How to give thanks

Here’s a special Thanksgiving thought for you.
I met the Communications Doctor at the NSA Speakers School.
Susanne Gaddis, PhD, helps leaders with communications.
Our friend Glenn Strange was the ring master this year.
Glenn assembled a powerful lineup of speaker teachers.
Susanne shared two important training aids she’s developed.
One has 56 “Ego Busters”. They’re prickly. Such as:
“It won’t work”, “It’s against policy” and “You’re out of you mind”.
Makes you feel bad just reading them, doesn’t it?
She has 54 “Ego Boosters” that you can use to boost confidence.
At a meeting you might say: “What a great idea” or “Wow!”
Also: "Thank you for . . .” or “That’s a good point”.
One on one, you might say: “I like the way you did that”.
Or “That’s clever” or “I couldn’t have done it better myself”.
“You really outdid yourself” or “You’re an inspiration”.
In a note you might write: “Congratulations” or “Wonderful job”.
Susanne did not mention this but there are other Ego Boosters.
These you say in front of others to recognize achievement.
“Thanks, Bill, for a great job on the XYZ project.”
“Sue, thanks for completing the work on time and under cost.”
Years ago my editor would demand to know who wrote something.
Meekly I would raise my hand, waiting for an angry outburst.
He was an intense and emotional man, my editor.
"Great work," he might say. "I had a hunch you wrote it."
I could go without food or sleep for a week on those words.
Remember that you have vast influence over others.
Your words can praise or puncture, cherish or condemn.
Say a good word. Praise in public. Leave a thank you note.
Even write notes to the rising stars’ families.
Let their loved ones know what a great job they are doing.
Giving thanks goes a long way this Thankgiving.
For more of Susanne’s Ego Boosters check her website.
It’s www.CommunicationsDoctor.com
For more on influence and leadership, click on
http://www.jerrybellune.com/books/lead-people-manage-things/lead-people-manage-things-the-book.htm.

What you pray for

The National Speakers Association gave me an opportunity Saturday.
Twenty speakers learned how to get free publicity in the media.
I told them, “Advertising is what you pay for.
“Publicity is what you pray for.”
We defined advertising as business-building information.
New products and services. Special sales, etc.
You should expect to pay to advertise those.
Publicity is news about something you are doing or have done.
This includes: Helping a charity. An honor or award. A promotion.
A new book you’ve written and published.
An upcoming speech for a business or professional group.
We discussed who to contact, how and what to say when you do.
How to tell a story an editor or broadcast news director will like.
They went home with a template for writing their own news release.
If you would like a copy, email me at Jerry@JerryBellune.com
Next week, I’ll tell you about the Communications Doctor.