Monday Morning Mindfulness

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"Thank you for the huge amount of time it must take to create your MMMs. They are so thoughtful and helpful. I am grateful to be on your list."
Jana Stanfield, NSA songwriter, Keynote concerts

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MONDAY MORNING MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness from The Coach’s Corner

June 19, 2006

Number 226

Table of Contents

On Special Offers and Invitations
On Important Rules
On Speaking Well
On Lessons From the Field
On Laughter
On Useful Web Sites and Announcements
On Subscribing and Unsubscribing (at the end of newsletter)

Welcome to Monday Morning Mindfulness . . . to my clients, colleagues and friends. Join me every other Monday in getting motivated and inspired to act/think/feel differently.

1. ON SPECIAL OFFERS AND INVITATIONS

What if you could have two coaches sitting by your side and guide you through the skill of speaking confidently and persuasively ? Now you can. An Audio CD , "Power Presentations for Professionals," will help you master a few simple, yet sophisticated strategies. Do you want to learn how to give a compelling speech? Would you like to know what sets leaders apart? Are you ready to prepare a speech that hits your audience's hot buttons? In this audio CD, two professional speech coaches share the lessons they've learned from their combined 46 years in the field. High content and useful application for business professionals, emerging speakers and coaches. Click here for full description and to order. (available as a CD or MP3 download)

Finally, a book that helps you solve difficult problems, fast. "Without a path of resilience, success often results from a lucky intersection, not an ability to respond out of design, and is like the shifting sands in a desert- here today and gone tomorrow in many cases." A shift in focus is being advocated with the CPR System to put efforts towards creating effective design rather than changing the person. Read more at: http://www.cprforthesoul.net/cmd.php?af=382343

Have you ever thought about being a well paid speaker? Learn how to connect with your audience? Persuade people to act on what you say? You can get answers to these questions and more at: Approach the Coach. Go to http://www.schrift.com/approach and ask me your number-one question about speaking skills or speaking professionally. I will answer your questions by email within 48 hours.

2. ON IMPORTANT RULES

June is a month to celebrate graduations. But, what is graduation? Well it usually includes a graduation speech, often boring, forgettable and pointless. Here is a set of rules that Bill Gates offered in a graduation speech (ideas gleaned from a book by Charles Sykes) about what is really important in life.

Life is not fair - get used to it.
The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish som et hing BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it OPPORTUNITY .
If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.
TV is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

The Coach is reminded that . . . "school is something you complete and life is something you experience." Congratulations and good luck to all of our graduates.

3. ON SPEAKING WELL

When people hear that I owned a national, professional speakers bureau for 13 years, they often ask me, who are the best speakers and why? What follows are some of the characteristics of a very successful speaker who is often a highly paid speaker.

1.They arrive early and check out the sound system and introduce themselves to audience members during the n et working time.

2.They speak on a subject that their audience needs to hear. And they use words and body language that shows their passion and authenticity.

3.They connect with their audience in the first few minutes with a riveting story, a funny incident, a startling statement or perhaps a poem. They know how to make their opening remarks relate to the material that follows. Click here for the rest of this article.

The Coach quotes . . . "Tell 'em' what you're going to tell 'em, tell 'em, and then tell 'em' what you told 'em

4. ON LESSONS FROM THE FIELD

My son, Larry, has been a baseball coach to kids for many years. After games, I see how he stays positive, upbeat, and reassuring when talking to his young players. Even just after they have pitched a horrific game, or when they are in the midst of a terrible batting slump, he always says positive things about and to his "kids.". His players feel appreciated and supported by him. I believe it helps them to become better players. A good lesson for managing your employees - stay upbeat and positive. Communicate the positives, don't "dis" them, and don't rush to judgment.

The Coach sez . . . "catch people doing something right."

5. ON LAUGHTER

Do you laugh much anymore? If not, here are some ways to practice as suggested by Lloyd Thomas, Ph.D.

"Tee-hee twitter" - used often in a social setting when noise is not very appropriate.
"Ha-ha-ha" - lots of causes and meanings for this one including the "polite laugh."
"Jelly-belly ho-ho-ho" - when your abdomen shakes up and down. (try doing this on another person, belly to belly)
"Combination hoopla" - contagious and brings the laugher in a tearful heap on the floor, maybe feeling ill.

The Coach asks . . . can laughter be the first cousin to crying?

6. ON USEFUL WEBSITES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Visit my new Blog (an online journal) at www.schrift.com/blog Learn about the benefits of having a Niche, "Twelve Step Process For Effective Email," "What Makes a Successful Speaker?" and "Ten Tips to Motivate Your Audience in to Action and on to Your Website." Tell me what you think . . . and add your own comments.

"Speak Like a Pro for Profit": Struggling to get clients? Want to have a full speaking calendar? This e-book contains proven tips and techniques to become a polished presenter to speak effectively to anyone, anywhere, with confidence. I wrote this for speakers, coaches, authors and business professionals who want to deliver persuasive presentations and/or grow a profitable speaking business. Only $8.95. http://www.schrift.com/speaklikeaproforprofit/index.htm for details.
"This book provides practical and sound advice. I have worked with Sandra and find her knowledge and guidance invaluable."
--Dr. Christine Wood, Pediatrician, speaker, author

Download reports to help you with your public speaking skills http://www.schrift.com/tips.htm

Do you need some CPR for Your Soul? Author/Coach, Mike Jay provides some brilliant tools at: http://www.cprforthesoul.net/cmd.php?af=382343

Look for inspired solutions to your business and personal questions at http://en.wikipedia.org

Want some creative ideas about describing your services to prospective clients? Search for books related to your profession at Amazon's book catalogue. http://www.amazon.com

Where in the World is Sandra? Meet me in; Palo Alto, CA, June 20-28; Orlando, FL, July 22-25; (NSA convention) Bangkok, Thailand, September 24 - 26; Nepal and Tibet, September 28 - October 11. When you are visiting San Diego, contact me, sandra@schrift.com Let's share conversation.

About the Author

Coach Sandra Schrift shares a few easy-to-read insights in this bi-weekly broadcast, and welcomes positive responses and input. Her 13 years as the founder/owner of The Podium Speakers Bureau in San Diego afforded her the privilege to work with many outstanding professional speakers and meeting planners nationwide. She knows what the Meeting Planners want . . . and knows what speakers need to know!

If you are an executive, you will benefit by strengthening your presentation skills, so that whatever audio-visual aid you use will enhance, rather than distract from, your message.

As your coach, Sandra provides you with greater focus, increased ways to prospect, more ideas for getting referrals, and just more business.

E-mail Sandra for your Complimentary 30- minute Coaching Call: Sandra@schrift.com (http://www.schrift.com)

"A man who does not leave his hut will bring nothing in."
--West African Proverb

Thank you for reading this issue of Monday Morning
Mindfulness Look for your next issue on July 3, 2006
--Coach Sandra

If you have a comment you would like to share, please email me at Sandra@schrift.com. I appreciate hearing how this newsletter is influencing your personal and/or your professional lives. Once a month, I will feature one individual for all of my subscribers to read about.

Quick Links

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new Audio CD/MP3
Hire Sandra
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Coach Sandra Schrift
TEL: 619-688-9467 . FAX: 619-688-9667
Email: sandra@schrift.com