Many people adore Santa Claus because he brings them the perfect that

It is possible to find the right Christmas gift without having to fall for the

easy way out by giving a 'sweater.' To find the right gift for Christmas for

anyone means a gift has to capture one or both of the following qualities -

something that you know the person will like or desire, or something with useful

purpose that will captivate the person. A Christmas gift that captivates the

receiver will produce a 'wow' reaction or comments of 'that's cool' from others,

who will be wishing silently that they had gotten such a gift.

The key to selecting a wonderful Christmas gift that will produce a 'wow'

reaction is to make sure the item is one that will appear interesting to others.

The gift itself may have limits to its use. That means it may not be something

that will be used frequently, such as a sweater or other clothing. The 'wow'

factor or coolness of the gift must however overshadow it's possible limited

usefulness.

Selecting a Christmas gift that is desired can prove to be difficult if you

think you don't know what the person wants or needs. But when we think that we

don't really know what someone wants for a Christmas gift, our real thought is

that we haven't really heard the person specifically say they want or desire a

particular item. That however is not an obstacle to truly knowing what someone

may desire for a Christmas gift.

To help to identify an item that will make a perfect Christmas gift, you need to

focus on what you know about the person - various qualities, what leisure

activity the person likes, what type of books, art and music for example, do

they like. To focus on what you know about the person, think about conversations

you have engaged in with the individual. Conversations in general can often give

splendid ideas of good gifts to give for Christmas because oftentimes people

will say 'I wish for .....' when talking with someone else.

The character of the person is also a good indicator of items that will make

wonderful Christmas gifts. Remember, a gift for Christmas is a token to show

love, fondness or appreciation or some combination of those qualities. An item

that captures a quality of a person is therefore likely to be much appreciated.

So, for example, books make good gifts for someone who likes to read. But if the

person also has a humorous persona, a book on jokes would be a desirable

Christmas gift.

For someone who likes to drive, a travel book on scenic routes is likely to

create a large amount of interest. A Christmas gift like that also could stir

some 'wow' remarks as it could easily cause others to want become engrossed in

browsing it. A Christmas gift like that also is an example of something that is

very useful but which may not get a lot of frequent use.

Another strategy for selecting a perfect Christmas gift is to think of how

something will fit into someone's lifestyle. A friend once recalled that wish

another friend often expressed in conversation was for a playstation. But

knowing that the friend also didn't have much leisure time to actually sit and

use a playstation, a hand-held game gadget was given instead that could be used

during commute on public transportation or in 10-15 minutes of short downtime.

Selecting Christmas gifts for friends, acquaintances and loved ones that will be

remembered and treasured is therefore not too much of a difficult task if the

strategies previously mentioned are kept in mind.

Home Business For Frugal People.

I have proved that anyone can make money on the internet without having to spend a fortune. I have recently been introduced to the Plug in Profit Site. I bought the package, hooked, line, and sinker.....

Keywords:

work at home, work at home ideas, business opportunities, small business,make money at home,plug in profit site, start a home business, easy ways to make money,

Article Body:

I have proved that anyone can make money on the internet without having to spend a fortune. I have recently been introduced to the Plug in Profit Site. I bought the package, hooked, line, and sinker. I still can not believe that I bought this package it is totally out of character for me. I hate to spend money. I figured that it takes money to make money right? So why not!

*What it did cost me was 60 bucks to get my website up and running.

What I did not realize was that the program (The 30 day course) wanted me to shell out big bucks to promote my “money making website”.

Maybe if I would have spent the thousand dollars as suggested, I may have gotten my first customer allot sooner. I may even be making one thousand dollars a week by now … But I’m cheap I did not shell out the big bucks. What I did do was simple and pretty cheap, and pretty darn effective. I did the following 5 things.

1. I have written articles and submitted them.
2. I have submitted my URL to the search engines for free.
3. I have dropped a few lines in blogs, and forums with a link to my website
4. I have a few Google Adword ads posted. ( I used low cost keywords)
5. The easiest thing I do is add a SIG file to all my emails.( do it, it’s free!)

Most marketers do not use a SIG file. Why? I do not know, not my problem. But I use my SIG file in all of my emails. You know those annoying forward emails, that your friends and family, send to you on a daily bases. I used to hate those things, but now I love them. Why? because I forward them to everyone in my address book, and yup, you guessed it! I use My Signature file. You would be surprised on how far those crazy emails can go. They are like the Energizer bunny they keep going and going; with my SIG file :-). At the end of all of my emails you will see my SIG file.

*** 3 Easy Steps To Make Money Online ***
Launch Your Very Own Money Making Website Today
That's 100% Ready To Take Orders And Pull In Massive
Residual Profits For You Right Now...Guaranteed! Visit:
http://www.internet5kincome.com/pips.html

(That is a SIG file incase you do not know what one looks like.)

I have to say that using the 5 steps has brought me new customers, and has made me some impressive money. The good news is, it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, to make money on the internet. Be smart, keep it simple and most of all have fun. When you have the chance do some learning about internet marketing, learn and then learn some more. The more you learn the better off you will be. “knowledge is power”

Semper FI
Michael Ditch

* If you want to know how I got my site for 60 dollars remember I am frugal. ( I saved money by registering my domain with http://www.namecheap.com just a little insider tip :-) )

Do You Have The Right People To Organize Your Event

Jenny Jones would never have considered she had any skill when it comes to running seminars. She was just quietly and competently doing her job when she was asked to organize an event to help promote the services that her company provides. Fortunately for her, she recognized instantly that she did not have all of the necessary skills herself and, by borrowing some tips from her recruitment experience, amongst other things, she saved herself from a great deal of stress and put...

Keywords:

online booking, event managment,booking mananger, booking, registration

Article Body:

Jenny Jones would never have considered she had any skill when it comes to running seminars. She was just quietly and competently doing her job when she was asked to organize an event to help promote the services that her company provides. Fortunately for her, she recognized instantly that she did not have all of the necessary skills herself and, by borrowing some tips from her recruitment experience, amongst other things, she saved herself from a great deal of stress and put together a team that delivered the goods, and more.

