Some Ideas on Team Motivation

It's one thing to motivate yourself, but how to get others going? First, you need to be charged up. Picture the scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off when Ben Stein is teaching economics. Does this remind you of your team meetings? If so, you have some work to do on yourself.

The truth is, you really can't motivate other people if they won't let you. What kind of rapport do you have with your team? Do they trust you? Do they respect you? There are many managers who either separate themselves from their team, or go into collusion with them. You can't expect a dictatorial or patriarchal approach to truly motivate anyone. Sure, they may put on a great act, but you will never really get through to them. Or if you bemoan the current economic conditions, or the troublesome customers or lack thereof, you may have gained some drinking buddies, but they will never trust you to push them forward.

Motivating

You need to be a true leader who inspires and enrolls the team with your vision. You need to BE the leader. Are you convinced that you can lead? Do you fully believe in your mission? Do you live the values of your organization? You see, it's far more important for a leader to be respected than liked. If the team likes you, they will tolerate you; if they respect you, they will trust you to lead them.

Then, the team needs to have a common goal and each team member must have individual development and productivity goals. These goals must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results oriented, and tied to a Timeline. The team needs to know what they are shooting for.

Next, understand what motivates your people. Some say that money is the all-important factor. The best ways to use monetary incentives is to tie them to a contest, or sporadically (and privately) give a bonus for a specific reason. While motivating, keep in mind that the effects of monetary incentives are temporary. Pay your employees fairly, and you won't hear complaining about money (and you won't have to worry so much about theft).

Recognition is far more powerful because it lasts. When you recognize your team, both as a group and individually, for their contribution, you will have made a huge investment in their emotional bank account. IMPORTANT: recognition must be sincere and meaningful, and incentives need to be somewhat tangible, such as: a special parking spot, a dinner where you serve them, a plaque that is prominently displayed, etc.

There is nothing more powerful to help your business succeed than a motivated team. So, how will you develop as a leader and what actions will you take to get the team going?

Some Ideas on Team Motivation

Copyright © 2008 Kahuna Enterprises, Inc.

Tim Dollmeyer is a certified ActionCOACH business coach. If you have questions or would like to learn about coaching, visit [http://timdollmeyer.com/]

As the world of business moves faster and becomes more competitive, having a Business Coach is no longer a luxury; it has become a necessity! Tim's role is to coach business owners to improve their businesses using the proven systems provided by ActionCOACH coupled with his experience and yours. Tim will work with you to develop your vision and then get you into Action to achieve it.

Tim is a powerful and inspirational presenter who uses humor and audience participation to bring his point across in a way that will make a big impact on you and your business. Whether teaching business management, leadership or team building, Tim will help you to view your business in a whole new way. Tim presents workshops for every aspect of growing a business. Each program can be tailored to your company's specific needs. He also delivers workshops in various areas such as conflict resolution, negotiating and public speaking.

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What Can You Do to Motivate Your Staff?

How do you motivate people to do the job you need them to do? How do you get your employees excited about their job? How can you inspire them to work harder and want to produce more? Most employers would agree that the best employees are the ones that are self-motivated. Our hope when we hire someone is that they are so excited about getting the job that they naturally would be motivated to do a great job.

This is probably the case most of the time, at first, but what about when they have been on the job six months, are they still as motivated like they were the first week? Probably not, are you? None of us are, but we still have to work every day, so what is the key to keep motivated to do what we need to do and to motivate others to do the same?

Motivate

Employees that are motivated are loyal and dedicated to what they do. It is a fact that businesses that have motivated employees have less turnover and overall higher profits. The more motivated your staff the higher your office productivity will be. Motivating your employees then is essential to having a successful practice. You first need to ask yourself are you a motivational employer? Do you think that motivating employees should be your responsibility? Ask yourself the following few questions.

1. Am I open in sharing essential information with my employees?
2. Do I encourage my staff to take ownership of their job and make them feel that they are part owners of the practice?
3. Do I care very much about my employees as people and want them to be successful?
4. Do I believe that it takes more than good pay to motivate employees?
5. Do I offer and support continuing education and certification for my staff to further their career in this profession?
6. Do my employees say that I inspire them to do the best job possible?

In order for your employees to be motivated about their job, they need to have you and your lead office staff (office managers or supervisors) to be motivators. If you answered yes to most of the questions above then you are on the right track to understanding what it takes to be a people motivator.

Not only does it take you the employer being a motivator, but there is a bigger question that needs to be answered, and that is to finding out what motivates your employees. This is a huge challenge for both you and your office supervisory staff. Motivation is a very personal thing and can be different for each person. What motivates one person my not motivate another. Yet there are certain things that have a wide appeal to almost everyone and one of these is recognition and rewards for work well done.

A few things to keep in mind to help get the motivational ball rolling are to ask your employees what motivates them. Understanding what motivates your employees is the key to being able to motivate them. Some people are motivated by increased responsibilities and knowledge.

Others are motivated by doing a great job and earning extra time off and to others it may be monetary rewards or moving up in the practice. Whatever it is that motivates them it is your responsibility to find out. I have talked to doctors who will tell me that they don't understand why their staff does not get excited about what they do and want to more at work and when I ask them what have they found out that motivates the person to do this, they do not know because they have never asked. It is vital that we understand this critical area in order to be able to motivate someone.

"Employees are not adequately recognized or rewarded. Recent reports indicated that half of the surveyed workers say they received little or no credit, and almost two-thirds say management is much less likely to praise good work than to offer negative criticism when problems occur. Research findings are based on surveys of about 1.2 million employees at 52 primarily Fortune 1000 companies from 2001 to 2004." SOURCE: "Stop Demotivating Your Employees!" by David Sirota et al., Harvard Management Update (January 2006)

It is too often that employers forget that the people that work for them are people, with feelings and people that need motivation to keep producing more at their job. As an owner you benefit financially for producing more, but what about your staff? Do they feel that they are being asked to work harder and take on more tasks in the same amount of time just to put the buck in your pocket? Many times as an employer we get blinded by the issues of running the business and just expect those that work for us to step up and do more without any compensation or recognition. If you are paying your staff an hourly wage, you need to think about why they should produce more during each hour and not be compensated for it.

According to Barry Silverstein in "Collins Best Practices Motivating Employees", there are three main points to motivating employees that are essential. Failing to address even one of these three factors will negatively affect morale:

• Fair treatment in pay, benefits, and job security.
• The opportunity to achieve and take pride in one's work.
• Good relations with coworkers.

In running a practice over the past ten years I have found that I must pay those who work for us fairly according to the standard in our community for the job that is expected and the talents that the employee is bring into the practice, in order to show them that I respect who they are and what they are worth to us. We also found that we can offer benefits that do not cost us a cent, such as flexibility for an employee that needs to leave early to take a child to a ball game, attend a family function or dentist appointment, these are great motivators to everyone.

We never treat any employee as if they are disposable, each person has value to the practice and they know it by the respect we show them. We try everyday to make each person feel good about what they have done at work that day, to show them why their job is important to us and to those patients that they serve so they can see the bigger picture. Training also plays a big part in motivating employees. Your employees will feel that if you take the time to spend investing in their continued training that you truly feel that they are of value to you and your practice. Who would not be motivated by that?

Have faith in your staff, delegate with confidence that they can and will perform to the best of their ability. Show them that you have confidence that they will perform tasks to your expectation because you have taken the time to show them what that expectation is. They in turn will respect you as an employer because you treat them as a valued partner in your practice.

Take the time to reflect on what motivates you to keep doing the job that you are doing and what motivates you to want to do more. Ask the whys and what's that keep you moving forward. This will help you to understand the complexity of what you need to find out about the people that work for you so you can help keep them moving in the same direction.

"I have yet to find the man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval then under a spirit of criticism." -Charles Schwab, Founder of Charles Schwab & Co.

What Can You Do to Motivate Your Staff?

Welcome to Practical Practice Management where you will find a full spectrum of resources for physicians, office managers and medical personnel to meet the needs of the operational challenges we face in today's medical arena. http://www.gotoppm.com/index.html

Tina Del Buono, PMAC

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7 Tips to Help You Lose Weight Now

You don't have to be a brain surgeon to lose weight. Most people of average health can do it, but like any goal, you have to commit to it and work every day to achieve it. Here are seven tips to help you lose weight fast.

Commitment

Motivation

Losing weight not only requires commitment and hard work, but motivation. Find out what motivates you. Is it your health? Looking good? Being physically fit? Being able to be active for your children. Find out what is most important to you and focus on that motivation factor - not just losing weight.

Don't Fall for Quick Fixes

Losing weight is a long term commitment. Keep this in mind as you plan your weight loss. Don't fall for "quick fixes and the latest fad diet to come along. Avoid any promises that will help you lose weight overnight or with "magic" pills that will make you lose weight overnight. These not only don't work but can cause irreparable damage to your body and overall health.

