Positive, effective communication is the key to success in every part of your life. That includes at work, at play, and at home. Here's how to do it. Use these six strategies to communicate effectively.

•  You can accept anything without agreeing with it. Acknowledge amazing requests and outrageous statements with responses such as:

"That's an interesting idea."

"That's a novel request."

"What an intriguing question."

Use this as an opportunity to understand what the other person is saying. And then move on to other topics without attempting to argue.

• People judge others by their actions. This means you are being judged by the perceptions you create with your words and actions. For example, if you act angry, even though you feel otherwise, you will be judged as being hostile. If you sound helpless, even though you feel otherwise, you will be judged as being ineffective. Thus, choose actions and words that convey the impression you want to make.
• People judge themselves by their intentions. Thus, acknowledge that the other person's actions or words are correct and proper (as seen by that other person). Even when someone's behavior appears completely absurd, that person most likely believes it is justified.
• Everyone deserves courtesy and respect. Diplomacy gains more than hostility. It is always the best way to begin a dialogue. After all, no one has ever had to apologize for being courteous. When you treat others with respect, you set the standard for how you want to be treated.
• Everyone has valuable ideas. Everyone is an expert in some area. Everyone has unique talents. Effective leaders help other people excel at expressing their ideas. They ask questions. They show interest. They make the other person a star in their conversation.
• Realize that you can always learn more about the other person's needs, priorities, and situation. Ask questions. Seek solutions. Think positive. Quick reactions often lead to apologies. Start by being thoughtful and seeking to understand fully.

So, the next time you're communicating, implement these six strategies and you'll see the power of effective communication.

In a recent article by Robert MacPhee, he talked about comfort zones and how they relate to networking.   A comfort zone occurs when our “I am” beliefs match the results we are currently getting.  The premise is if a person sees himself as a good networker, if he is comfortable at networking, he is much more likely to get out and attend events, fully participate, and get the maximum benefit from the experience.

So, changing your thinking sounds easy enough, but exactly how do you do it?  How do you make a change that lasts?

This is where many people get stuck – the point where we declare we are a great networker but are shamed by the voice inside that says, “No, you’re not!”

However, to become a master at something which you currently do not consider yourself particularly good at, there are four things you must be willing to do:

1. Try something new.  In order to get to mastery, we must be willing to take the first step.  We must be willing to try something new and different.  Do you remember your first networking meeting?  Have you watched a child learn to walk?  Do you remember what it was like to learn to drive a car?  The first step is often awkward but a necessary part of the process.

1. Ask for help.  It is sometimes possible to get to mastery without help, but it is always faster and easier to get there with the help of others.  BNI is a perfect example of this.  It’s an environment where we can always find someone willing and able to mentor us to the next level.

1. Be uncomfortable.  So many people are unwilling to take the first step or ask for help because it will make them uncomfortable.  When we remember that being uncomfortable is simply part of the process, a necessary stage, we become more willing to get into action.  We get out of our own way.

1. Practice, practice, practice. Finally, the only way to get to true mastery is through repetition.  When we are willing to take action, respond to feedback, and then take more action, we get better at whatever we are doing—eventually reaching a state of mastery.

In the book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell refers to research that indicates it takes 10,000 hours to become a master in your field.  That is a lot of hours!  But here is the good news: If you are willing to follow the four steps above, the first hours you commit will be a quantum leap to your results.  Most people are not willing to do it.  Most people would rather remain stuck in their comfort zone.  So even if you don’t have an extra 10,000 hours, dedicate whatever time you can and race ahead of the pack.

If you start by declaring a new “I am” belief—“I am an effective networker!”—and if you are willing to take these four steps consistently, you will soon become a master networker.  And you will have created a new comfort zone; your “I am a great networker” belief will now match your new results.  From that moment forward you will always be a great networker.  It will become part of who you are!

Do you ever send an email, leave a voice mail, text someone or even have a face to face conversation and you feel like there is no one listening?  We live in a world of constant distraction and it is hard to stand out from the crowd.