Almost before doing anything else, she recognized that, as the event organizer she should draw up a list of the numbers and types of people she needed in order to deliver the seminar. Against each job, she noted the competencies that are important for success in that role and any other traits that she felt would enhance the potential for crowning glory.

You'll note that Jenny did not produce a list of names. That can be an easy trap to fall into, especially if yours is a large organization. Instead of deciding what you need for success, you will be working out who not to offend by leaving them off the list. The formal process of defining people specifications, which is what Jenny was doing, actually gives you a viable and mostly acceptable reason for using only the most appropriate people.

If yours is a small organization, like the one Jenny worked in, and you don't have the luxury of choice, specifying the people may actually highlight the need for outside help rather than muddling along with the skills that you have inside the business.

Here are a few examples of people specifications:

Presenter : Good communicator, good impact and influence, technically knowledgeable, acceptable to director level delegates, good attention to detail

Course Administrator : Confident, excellent customer focus, good planning and organizing, good influencer, good initiative

Booking Administrator : Good information gatherer, good organizer, excellent customer focus, good initiative

Supplier Co-ordinator : Good planning and organizing, good influencing, good directiveness, good team worker

Jenny chose what she believed to be the five most important characteristics in each job and checked with a few of her management colleagues whose opinion she respected to ensure that she hadn't missed anything critical. She explained what she expected the people to do and was open-minded to the feedback that she got.

Selecting and briefing the event team

If yours is a large organization, you may want to advertise formally to ensure that you get the best people on board. Many will see this type of project as an opportunity to pick up new skills and experience and will be willing to compete for a place on the team.

The tougher your selection process is, the easier it is for rejected candidates to accept your decision. If you base your selection on a five minute chat in the company restaurant, you may be accused of nepotism and worst of all you may not end up with the best people to help you.

Always insist on evidence of your candidate's skills and competencies. As a rule of thumb, the more recently they have done something similar, the better the chance that they will be able to do the same for you without climbing the learning curve again. If you have the time, it may be useful to set them a task that will demonstrate to you that they can fulfill the role. When you are faced with twenty people all claiming they are the best, this is a great way to compare their actual capabilities.

If, like Jenny, you are unable to fill key roles from inside the organization, there are many consultancies and service organizations only too willing to help out for a fee. They are capable of doing everything from managing the entire event right down to administering your bookings or providing project co-ordination services. Some online booking organization can also manage telephone bookings on a 24 hour basis, will manage the payment process and can conduct post-event evaluation on your behalf.

Arrange a time when you can get your team together to talk through the purpose of the event. Please DO NOT just hand them a copy of the purpose document and expect them to understand everything that you know about it. They will all have very pertinent questions to ask from their very different perspectives and they should all be keen to make sure that they understand what is expected from them.

Brief job descriptions would not be out of place here as they will define boundaries of responsibility and accountability and will avoid unpleasant finger pointing if anything should go badly wrong at a later stage. Have them write their own job descriptions under the headings of:

* Scope
* Key Responsibilities
* Measures of Success

Not only will this give you a good idea of their understanding, it provides you with a motivational tool to recognize their excellence throughout the project.

Jenny Jones used this approach; put together a highly skilled team to deliver her company seminar and added a new skill to her CV - Event Organization.

Getting People to Keep Your Cards

No matter how you design your card make sure that they effectively provide the information that the customers need to know.

Keywords:

business, cards, printing, services

Article Body:

For an entrepreneur a business is more than a piece of paper. It represents their image and years of effort, hard work and dreams. But for other people they are just another advertisement, another piece of clutter to file. To them, your business card may be nothing more important than any other business card that crosses their desk at any given time. So, as a business man how can you make your card attract attention, gets kept and actually used?

Often, it pays to think of the reason why people keep business cards in the first place. Understanding this concept can affect the design and effectiveness of your card. There are some reasons why people even keep business cards. For one, they use them as link to a supplier or resource. Let’s say you are in the construction business and you meet someone who sells hard to find equipments. You will probably keep their business card to contact them whenever you need equipments. Second, you may keep them as a contact to a colleague. Perhaps from time to time you need to contact your business associates or work with other members of the industry. Having their business cards can facilitate contact much easier.

You may also keep business cards for non-business reasons such as when socializing and organizing parties. Likewise, you may retain business cards for the purpose of referring them to someone else. Like for instance, your neighbor needs someone who washes windows. You will probably pass on the card to him so he could contact them.

But often people see business cards simply as contact information for a customer or potential customer. With a little planning you can avoid that routine and make you cards unique and more useful to customers.

There are dozens of ways you can use to encourage customers to hold on to your business card. Most of these ideas center on providing information that the customer may find useful. By using a unique format such a tri-fold format or by adding relevant information on the flip side of the card, you can add value to your business card that makes them worth keeping. For instance, you can include at the back of the card a calendar that lists typical upcoming events. Let’s say you own a coffee house. You can promote events such as live bands, karaoke nights or comedy nights at the back of the card.

Nevertheless, no matter how you design your card make sure that they still effectively provide the information that the customers need to know. Remember that your card may be passes on to someone else or the recipient may be trying to remember you later after a long day of meeting people at a convention. So, make those cards do the sale for you.

Getting Along With Difficult People at Work

The articles is about the stress and anxiety caused by office intrigues and having “difficult” co-workers

Keywords:

stress and anxiety, depression

Article Body:

“Last week, my boss hired a “trainee” straight out of college to work in our department. She is young and it really showed in how she behaved. The problem is, this new “co-worker” of mine started acting like a prima donna. She has become manipulative and dominant. Some of my colleagues are complaining behind her back. It was becoming a nightmare for me just being near her. It has even made me think of quitting.”