Small Goals

Plan small, achievable weight loss goals and focus on them. Concentrating on losing one or two pounds a week and meeting that goal sets you up for success. If you focus on losing 50 pounds, you will see it as a goal you can't possibly reach. Losing just 10% of body weight is the benchmark goal for improving health. Losing weight the right way means the healthy way and one of the huge benefits is that you won't gain it back.

Gain Muscle

Most people are afraid of gaining muscle because it shows up on the scale as a weight gain, but gaining muscle is essential to losing fat. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so by gaining muscle, you are speeding up your metabolism and will in turn burn more fat.

Don't look at the scales

Use how you feel and how your clothes are fitting to monitor your weight loss. When you are losing weight and getting in shape, sometimes the scales just don't reflect this. If the scale isn't showing that you've lost any weight, but your pants are easier to button - you're on the right track. You could even set your goals by clothes size instead of pounds lost.

Find activities that you enjoy

Losing weight doesn't have to mean hours in the gym or exercise classes each day. There are plenty of activities that you can find that you will enjoy that will help to keep you strong and lean and burning calories.

Avoid Drastic Calorie Cuts

Don't cut your calories by more than 500 per day. Research has shown that individuals who go on a strict diet tend to give up at some point. If they revert back to old (generally unhealthy) eating habits, they not only gain the weight back, but put on some more weight!

7 Tips to Help You Lose Weight Now

Now that you know how to lose weight, take action and start right now. Go to http://www.Belly-Fat-Diet.com to learn more helpful tips to help you lose weight fast. Just think, in one month, you can lose belly fat, reach your goal of losing 10%, and be on your way to a much healthier and happier life.

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Motivational Songs For Kids of All Ages

Motivational Songs are good for the mind, body and spirit in kids of all ages. If you are like me, a kid staring at 40, listening to motivational songs gives me that much needed pick-me-up in the middle of the day transforming my entire mood, bringing me to my feet, and inviting me to dance. And more importantly, for my own kids, motivational songs teach valuable life lessons that will conjure up powerful memories for many years to come.

A song is motivational if it has a positive and encouraging message. For example, lyrics like "You can get it if you really want, but you must try," suggest ideas of determination and hard work. However, some songs might have an upbeat rhythm that frees the mind and moves the body...like in the theme song from the Rocky series "Gonna Fly Now". That invigorating horn arrangement, along with that rock guitar solo, oh and that string movement are so powerful it gives you that little push, the extra energy to get up and go.

Motivational

Even school teachers find that the right music helps facilitate learning by creating a desirable atmosphere and energizes activities for children. It can also help them to increase their attention, improve their memory, release tension, and so much more. How cool is that?

As a mother of 2 small children, I also find that motivational songs give them positive sayings that you won't be embarrassed to hear them repeat or sing along to. Subsequently, for parents, motivational lyrics become words of wisdom to use when teaching kids about the "trials and tribulations" of life that Princess Tiana sings about in "Almost There" (SEE BELOW). Basically, they work just like inspirational quotes do. But, since they have the ability to get stuck in the listener's head and repeat into oblivion, motivational songs are that much more powerful!

Fortunately, motivational songs can be found in all genres and from an array of artists old and new, popular and not so popular. Although there are so many to choose from, here are just a few I have introduced my children to. These are in no particular order.

1. "Accentuate the Positive" sung by Dr. John, is a highly stylized version of the old standard that was featured in the movie The Mighty Ducks. This one leaves them singing along to some very good words of wisdom that were originally written by Harold Arlen who was reported to have been inspired by a church sermon he had heard with the same title.

2. "You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!" is a beloved Disney classic tune from Peter Pan. Its charismatic "old school" charm is still refreshing after all of these years.

3. "We Did It!" from Dora the Explorer series is simply a celebration of achievement. It has an undeniably infectious beat and always brings you to your feet to dance.

4. "Walking Tall" by Ziggy Marley and featuring Paul Simon, is a new catchy tune written in the tradition of his father's positive lyricism. There is an important lesson being taught here, and is done in such a cute way that it is destined to become a hit!

5. "Tomorrow" sung by Alicia Morton from the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Annie. I can recall those lyrics being there for me growing up, and hope other children find them as equally encouraging.

6. Although "Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah" sung by James Baskett isn't a favorite yet amongst my kiddies, Grandma loves it and every time we are in the car, that is her first request. Maybe I should have picked the Miley Cyrus version...which leads me to...

7. "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus is the one the 3-year-old loves best. There is a great message in this one, too. But, I don't even think she cares! It's Hannah Montana!

8. "All Star" by Smash Mouth is a late nineties classic with a great message so wholesome it has already been featured in countless movies, commercials, and "best of" compilations and never gets old. Not only does it bring you to your feet, but it fills your kids' mouths with some great words that can boost self-esteem and inner confidence.

9. "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley is a reggae classic that also hits home for so many people..."Don't worry 'bout a thing...every little thing's gonna be alright." Who doesn't need to here that from time to time? It's a great song for kids and certainly has lyrics to live by.

10. "My Favorite Things" by Julie Andrews is first and foremost always a great vocal workout! She hits those notes and holds them as long as only she can. But in her rendition of this popular standard, she clearly delivers a great solution to anyone feeling down in the dumps...Make a list of your favorite things. Pull them out when you need them, and let it work miracles on your mood. Great idea!

11. "Almost There" by Anika Noni Rose from Disney's new The Princess and the Frog film is so good it was nominated for an Academy Award this year. It's so easy to sing along to, all the while relaying an important message about determination. How many times have you needed a tune like this to help you stay motivated when nearing the finish line?

The important thing to remember is that by taking the time to do a little picking and choosing of what they listen to, just like they monitor what they watch, parents can regain some power to control the ideas and images that penetrate their children's minds. Furthermore, by feeding them with positive ideas and images through music, parents can program their children to become stronger, more independent, and successful individuals. Pretty cool, huh?

And, did I mention CHEAP? Amazon not only lists "Walk Tall" by Ziggy Marley as FREE, but each download is only .99 cents a piece. And, for a collection of 11 songs, that totals out to about .90. Now that's a bargain! You don't even have to leave the comfort of your home. It downloads instantly and you can unveil it to your kids within minutes.

Simply put, motivational songs are a fun, easy, and cheap way to teach your children about hard work, discipline, determination, respect for others and more. And as parents, this is the most important work we can do and motivational songs allow us to do it "in the most delightful way!"

Motivational Songs For Kids of All Ages

For more information on motivational songs for kids and to preview the songs, please visit http://www.motivational-songs.com.

Stay-at-home mom returning to work to pursue life-long dream of launching a successful music company. Together with her partner, they are building the web's largest list of motivational songs to serve a a resource for people looking for some extra encouragement. To check it out, please click here: http://www.motivational-songs.com

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Best Quotes For Business - How To Choose Them?

People are influenced by the words of those who have already achieved success. They give hope and things seem more attainable. By hearing motivational quotes from successful people, we are led in the direction of achieving our own dreams. In the same way, quotes can greatly affect a business. When strategically chosen they can improve and gear a company towards being the best. They can really do wonders.

Every company differs in the way it is managed. Whether you are an employer or employee, there are a lot of simple ways how you can integrate quotes in the workplace. The question is, how can you choose the best quotes that are beneficial for your business?

Motivation

Success is what every person aspires for; therefore choose ones that convey it. They can somehow rub off to employees, making them yearn for it, urging them to work harder and be the all that they can be. Later on, success becomes viral, and collectively it will define the company.

Select quotes that foster camaraderie in the office, they will build a more motivated workforce. Nothing beats teamwork in achieving progress, and quotations shared between individuals can be carried away from the framework of a company into their working attitude. Famous business quotes can actually improve the quality of work.

Another is to choose quotes that symbolize the company, those that reflect what the company stands for. Those can help employees perceive the mission and vision of a company. Bombarded with daily tasks, they will positively affect the outlook of employees towards their work. They can improve employees' perspective on company goals and philosophy, and remind them why their part is important. They will also remind employees how to work and what they're working for.

Also, choose quotes that will promote the business and will create interest in the company. They can be used in a variety of ways to help make a company one of the most desired with regards to employment. The right quote can help job hunters identify with a particular company on a personal level and increase their interest to work for it. It can also show how a company operates and the values it promotes. Through this, anyone interested will easily get a picture of what the company represents and will know if this is the employer they actually want to work for. When it comes to the products or services, they can be used in different ways that will make customers more interested. They convey emotion and you can set an atmosphere where your customers will be more in the mood to buy products or get the services that you offer. Using quotes is a good way to communicate with your customers.

Lastly, select quotes that will encourage people to invest in your company. Companies struggle to get the investment money they need to keep their company running. Efficient marketing skills can help you send your message across to potential investors and make your venture more desirable to them. Aside from presenting expenses, possible profits, a marketing plan and other facts to help investors understand your company, business quotes can be used to show them your passion and what the company is really all about. They can help persuade investors to give the company a chance and convince people to become involved.

