting Firm - If you are using a recruiting firm to find someone, you need to ask the recruiter for a summary of why they are recommending a particular candidate. The recruiter should be able to provide you with a list of the candidate's strengths and weaknesses.

3. Use Multiple People to Interview the Candidate - Interviewers bring their own unique perspectives shaped by personal experiences; this is why we recommended the use of a variety of people to interview candidates-preferably ones who would be affected if this candidate is hired. Having others interview this person will give you several different perspectives, which are invaluable in the hiring process.

4. Don't Give Your Answers Away to the Interviewee - One of the most common mistakes made by interviewers is giving away too much information about what they want and need in a person. Providing a company overview is fine, but do not go into too much detail about what you need in an employee. Doing so provides the interviewee with clues as to how they should tailor their responses. Instead, learn what you can about an interviewee without feeding them the answers.

5. Consider the Interview a Conversation - As an interviewer, it may be easy for you to fall into a rhythm with the questions you ask. But if you really want to get to know the candidate, you need the interview to be a mutually comfortable conversation.

Once the interview is over, you still have work to do. Make sure to check references and conduct a background check. As we all know, a person giving a reference is going to speak positively about the candidate. During that conversation, keep an ear-out for what a reference does not say or chooses to avoid answering.


Lastly, do not dominate the interview; engage your potential employee in a push-pull conversation. Remember, you are looking to add a new player to your team. Your new hire will need to play well with others and complement your operation in their own unique way. Look beyond who a person is on paper, and see who they might be as your employee.

For more information visit our website!

Tip #506 - 5 Tips for Hiring the Right Employee

Recruiting top talent is one of the most challenging aspects of running a business. Sure, finding someone who is interested in working for you may be easy, but finding the right employee for your company is easier said than done. To help facilitate the hiring process, many companies employ a number of tactics such as administering personality and competence tests and employing a variety of interviewing techniques.

Approaching an interview from several different angles is the key to finding your ideal candidate. Unfortunately this is often overlooked by busy employers. Remember, interviewing is a two-way street. Just as you are exploring how well a potential candidate will fit into your company, they are exploring whether they truly wish to work for you.

If you are looking to bring your A-game to the interview process, then prepare by following the five steps below from your friends at  Dale Carnegie Training of Western Connecticut:

1. Organize Yourself - You need to prepare as extensively for an interview as you would expect the interviewee to prepare. If you truly want the best candidate to work for you, put aside time to create a checklist of the qualities and skills you hope to find in such an employee.

2. Speak With the Recruiting Firm - If you are using a recruiting firm to find someone, you need to ask the recruiter for a summary of why they are recommending a particular candidate. The recruiter should be able to provide you with a list of the candidate's strengths and weaknesses.

3. Use Multiple People to Interview the Candidate- Interviewers bring their own unique perspectives shaped by personal experiences; this is why we recommended the use of a variety of people to interview candidates-preferably ones who would be affected if this candidate is hired. Having others interview this person will give you several different perspectives, which are invaluable in the hiring process.

4. Don't Give Your Answers Away to the Interviewee - One of the most common mistakes made by interviewers is giving away too much information about what they want and need in a person. Providing a company overview is fine, but do not go into too much detail about what you need in an employee. Doing so provides the interviewee with clues as to how they should tailor their responses. Instead, learn what you can about an interviewee without feeding them the answers.

5. Consider the Interview a Conversation - As an interviewer, it may be easy for you to fall into a rhythm with the questions you ask. But if you really want to get to know the candidate, you need the interview to be a mutually comfortable conversation.

Once the interview is over, you still have work to do. Make sure to check references and conduct a background check. As we all know, a person giving a reference is going to speak positively about the candidate. During that conversation, keep an ear-out for what a reference does not say or chooses to avoid answering.

Lastly, do not dominate the interview; engage your potential employee in a push-pull conversation. Remember, you are looking to add a new player to your team. Your new hire will need to play well with others and complement your operation in their own unique way. Look beyond who a person is on paper, and see who they might be as your employee.

For more information visit our website!

