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Friday, September 28, 2007

What Makes Leaders Different?

What Makes Leaders Different?
By Rex Houze, Executive Vice President of Leadership Management International USA, Inc.(r) and co-author of Bridging the Leadership Gap.

All of us know leaders who stand out in a crowd, who have risen to the top and who accomplish significantly more than their peers. Let ' s examine some of the characteristics that make these leaders different:

VISION - Leaders have a clear picture of what they see their group becoming or doing in the future. There ' s a difference between eyesight and vision. Vision is the ability to get MEANING from eyesight. Effective leaders have vision.

GOAL-DIRECTED - Leaders know where they stand, where they ' re going and how they ' re going to get there. They realize that no one ever accomplishes anything of consequence without a goal. They also realize that in order to fulfill their vision, they need to set a series of goals that will help them to do so. Effective leaders are goal-directed.

CLEAR PURPOSE - Leaders know why they exist, what they believe and what their values are. Having a clear purpose gives them the energy and focus they need to accomplish their goals and fulfill their vision. Effective leaders have a clear purpose.

SELF-CONTROL/SELF-DISCIPLINE - Leaders are many times required to do things that ordinary people don ' t like to do. The truth of the matter is, leaders probably don ' t like to do them either. The difference between a leader and an ordinary person is that a leader does whatever it takes to accomplish the goal, and many times this requires self-control and self-discipline. Effective leaders have self-control and self-discipline.

ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE - To achieve their goals and fulfill their vision, leaders need to persuade others to take action on their ideas. This requires that they think clearly, speak clearly and listen carefully. Effective leaders have the ability to communicate.

ENERGY - Leaders need the physical vitality and mental alertness that comes from a high level of energy. Hard work, clear thinking, commitment and persistence require a high level of energy. Leaders boost their energy through proper diet, nutrition, exercise, positive thinking, rest, relaxation and an outside hobby or interest. Effective leaders have a high level of energy.

PERSISTENCE - There are only two reasons why most projects fail: not starting and not finishing. Leaders finish what they start because they remember their vision, focus on their goals and visualize their goals as already accomplished. They have the staying power and persistence to follow through on their goals regardless of circumstances or what other people say, think, or do. Effective leaders have persistence.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE - Leaders look at how things can be done, not why they can ' t be done. They look for ways over, around, or through obstacles. They have an "I will not be denied" attitude. To paraphrase W. Clement Stone, "There is little difference between ordinary people and leaders. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether the attitude is positive or negative." Effective leaders have a positive attitude.

To be a more effective leader, clarify your vision and purpose. Develop a written and specific goals program. Develop your self-control, self-discipline and ability to communicate. Maintain a high energy level by taking care of your mind and body. Persist in all you do, and approach every challenge and opportunity with a positive attitude. Do these things and you ' ll not only be different, but you ' ll also MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Twenty Ways to Promote Your Business Offline

These are generic and particular to my business. These are tips for anyone to use no matter the type of business you have. ENJOY!!!

#1. Take a small zip close baggie (snack sizes work well) and include the following in it:


Your Business Card, Business Oppty Mini Flyer, a Piece of Candy such as hard candy or a lollipop, mini flyer of current host specials, discount coupon (optional) etc.

Hand these out to the bank tellers, retail cashiers, at your kids sport events, every where you go!

#2. When I stay at hotels & motels I leave my business card, a small product, and the mini coin canister for the maid! I put her tip inside the mini coin canister! I have gotten 3 orders by doing this!

Be creative when you leave tips for Hotel Maids, Waitresses, Waiters, Hair Dressers, etc. Don't just hand them your business card, make it memorable!

You can also buy cute little beaded change purses at your local dollar discount store!

#3. Print out flyers with your contact info (not your personal address), your website address & email address along with any current specials you are offering.

Then contact local area mobile home park offices, apartment complex rental offices, housing developements etc and ask them if you can leave fliers in their office or hang on their tennants doors. Give the office employees a free gift or discount on their personal orders.