Dealing with difficult co-workers is one of the leading causes of stress and anxiety. Unresolved...it would make that person even more depressed. There are people can't seem to get ahead in life because of relationships or situations. Our main set-backs is not all of us are taking the necessary steps to cope up with those people who make life unbearable for us at work. The following are just some of the list of behaviors that push our “buttons” in the workplace:

l Criticizing your religious or political beliefs

l Uncooperative

l Absenteeism (with effects the team members)

l Too much gossiping

l Arrogant

l Disrespectful to supervisors or co-workers

l Unfriendly

The ability to get along with people, adapting to their different personalities takes a certain degree of maturity, patience, understanding and it is the basic factor in our workplace survival and no amount of college education will ensure professional behavior. Workplace relationships is as crucial, it can even lead to unhappiness of that person can't get along with everybody or that person makes life miserable for others.

Coping with a troublesome co-worker

One of the biggest challenges of dealing with difficult co-workers is that their behavior can take many forms. If a co-worker is rude or negative it may require a different approach. Here are some general tips on how to cope with difficult co-workers:

l If that co-worker's unpleasant behavior interferes with how you do your job, you must find a way to solve it if is not directly interfering with your job the best way is just ignore it.

l Give your co-worker the benefit of the doubt.

l Speak up! Bring up the problem directly and privately to your co-worker. If the co-worker's problems is that she tends to be such a whiner or gossips continually. Put an end to it by discouraging that person.

l Try it out for yourself if talking to that person will solved the problem if not; that is the perfect time to talk to your manager. Managers generally expect you to work out most of the problems with people who are on your own level. Be sure you tried everything even a trusted mediator before going on a higher level.

Be also aware of your own behavior and work at changing them. Be sure to identify your strengths and weaknesses. You might not change or control the behavior or attitudes of others but you have the power to change yours.

Free Advertising Among The People You Know

Yes you can do it without being loathsome

Parties are times of celebration. They can also be a fun opportunity to network with people you don't often get to meet or be with.

This is the season for weddings, graduations, college reunions and family reunions. At these events, everyone knows why you are there. Take advantage of that connection.

They know you in connection to the bridal couple at a wedding reception, the new graduate at the graduation party, your clas...

Keywords:

advertising,networking,referrals

Article Body:

Yes you can do it without being loathsome

Parties are times of celebration. They can also be a fun opportunity to network with people you don't often get to meet or be with.

This is the season for weddings, graduations, college reunions and family reunions. At these events, everyone knows why you are there. Take advantage of that connection.

They know you in connection to the bridal couple at a wedding reception, the new graduate at the graduation party, your class year at the college reunion, or who is your mother/father, son/daughter at the family reunion. But have you laid the foundation so well and so broad that they all know what you do, what business you are in, and who your market is?

Often we don't see these people enough to keep up. So celebrations are a great relaxing time to get the word out in a low key way and have fun at the same time. And if networking is not usually your cup of tea, this is a safe environment to practice.

Obviously, you don't want to be known as the MLM person cruising the room to recruit everyone within three feet. But, you do want them to know what you do and to become a great referral source for your business when they meet someone who is an ideal prospect for your business. They can't help you if they don't know what you do. Here are a few basic guidelines I suggest when you talk about work at social occasions.

- Don't ask for names - rather leave the door open for you to followup with a phone call.

- Don't sell - you don't want to become persona non-grata.

- Don't book sales appointments or bring out your datebook - followup with a phone call to do that during business hours.

- Don't hog the conversation - If you find yourself engrossed with one person more than 30 minutes, you need to close the conversation and move on. Your listener did not come to the party to hear a sales pitch by you.

- Don't corner anyone - As tempting as it might be to try to hook an ideal client, strategic partner or person of influence. Don't do it. You'll burn too many bridges.

- Do be specific about who your ideal prospect is, the person, title, company size, industry, niche, etc. - This makes it easy for your listener to relax knowing you are not targeting him.

- Do clarify what problem you solve - This will engage your listener in the benefits of your product/service.

- Do brag on one or two recent successes, opportunities, or achievements - At celebration events, everyone is in high spirits, so good news will be well received.

- Do move about the gathering and meet lots of people - if they don't know who you are, they won't be able to tell their friends about you.

When they remember you after the party, you want them to still like you and enjoy your company. To be memorable, it is important that you spend more time asking about them than talking about you. It's that easy to get free advertising among people you know at all the festivities this spring.

Finding The Right People For The Job

If you are a manager, one of the most stressful aspects of your job is finding good people to fill available positions in your company. Whether you work in a small business or for a large corporation, hiring new personnel can be a hard process to manage. There are many things to consider when you are reviewing resumes and arranging interviews, but if you attention to some key factors, you will typically find a successful match for your needs.

The first step toward finding ...

Keywords:

people

Article Body:

If you are a manager, one of the most stressful aspects of your job is finding good people to fill available positions in your company. Whether you work in a small business or for a large corporation, hiring new personnel can be a hard process to manage. There are many things to consider when you are reviewing resumes and arranging interviews, but if you attention to some key factors, you will typically find a successful match for your needs.

The first step toward finding good people to fill positions is the advertising process. You can put in ads in local newspapers and make postings on Internet job sites. Be sure to word your ad in such a way that it adequately describes the most important skills needed for the job. If the available position calls for certain communication or technical skills be sure to list those clearly, and if applicants are expected to know particular software programs make sure you say that this knowledge is required.

Once you have placed you ad, you will have to begin screening applicants. The first step is to look through all of the submitted resumes and rule out those who obviously do not have the right qualifications for the job. This process can be as lenient or as strict as you need, depending on how many people apply for the position. If you have a big stack of resumes, you will have to immediately rule out some people just for the sake of time. However, if you have little to choose from, you might consider interviewing all of the candidates to see who seems the best suited to the job at hand.

After you have narrowed your applicant field, you will have to start arranging interviews. Though scheduling can be a nightmare if you are already extremely busy with your own job, you should set aside a few days to conduct your interviews. You can spend half of every day for a week interviewing candidates, leaving the other half of each day to conduct business as usual. Once you have finished scheduling, you can begin the interview process.

Interviewing can be very stressful for both the interviewer and the people being interviewed. It is important to make your job candidates as comfortable as possible so you will be able to better judge them for who they really are. If you begin the interview with a series of tough questions, he or she may become frazzled and not be able to give you answers that illustrate his or her true abilities. However, if the available job requires grace under pressure and thinking on ones feet, it might be a good idea to test the applicants ability to deal with stressful situations.

