Marion's Communication Tips
Marion Grobb Finkelstein offers practical, proven and powerful communication tips you can put to use in the workplace. She'll help you increase morale, confidence and productivity by changing the way you communicate. You'll have communication tools to connect with colleagues, clients, employees and bosses... fast!
Life's a Gamble
by Marion Grobb Finkelstein, 0 Comments
This week marks the third year since my mother passed away. During her time on earth, she taught me many lessons, some knowingly and some without her consciously being aware she was teaching. One of the biggest lessons I learned was that life's a gamble. She also prepared me with strategies I'm going to share with you.
When was the last time you took a risk, stepped out of your comfort zone and experienced great uncertainty? Perhaps you're in a new job, engaged to be married, or trying an avant-garde medical procedure. In whatever direction your life is headed, it's your decisions, risks, and gambles that are leading you there.
You can't control what life rolls in your direction. You can, however, control the way you respond, so why not stack the deck in your favor? Here's a few strategies that will help you do exactly that.
- Ask questions.
Knowing how to ask the right questions of the right people can help you make informed decisions and increase your odds of success. It can also shorten a steep and expensive learning curve. Think about who has information you could use, and then go ask them for it.
- Build on your experience.
With every gamble you take, you learn. You discover what works, and perhaps more importantly, what doesn't. As your knowledge, experience, and contact lists grow, so too does your confidence. You are in a better position to take a gamble because you know that you have the skills to make informed choices.
- Know your comfort zone.
When I worked in Reno, Nevada, a colleague named Tony told me a tip I will never forget. It's helped guide me in making decisions and in taking risks (or not), and it will help you too. He said, "Never gamble more than you're prepared to lose". That doesn't mean never gamble - it means, take your chances with eyes wide open and be willing to live with the worst case scenario. If you can't, then that risk is not for you.
Winners understand that the roll of the dice is random. Sometimes you win, and sometimes - unfairly and even though all logic would suggest otherwise - you lose. Bad things just happen. Winners get that fact. They realize that life will deal them hands that aren't fair. It's not personal and it does not devalue them. It's not justice, it just is.
Life really is a gamble. So grab your cards, roll the dice, and let the games begin. With these and my other practical and proven strategies, you'll be ready to come out a winner.
I Have a Secret ... and Today I Spill the Beans (it's about my sister!)
by Marion Grobb Finkelstein, 0 Comments
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
Cheers, Marion Grobb Finkelstein |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
Are You Saying "Sorry" Too Much?
by Marion Grobb Finkelstein, (Disabled) Comments
When was the last time you said "sorry" ... to a piece of furniture? You bump into some inanimate object and the first words out of your mouth are, "I'm sorry". There are other options that might serve you better. ...moreIt's All in the Timing
by Marion Grobb Finkelstein, 0 Comments
As I type this, I'm at the Calgary Airport enroute to a speak at a conference in Regina. With the time changes, it was a bit of a challenge catching the early morning flight. Waking at 3am is not my strong point. ...moreAre You a Mover and a Shaker?
by Marion Grobb Finkelstein, 0 Comments
When was the last time you moved? When did you last shake it up a bit? ...moreHow to Make a Great First Impression
by Marion Grobb Finkelstein, 0 Comments
It's a funny thing about first impressions -- they're lasting. If the impression you leave is a good one, it will cast a positive light on every following encounter. This "halo effect" sets the tone for your relationship. Conversely, if the impression you make is less than favorable, that works against you. It means you have to work extra hard to switch negative feelings to positive ones, and it could jeopardize you connecting with others. ...moreWelcome to the Human Race
by Marion Grobb Finkelstein, 0 Comments
Think about the last time you were crazy busy. How did you cope? Did you feel pressured, outa control, beside yourself? When you're stressed, different sides of your personality come bubbling to the top. Another thing that happens is mistakes.
For example, you may have noticed that I just sent out a newsletter with the wrong title! Not only that ... it had a repeat article from last month. Albeit useful as a reminder, it was an oversight on my part. I admit it -- I'm human.
Apologies for any confusion. The good news is that it gives me another reason for reaching out to you. It also presents a learning point: haste makes waste.
When you show your human side, it makes you appear a little more fallible. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Why?
Because people relate to people, not perfection.
When you show glimpses of your vulnerable side, most people can relate. It helps you connect with others because they can see glimpses of themselves in you. No one is perfect.