How do you know if your message is being heard? Rhonda L. Sher suggests a few ways to keep you messages to a minimum and still get the attention of the person you want to reach:

 
• Emails: Keep them short and sweet – when sending an email message, make sure the subject line is direct, to the point and attention getting enough for your email to be read. Then keep your message brief, interesting and NOT a sales pitch. Put yourself in the position of the reader of the message and ask yourself if you would find it interesting enough to read. Guy Kawasaki, in his book Enchantment, suggests that we keep our emails to no more than 6 sentences. I have also heard of people who try to keep it so the whole email can be read in the window of a blackberry without having to scroll. Good advice.

• Voicemails: Keep your voicemail to no more than 15 to 30 seconds and speak clearly. Make your message compelling enough so that your call will be returned. Keep your voice upbeat, be specific and make sure to leave your phone number so your call can be returned.

• Text messages: Short and sweet is the secret. Use them with those that you know are texters and be sure to get to the point fast. Watch out for typos and put yourself in the position of the person receiving the text – would your text be welcomed or deleted?

• Live conversation: Watch for body language, wandering eyes and fidgeting. Keep your conversations lively, interactive and make them dialogues, not monologues. If you feel you are not being heard, you probably aren’t. Be aware of personal space and watch your topics. Remember that you rarely get a second chance to make a good first impression so make your conversation count.

In the world of social media, smart phones, emails and more, it is hard to really get someone’s attention. If you have something to say that you want heard, remember that less is more and creativity counts. Next time you leave someone a voice mail message or even create your outgoing message, keep it short and sweet. Treat other’s people’s time like the valuable resource it is and you will be heard.

Building your business and developing yourself are both growth processes that will occur over time.  Building a business implies having to develop your skills and/or manage other people who can build the necessary processes to perform necessary business functions. While many people equate success with working, truly successful people attribute their success to working smart. In the beginning, you will need to do both. And if you do both, in the end you will find you have built something that will endure.

The value of your business lies not in what it can do with you, but in what it can do without you. If no one else can do what you can do, then you don't have a business that will endure. You have a business that is restricted by its inability to use its creative juices and expand into something bigger and more successful. Business is and should be a systematic series of processes linked to the overall goals of the organization disciplined to exceed internal and external customer expectations. Each aspect of your business should be process mapped, so that in theory, other people could perform it. These functions and processes should be crystallized in writing.

When activities can be accomplished by others or the process is systematic, then your creativity can be utilized for continuous improvement, increased sales, improved market share, and new business development. Recognizing an opportunity and being in position to take action is one of the keys to success. If you are busy doing, you may be too busy to take advantage of opportunities, and chances are you working harder and not smarter.

The benefits of planning are many. Planning helps to prioritize your activities. You already know you will be wearing several hats and the functions you will perform under each hat are different. Planning helps you to see beyond the immediate issues and remain focused on the desired outcomes. This will help to ensure that day-to-day activities are in line with your long-range objectives and vision. It will help you avoid getting involved in seemingly endless crises, and even prevent crisis-stimulated activities that seem to be important and necessary but in fact may be neither. With this understanding you are better able to focus your energies on getting where you want to go. A comprehensive plan is the important tool you can utilize to build a successful business.

When my friend and colleague, Susan Nielsen, handed me a copy of her new book that she’d recently finished writing with two other friends and colleagues, Tracy Lunquist and Chip Scholz, I was eager to start reading it.  I didn’t realize, though, how much I’d truly enjoy it and how much benefit I’d get from it.  Do Eagles Just Wing It? is a book that is very easy to read, contains interesting stories, and encourages you to take action and write down what you want your life to be. It provides a great personal development plan for anyone wanting to “soar” and get away from the status quo.

I recommend this book for anyone that doesn’t have a plan for his/her life and wants to improve the results.  It can be found at Amazon.com.

We may not be able to change what has happened to us thus far in life, such as our biological parents, or other factors, which have influenced us. We can't control many of the things, which happen to us in life. We can, however, control how we respond to what happens to us.

Personal skills, competencies, and worth can be improved regardless of age or position. Far too often, failure is blamed on external circumstances: other people or things beyond our control. But that is rarely the case. There are just too many people who continue to overcome diverse circumstances. An old adage still remains true - if you think you can, or if you think you can't, you're probably right.