You should cater your interview to the requirements of the job. Reiterate needed skills sets and confirm that the applicant has the skills needed to perform adequately. You can usually tell a lot about people from how they conduct themselves during an interview. If the applicant is confident even when fielding tough problem-solving questions, he or she will probably be good at doing so in a professional setting. Be sure to take notes on positive and negative qualities of an applicant so you do not forget during the course of the long interviewing process.

Once you have interviewed all of the applicants you are considering, you will have to make the hard choice of who to hire. Even if you have several qualified people, there are usually one or two who really stand out. If you can narrow your choices to two or three candidates, you can always arrange for another interview with each. Keeping in mind the requirements of the position, you can usually figure out the best person for the job after conducting a focused second interview session. After you make your decision, be confident that you have chosen the right person to become the newest member of your team.

Dealing with Difficult People: 27 Secrets & Strategies You Can Apply Today

27 easy, proven strategies for dealing with difficult people. Guaranteed to work if you look at the part you can control - you! Discover simple tips for how to deal with gossips, whiners, know-it-alls, exploders and more. Whether it's dealing with a difficult boss, dealing with a difficult co-worker or difficult spouse. And, might you be the difficult person?! Oh my!

Keywords:

Dealing with difficult people, difficult people, communication, conflict resolution, communication skills, managing employees, how to deal with difficult people, dealing with difficult boss, difficult co-worker

Article Body:

Copyright 2006 Colleen Kettenhofen

“No one can get your goat if they don’t know where it’s tied up.” Zig Ziglar

1. Listen more effectively. Listening is the number one tool in communication, especially when dealing with difficult people.

2. Step back and analyze the situation from an outside perspective. When we are less emotionally involved and “cool our jets,” the answers come for how to effectively deal with them. Whether dealing with a difficult boss, dealing with a difficult co-worker, or spouse.

3. Ignoring often doesn’t work. The tension becomes so thick you can cut it with a knife.

4. Choose your battles. There are times when you have to “let it go.” Know when to speak up and when to pick your battles.

5. Criticize in person, praise in public. Never publicly criticize someone as you will look like the bad guy and the difficult person will only become more upset.

6. Maintain respect for them – even if you disagree or dislike them. At least acknowledge what they say. Think about how you would want to be treated.

7. Seek first to understand then to be understood, especially when dealing with difficult people.

8. People often won’t care what you think unless they think you care. At least attempt to see it from their perspective.

9. Maintain high expectations and standards if you are managing this employee. If you don’t do this you will be seen as enabling their unacceptable behavior.

10. Strive for greater communication. Often, it’s not that there isn’t enough communication, it’s that it’s bad communication. So work on improving your conflict resolution skills. If you are a manager, consider training everyone in conflict resolution. One of the main reasons teams fail is because some of the people on the team don’t like each other, or aren’t skilled in handling conflict.

11. Invest in communication skills courses and conflict resolution skills courses to improve the part you can control – you.

12. Don’t lose emotional control. Antagonists and “passive-aggressives” will often try to push your buttons.

13. Avoid being around difficult people when they’re in a bad mood. If they’re always in a bad mood, try being around them when they are in a “better” mood!

14. Accept, change or reject. Know that ultimately you only have three choices.
1) Accept the situation knowing it won’t change.
2) Attempt to change your relationship with them by changing how you react.
3) If it’s really affecting your well being, it may be time to “reject” the situation and move on.

15. Avoid "but." No “but’s” allowed! For example, don’t follow giving them positive reinforcement with, “But on the other hand…” The word “but” only negates everything positive you just said.

16. Non-verbally position yourself at their eye level. For example, if they are sitting when you talk with them, sit. If they are standing, stand. Converse at their level.

17. Avoid the word “need” when possible and use “want” instead. Saying politely and tactfully, “John, I want to have the project in to me by noon so that we’ll meet our deadline. “Want” is more assertive as long as it’s in the right tone.

18. Watch your tone of voice. Avoid an autocratic or sarcastic tone. The Latin root of the word “sarcasm” is “sarco” meaning tearing of the flesh!

19. In face-to-face communication, words account for 7% of what people notice and believe about you. Tone is 38% and body language 55%. So a full 93% is tone and body language.

20. Give sincere positive reinforcement when they do something well. Show genuine appreciation. Often difficult people are difficult because they feel unappreciated.

21. Avoid absolutes such as, “You always” and “You never.” It puts difficult people further on the defensive.

22. Don’t take it personally. Often they’re difficult because of something going on with them.

23. Watch your mental state. Don’t let them drag you down. A little of that can be normal but don’t allow it to go on.

24. Remember the person who constantly angers you, or constantly intimidates you, controls you.

25. Mutually agree to move on. Agree to disagree. If this isn’t possible, at least “move on” in your own mind.

26. Attempt to understand what’s driving that difficult behavior. Get at the root cause, even if you only try to figure it out in your own mind.

27. E + R = 0. Event + Reaction = Outcome. You can’t control the event, but you can control the outcome based on how you react or respond. Be careful how you respond.

For example, there’s the story of the couple who were divorcing. A neighbor said to the wife, “Do you think you’d ever get back together?” She replied, “No, because we have said things to each other that are so horrible, that even after apologizing they could never be taken back. There's no way we’d get back together.” The moral of the story…be careful what you say. Once those words are out they’re hard to take back.

“The disease of me often results in the defeat of us.” Pat Riley of NBA fame

Don't Sell. Tell Your Network Contacts How You Help People

We meet potential customers every day. And more importantly everyone we meet probably knows someone who may be interested in our products and services. But how do we take advantage of all those meetings without putting people off by "selling?"

Keywords:

Selling, networking, networks, elevator pitch, what do you do, sales skills

Article Body:

How often have you not mentioned what you do in your business when you meet someone for the first time for fear of being seen as trying to sell?

A lot!! - I know that because people so often tell me that is so at seminars.