Choosing the best quotes could make a big difference for a business. Select the ones that suit your company the most. In choosing, bear in mind the concept of success, teamwork and passion, then you will never go wrong.

Best Quotes For Business - How To Choose Them?

Choosing the best quotes for business and applying them correctly could make a big difference for a company. The best quotes can help your team be more productive and successful.

See Also : How to time management The Global Marketing

Motivating Quotes - Start Your Day Off Right With a Daily Quote

Nothing sets your day on a higher note than reading an inspirational or motivational quote. Have you ever got out of bed, thinking 'it's going to be one of those days? If you knew that every day could be a great day, would you think a little differently before getting out of bed each day?

There are literally hundreds of quotes that you could tap into that will set your day off on the right foot and put you in a positive frame of mind that will last the entire day. You will feel happier, more self-confident, and better able to serve others once you have reflected over your quote of the day.

Motivating

You may be thinking, 'how can one little quote change my whole day?" It's a very simple concept. Every morning, before you do anything else (ok, you can pour a cup of coffee first), log into your computer and read a motivational quote. It doesn't have to be paragraphs long - it can be as short as 5 or 10 words. The important factor is the meaning, not the length. Now, take five minutes and write this quote down in your journal or a notebook. Reflect on it - what does it mean to you? How can you apply this to your day today? How can you apply it everyday? Put together a plan of action of one thing you will do differently because of the quote you read.

In a short time, after doing this every day for 5 days a week, you will have a notebook full of quotes, and an action plan on how to improve your life and take action to make sure you achieve your goals. Don't be afraid to add notes, pictures and magazine cut-outs to help you create your vision.

So, how do you find these daily quotes that can have a profound effect on your life? A simple internet search will provide you with many sites that have a comprehensive list of quotes. Some will let you sign up to receive a quote in your inbox; some you will have to visit and get the quote from the website; whichever method you choose, the result is the same. You will become a much more positive-minded person and you will be able to take positive experiences out of every negative situation. You will start to see opportunity where others see failure.

You will be happier, healthier, and better able to handle any challenge that comes your way. And all from a little daily quote!

Motivating Quotes - Start Your Day Off Right With a Daily Quote

Famous Quotes and Great Quotes that Inspire:
We are proud to be the best and most comprehensive hand-built famous quotes site in the world. Millions of students and researchers use our unique education and information resource annually. All our quotations have been carefully researched, collected and verified for your use and pleasure.
A million people can't be wrong! That's the number of monthly visitors who use our resource of inspirational life sayings from the world of literature, politics, celebrity, movies and much more!

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Tips to Communicate Change Effectively to Staff

Like many internal communications, you may find that communicating change is a very demanding part of your role. In today's environment, change is a fact of life. Companies, resistant to change, risk losing their competitive edge.

The process of change is complex. As human beings we often feel threatened by change. But the irony is that without change we might still all be living in caves. We have to admit that change can be exciting as well as challenging as it stimulates innovation and creativity. Good for business and good for us. The question is, "Is it possible to assist in managing change without all the drama?"

\"Motivational Techniques\"

Before engaging in communicating change, it is important to understand the psychology of change and your role in the change process. Change needs to be effectively managed and communicated so that it is embraced rather than rejected.

One of the more sensitive areas to manage is your senior management team. They may be driving the change initiative, but may not be so good at communicating ideas in a way that is accessible to all staff. They may not even have a framework for managing the change process. Part of your job is likely to be supporting your key stakeholders and making it easy for them to communicate effectively to staff at all levels.

How can I communicate change and minimise negative aspects of the change process?
There are change management methodologies, which have proven to be successful when implementing changes. These provide a framework for managing the change and change communications process. Select processes that suit you and your company's culture and that are appropriate to the type of change you wish to implement.

When researching change management, it doesn't take long to learn about trust. It takes time to win employee trust, which is the foundation of an employee's commitment to the business. It takes time to build it but only moments to destroy it. Signs that trust has been eroded include lower productivity, poor morale, resistance to change, a strong rumor mill and good staff leaving. A good change management process with effective, honest internal communications can avoid all this and make implementing changes an exciting and rewarding challenge.

Understand the psychology of change
Don't let the change curve become a roller coaster - Change is a complex issue. Many of us do not embrace the need for change, especially when things appear to be moving along just fine. We are firmly ensconced in our comfort zone and have a sense of wellbeing. In the business world, however, senior management needs to be at least one step ahead in order to maintain their organization's competitive edge. Senior management may read 'comfort zone' as 'stagnation' and immediately start planning to innovate and improve.

Prior to announcing any change, someone has obviously thought about the current situation, analyzed solutions, and come up with a plan. This takes time. This plan is then often rolled out to the employees. Being suddenly confronted with a change plan, and feeling left out of the loop, makes many employees feel anxious.

During times of organizational change, employees can become less productive and question their job security. Their response to change is often emotionally charged and if change is not managed and communicated effectively the chances of success reduce significantly.

'The Change Curve' graphically describes the psychology of change. It lists stages that employees typically move through during a change initiative. These stages range from Satisfaction (I am happy as I am) through Denial (This isn't relevant to my work), Resistance (I'm not having this), Exploration (Could this work for me?), Hope (I can see how I can make this work for me), right through to Commitment (This works for me and my colleagues). We mustn't overlook the fact that when there are significant changes, people may need time to grieve for any perceived or real losses.

To communicate effectively, it is vital to recognize your employees' mindset at any stage of the process, so that you can support them, validate their feelings and move them through to the commitment stage.

Typically at the start of any change initiative employees experience:

o Fear; e.g. of job loss or of increased responsibilities
o Frustration; e.g. with the process or with lack of information, or even
o Acceptance; e.g. they recognize that change is needed or inevitable.

Understanding the needs of your key stakeholder groups and where they are along the continuum of the change curve enables you to hone your communications plan. Selecting a framework with an iterative approach, allows you to make subtle (or not so subtle changes) so your role in the change process is as effective as possible.

Think strategically and clarify your messages

Why are we changing?

Even when you have the trust of your employees, they won't get alongside and make changes unless you provide a compelling and logical reason to change. Your strategy should be to motivate staff through inspiration, not desperation.

Having a structured process is only part of your strategic planning. An iterative process that allows you to make continual improvements depending on the feedback you receive is an excellent approach. Acting on feedback demonstrates that you are not only listening to your employees but taking note of them too. This can be a powerful way of engaging staff and moving them through to the Exploration stage of the Change Curve.

Part of a successful change management process must include communicating strategically. This includes ensuring that your management team communicate effectively. A strategic move might be to measure how effective managers are at communicating key messages and to provide some training for those who perform poorly. Roger D'Aprix comments that as soon as some leaders meet resistance they either ignore it or want to squash it. He suggests a more strategic approach; one that embraces engagement through:

o Trust
o Compelling logic
o A match of actions and words
o Involvement of those who are affected
o Communicating a sense of confidence and minimizing fear
o Repetition of the primary themes.

Think about these building blocks when you are crafting key messages to support the change process.

To build on trust, you need to be honest. Miss the chance to make a compelling case for change, and you will find that employees will concoct their own, usually less flattering, reasons for change. Don't assume that the negative people will necessarily sabotage your project. They will if you let them, but it is your job to win them over. Converts can become your greatest allies.

'Walk the talk', since actions speak louder than words. Engage those who are directly affected. You may not like some of the messages you hear, especially during the Denial and Resistance stages. However, acknowledging people's fears is one way of minimizing anxiety, especially if you work in an environment of trust and honesty.

Your messages need to accentuate the positive and eliminate (or at last minimize) the negative. Repetition is a powerful tool. People only hear the message when they are ready to hear it. Those of us who are constantly bombarded with information have got really good at screening out noise. So, repeat your key messages until everyone gets it.

Customize and target messages to each your key stakeholder groups. Don't forget to massage your messages to take into account staff mindset at each stage of the project.

Make sure you see the project through to the end. If this means giving extra support to some groups, or providing additional training, do it. The behaviors need to become embedded.

Sun Microsystems' 'Knowledge, Attitude, Action' model provides a tactical approach based on moving staff from an existing position to a desired one. For example, seek to move:

o Current employee knowledge from 'I don't know our strategy' to 'I know where we are going'
o Current employee attitude from 'I'm scared I'll lose my job' to 'I'm excited about my future'
o Current employee action from 'I just do what I'm told' to 'I proactively shape my work to help the company meet its goals.'
Clear, positive messages give a clear and positive direction.

If you do not have a strategic plan, staff may feel demotivated and suspicious. You could spend a lot of time and money on communications, but still find staff uncommunicative or feeding the rumor mill. Think strategically and craft clear messages and make your communications work for you.