#4. Contact local area bridal supply stores, bridal gown stores, caterers, tux rental centers, wedding dj's etc. Ask them if you can leave your business cards & fliers about the great (Company Name) Bridal Gift Registry for them to give to their customers.

Offer store owners a free gift or a personal discount for helping you spread the word about your business.

#5. Daycare Centers! They are excellent to contact and leave business cards and/or fliers at!

I print out a flyer of just a few items from our Tupperware Childrens line and I attach my business card & a pamphlet about products.

So whatever company you represent, find some items that cater to children or to moms and make up a flier!

#6. Alot of churches hold a Spring and Fall Fest! Contact them about getting a table or a booth. A lot of times this will cost you under $15.00 for a space!

Make sure you take products with you along with business oppty fliers, plenty of catalogs, business cards etc.

Do a contest drawing at these types of events. Make up entry blanks that gather the customers info so that you can initiate contact with them again!

#7. Join your local area chamber of commerce! They are always holding local business events that you can participate in.

#8. College Campuses! Dorms & Housing Students are always looking to spend money! Alot of college students are also looking for an extra income so target them with the Business Oppty too!

Drop off fliers and business cards to the College Student Center! They usually have bulletin boards, tables and other things where you can leave your information at for FREE!

#9. Contact your local area Welcome Wagon or Welcome to the Neighborhood Group! Ask them about you leaving mini catalogs, fliers, business cards, discount coupons, freebie mini gifts, etc with them.

They are always looking for additional items to place in their Welcome Bags!

#10. Contact your local area hospitals and ask for Human Resources Dept. The Majority of hospitals hand out New Mommy Diaper Bags filled with products, samples and other stuff for New Moms who just had a baby!

It's FREE for you to add in your information! I have gotten party hosts, new customers and new recruits by participating in these types of programs.

#11. Contact your local medical offices, particularly Gynecology and OB Offices and Pediatric Offices and inquire about you leaving information with them.

This is a way for you to target Parents of Children with both the home party oppty, the business oppty and new customer sales.

#12. Donate a Product to your local area Radio Station, they have numerous contests and they are always looking for sponsors!

Your donation can be written off as a tax deduction plus you will get FREE Advertising & Business Exposure for your donation!

#13. Donate a Product to your local area Bingo Halls! They are always looking for sponsors of their Bingo Prizes! Bingo is BIG in a lot of areas!

#14. Call your Chamber of Commerce and find out about Local Area Job Fairs. Get a booth and set up info about the fabulous business oppty!

#15. Call your Local Area Colleges and find out when their next job/employment fair is. Many times you can get a booth or table for less than $35 and you will get alot of GREAT new recruit leads by participating in events like these.

#16. Contact local area car dealerships. Ask if they would hand out a small packets that you make up for FREE to their customers who come in to take a free test drive!

#17. Target your local area gyms! You can get a table space for $20 or less in most cases! Make sure you have 3-5 products on display, plenty of catalogs, business cards and fliers.

#18. Network with others in your community who are in home business. Find out what events and activities that they participate in. They are usually "in the know" and can help you get started in networking in your community.

#19. Contact Companies in your area to see if you can come in and set up a table in the employee lounge or cafeteria for a employee shopping break! These days alot of companies will allow you to do this if you ask them!

#20. Does your local area tv cable company have a local information channel? Inquire about advertising! These ads will reach thousands of potential buyers for you! It's best if you only use your website address for these types of advertising and not your personal at home address.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

False Fat

False Fat may be weighing you down
Your diet is decent, but if your bulges won't budge, try to incorporate these recommendations from Weight Loss Coach Jonny Bowden:

1. Cut out wheat. Whenever I recommend that people try this as a strategy, I invariably get two kinds of responses. One is from irate dietitians who chastise me for going against the "wisdom" of the food pyramid and warn me of the dire consequences for human health if people actually followed such a crazy recommendation and stop eating bread, pasta and cereal for a while. The other response comes from people who say this recommendation changed their lives. Wheat is one of the seven top allergens, and untold numbers of people have undetected sensitivities to it. Dr. C. Leigh Broadhurst, one of the brightest researchers I've ever met and the author of the wonderful book Diabetes: Prevention and Cure, once told me that if she had to pick one strategy for weight loss and health, it would probably be cutting out wheat. Dr. Jeffrey Bland, also no intellectual slouch, has commented on the possible long-range implications of gluten or glidian sensitivity (both are components of wheat). Eliminating wheat (at least temporarily) is on the top 10 list of so many cutting-edge health professionals that it is foolish not to give it a try.