Ray Kroc was considered to be an aging high school drop out who failed at almost everything he ever did. At age 52, he decided to try again and developed what is now the McDonald's empire.

Sam Walton opened his first store (a Ben Franklin variety store) in a small town of about 7,000 people. It was losing money and he bought it with $5,000 of his own money and $20,000, which he borrowed. Within five years, he had reached his goal of turning a profit, only to be refused renewal on his lease and forced to sell. His next venture was to open another store, Walton's Five and Dime. This was the beginning of the greatest retail success story in history. Sam Walton created Walmart, the largest chain of discount stores in America.

There are many other examples of individuals who overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve worldwide acclaim, of leaders who took their companies to positions of global dominance in the face of fierce competition. There are even more examples of those who gave up, threw in the towel, and failed. It's easy to blame others, or the environment, or the economy, or to rationalize 'why' it wasn't their fault. If circumstances are not the determining factor, what is?

Too many people hold themselves in lower self-esteem than the actual facts warrant. Bad moments and past mistakes tend to make a deeper impression on our memories than our past successes. Many people tend to think more often of where and how they've failed, rather than where and how they have succeeded. Thus, many people tend to view themselves as less capable than they actually are. Another problem is that many have never learned the importance of self-love. The awkwardness with which some people accept compliments illustrates this fact. They often allow minor imperfections to color their view of themselves, resulting in a low self-image. To build a self-image on anything less than self-love, is to build on a hopelessly weak foundation.

With these thoughts in mind, begin to imagine the difference you would make in enhancing the self-image of others if you thought more frequently in the terms of their strengths and implemented a system and recognition program focused on their achievements, rather than on mistakes and failures. How much easier would it be to implement a change process if everyone viewed himself or herself in a positive light? What would happen to productivity if everyone thought more in terms of their unlimited potential rather than their limitations? You could have a powerful influence on the growth and achievement of everyone with whom you work!

How much effect do you believe that fate has on your life?  I believe that we create our own luck in life.  The following four tips will help you create your own luck in sales every day:

1.      Charm ‘em.  Every day you run into people and make an impression on them that leaves a mental picture of who you are in their minds.  Do people see you in a positive light?  What makes them more open to doing business with you?  An enthusiastic and positive attitude is one way to make a difference.  Find something about THEM that’s interesting, and put them in a better mood that they were in when you met them.

2.      Steer clear of unlucky situations. One way to increase your luck is to get rid of prospects who take it away, such as those who: always argue with you on price and don’t see the added you bring to the table, AND you always seem to spend a great deal of time on, but the return on your investment is small compared to other accounts.  It’s not easy walking away from situations we’ve worked hard to create, but sometimes it’s the walking away that creates the luck in new, more qualified accounts.

3.      Visualize success.  Create a clear picture in your mind’s eye of where you want to go and crystallize that vision in your mind.  The mind is where it all begins – and luck seems to have a funny way of catching up with you when you start becoming what you think about all day long.

4.      Be different and daring.  When you step out of your comfort zone, exciting things start to happen.  What 3 things separate you from the competition?  How about going after the top 10 companies you’d like to sell your product or service to and creating unique packages for them?  If your aim is true and your product is strong, luck will come when you dare to be different.

There are so many business professionals who freeze up when they have to merely speak up in a meeting, much less present to an entire room full of people.

I found these tips from Frank Davis, written in an article in Smart Business, and posted in a newsletter by my colleague, Jerry Houston:

If you want to succeed in business you must link up with other people.  You must speak to them in a way that establishes a bond - in daily meetings, discussion groups, and convention speeches, says Lee Glickstein of Woodacre, CA, founder of Speaking Circles International and author of Be Heard Now!  Tap Into Your Inner Speaker and Communicate With Ease.

"It's critical," Glickstein says.  "There are moments of truth in your day, interface moments when trust is established."