Listen
Do staff need to offload and should you let them?
Many change management projects get stuck right into telling staff what changes to make and then start filling them in on all details. This type of insensitive approach can cause employees to feel shocked and ambushed. And this initial shock is often followed by behaviors such as denial, anger, 'blocking' and in some cases depression.

Staff need time to come to grips with what the change means to them before they can move on. Since these emotions are an expected part of the change curve, it is wise to provide some avenues whereby staff can have their say. Staff who perceive that they may lose their job, or be relocated, or redeployed need to voice their concerns. Listening to and acknowledging their views will assist them and you.

Part of your role, therefore, is to find ways of listening and listening proactively. You need to create opportunities to hear what people are thinking after any changes are announced. You can use a variety of approaches such as team meetings, interviews, or open forums. It is important not just to gather feedback but to probe deeper so that you really understand the issues and understand how these issues affect each individual. Communication should be a two-way street.

Staff may be exploring their feelings as well as their options, so making comments beginning with 'but' or trying to answer their questions does not help them or you to clarify the issues. So listen first and try to get to the heart of the matter and acknowledge what they feel.

Sometimes staff just need a place to let off steam. If you do not listen to staff and allow their feelings and ideas to be heard, then rumor and resentment can grow. Even if you have to communicate bad news, you can manage the process with dignity. Active and empathetic listening is paramount in this process.

Use face to face meetings for sensitive issues, and allow plenty of time to hear responses and to answer questions. If you need to comment, keep your message brief and clear.

Staff may think of additional questions or wish to make further comments once they have had time to assimilate your information. Time may not permit you or other managers to have continual face to face meetings, so you may need to think of other ways to 'listen.'

Get engagement
I'll just keep my head down and get on with my job?

Management should not to ignore the people side of change management. According to a Harvard Business Review study, 70 percent of change initiatives are not successful because organizations fail to manage the human reaction to change.

Engagement begins at the top and applies to all levels of management. Research shows that employees tend to trust, and would rather communicate with, their immediate manager or supervisor. The implication is that this level of management plays a vital role in communicating and implementing change. Getting all levels of your management team involved in the planning and shaping of communications will make them better project champions.

Engagement is not just for the management team, it is for the staff too. Engagement takes time and patience. And you need to start at the beginning of the change process.

Steve Lemmex suggests a two part strategy. The first part involves managing resistance to change. Key strategies, at this stage, include being open, honest and giving people time to express their feelings and to come to grips with the implications of the change.

The second part involves being patient and ensuring staff are ready for the Exploration stage. This is when you involve staff by asking them to explore the 'what, why, when and how' things need to be done. This inclusive approach maximizes buy in and validates your staff skills. It encourages engagement. Involving people and letting them take ownership drives acceptance and commitment. In addition, staff often find innovative ways to make things work that managers would never have thought of.

Getting engagement often requires sensitivity, especially if there is bad news for some. Make the best of difficult situations, even if this means acknowledging what has not gone well. Where there is loss, (staff leaving or projects being abandoned) give staff time to grieve. Acknowledging loss gives closure and allows people to move on.

If you are working on a project that has experienced communications problems you may want to signal a radical change and commit to improving communications from this point forward. Once you are certain of support for really effective and open communication, why not formally bid farewell to the old way and welcome a new beginning with a celebration.

Tackle issues honestly and positively. Try to view circumstances dispassionately as emotions can cloud issues. As staff become actively engaged in improving their circumstances, they will feel empowered and positive.

Getting the right message to the right audience
So what's this got to do with me?

People are really good at hearing what they want to hear and screening out messages that they either don't want to hear, or are not ready to hear. This makes your role in internal communications a complex one, particularly in times of change. When significant changes are being planned, you not only need to understand each stakeholder group but you also need to take into account individuals and how they may react on a personal level to the changes. You have to get the message and the language right.

You will have clear messages that support the planned changes and assist in moving the project forward. However before communicating these messages, conduct a systematic audit of your audiences. Consider their needs, the way change may affect them and their current mindset. Then adapt your messages to ensure each group understands each message as you intend them to, so that subsequently, each person acts or thinks in the way you desire.

Repetition is important. You don't want to bombard staff with information, but you do want to keep up momentum, and you do want staff to receive the right information at the right time. Consider using a variety of ways to send and receive information and messages. Use push and pull strategies. Some information will need to be pushed out to staff, whereas other information can just be there for when staff need it.

If you are the intermediary in some of the communications, make sure you respond in a timely manner to all interested parties.

Get the right people involved in communicating the change initiative. This sends a strong message to staff. Engaging people who have an in-depth understanding of the way your business runs, who are team players and who staff respect will make your communications tasks so much easier. They can smooth transitions, provide context for their teams, model the right behaviors and act as project champions for you. So when your staff ask, 'What's this got to do with me? Your team has all the answers.

Communicate, communicate, communicate
Nobody told me

Human beings often screen out what they don't want to hear, or what they are not ready to hear. No matter how vociferous you have been, you will always find someone who says, "Nobody told me!"

So what implication does this have for internal communications? Three strategies spring to mind:

1. Get sign off from staff to say they have received and understood information. At some stage you might need proof.
2. Take an iterative approach, so that key messages are repeated. Try delivering the same message through different channels, or presenting it differently, to prevent boredom setting in.
3. Make sure your strategy includes preparing people to receive information. Listening is often overlooked. Listen proactively, acknowledge emotions and ideas and receive feedback. Get staff actively involved and engaged to help them be receptive to your messages.

Communication can be about timing. Staff who are informed in advance are more likely to be excited and motivated than staff who find out about developments accidentally or through the media. It is not surprising that staff feel shocked or become angry if they find out about significant changes through a media announcement. They may feel they have lost face (which can be devastating, especially in some cultures). We all concede that there are many occasions when staff simply cannot be informed of everything. But what can you do to assist? One avenue may be to organize a staff briefing that occurs at the same time as a public announcement. You need to get your timing right, so you don't make a bad situation worse by appearing to be insensitive or tardy.

When staff become aware of impending change, this is the time when leaks spring and the rumor mill fires up. When this happens, keep communication channels open, communicate up, down and across the lines of communication, and prepare managers well.

Effective communication is ongoing, two-way, and targeted. Brief is good. Don't bog staff down with lengthy missives. They are busy enough with their work and dealing with the changes, without having to decipher complex, lengthy or irrelevant reports.

You can't avoid the fact that sometimes you have bad news to communicate. If you have built up trust, communicate honestly and clearly, and have in place strategies to cope with staff reactions (loss, grief, dismay), then you and your staff are in the best position to deal with the situation in a productive and dignified way.

Keep communicating even when a change project is reaching its final stages. Make sure you see it through. Reinforcing new skills, practices or behaviors is a vital part of embedding the change. Don't let staff revert back to the old ways by cutting the communications cord too soon.

Use the right communications channels
I found out my job was under threat by email!

As communications experts, you know how important it is to select the right communication channel. It is too easy to get so caught up in a busy project that you overlook some of the basics. So while planning your communications strategy, make sure you take time to select the right tool for the job.

Research shows that face to face communication is required if you really want staff to adopt new behaviors. Face to face is also the best channel for planning and dealing with sensitive issues. It allows you to gauge reactions, to get instant feedback and to ensure that everyone has received and understood the message.

You may not want to front up to people when you have to communicate bad news. But if you are honest and empathetic, and demonstrate that you are prepared to listen, to take note of feedback and to answer the hard questions, then you have delivered unpalatable news in the best possible way. They may not like the message, but they will respect you for fronting up.

Even if you are on a mission to save trees, don't forget about paper. It is still best for complex and lengthy material. It is also very useful to support face to face and phone conversations.

The intranet is great for searching for and retrieving factual information. But take note, the intranet does not change behavior, you need the personal touch to do this.

Email, it is quick and convenient and overused. 'Communicating change via email or voicemail is like ending a relationship that was - it's just bad form. It leaves the recipient bewildered and angry, and whom ever is delivering the message looking very bad.' (Veronica Apostolico, Ref 9). In addition, email is not always considered effective. A District Court ruling in Massachusetts on employee communications found against a company that communicated a change in procedure via email, because the message was not effectively communicated. If you do choose to convey important information via email, make sure you get some acknowledgment of receipt and understanding.

There are now so many channels to choose from, it's a good idea to list the ones you have available, and then match the message to the channel. Using a variety of channels means that you can repeat messages, without looking as if you are hammering home a point (even if you are). It means that staff can't 'escape' from what's happening, or deny all knowledge.

There are other issues to consider when devising your communication strategy. What information needs to be pushed out to staff and what should staff 'pull' in? If you are pushing information, how can you be sure they have received it? And if you have provided information for staff to find and use as required, do you need to know how many 'hits' the information gets, so you can measure how much it is used?

Using project champions can be a powerful ploy. Project champions communicate really strongly by modeling behaviors, through conversing with staff, and demonstrating how proposed changes really work for your staff.