Well what if I could show you simple way to encourage people who are interested in your products to want to buy, whilst making sure that people who are not interested don't feel sold to. Would that be of interest to you?

OK - but please do not be deceived by the simplicity of this idea. I guarantee it will totally transform your networking skills and increase your sales.However whilst the idea is simple it does require a complete shift in your thinking and that may be much harder to achieve.

When you meet someone for the first time they will usually get round to asking "What do you do?"But how do you answer?

Most people in my experience answer with a job description – "I’m an accountant, a lawyer, sell furniture, design web sites, run a beauty salon" etc. And often that’s the end of that conversation.

Yet every time you meet someone there is a possibility that they may be a potential customer or they may know a potential customer.Unfortunately we often fail to discover that because we don’t talk about business, because we feel uncomfortable about "selling."

Of course there is another response I sometimes receive - It's called an "Elevator Pitch," and I am not a fan.If you have ever attended a speed networking session you will be familiar with this approach. Essentially an elevator pitch is a sixty second sales pitch, so called because screen writers used to jump into an elevator with a producer and pitch their idea before the doors opened at the next floor.

If I ask "what do you do" and get a sixty second sales pitch, I spend the last thirty seconds looking for an escape route. I don't like being sold to! And nor do most people in my experience

However it is possible to invite people to talk about our business in such a way that they do not feel we are trying to sell them something. Instead of talking about your product or service – which means selling, tell them how you help people.

I have different responses depending on who I am speaking to – for example "I specialise in helping small business owners to attract more customers" or "I specialise in helping women in business to become outstanding public speakers". And I finish with "do you know anyone that would be of interest to?"

Now if you are a small business owner or a woman in business would you want to know more if I said that?Of course you would. Often people respond immediately asking for more information indicating that they would like my help. If they don’t respond, then they are not a prospective customer right now, but at least they now know what I do and that means they are more likely to mention me to a friend.

If they are interested then I can arrange a follow up – "Let me have your card and I’ll call you in the week to arrange a meeting" or "take my card, go and have a look at my web site at www.speakingandmarketingtips.com – there’s a free ebook (in exchange for signing up for my newsletter) that might help."

Create and practice your own pre-prepared responses as follows:

I specialise in helping ………………………………(describe your target customers, who do you most want to be doing business with, or describe a category that includes the person you are speaking to.)

to ………………….(how do you help them, what problem do you solve.)

How do you tailor your response so it is most applicable to the person you are speaking to?

Easy - get into the habit of asking people what they do first and don't let a conversation die when they give you a job description.Encourage them to talk about what they do and prompt for the problems they face in doing it - especially the problems that you can solve.

People love to talk about themselves and they love people who are prepared to listen. Then they almost always ask, "What do you do?"

Me… Oh! I specialise in helping……..

If you have just spent five or ten minutes showing interest in them and what they do and you then tell them that you specialise in solving some of the problems they face - do you think they are going to want to know more?

Copyright 2006 Richelle (Rikki) Arundel, UK

Dealing with Your Difficult People

Conflict is part of every organization. How leaders deal with that conflict can produce enemies or motivated teams who embrace change. Learn 8 practical strategies you can use starting today as a leader to turn your most difficult people into team players you value.

Keywords:

conflict, difficult people, bridge building, enemies, selective screening, caring enough to confront, conflict management, change management, resistence, discipline, problem solving, avoidance

Article Body:

For leaders managing constant change, conflict is built into the very fabric of their organizations. When conflict is not dealt with well, it can create strained relationships and grow to sap the time, energy, and productivity of even the best teams. Dealt with positively, conflict can also be a catalyst that sets the stage for needed changes. You will never deal with conflict perfectly, but here are a few tips worth using in dealing with your most difficult people:

1. Talk to people instead of about them. Dealing with conflict directly may be uncomfortable and lead to some disappointment, but it cuts down the mindreading and the resentment that can occur when problems are not dealt with directly. Timing, tact, and taking distance will always have their place, but make sure you still keep conflict eyeball to eyeball.

2. We are taught from childhood to avoid conflict and often vacillate between the pain of dealing with unresolved problems and the guilt over not dealing with them. Such vacillation saps energy and time; it can affect morale and turnover. Be a problem solver not a problem evader. Problem solvers avoid avoidance; they learn to deal with conflict as soon as it even begins to get in the way.

3. Develop a communication style that focuses on future problem solving rather than getting stuck in proving a conviction for past mistakes. You want change, not just an admission of guilt. Winners of arguments never always win, because consistent losers never forget. You want results, not enemies seeking revenge. By focusing on future problem solving, both can save face.

4. Problem solvers deal with issues, not personalities. It’s all too easy to abuse the other party instead of dealing with issues. Be assertive but affirm the rights of others to have different positions, values and priorities. When you personalize disagreements and attack back, you invite escalation. Keep the focus on mutual problem solving not name-calling.

5. Honor, surface and use resistance. Attempts at threatening, silencing or otherwise avoiding criticism of change will only force resistance underground and increase the sabotaging of even necessary changes. Explored resistance helps build clarity of focus and action. Push for specific suggestions. If criticism is extensive and continues even after facing it, it may not be resistance—know when to admit that you are wrong!

6. Redefine caring to include caring enough to confront on a timely and consistent basis. Avoid labels that give you or others excuses for not confronting a problem—They are too sensitive or too nice, scene makers or people who have contacts, too old or too young, or the wrong race or gender. If you believe people cannot change or benefit from feedback, you will tend not to confront them. Instead, treat all equally by caring enough to be firm, fair, and consistent.

7. Avoid forming “enemy” relationships. The subtle art of influence is often lost in the heat of organizational battle. When interaction becomes strained or bias exists, the negative interaction coupled with the distance that often results invites selective scanning and projection. We see what we want to see to keep our enemies “the enemy.” If a relationship is limited to polite indifference and significant negative interaction, expect polarization and an “enemy” relationship. In such relationships everyone loses. Take seriously the words of Confucius, “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” Even your most difficult people usually have some people they work well with. Make one of those people you. Don’t look for the worst; learn to look for the best in even difficult people.