Many people don't move ahead because they are awkward and uncertain about speaking in public.  Some do succeed because of other strengths, but still find it torture to get up before an audience, says Janet Esposito of Roxbury, CT, President of In the Spotlight, a company devoted to helping people overcome their fear of public speaking.  Many prominent people experience heart palpitations, sweaty palms, a shaky voice, even weird out-of-body experiences.  It happens to attorneys, sales managers, physicians, and presidents of companies.

"Your mind is racing with anxious thoughts about what could go wrong," Esposito says.

Fortunately, there are strategies to deal with anxiety and ineffectiveness as a public speaker, experts say.  Some strategies involve harnessing your emotions.  Others focus on practical methods for connecting with your audience.  All will make you more confident and more effective in your job and help you become the kind of speaker audiences want to hear.

Strategies for Better Speaking

1.  It's not a big deal
You may feel you're going through hell as you try to stammer out what you've got to say, but the fact is, nothing huge is happening.  One shaky performance won't ruin your life.  So relax.  Stop worrying.  Esposito, author of In the Spotlight:  Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking and Performing, says it's good to tell yourself, "I know I'm anxious, but I'm just going to do the best I can."  That takes the pressure off.

2.  Focus on others, not on yourself
Don't get all caught up in yourself and your sense of ego.  Don't think about competing with other speakers or controlling your listeners.  It really isn't about you, remember.  You are speaking to help the people in your audience.  Think about their needs, their problems.  "Let trust be established," Glickstein says.  "Back off and be with the person."

3.  Think, vocal, visual, verbal
Your checklist for practice speaking should focus on how you sound, how you look, and the words you are using, Brady says.  Are you pausing at the right moments, using gestures appropriately, avoiding words that are difficult to say and tough to understand?

"One of the best tricks of the trade is not using a lot of jargon," Brady says.  "You lose them if you do.  Keep your language nice and simple."  A terrific technique, he says, is to practice your speech, and everywhere you find yourself saying "um," "oh," or "you know," think of that point as a comma or a period and just pause for a moment.  "That takes many speakers from being unpolished to being polished."

4.  Using good eye contact
Don't talk down at your notes or the lectern, Brady says.  Instead, smile (an easy, comfortable smile, not a goofy grin) and make eye contact with the people in your audience.  You can't speak at people, Glickstein says.  That's where speakers go wrong.  They assume the listening is there instead of establishing it.

How do you do this?  Not by flicking your eyes from one person to another in the audience, Glickstein says, or by sweeping the audience with your gaze.  That's distracting.  Instead, do business with just one person at a time, not the whole group at once.  The whole group will respond well if you treat them as individuals.  "You've got to establish a channel with them," Glickstein says.  "You need to establish a listening relationship."

5.  Breathe
When you are upset about speaking, breathing becomes erratic and shallow.  Sometimes you even hold your breath.  This makes your voice shaky and increases your panic.  To deal with this, practice deep breathing.  "This will slow the body down, slow the mind down," says Esposito.  "The body no longer feels it's in danger."

6.  Don't apologize
If you flub something, just keep moving with your speech.  Don't call attention to the glitch.  Brady once worked with an executive who, whenever he stumbled in a discussion, would apologize profusely that he'd lost his place or said something he hadn't intended.  This just broke the audience's attention even more.  You are far more sensitive to your flubs than the audience is.  If you keep rolling, they hardly even notice.  "Go with the flow," Brady suggests.  "Don't worry about being technically perfect."

7. Tell a story
Typically in your speech you'll be delivering a lot of facts.  Abstract facts are hard to absorb.  Tell a personal story to illustrate your main point and to humanize yourself.  The story can be about sports, a hobby you have, about anything for which you have a passion.  Even better, tell a story about an experience you and your audience members shared.  "Look into yourself and your experience and show why your topic is important for you and why it is important for the audience," Brady says.  This dramatizes your message and makes it understandable and compelling.

8.  Keep it short
If you drag on too long, you will bore your listeners no matter how much they were pulling for you when you got up to speak.  So don't yammer on and on.  Keep an eye out to make sure your audience is still with you.  When it no longer is, go to your wrap up -- fast.  Make no more than three points in your speech, and make sure that you emphasize one overriding principle.  Then sit down.  Your listeners will realize you have been considerate, and applaud you for it.  "They will remember you for not wasting their time," Brady says.