Use story telling to paint the picture
I just don't see how that'll work

'... truly flexible, fully integrated, adaptable IT infrastructure using an SOA approach to develop modular, easily integrated and reused...blah blah blah...' Does this mean anything to your staff, apart from those in IT?

How can you make this message sound exciting? Why not get them to visualize it and paint a picture instead? For example, 'Just think after go-live, all you have to do is to click on the client contact, and from there you can complete all the transactions. You no longer have to open several applications, or photocopy documents, or scan in information. Our new system will do all that for you behind the scenes.'

Tell stories so staff can visualize outcomes. Many cultures prefer a narrative approach, rather that the abrupt, business-like approach that we often adopt. In everyday life, most people tell stories to get their point across, or illustrate their viewpoint by giving concrete examples.
Story telling is relevant to all stages of the change process. At the outset, encourage staff to visualize what the changes will look like. Then they can see exactly what needs to be done. Visualization is very powerful when it encapsulates a positive view of the future. This is especially useful when trying to get staff to move from 'Could this work for me?" to 'I can see how I can make this work for me.'

Building scenarios makes change seem possible and gets everyone past blinkered thinking. This is partly because many people are not comfortable with abstract ideas and theory. Making your project concrete makes it real, and making it real makes it happen. Creative visualization has long been recognized as an effective tool for planning and implementing change. So add it to your toolbox.

Make it easy for management to communicate effectively?
I don't have time to see everyone.

Don't ignore the people side of change. Change management is usually studied from a technical viewpoint. For example, how can the changes be implemented and what processes, procedures or approaches are required. Buzz words such as process re-engineering and corporate re-structuring appear to deny human involvement. But change affects staff and the effect on staff cannot be ignored. Managers need to hone their communications skills so they communicate with tact and diplomacy.

Work as a team and plan alliances that will help you smooth the path to change. Note that 'data from 25,000 employees, in diverse industries, consistently rank front-line managers No 1 in credibility. Employees are also more comfortable speaking up with questions and ideas to their immediate manager than with any other management level'. If senior management does not have time to see everyone, maybe they should delegate some communications to their front line managers. Train managers to deliver the right message to their unique audience. Their role is to provide context around key messages in a way that suits their team's style and emotions.

You may need to train managers to play an active role in planning and delivering messages about change initiatives. This training could include motivational techniques, team building, negotiation, delegation or dealing with conflict. Managers need to understand that resistance is part of the normal reaction to change. Anticipating this through proactive planning enables management to prepare their staff for change, so that they move quickly along the change curve, from Denial and Resistance, to Exploration, Hope and Commitment. Managers, who are movers and shakers in the change management process, may need a reminder that many staff need time to come to terms with change. Planning some 'being patient' time could save time in the long run.

Contrary to popular belief, management often find it very time-consuming to write reports to staff, or even if they find time, you, as internal communications, may feel that their language or approach makes their report inaccessible. Support them and make it easy for them. Having a variety of communication channels available is very helpful, especially if you select approaches and tools that make everything as quick and intuitive as possible.

If your CEO is not able to meet face to face to deliver a sensitive message, then maybe a video presentation would be an effective alternative for conveying the message. Staff will still be able to hear the emotion and see the passion. Good communicators can instill confidence and enthusiasm, and in so doing they still the rumor mill and quell unfounded anxieties.

If writing a report seems too formal or time-consuming, then consider submitting a short article in your company newsletter of magazine. A slightly less formal format may assist management to use a more 'user-friendly' and 'human' approach.

Success can be enhanced if managers play an active role in both planning and delivering messages about change initiatives.

Measure results, celebrate success
I am sure that we got the message across. But what did actually happen?

Measurement is critical in times of change and the best communication strategies involve measuring for effectiveness. It is important to understand whether messages are hitting the mark and to confirm that people are on the same page as you (or at least the page you expected them to be on).

Your first step is to list the desired outcomes of your change communications project, and decide how you will measure the success of each outcome. And do you have current data to use as a comparison?

You probably want to measure:
o Staff attitudes (to the project, to how well their managers get the message across)
o Staff emotions (where they are on the change curve?)
o Level of skill development or knowledge acquisition
o How well is your communications strategy working?
o Have messages been received, read and understood?

If you measure every step of the way, you can tweak messages and change tack when an approach is not working as well as it might. Regular surveys that give a snapshot of how people are feeling allow you to track the overall trend, otherwise it is easy to let your opinion of progress be colored by the 'squeaky wheels' in your organization;

You need to gather qualitative as well as quantitative data, and decide on effective ways to present and use the information. Proof of progress validates your planning, informs management and motivates staff.

Tips to Communicate Change Effectively to Staff

Sarah Perry is a Director of Snap Communications, http://www.snapcomms.com, a company which provides specialist Internal Communications tools and Employee Communications Solutions.

My Links : Motivational Techniques The Global Marketing

Four Reasons Why Motivation is Important

Everyone wants to be successful. But to be successful, there is an important thing you must have and that is motivation. Here are four reasons why motivation is important for success:

1. Motivation helps you get started.

Motivation

Have you noticed the difference between working on something you like and working on something you don't like? I'm sure you can feel the difference. When you're motivated about something, you can work on it effortlessly. Nobody needs to force you to work. Nobody needs to tell you to move. In fact, you are waiting for the opportunity to work. Since getting started is perhaps the most difficult part of getting things done, being motivated is tremendously helpful for you.

2. Motivation helps you keep moving.

Getting started is one thing but keep moving is another thing. Whatever you do, there are always obstacles along the way that can hinder you from achieving success. If you don't have motivation, it's easy to get discouraged when you meet such obstacles. That's why motivation often makes the difference between winners and losers. Winners are those who can go through challenges and difficulties thanks to their motivation. Losers, on the other hand, are those who can't go through challenges and difficulties since they lack the necessary motivation.

3. Motivation makes you do more than necessary.

If you are motivated about something you will voluntarily do more about it than what is required from you. You will naturally go further and dig deeper than other people since you love to do it. While other people will only do what is necessary, you do more than that. In such situation, there is a good chance that you will be more successful than others.

4. Motivation makes the journey fun.

People who don't have motivation will think that the journey to success is long and difficult. Those who are motivated look at it differently. The journey is still long, but it's an enjoyable journey. Not only can they endure it, they actually have fun along the way. Of course, there are always times when things aren't good, but motivation enables you to endure such difficult times.

***

As you can see, motivation helps you in many different ways. It helps you get started, it helps you keep moving, it helps you do more than others, and it makes the journey fun. No wonder motivation plays an important role in your journey to success.

Four Reasons Why Motivation is Important

Donald writes about helping people live life to the fullest. Read his article Self Motivation How to Motivate Yourself.

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How to Motivate Someone Who Has Already Chosen to Give Up

Have you ever run into someone that has hit the wall, bonked or just flat has nothing left? You talk with them and they are completely out of go, all they want to do is quit. You can try to motivate them with good cheer and say; "you can do it, come one let's go, you can do this, come on!" But they still are so intent on quitting they are having none of it, they are not even listening, they have lost all their will, and they have already made up their minds to quit.

Now you might think that at this point there is nothing you can do, you have to leave them, but you can't, you know you can't, that's just not you; that is not what you are about. It's like mountain climbing with someone who is half way up the mountain and so tired they cannot go any further, you cannot just leave them there, if you do they could end up falling. Many people stuck in this distressful situation when trying to motivate others will pretend to leave them and then come back, when this does not work you need to do something else.  

Motivate

You need them to change their minds, as although this is a physical challenge that is the basis for the problem, it has now turned into a mental one. Thus, you must work on it from a psychological stand point. You must also remember that you cannot help someone against their will. They must choose to succeed, choose to face adversity, choose to fight, to dig deep inside when nothing is left.

Once they choose to never surrender, to not give up, it's amazing what they can do. The more adversity they can overcome the stronger they will develop their will to press on. I know, I was there once and someone helped me to keep going. Now when I help others complete their challenges, I will never forget what it's like to be there.  

Many who have chosen to give up will say; "you do not understand," but that is like a teenager telling their parents that they do not understand, sure they do, they were teens once too. So, when trying to help others tell them that you do understand, tell them of your pain and how you made it through, then tell them; "come on, let's do this together!"

How to Motivate Someone Who Has Already Chosen to Give Up

"Lance Winslow" - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

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Annual Goal Setting - How to Set Yearly Goals That Motivate You to Achieve

Annual Goal Setting can help you keep on track in the long run. If you do not have long term plans, then your short term plans will be poor because they have no higher objective.

NEW AREA

Motivate

Each year you should decide on a new area to focus on for that year. Do not overwhelm yourself with hundreds of goals. Pick one goal in one area and when that is complete, you can set another. Most people pick the area in which they lack most. This could be Health, Wealth, Spirituality, Career etc.