8. Invest time building positive bridges to your difficult people. Abraham Lincoln reportedly said, “I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.” Don't be insincere; look for ways to be sincere. It takes a history of positive contact to build trust. Try building a four-to-one positive to negative contact history. Give specific recognition and ask for assistance in the areas you respect their opinions. Work together on a common cause and search for areas of common ground. By being a positive bridge builder, you build a reputation all will see and come to respect even if a few difficult people never respond.

Finally, don’t forget to spend some time looking in a mirror. Ron Zemke put it well when he said, “If you find that everywhere you go you're always surrounded by jerks and you're constantly being forced to strike back at them or correct their behavior, guess what? You're a jerk.” Influencing others starts by making sure that you’re not being difficult yourself.

Copyright © 2006 by Terry Paulson, All Rights Reserved

You’ll find that there are a lot of things that you have to do in a day. You don’t want to spend all day on dinner, but you also want to keep in mind that a good and wholesome meal can be served within an hour. You’ll find that there are a lot of ingredients that can be opted out so that you are able to keep things simple and easy. It also depends on rather or not you are an experienced cook or a beginner. You’ll want to keep in mind that most people will struggle with some of the dishes, but you’ll be able to do a lot with just rice, veggies, and one type of meat.

Do People Know Exactly What Event Management and Event Marketing Is

Event management starts well before the day of the event and requires much follow up work afterwards like requiring planning, marketing, invitee registration, confirmations and reminders must be very well thought out, and carried out, prior to your event. If all this is well done step by step, your event management company will be successful.

Keywords:

event,management,marketing,organizing,social,personal,national

Article Body:

The answer is No….As nowadays any Tom, Dick or Harry has an event management company without knowing the A B C of event management. Event Management is principles and practices associated with planning, managing and staging special events. There are a lot of important components like stage and logistic management, marketing, promotion, event evaluation and event reporting which lead to a successful event.

Now event management and event marketing are two sides of the same coin. Event management can’t go without event marketing, so any company or individual doing event management should think about marketing these events first.

Any event management or marketing company or individual has to ensure success for which they are working. The event management company will work closely with the person for whom they are doing event management for as an extension of his team, providing the focus needed to manage each complex element of the event management process, leaving him free to concentrate on his core responsibilities.

We can categorize events as national events, social events and personal events.

Social events: consists of award functions, fashion shows, musical shows etc.

Personal events: are marriage functions, birthday parties or any personal celebrations.

National events: like Republic Day and Independence Day, they are considered to be very important events.

Conducting an event is not an overnight job. These events required proper planning and depth. An expert event manager or organizer has to start the work of organizing event few months earlier. Firstly an expert planner will think of sponsors to conduct the shows. To be very clear, national and personal events do not need marketing, but for social events like award functions, fashion shows etc. proper sponsors, advertisement and of course marketing are required.

Initial step to organize any event is to divide it into different parts.

1- In first part there will be a team of skilled marketing people, who could find good sponsors for the show. Advertisement is also a basic need for the success of an event.

2- Secondly, a group of people works on the venue where the show is to be conducted. The venue, day date and time are equally important factors, as such the place where event is to be conducted should be suitable for the public and even the day and time when the event is going to take place.

3- In the third part the important thing is practice of the show. The other expert group of people works upon the costumes, type of sub events like singing, dancing etc. of the participants. They conduct rehearsal again and again for the success of the show.

4- Fourth part is the selling of tickets in the public and of course the planning of proper security services. It is very necessary to be able control the whole crowd.

Lastly, when all these important functions get clicked together, a successful grand event is organized. In short, to make any event successful the most important thing is planning, and the other step is to follow up accordingly to the plans i.e. e hard work and keen efforts.

EQ vs. IQ: Why Do Smart People Fail?

Why do smart people fail?

Why people who more social succeed while those with merely a moderate IQ considerably fail?

Keywords:

management, success, consulting, intelligence, el kamony, EI, EQ, IQ, profit, support, skills, self development, self improvement, case study, organization, mohamed

Article Body:

First we need to understand that emotional intelligence (EQ) is not the opposite of the intelligence quotient (IQ); EQ is actually complementary to IQ resembled in academic intelligence and cognitive skills, and studies actually show that our emotional states affect the way our brain functions as well as its processing speed (Cryer qtd. in Kemper). Studies have even shown that Albert Einstein's superior intellectual ability may have been linked to the part of the brain that supports psychological functions, dubbed the amygadla. The natures of EQ and IQ differ however in the ability to learn and develop them. IQ is a genetic potential that is established at birth and happens to be fixed after a certain age (pre-puberty) and can not be developed nor increased after then. EQ on the contrary can be learned, developed and improved at any age, and studies have actually shown that our ability to learn emotional intelligence increases as we get older. Another difference is that IQ is a threshold capability that can only show you the road to your career and gets you working in a certain field but it is EQ that walks through that road and gets you promoted in that field. Therefore, striking a balance between IQ and EQ is an important element of managerial success. For some extent, IQ is a driver of productive performance; however IQ-based competencies are considered "threshold abilities" i.e. the skills needed for you to do an average job. On the other hand, EQ-based competencies and skills are by far more effective, especially at higher levels of organizations where IQ differences are negligible. When a comparative study matched star performers against average ones in top organizational levels, 85 % was attributed to EQ-based competencies rather than IQ. Dr. Goleman says that even though organizations are different, have different needs, it was found that EQ contributed by 80-90% of predicting success in organizations in general.

EQ vs. IQ: Case Study

To better illustrate the value-added of EQ competencies relative to IQ, we refer to the case, which was conducted by Dr. Goleman and two renowned EQ researchers, to analyze how EQ competencies contributed to profits in a large accounting firm. First, the participants' IQs and EQs were tested and analyzed thoroughly, then they were organized in work teams and each work team was trained on one form of EQ competency like self-management and social skills; however they left one team with participants with a high IQ to act as a control for the study. Then when they evaluated the economic value-added of EQ competencies and IQ, the results were remarkable. The team with high social skills scored a 110% incremental profit, while the self-control partners scored a massive 390% incremental profit which was valued at $ 1,465,000 more profit per year. Conversely, the partners with high cognitive and analytical skills, reminiscent of IQ, added just 50% incremental profit, which indicate that IQ give support to performance but this support is limited owing to its being a threshold capability; EQ-based competencies apparently supports performance far more.