Finally, look for the best in your listeners, Glickstein says.  Give them the benefit of the doubt, even if they appear to be inattentive, ill-informed in their questions, or argumentative.  Speak to the positive, and you will be an enthralling speaker.

"The good leader looks for the positive -- the great leader sees it, no matter what," Glickstein says.  "The great leader knows everybody is on board at some level."

We all know that it costs a lot more to acquire a new customer than to keep doing business with your existing ones.  

Here are some tips that can help:

1. Offer Discounts for Repeat Business.

You will see some businesses offer potential customers a 'first-time' discount as a method to get people to try their products or services. I believe it is better to reward loyalty by giving customers a discount each time they purchase your product or service. Over time, this helps to build a long-term relationship with your customer. So, when the competition comes calling, your customers remain with you because they receive a discount from your business every time they place an order—not just the first time.

2. Keep Mailing Lists.

You may find it beneficial to keep two mailing lists: one for your prospects (people who might buy from you), and one for your customers (people who have bought from you). You should lavish attention on both lists, but especially on the existing customer list.

Create a campaign so you can keep in regular contact with your customers, always understanding their needs. This provides you with the opportunity to be available when they might need you again. The secret is this: contact, contact, contact. Some examples include sending holiday cards, inviting them to meet with you for lunch, sharing a new and exciting product or service, etc. A good tip is to always think about how you can create a better relationship with your customer.

If your product or service is one that the customer will need at regular intervals or at a certain time of year, be sure to track this type of information in your customer database and send something out prior to that timeframe. This will keep your name and contact information readily available for your customers.

In addition to regular emails, you may want to consider sending a newsletter. This may take a few hours each month to create. The objective is to provide useful information about your industry, and information that your customers will find useful. As a bonus, you can archive your newsletters on your website, so they can be found by people searching for related words in search engines.

3. Be Crazy about Feedback.

You also want to get as much feedback from your customers as you can. Many companies fear feedback because they fear it will all be negative. We believe feedback, whether positive or negative, is good for the company. It allows you to be sure that your customers are satisfied with what you provided, allows you to fix anything that they're not happy with, and provides you with the opportunity to learn about new needs. Customers will appreciate this—and they'll like it even more if you actually implement their suggestions.

4. Provide a Personal Service.

Go the extra mile to make your customer feel like they're your friend, and not just a tracking number in your database. Tailor everything you do to their needs, and make everything easy for them. Remember, creating customer loyalty is really about building a relationship with your customer.

Finally, customers really appreciate a little thank you note when you've received their payment. For an extra personal touch, I recommend you handwrite your note. That keeps it personal and continues building your relationship!

According to Matthew J. Grawitch, PhD, Gerald E. Ledford, Jr., PhD, David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA and Larissa K. Barber, PhD, the hallmark of a healthy organization is one in which employees are active, engaged, creative participants, not merely passive recipients of company benefits.  Effective employee involvement strategies allow management and employees to partner in a way that meets the organization’s needs, while also optimizing employee health and well-being.

A true healthy workplace emphasizes the need to optimize the interplay between organizational systems and employee health and well-being needs. Rather than emphasizing the need to focus solely on organizational effectiveness or showering employees with benefits, a truly healthy workplace perspective strategically selects its benefits to meet the needs of both employees and the organization. To do this, organizations should:

1.            Provide opportunities for employees to become involved and engaged in creating a healthy workplace;

2.            Tailor new programs and policies to meet the specific needs of the employees and the organization;

3.            Be very clear about the purpose of new programs, policies and benefits, so that organizational leaders and employees know what is expected of such a program (e.g., what are the goals of the program, or what issues is it designed to address?);

4.            Ensure that any new program (or existing program) is in alignment with the organizational context (e.g., culture, structure, strategy); and

5.            Collect cost-benefit data, as a way to tie benefits back to organizational effectiveness outcomes (this will increase the likelihood that the benefit survives over time).