KEEP A JOURNAL

Keep a one line journal and write something every day that you put towards achieving your goal. This will be a motivating factor, takes little time and can show you how much you've achieved and when you achieved it.

REST, WORK AND PLAY

Do not forget that with all the work that you will be doing, you need to rest also. Have a day each week where you totally relax by going out with friends or spending time in reflective solitude.

REWARD YOURSELF

Keeping on going towards a distant goal can be challenging at the best of times. Make sure you reward yourself frequently, especially at the start. By doing this you use the power of positive reinforcement to keep your subconscious going towards the goal.

DIVIDE

Divide up your goals into smaller units that you can manage. When you have a clearly defined action which you can act on in the next 24 hours, the goal does not seem so daunting anymore. Have weekly, monthly and half yearly goals.

All In all, what you need is an excellent goal-setting system like no other. One that, as long as you are willing to put in hard work gives you results time after time, again and again. Just think what your life would look and feel like if you could effortlessly achieve your goals? How would your family life, career, income and spiritual life look?

Annual Goal Setting - How to Set Yearly Goals That Motivate You to Achieve

Now the problem is, how do we set those goals and successfully achieve them? To get this essential part of your life sorted towards manifesting the life you love and deserve Click Here!

Thanks To : The Global Marketing Advertising Techniques

Motivation Quotes

Quotes are words full of wisdom that can be shared with anyone who reads them and they can come from anywhere. Normally, they are submitted and rated by visitors like you. Also there are famous quotes from great thinkers from all over the world. Different types of quotes include amusing quotes, friendship quotes, love quotes, and motivational quotes.

Motivating others generates enthusiasm and encouraging others to find solutions when things are not going smoothly is a form of kindness. Motivation quotes are found effective in motivating others, inspiring and stimulating them. Also, they are powerful enough to deflect negative and destructive thoughts.

Motivation

In other words, motivation quotes are words of encouragement that helps you stay focused and committed to your goals. Designed to boost your strength of mind, motivational quotes are capable of making positive changes in your life.

Motivation quotes can be accompanied by breathtaking photographs of nature scenes, ambient music, and artifacts. Sports motivational quotes, business motivational quotes, student motivational quotes, teen motivational quotes, employee motivational quotes, and weight loss motivational quotes are some of the different types of motivational quotes.

Reading or listening to motivation quotes helps you to gain a higher level of performance in all aspects of your life. Motivational quotes help to improve employee productivity, improve your financial position and security, and accelerate the achievement of your goals. Majority of motivational quotes come from artists, noted athletes, business leaders, entertainers, historical leaders, great thinkers, and philosophers. Motivational quotes of great leaders, writers, and poets can help you feel more encouraged.

If you are looking for motivational quotes, then the Internet is the best resource. It includes quotes about motivation, how to motivate, and how to get motivated. In most of the websites, motivation quotes are organized by categories. A wide range of motivational quotes for personal development, success, professional achievement, and positive life change are found in the Internet. Besides the Internet, there are journals and books where you can find the best motivation quotes.

Motivation Quotes

Motivation provides detailed information on Motivation, Daily Motivation, Employee Motivation, Motivation Posters and more. Motivation is affiliated with Christian Motivational Speakers.

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Motivational Video Clips

The intensification of clip culture has lead to the evolution of audio and video clips. Clip culture refers to Internet viewing and sharing of short videos. The popularity of video clips has grown manifold thanks to the growing clip culture. Video clips are streamed video segments and clippings often excerpted from larger videos. They have duration of less than fifteen minutes and show particular moments of significance or noteworthiness from the original video. Video clips are often streamed from news recordings, movies, music videos, and television serials. Video clips help promising camera operators, producers, and video developers to enhance their careers.

Motivational video clips are based on the aspect of inspiring viewers to give stimulus to a particular courageous behavior. These video clips are generally derived from award winning documentaries, motivational films, courageous stories, and motivational speeches. Some of them may be based on interviews of admired personalities who have inspired many individuals all over the nation through their work. Motivational video clips help to stretch the thinking and working capacity of individuals to achieve desired goals by making complete use of their potential. Many motivational speakers employ video producers to develop video clips to encourage the audience to think positively and be confident about their talent.

Motivational

Motivational video clips are viewed by a large number of people who need a change in their thinking and mode of behavior to achieve better results and improve their lifestyle on the whole.

Motivational video clips are available in different formats on the Internet and a few other sources. The video format of the video clip may range from MPEG and AVI to MOV and WMV formats, and can be viewed using most of the common media players. A large collection of motivational video clips can be availed of online at different websites and can be downloaded free of charge. Some websites may however charge for the download depending on the quality and popularity of the video clip.

Motivational Video Clips

Video Clips provides detailed information on Video Clips, Free Video Clips, Funny Video Clips, Crazy Video Clips and more. Video Clips is affiliated with Video Production Companies.

Thanks To : The Global Marketing How to time management

Prioritizing Sales Activities - The Key to Sales Success

We cannot manage time, it simply is. We cannot increase or decrease the supply of time. It is fixed for everybody. All we can do as professional sales people is to try and better manage ourselves with respect to time. What we can also do is adjust our activities according to the time we have at our disposal. Time management signifies managing of activities within the fixed time that we all are allocated in equal measure.

Time is very precious. Every fraction of a second counts - ask any sprinter that has competed in a race. Managing time well is the key to success in every field of endeavor. Achievers in any field would accord the highest importance to time management. Sales is no exception to this. In fact, sales is an area where time management is absolutely needed if one wishes to succeed. Just a few more seconds delay in a closing could let a sale slip away. Calling on the customer at the right time could lead to a deal.

\"Motivational Techniques\"

So how do we manage time? The principles of time management are simple. We will not use any confusing management jargon here and discuss the easy techniques of time management in simple terms.

Prioritizing Tasks

All tasks are not equally important in sales. Some are not even important at all. It requires plain common sense to judge which tasks are important and how much. For instance, you have two tasks at hand.

1- A scheduled meeting with a prospect for tomorrow. There is a new product brought out by your company and there is a strong likelihood of your prospect buying it. But you don't know all the features of the product.

2- You have some cold calls to make. Either you read and consult your production engineer to learn about the product inside out or make the cold calls in the available time. What do you do?

Obviously, learn about the new product and prepare for the meeting with the prospect. You learn everything about the product and mentally rehearse the removal of product specific objections that the prospect may raise. Learning about the product is a priority here. After all, the prospect has been generated after many hours of prospecting and numerous calls. The other task of making cold calls can be postponed by a day or two.

Prioritization may not be as obvious as this given instance. Sometimes the tasks will appear to be equally ranked in the rungs of priority. You have to judge clearly which tasks to rank and work on them.

Beating Procrastination

The habit of postponing sales activities acts like a slow poison and affects performance on other tasks. When important tasks are postponed, it feels like being weighed down by a heavy burden. Putting off an unimportant task is effective prioritization not procrastination. The problem is when sales professionals keep postponing doing important tasks. The reasons could be that:

o They are overwhelmed by the task and clueless as to where to start.
o Afraid of the outcome that could be failure and even success in some cases.
o Waiting for the right mood or the right time which never seems to arrive.
o It has to be done the perfect way or not done at all.
o Poor decision making skills or organizational skills.

The first step to tackle procrastination is recognizing that you are actually procrastinating on something. Then you need to take on the task head first. Do all the preparation required but fix a time to attend to the task and do it. Don't worry about the result, just set about doing the task and give your best. The worst that can happen is that you may fail. What do you have to lose; you had failed anyway by not attending to it. The beauty of tackling a difficult or overwhelming task is that it gets easier and is not as stressful as you imagined it to be when you take it head on. The more you keep postponing a task the more difficult it becomes. Just do it at the earliest opportunity. NOW, is the right time. When you clear up difficult tasks first thing in the day the rest of your day passes like a cool breeze and you can attend to other tasks with a better frame of mind.

Work According to a Schedule

Prepare a daily schedule and make sure that you stick to that. Be flexible to accommodate time for other pressing needs or emergencies. But stick to the basic schedule. Exercise at a particular time in the morning or the evening. Plan your sales call for the next day in the evening and enter it into your schedule or to-do list. Prepare you schedule one or two months in advance.

Apportion the Right Amount of Time

With experience you would know how much time each sales call, meeting, presentation, and closing should take. Apportion the right amount of time for each task.

Cut the Time Wasters Away

Talking for too long with the other office staff, colleagues, and unproductive prospects should be cut away. There are many frivolous activities that may take away your precious time when you are on the job. Keep away distraction and stay focused on the job at hand.

These principles of time management should be applied with a heavy dose of common sense. Soon you will find that you are not rushing and pushing your way to sales appointments and are rarely pressed for time. You will be cruising with full control and will have a lot of time for everything.