Executive Search For Busy People

What does executive search mean? On what caliber should a person be considered capable of executive level responsibility? Some worthy skills to be capable of are time management, people skills, creativity, budgeting, conflict management, and organization.

When selecting possible employees and managers, the head of a company will search for varying levels of executive responsibilities in an individual. However, the test of good character can be easily determined by the str...

Keywords:

Article Body:

What does executive search mean? On what caliber should a person be considered capable of executive level responsibility? Some worthy skills to be capable of are time management, people skills, creativity, budgeting, conflict management, and organization.

When selecting possible employees and managers, the head of a company will search for varying levels of executive responsibilities in an individual. However, the test of good character can be easily determined by the stress content in a given situation. Although every hiring person will be looking for an able minded and bodied person to do the job, it is how the executive manages himself and his time that will determine if his quality of life will exceed his initial foot in the door.

Time management, for example, is simply deciding how to spend the precious hours of the day. Priority and logic are necessary for expediency, which is an excellent and desirable trait to have as an employee.

People skills are another excellent quality to earn more executive power. That skill will help him deal with customers and employees while running a business.

Creativity is producing an innovative solution by exploration to satisfy an existing condition by original means. This quality is absolutely necessary in business because the field is always changing and evolving to fit the demands of everyday life and the market. An executive must be prepared to change with the business environment and make alterations to his corporation to fit changing needs.

Budgeting is the disciplined allocations of funds necessary to keep the company and its employees afloat on the tides of the economy. Any executive needs to understand the relevance of a budget and be able to stick with it and modify it according to business needs.

Conflict management is being able to settle the dispute of two or more parties in a way that satisfies both parties.

And lastly, organization is the handling of business papers, files, records, and personnel effectively and in such a way that is organized. It may be that certain information should not be allowed into the hands of lower level employees, and with the reservation and orientation of paperwork, the structure of the inner handling of a corporation are kept secure.

For your executive search needs, be sure to allow for a period of testing, because as you learn the measure of a person, you may better see to what degree they are indeed qualified for the position.

Fishy Salespeople? How to Finally Stop Handing Out FREE Fish to Your Sales People

Do you remember the good ole days when sales managers used to just sit back and wait for their salespeople to come into their offices and ask for help? Maybe they needed the old veteran to come in and nail down the close. Well, we all know you just can't do that any more. Sure, that would put a few more sales in the win column (in the short term). But in the long term what are you creating? Nothing but needy, dependent salespeople without an ounce of personal selling confidence. Show your sales people HOW to prospect, HOW to set appointments and HOW to close sales makes your job easier and everybody's paycheck fatter.

Keywords:

sales leadership,sales training,sales performance,sales management training,corporate sales training

Article Body:

Do you remember the good ole days when sales managers used to just sit back and wait for their salespeople to come into their offices and ask for help?

Maybe they needed the old veteran to come in and nail down the close. Well, we all know you just can't do that any more. Sure, that would put a few more sales in the win column (in the short term). But in the long term what are you creating? Nothing but needy, dependent salespeople without an ounce of personal selling confidence.

Showing your people HOW to prospect, HOW to set appointments and HOW to close sales makes your job easier and everybody's paycheck fatter.

If that's the kind of vision you have for your sales team, then it's time to close down the all-you-can-eat fish-fry and open up the all-you-can-catch fishing school.

Wouldn't that be nice? You bet it would. AND profitable, too.

And so we've come to the reason for this article. You see, Self-Sustaining Salespeople are not found; they are developed. Sure, it still takes a certain style of person to succeed in this business, but once you find them, everything else can (and should) be taught. And it's all been broken down into an easy to follow step-by-step system.

But before we teach our future sales stars the secrets to prospecting and closing, we have to help them. HOW? We show them how to make the shift from just hitting their revenue goals to (with our inspiration) becoming Self-Sustained Business Professionals.

Did you notice I used the phrase "business" professional, not just "sales" professional?

That's because to be a superstar in sales, you have possess the proper insight and mindset about business.

That means having a keen insight into the details of your own business cycle, from pre-contact to revenue receipt, as well as an understanding of your prospect's world, and how it relates to their business objectives and what is important to them. Not you, but to them. You must understand how your prospects measure success.

Let me put that another way:

Sales Superstars must understand the business they are in. They must respect the business the prospect is in and they must recognize what the prospect values in that business.

To do that, Sales Professionals MUST become Business Professionals.

I've interviewed hundreds of sales people for every type of position. I found it funny that most candidates were quick to put down a "higher" level of achievement on their resume compared to their peers and the quota objective from prior sales positions.

However, when I asked them what their system and process are to achieve such "superior" results, most (amazingly) could not explain their results from a "business" level.

So, how do you do it? Inspire self-sustain business professionals?

I can tell you that just affirming the objective of executing to revenue is not enough to make it happen. Eavesdrop on any Monday morning sales meeting, and you will see that just about every Sales Manager has the same intention. They may not be "achieving" it, but is always their marching orders.

What those of us in Sales management really need to do is develop a customized Masters level curriculum in "Executing to Revenue" and "Becoming a Self-Sustained Business Professional."

To achieve that ideal, you need to indoctrinate every new sales employee to a system that develops a result-oriented plan, executes to proven tactics and manages the everyday conditions that tend to throw us off track.

Sound good. But can it really be done? And done quickly?

Well, the first step to becoming a self-sustained professional is running your business with critical metrics, processes and systems. Sounds a lot like the way an entrepreneurial business owner runs their enterprise, right?

In the Business of Core Competencies, I help sales individuals and management identify their essential components, and the performance metrics necessary for successful results.