2. Eliminate dairy. Especially cow's milk. Interestingly, this is something that the high protein folks and the radical vegans such as Dr. Neal Barnard agree on, though for somewhat different reasons. I'm not talking, incidentally, about the wonderful, nutrient-rich, unprocessed certified raw milk that people such as Sally Fallon rave about, but unfortunately raw milk is just not widely available. I'm talking about that stuff on your grocer's shelf. No, you won't get osteoporosis (which has to do with a lot more than calcium), and yes, you can get your calcium from other sources. I wouldn't necessarily extend this recommendation to naturally fermented products such as yogurt and some raw-milk cheeses, by the way, though some people might want to try eliminating all dairy at first. If you're still skeptical, visit Notmilk.com and then talk to me some more. And remember that the number one source of nutritional information in this country comes from the dairy industry.

3. Eliminate sugar. This one is really hard for most people but might pay off the most. And while you're at it, see what you can do about aspartame.

4. Try a fruit and vegetable "fast." Three days on a healthy, rich brew of vegetable soup plus some low-sugar, high-fiber fruits (berries, for example) and a daily portion or three of raw vegetables with a little olive oil never hurt anyone and will give your digestive system a needed vacation from most stressors and toxins.

5. Don't drink. The impact of this recommendation varies from situation to situation, but there are people who have lost significant amounts of weight and bloat simply by cutting out alcohol. Remember that alcohol is a kind of super-sugar and can be a very significant source of calories for some people. And there isn't a single health benefit in it that you can't get from fruits and vegetables.

6. Try counting calories. Just for a while, just as a strategy. Though I've said many times that calories are not the most important thing in a diet, they still count. Study after study has demonstrated that most people, especially those who are overweight, consistently underestimate their caloric intake. And even those who have learned to eat right for their type sometimes fall into the trap of thinking they can eat unlimited amounts as long as they're eating the "right" foods. Use this strategy as a reality check for a few days.

7. Try the old switcheroo. If you've been eating a high protein diet, try a vegan plan for a few days. If you've been eating vegan, try higher protein. Sometimes just a change is all it takes to move off a plateau, and sometimes hidden food sensitivities remain hidden because we tend to eat the same things all the time.

Let me say again that the above seven items are suggested strategies, not absolute commandments. Not everyone has to do all seven, and all seven won't be equally meaningful for every individual.

But when you're stuck, need a change or can't figure out what's going on, these are good starting points for experimentation.

As always, adapt what you read here to your own circumstances, but stay open-minded. None of the above strategies will hurt you, and you may be amazed at how much they will help.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Jack Johnson's Upside Down

I had to post this song by Jack Johnson as a follow up to the Dreaming post. This song is about dreaming and following that dream. Check out this verse and all the others. Enjoy and again SWEET DREAMS.

"Who’s to say
I can’t do everything
Well I can try
And as I roll along I begin to find
Things aren’t always just what they seem" Jack Johnson


Artist: Jack Johnson

Song: Upside Down

Who’s to say
What’s impossible
Well they forgot
This world keeps spinning
And with each new day
I can feel a change in everything
And as the surface breaks reflections fade
But in some ways they remain the same
And as my mind begins to spread its wings
There’s no stopping curiosity

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I’ll find the things they say just can’t be found
I’ll share this love I find with everyone
We’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s songs
I don’t want this feeling to go away

Who’s to say
I can’t do everything
Well I can try
And as I roll along I begin to find
Things aren’t always just what they seem

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I’ll find the things they say just can’t be found
I’ll share this love I find with everyone
We’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s songs
This world keeps spinning and there’s no time to waste
Well it all keeps spinning spinning round and round and

Upside down
Who’s to say what’s impossible and can’t be found
I don’t want this feeling to go away

Please don’t go away
Please don’t go away
Please don’t go away
Is this how it’s supposed to be
Is this how it’s supposed to be

Dreamin for a Reason

Ok, it has certainly been a while since I actually blogged about something. Today I was hit in the head with something - my blog is about Dreamin right? That is exactly what our lives are about.