Prioritizing Sales Activities - The Key to Sales Success

Doug Dvorak is the CEO of DMG Inc., a worldwide organization that assists clients with productivity training, corporate humor and workshops, as well as other aspects of sales and marketing management. Mr. Dvorak's clients are characterized as Fortune 1000 companies, small to medium businesses, civic organizations and service businesses. Mr. Dvorak has earned an international reputation for his powerful educational methods and motivational techniques, as well as his experience in all levels of business, corporate education and success training. http://www.dougdvorak.com

Thanks To : The Global Marketing

Use Motivational Speeches to Motivate Your Team

If you want to motivate your team, whether it's a sports team or a sales team, a great way to do that is by using motivational speeches. Motivating groups of people is one of the challenges people in leadership positions face every day. This article will be about how you can use the power of words to inspire your team to increase their confidence and their motivation. After reading this article, you will hopefully understand just how powerful this can be in terms of getting the results you want out of your team.

Many people feel that motivational speeches are sort of corny and cheesy. Because of this, many sale managers will completely disregard giving one or showing a video of one. This is a huge mistake. If you want to see just how powerful these speeches can be, hang out in the locker room of the losing team during half-time and you will see a group of people go from feeling self-defeated to feeling nearly unstoppable. When you encourage people during times of struggle and challenge, what you are essentially doing is helping them increase their confidence and belief in themselves. No matter what group of people you are leading, they will need a source of motivation every now and then.

Motivational

One of the greatest things that you can do for your team members is to show them the vision. Every team has a goal that they want to achieve. Whether it's to win the championships or to be the number one sales office in the company, sometimes it's hard for the individual members to focus on things like that. By showing them the vision, what I mean is painting a picture for them. For example, in sales, the toughest thing to have to overcome is the constant rejections. It's easy for someone to start doubting themselves and feeling discouraged. Although some managers will just see them as weak and not right for the job and think that they should be self motivated, that's just an excuse for not doing their job.

As a manager of a sales team, your responsibility is to increase sales. If motivating your team will do that, then it's your duty to do so. You can easily do this by giving them a talk about how you got to where you are today. By doing this, you are painting a picture of where they can one day be. After that, you want to help your team members individually by talking about their personal goals and how it can become a reality if they make the sales.

Giving a motivational speech might not be the easiest thing in the world. That is why there are companies out there that will provide DVD's of speeches that can help with this. You can also hire motivational speakers as well. The bottom line is that motivational speeches work if done right. Use it to increase your team's confidence and their results.

Use Motivational Speeches to Motivate Your Team

Kelly T. contributes to a motivational website that provides tools and resources such as motivational speeches, quotes, songs, and posters. Motivation can come from anywhere, even from a motivational video.

See Also : Motivational Techniques The Global Marketing How to time management

Motivating Yourself

Self motivation is probably one of the best skills to posses in life, at least if you have a certain goal you want to work towards and achieve. The idea behind self motivation is that you are your own enemy when it comes to success and working hard towards the goals you want in life. Just to give you an example: We all want to lose weight and look better naked, but sometimes we just slip up because it is a lot easier to eat that delicious ice cream, candy, burger, pop corn and of course the list can go on for days.

The first step in motivating yourself is knowing what you want to achieve, and remember a goal without a deadline is just a dream! It is of key importance to set a deadline on when you want to achieve the goals you have dedicated yourself to. Having a deadline will push your limits and put you in the mindset of achievement where your brain is subconsciously looking for solutions that can bring you closer to your desired result all the time.

Motivating

The second step after you have decided your goal and the deadline for this goal is to create an action plan. An action plan should entail the immediate plan of action you are going to follow to get closer to your goal. The challenge is that a lot of times we don't know what we should do in order to reach our desired goal, this is the time when you should ask the right questions instead of asking yourself "But how can I take action when I don't know what to do?", "How can I find out what to do when I am a rookie"?. Instead of asking yourself these questions ask yourself this very powerful question that I learned from my Tony Robbins elite coach "What kind of person do I have to be achieve this goal"? Really envision what type of person you have to be and then ask yourself this, "What action steps would that person take?", would he just give up or would he jump in head in and adjust as he goes forward?

After you have created your action step it is important to monitor your results and adjust accordingly. If you see that you are not getting the desired results, adjust a little bit and try something different-just make sure you don't jump around constantly looking for the next magic pill solution - it doesn't exist!

Motivating Yourself

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Thanks To : Motivational Techniques The Global Marketing

Life Quotes: Motivational, Inspirational

Many people have a large repertoire of life quotes at their disposal for use at any appropriate time, and having the right quote at the right time can be very important. While many quotes are not original, a good quote with a good message can stand the test of time and be passed down from generation to generation. Great quotes can be used for a variety of different purposes: to amuse, to inspire, to educate, to inform, or even just to make a person in a bad mood crack a smile and break out of their shell.

Most great quotes are passed down from generation to generation through families and friends. Most of the time, the quotes aren't even passed on intentionally...they simply stick out in a person's mind after hearing them, and down the road, the person finds someone else to pass on this knowledge. Good quotes can be able a variety of different things, and a person who is well versed will have a quote for just about anything.

Motivational

The most useful kinds of quotes are quotes that are either motivational or informative and can be used in just about any situation. Quotes about life that are motivational hold a very dear place in people's hearts. Sometimes something as simple as a quote that one's heard a million times, delivered by the right person at the right time can be all it takes for a person's mood to do a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn.

In addition, there are many informative quotes out there that a person can remember. From quotes along the lines of biblical, proverbial wisdom, to idioms that we use on a daily basis, quotes can provide a cautionary tale for all people to heed. There is a reason quotes are passed down from generation to generation and it's not because the advice is bad or that the advice shouldn't be taken seriously. Quotes are passed down time and time again because the advice holds true time and time again. In most cases, tidbits of useful wisdom transcend generational and technological gaps, and can help anyone who hears them in any time period.

Life quotes are little gems and everyone should have a few up their sleeve. A person never knows when he or she might have the right, life changing piece of wisdom for a friend, coworker, or colleague. Sometimes knowing what to say can make all the difference in the world.

Life Quotes: Motivational, Inspirational

To learn more about life quotes please visit this link!

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Blue Waffle

Many individuals even now think about, "What is exactly Blue waffle infection?" Nowadays there are various infections and their particular quantity gets even larger each day. Then again, you can still find a number of disorders that haven't been explored totally so we have small amount of info on all of them.

Now, we even have 'commercial' conditions that happen to be outlined over the internet and the television programs. Their most important motive would be to cause us worry about our overall health and spend more money buying drugs that may prevent or heal them. And also this refers to nutritional vitamins.

Motive

A particular ailment that turned quite popular, especially on the internet is The Blue Waffle infection. Having said that, you may still find people that haven't found out about this disorder. If you ever speculate the way it acquired that interesting name, there exists very simple reason. Its labeled 'blue' as it alters the color of the vagina or the 'waffle' like it is labeled on the street. It's intriguing that many healthcare information sites don't have any or minimal details about this disease. Therefore it is reasonable that in case this ailment existed, there would be at the least a Latin name for it.

Regardless of if this disease is actually real or not, lots of people continue to try to find it on the web. Many people today seek out more details about this ailment, a variety of them because they're worried and other individuals simply because they're inquiring. In accordance with the analysis we produced, the blue waffle disease is sexually transmitted disease that impacts women.

And when you might try to discover the photo of blue waffle infection, we inform you to avoid that. It's visually shocking photograph but will make you very uncomfortable beyond doubt. Of course, first try to find 'blue waffle reactions' on YouTube to observe precisely how persons react to it. We believe that it's going to tell you not to look for the picture.

Blue Waffle

If you want to read all information about Blue Waffle visit website www.bluewaffledisease.org.

Related : How to time management

How to Help Motivate People With Depression - 3 Steps to Escaping From the Tunnel

Many people who suffer from mood swings and who are feeling down, often need motivation. How to help motivate these people is the aim of this article.

A pretty typical scenario is where a partner is either subject to mood swings or is just totally withdrawn. It sometimes seems that you are living on your own and anger, resentment and loneliness will probably make you depressed as well. It seems that there is no way out. So, how can you help motivate a person like this?

Motivate

These depressed people need motivation because apathy and fatigue are major symptoms. Just by suggesting a visit to a professional for help may actually seem like a daunting task to a depressed person. After all, they are locked into a vicious circle of negativity and hopelessness and have self esteem which is at an all time low. This is not helped either by physical symptoms of pains and aches, because depression can manifest itself in very dramatic physical ways. That may convince the person he or she is really ill and they will sink further into a deeper depression.

The first step to help motivate a depressed person to actually do something is to gently persuade them that have a problem. If you can do that, you can build on ways of helping by giving practical support. That means helping him or her to find a suitable therapist or doctor and of course, accompanying them on the visit.

The second step is to offer love and support 24/7. It really seems a gigantic task when you have to be the loving, cheerful and patient partner while you may be met very often with hostile silence, anger, resentment and also hopelessness. It often seems that you are the one who will need motivation, just to keep going.