Tip #505 - 9 Quick e-Mail Etiquette Tips

Most people in business send and receive thousands of e-mails per year. While e-mail is a valuable business tool, you always have to ensure that you follow the proper etiquette. After all, e-mail is another extension of yourself, just as if you were writing a letter or meeting someone in person. Here are some tips for composing effective business e-mails from your friends at Dale Carnegie Training of Western Connecticut:

1. Add someone's e-mail after you write it - Even though the "to" field is usually located at the top of an e-mail, leave it blank until you are finished writing. This will prevent you from sending the message before it is finished or failing to include the necessary attachments.

2. Consider the tone of your e-mail - When speaking with someone in person, on video chat or on the phone, you can hear the inflections in his or her voice. Hesitation and sarcasm are easy to interpret. However, this does not always come across in an e-mail. Write with a neutral tone to avoid confusion.

3. Use motivational subject lines - Make sure you use a subject line that defines the topic of your e-mail and makes the recipient want to open it. Your subject line should be a clear summary of the body of your e-mail. This is particularly relevant when your sales and marketing teams send e-mails.

4. Think of your e-mail as a business letter - Unless you are writing to someone you know extremely well, you need to think of your correspondence with them as strictly professional. Although e-mail may feel more informal, its purpose is not.

5. Write clearly and concisely - Most business people are extremely busy; therefore, people want to see and digest important information as quickly as possible. To do this, write clearly. Use bullet points and make sure the recipient knows you are available to discuss the details if necessary.

6. Do not use e-mail as a passive tool - e-mail is a passive means of communicating. Although it allows you to avoid a conflict, it is rarely the best course of action when there is an issue to address. If you need to talk about something crucial or pressing, it is always better to meet in person or on the phone.

7. Use proper grammar - There are various types of business e-mails-some may go out to your entire team, while others may reach prospects. While interoffice e-mails may be somewhat informal, introductions to business prospects should not come across this way. An e-mail full of typos and colloquial language will distract your audience from the message and undermine your professional authority. Always type with an educated tone that exudes professionalism and confidence.

8. Write the e-mail first in MS Word - Most people will forgive a few minor mistakes in an e-mail, but initial e-mails must run without error. To ensure the proper image, always write an important e-mail in MS Word. Doing so allows you to use its spell check and grammar features before sending it via Outlook or comparable e-mail services.

9. Use an e-mail signature - Always include an e-mail signature. The signature should include your name, title, phone number (with extension), business address and business website. This looks professional and establishes the legitimacy of your business; furthermore, it allows the recipient to easily locate your contact information.

While e-mail is a fast and useful tool for communication in the business world, it does not excuse poor communication and it is in no way a final substitute for verbal communication. A recipient's e-mail inbox is much like a physical mailbox-it is rude to send too many messages. In the contemporary business world, e-mail can influence the amount of success you have in communicating your message. It can also enhance (or tarnish) your reputation as a consummate professional.

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Tip #504 - How to Handle Difficult Decisions in 4 Easy Steps

In business, as in life, you often need to make decisions even if you have a limited amount of information. But making decisions needn't be a gut wrenching process if you follow the four tips below from your friends at Dale Carnegie Training of Western Connecticut:

1. Find the Facts - Before you can make a good business decision, you need to gather as much information as possible while remaining objective. Additionally, fact-finding will help you analyze a problem and uncover any underlying issues as well as possible short and long-term solutions. Determine and execute the most efficient way to collect and analyze any data that can help you.

2. Brainstorm Solutions as a Group and Establish a Deadline - As you review the pros and cons of each of your options, make sure you do it as a group, and with a deadline. This will allow you to stay focused and maintain efficiency. Consolidate your information onto a chart or spreadsheet. It also helps to have at least one associate assisting with your analysis. While the decision is ultimately yours, others can provide insight and/or pros and cons that you may not have noticed.

3. Evaluate Results - Once you have decided upon a decision and implementation schedule, you need to analyze how you have done. Do not be afraid to make adjustments or take notes for future decisions.

4. Remain Consistent - As you tackle the decision making process, keep in mind that you always want to remain objective in your analysis while managing your stress and stress of others. And of course, good decisions come from staying focused on what the options are-both short and long term.

While there are a myriad of ways to handle decision making processes, you cannot overlook this one key element: Work on problem solving as a group. Although the ultimate decision will be yours, an organization cannot move forward or remain innovative without decisive decision makers. By taking action and carefully streamlining your decision making process, you will improve the organization by just making a decision.