We dream about what we want to be when we grow up as little children. We dream about what we can do, how we can do it from start to finish. Then what happens to those dreams? Did someone squash them? Did someone tell you that it wouldn't be possible to do what you were dreaming of doing? Did someone say, "Oh you don't want to do that! They don't get paid anything. OR Do you know how much time you have to spend in school to do that? " So many dreams taken away.

Well today ladies and gentlemen, you are going to dream. Dream BIG! Write down all those things that you always dreamed about doing. It may be traveling the world. Or maybe it was to be an artist. How about a writer (I know my sister always wanted to be a writer and I remember my parents and relatives talking her out of it). Don't let the dream stealers (not a real word ..I know) take those dreams away.

Dreaming never hurt anyone. In fact, people with dreams who acted upon them, have actually made history. Think of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He had a dream that we all know about and work hard at trying to bring to fruition. How about Alexander Graham Bell? In fact, he had a dream and failed with that dream over and over before inventing the telegraph. Think of all those people who have put men in space, tested new medical advancements, and made the world a better place to live. They must have had a dream at some point that they didn't let go!
So what are your dreams? And most importantly what are you going to do with them?
Sweet dreams!

Thursday, September 13, 2007

92 year old still participates in cancer walk

Ninety-two-year-old Lorna Aitken of Eyebrow will be participating in her 14th Terry Fox Run Sunday in Eyebrow. Submitted photograph

“I feel lucky that I feel this good at this age,” said 92-year-old Lorna Aitken in explaining why she is participating in this year’s Eyebrow Terry Fox Run.
“I’ve lost three sisters, one husband, and a brother-in-law to cancer. That’s a good reason,” said Aitken.
This will be her fourth year of being the oldest participant in the Terry Fox Run, her 14th year all together.
“I guess I grew up working hard,” said Aitken with a laugh.
Aitken walked one mile last year and plans to keep walking that until she isn’t able to anymore.
“If I feel this well in five years, I’ll keep doing it. I’m just 92. People are living to be over 100,” she said with a laugh.
But this year is extra special for Aitken.
“My neighbour and I used to compete to see who could raise the most, but she was in an accident, and we lost her this year. So this year, I’m doing it for her,” said Aitken.
Aitken’s family is helping her raise money online. Two of her granddaughters have set up an online pledge sheet for people to donate. They have also gotten the word out on their blogs.
“It’s the old, you tell two friends, and then they tell two of their friends, the word will catch on,” said Coralee Flug, one of Aitken’s 24 grandchildren.
So far, Aitken has raised more than $100 herself. More than $300 has been raised online.
Flug said the family is so eager to help because her grandmother is always there to help out someone else.
“My grandmother has always been involved in her community,” said Flug.
“She’s always been active. Whether it’s a hall supper, or a donation, she’s there. If someone needs a pie, she’ll bake a pie. She gets in there and does it. She’s a cool lady,” she said.
Up until a few years ago, Aitken was an active curler. She has eight children and 36 great-grandchildren.
“She shovels the walk at the seniors’ centre. No one is ever surprised by what she does,” said Flug.
To donate to Aitken, check out www.fhhc.blogspot.com, and follow the links for the Terry Fox Run.

Shelby Parker can be reached
at 691-1263.

Comments:
This Conversation is Semi-Moderated. What is moderation?

(Post a comment)

1.
Debbie Graas from Eyebrow, Saskatchewan writes: Go Grandma! See you on Sunday.
Posted 13/09/2007 at 8:55 pm | Alert an Editor | Link to comment


2.
Maryann from US writes: What an incredible woman! She is an example and an inspiration for us all!
Posted 13/09/2007 at 9:03 pm | Alert an Editor | Link to comment


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