When I realized what had happened this morning with the mix-up in my article, my first instinct was to dash to my computer, where I sit now, and seize the opportunity to get the message out of the mess. In the middle of retyping my email to you, the dang system sent out a second missive. OK, so maybe it wasn't the system. Maybe it was me who programmed it to send it out at 8:30am. Who knew that I'd still be wordsmithing at that time and it would deliver, yet again, the wrong article. (NOTE: Call out to all you wonderful IT pros out there -- techno neophytes like me are what you call "job security" ;o)
There was a time, not too long ago, when I would have spent energy scolding myself, berating my efforts, rolling my eyes and getting all worked up about something I couldn't change. Thankfully, the gift from this recent faux pas is that I just realized I don't do that any more. Do you?
What's your self-talk when you make a mistake?
Realizing that you have limited energy, when things go off the rails, do you spend time chastising yourself or do you, instead, channel all your energy into correcting the problem? Mistakes happen. When they do, remind yourself that you're human. As long as you have done your best under the circumstances and pulled the lesson from the experience, it's time to move on.
There are enough people in this world who will gladly berate you and bring you down -- don't be one of them. Communicate with yourself as gently and professionally as you would another colleague. Cut yourself some slack. Strive for excellence, not perfection. Allow yourself, with all your warts and foibles, to shine.
When you have a "not perfect" moment, remind yourself that you'll get through it. Making mistakes is what makes you real. Welcome to the human race. See you at the finish line.
PS: I'm heading out to beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia to connect and deliver a couple days of communication training to an association. What are YOU doing today to connect with a colleague, client, boss or employee? And remember, if that transaction is less than perfect, it's OK. You're human.
Until next time, here's to ...
Better communication, Better business, Better life,
Marion Grobb Finkelstein
COMMUNICATION CATALYST
Keynote Speaker / Corporate Trainer / Author
www.MarionSpeaks.com
Marion@MarionSpeaks.com
© 2012 Marion Grobb Finkelstein
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete tagline with it: Communication catalyst, author, and professional speaker Marion Grobb Finkelstein motivates and teaches individuals and organizations across Canada and beyond, how to improve morale, confidence and productivity by changing how they communicate. Get weekly hands-on tips by signing up for "Marion's Communication Tips" at www.MarionSpeaks.com
...moreSuck It Up, Buttercup
by Marion Grobb Finkelstein, (Disabled) Comments
What I'm about to say may sound harsh, and it's not meant to. Here it is: when it comes to your communications and your relationships ......you create your own reality.
It's the flip side to freedom of choice and it's called "responsibility". You have it, every time you communicate with yourself or someone else....more
Stop Complaining, Start Creating
by Marion Grobb Finkelstein, (Disabled) Comments
In the early 1990s, I worked in Reno, Nevada doing the marketing and media relations for the airport. It was a wonderful opportunity and I learned many lessons I still use today and share in my speeches and training sessions. I learned about the type of person, boss and colleague I want to be as well as what I definitely don't want to be. One of the gifts I enjoyed most, was the lifelong friendships that began in this “The Biggest Little City in the World”. Wanna go for coffee?
by Marion Grobb Finkelstein, (Disabled) Comments
Now answer honestly -- when was the last time
you took a coffee break? If you just burst out
laughing, asking "what's that?", it's been too
long... and you're looking at coffee breaks all
the wrong way. Let me explain ... coffee breaks help foster relationships, and when you have great relationships with colleagues, clients, bosses and employees, productivity goes up and stress goes down. ...more
Recent Posts
- What to Do When You Feel Unsupported
- Do you work with positive -- or positively NEGATIVE -- people?
- Are You Happy in Your Job?
- Trust Me? (WARNING: This May Shock You)
- What's in a Name? I'll tell you what ...
- ASK MARION: Stop me from interrupting!
- Know Someone with Baditude?
- 3 Ways to Feel More Comfortable at Workplace Social Functions
- I Just Had a Meltdown!
- Chew on This
Tags
- Anger (6)
- Ask Marion (2)
- Asking questions (9)
- Assertiveness (22)
- Attitude (34)
- Body Language (5)
- Change challenge (4)
- Clients (14)
- Communication (115)
- Confidence (13)
- Conflict and Difficult People (27)
- Conversation starters (4)
- Customer Service (14)
- Delegation (1)
- Engage employees (6)
- Face to Face (10)
- Featured (2)
- Feedback (14)
- First impressions (8)
- Gamble (1)
- Goalsetting (4)
- Home (6)
- Image (6)
- Inspiration (1)
- Interrupting (3)
- Leadership (4)
- Letting go (1)
- Loss (3)
- Negative people (2)
- Networking (5)
- Presentations (8)
- Pressure (3)
- Productivity (6)
- relationship building (6)
- Self-talk (15)
- Social media (2)
- Stress (11)
- Thanks (2)
- Time management (5)
- Trust (1)
- webinars (2)
- Win (4)
- Words (8)
Archive
Get your FREE "Life's a Gamble" chapter from Marion
We respect your privacy!