The third step is to be an active partner in the sense that you will always encourage some kind of pleasant activity and support them in making certain lifestyle changes which will help motivate both of you. Looking at exercise programs and doing them together are useful ways to bond. Taking part in therapy when necessary and helping him or her stick to the treatment are all useful ways you can help.

Depression should never be brushed under the carpet. The site below will give you some great ideas on how to help motivate each other and make positive lifestyle changes. The site also examines herbal remedies for depression as a valid and safer alternative.

How to Help Motivate People With Depression - 3 Steps to Escaping From the Tunnel

Depression CAN be treated successfully. Discover more about how you can help motivate your partner or loved one. Robert Locke has written extensively on Mental Health for many years.

Related : The Global Marketing

15 Clinchers to Motivate and Persuade

What's a clincher? It's a statement at the end of your promotional piece, that motivates the reader to take the next step.

Up to this point, your material is focused on persuading the reader that he or she really needs your service or product. Now, when they're teetering on the brink of a decision, it's time to use some nifty phrases to help push them over the edge.

Motivate

Here are some examples for you to copy. Or to use as patterns to adapt to your own situation.

- Why settle for [this] when you can have [that]?

- What do you have to lose?

- We have only a limited supply.

- You'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

- That's all it takes.

- Don't miss out!

- Put these ideas to work for you.

- Now it's time for you to make a winning decision.

- Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

- Reserve your [item] today.

If your goal is to have people contact you, here are some clinchers that will help get them to pick up the phone or make a beeline for your store.

- Please don't hestitate to call us.

- We'd love to hear from you.

- Just give us a call.

- All you have to do is fill out the enclosed form.

- Come in and introduce yourself to us!

Often promotional materials leave you thinking "What now?" When you use a powerful clincher, the reader knows exactly what's expected of her. Without any direction, she's at a loss to know what happens next. When you don't give clear instructions, she'll be confused and is likely to leave your website, discard your letter, or just dump your ad in the trash can.

It's up to you to make sure she doesn't.

Now it's your turn: What clinchers could you use to underscore your offer?

15 Clinchers to Motivate and Persuade

Maggie Dennison is a Marketing Consultant and Writer. She is the author of "11 Steps To Marketing Materials That Get You Clients NOW!" Maggie holds a Master's Degree in Applied Psychology, and is fascinated with what triggers people to do the things they do. And that's exactly what marketing materials are all about. Pick up a free report "11 Keys to Website Content That Works" at her website http://MyMarketingmessage.com.

Thanks To : Motivational Techniques

Motivational Tools to Engage Every Employee on Your Team

Skilled managers and team leaders know that when motivating employees one size does not fit all. Every person on your team is moved by some combination of internal and external motivators. What works for one employee might actually have the opposite effect for another employee. Your motivational tool kit needs to be revisited and refreshed regularly if you want to keep every individual engaged.

External Motivators

Motivating

Think of extrinsic or external motivators as those incentives outside of the employee. In organizations, these motivators could include compensation and benefits, reward and incentive programs, and company or department goals. If an individual has family responsibilities, then, perhaps their economic needs motivate them. Physical security needs are also considered to be external motivators. How much control do you, as a team leader, have over these external factors? If you're thinking "very little" then you are right on target.

Internal Motivators

On the other hand, intrinsic or internal motivators include less tangible factors as personality and work ethic. Attitudes about authority, personal goals, and even the level of self-esteem that an employee exhibits are all an "inside job". Each employee's psychological needs drive their behaviors and choices. If you're thinking "I don't have much control over those internal factors either" then you may be missing an opportunity to motivate your team. In truth, you are able to influence individual performance by attending to each person's intrinsic motivators. You help to create the conditions through which each team member satisfies their internal drives.

Typical Motivators

In the NetSpeed Leadership training session, Coaching Smart People, we conduct an exercise in which participants identify their main motivators. Here is the list of motivators from which participants select their biggest driver (you can have your team do this exercise as well):

Now, imagine for a moment that an individual on your team selects the motivator get appreciated. If you were to ask "How do you know when you're appreciated," you might hear him say, "I like working in an environment where people sincerely thank each other. I don't have to be told every day that I'm appreciated but I do like to feel like what I'm doing contributes to the success of the team. If I work hard on a project, I want my boss to acknowledge that hard work, even if she needs to delay the project or have me change some of the results. I would rather get that feedback one-to-one than in a big group. I feel better having a personal conversation with my team leader about my value to the team. If she does it in front of the big group, I actually get pretty embarrassed and it's not a pleasant experience."

If one of your team members selects the motivator get connected to others, you might ask her, "What does it mean to be connected to others?" She might hear her say, "To me, it's the personal relationships that make work satisfying. I always say 'the more the merrier' when there's a chance to get something done--let's just roll up our sleeves and get it done together. I love to work with other people on important goals. I love the give-and-take and the sense that we're all in this together. I would hate sitting at my desk alone all day without that human interaction. It just fires me up and makes me want to run into work everyday."

Perhaps one of your team members selects the motivator get recognized and rewarded. You might ask, "How do you like to be recognized or rewarded?" and he might respond, "I'm constantly tracking how I'm doing against my own goals and, frankly, against others. I guess you could say that I'm a little bit competitive. But, hey, life and work are a game to me. If you throw me into a contest to see who can make the most sales calls in 24 hours, I'm hooked. When I make the highest number of calls, I want my boss to put my name out there as the guy who topped the list. I like that kind of public recognition. If you just take me into your office and say, 'good job' I feel miffed. If I did such a great job, why aren't you telling everybody?"

To give one last example, imagine that someone on your team selects get educated. You might ask her, "What does it mean to you to get educated?" And she might answer, "I guess you could say that I'm a life-long learner. I have a couple of college degrees and I hope to get started on my Ph.D in a few years. I read constantly. If you want to make me feel good, send me to a really good training class, or give me your favorite business book. In fact I can't wait to go home and dig in to the latest research on the process improvement tools we've started to use here. I guess I like to be the expert on the team."

These are just four examples of the way individuals might describe their main motivators. And their descriptions should give you some ideas about how to motivate them.

Get Appreciated

Ensure that you end every one-to-one meeting with a positive affirmation of his worth to you and the team. Send a simple email or write a thank-you note. Consider posting a stick note on his computer that he sees when he arrives at his desk first thing in the morning. Be specific, sincere, and generous in your praise. You might want to take him out for coffee or lunch and have a private conversation about how things are going and what you can do to support him on his current projects.

Get Connected to Others

It's all about the relationships. First, pay attention to your relationship to her. Clean up any miscommunication or confusion that may be preventing you from spending time with her. Tell her how much you value the fact that she is a team player. Keep her in the loop about goals, objectives, obstacles, and challenges. When ever you give her a task, ask her who she'd like to work with to get it done. Invite her to drop in to talk through problems or issues when needed. Introduce her to possible mentors and other champions. Praise her for the quality of her relationships with customers, co-workers, and colleagues.

Get Recognized and Rewarded

In many ways, he's the easiest kind of person to recognize. Do it publicly and do it often. He probably values certificates, plaques, and "employee of the month" awards (as long as they're seen as legitimate accomplishments). If his job includes regular reports on deliverables, make sure those reports are reviewed at team meetings. If you send out an email praising him, make sure that your boss is copied on the email. Feature him and his results in the company newsletter.

Get Educated

The best motivational tool for her is the opportunity to gain more knowledge and share it with others. Often seen as "the smartest person in the room", she shines when asked to update the team on the latest information. Freely share your favorite books. Forward EzineArticles. Ask her opinion as you are developing project plans. Praise her depth of knowledge in the topics that she is interested in. Give her the opportunity to do background research. And, if she can write well, ask her to write up her findings.

No matter what motivators the individuals on your team may choose, there is an opportunity for rich conversations that will tell you just what you need to know about how to engage them. So here's your action plan:

1) Schedule a team meeting.

2) Ask team members to select one or two motivators.

3) Have them discuss why this motivator is so important to them.

4) Then schedule one-to-one conversations with each individual to dig deeper.

5) Identify individual strategies for motivating each person and try them out.

6) Watch the results and make adjustments as you learn.

Creating a motivational work environment is one of the most challenging and most satisfying steps a managers can take. The payoff for you is higher productivity, greater job satisfaction, and the ability to hang on to your best team members.

Motivational Tools to Engage Every Employee on Your Team

Cynthia Clay is the President/CEO of NetSpeed Leadership (http://netspeedleadership.com). NetSpeed Leadership meets the learning needs of managers, supervisors, and individual contributors in small to mid-sized organizations. Our programs blend interactive instruction techniques with online reinforcement tools to extend learning beyond the classroom. With this holistic approach, our clients quickly launch programs, train participants, reinforce skills, and measure the impact. To learn more about motivating others, look at Coaching Smart People, one of 23 modules in the Netspeed Leadership training system.

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