We classify those metrics and discover how they are inter-related with each other and dynamic to preferred results. And by training specifically to these core competencies one at a time, we can control our destinies and routinely achieve our desired results.

You see, there are basically two kinds of people when it comes to results.

Those who point their index finger outward say it's not their fault things didn't turn out well. There were "conditional" reasons for their poor results. But, those who point their index finger inward evaluate what they could have done differently to avoid the negative outcome.

They know the difference between factors, which they can control and conditions, which are outside of their control. They seek out and modify routines and behaviors that are within their control, to improve efficiencies in gaining the required results.

So, ask yourself: Are you inspiring self-sustained professionals or management-sustained individuals?

Interesting question, isn't it?

Self sustained business professionals identify the essential elements and components that comprise your selling process. They realize how they affect your desired result dynamically, and make adjustments in routines and tactics to assure consistent results. No matter what month it is!

Now, here's a sure-fire method to identify self-sustained business professionals in your sales organization.

Evaluate the sales results for the month of December. Who was at or above quota? Realistically, December has only 13-15 selling days versus the normal 20-23 selling days in the rest of the calendar year.

December brings with it holidays, personal vacations, and general mental re-grouping for the new year. For most B-to-B selling individuals, if you don't have your number by mid-month or so, you might as well forget it.

But, if you understand your essential core competencies and performance metrics that lead you to desired results, you will customize a plan to achieve those results. You will start to execute to the plan prior to the holiday month, and your December revenue goal can be routinely met. And the same goes for a personal vacation month.

Makes sense doesn't it? Great! So, what are you waiting for? Go inspire those Self-Sustained business professionals on your team!

EBAy, Where People Go To Buy and Sell Items.

Find the tools you need to buy and sell on EBAY.

Keywords:

ebay, ebay motors, electronics

Article Body:

You want to buy and sell items seen on eBay but you are not exactly sure how to go about it. You need to do a little research before you jump in with both feet. At www.buy1-online.com , there are many articles on the “How To’s” of buying and selling on eBay. After reading some of the online articles at this site you will be better prepared and feel more confident about buying and selling on eBay.

Need more reasons to visit this site? Our navigation menu has a misspelling tool that will allow you to find items to buy, that will be missed by people not using this advantage.

Check out the eBay Resources Tool. Information on eBay University features online courses for people who prefer studying at home. Also note a handy classroom finder for courses offered in your area. There are free videos taking you through a virtual classroom. Related links include a Help section and a Learning Center resource.

Another resource tool is the eBay forum. The forum will keep you up to date about the concerns and possible challenges of other eBay members. In the What’s New section is information on some eBay Blogs! The Chatter is now available via RSS feed. There is eBay radio which broadcasts twice a week and an archieve of eBay radio broadcasts. eBay has a free eBook on eBay basics called “The Appetizer”. There are also listings for other auctions on other web sites that might interest you.

Interested in the Clickbank Marketplace? You can get there from here! There is a clever little search tool that will allow you to quickly find your items. Or use the topics under our six main headings to find your articles . There is a section called “Make Money Online” where experts in the field of eBay will teach you what you need to know to auction successfully. Visit http://www.buy1-online.com to begin your eBay experience.

© Copyright 2006 Thomas Allen

Editors Help Business People Do the 'Write' Thing

You've got spelling and grammar checkers on your laptop computer, so you're all set to crank out the perfect sales letter while you're on the road.

Keywords:

Editors Help Business People Do the 'Write' Thing

Article Body:

You've got spelling and grammar checkers on your laptop computer, so you're all set to crank out the perfect sales letter while you're on the road.

But Chandra Clarke and Terence Johnson of the online editing service Scribendi.com would urge you to not hit the "print" button just yet. Those spelling and grammar checkers can make mistakes, and even one typo could not only ruin the impact of your letter but reflect poorly on you and your company.

Written marketing materials are often the first impression prospective customers have of a company. And prospects can be very unforgiving of those little typos.

In the article "Ethos and Error: How Business People React to Errors," University of South Alabama English professor Larry Beason found that mistakes in written materials create confusion regarding meaning and harm the image of the writer and the writer's company. The typos often reflect on more than the writer's communication skills, Beason said. The people he interviewed called sloppy writers "hasty," "uninformed," "careless" and "uncaring."

"If you don't care about your work," wrote one of the respondents, "why should I care about you and your business?"

But carefully proofreading your work may not be enough - studies show that people often miss their own typos. According to the studies, you see what you expect to see in your own writing, rather than what's actually there. Another person, or an editing service like Scribendi, can provide a fresh set of eyes.

Scribendi offers a variety of services, including proofreading, editing and translation. Clients upload their files to Scribendi's Web site and download their documents after the editors are done correcting and polishing.

The editors come from a variety of backgrounds, so they're familiar with their clients' fields. In addition to correcting grammar, spelling, flow and consistency, they explain word usage issues and standard writing practices, so clients learn how to improve their own writing.

When it comes to making a great first impression, Clarke and Johnson believe no project is too small. The image you create with a short press release, they say, is as important as a deal-closing presentation.

Giveaways: Gifts that People Fancy Receiving

Giving out promotional giveaways is a good marketing strategy. There a lot of items to choose from when deciding what to give out. Whatever you choose just make sure that they will be used by your cusotmers.

Keywords:

promotional, products, items

Article Body:

The right kind of promotional product can mean the difference between gaining customers and actually losing them. As everyone loves receiving gifts, promotional giveaways are one of the best ways to foster loyalty and get the attention of potential customers or clients. Likewise, these promotional products can help create name recognition and create customer goodwill.

Promotional items such as mugs, pens, clothing, glasses and alarm clocks among others are often inscribed with your logo or messages that can create long lasting impression to anyone who would receive or see it. Company promotional giveaway options are endless ranging from serious to silly items. When choosing the right promotional item for your business, it is essential that you take into consideration what your customers often use. Say for instance, most of your customers spend most of their time behind a desk; hence, your giveaways can be pens, clocks, mugs, computer accessories or calendars. It is likewise important to think how many times your promotional material can be used by your customers.

Now that the holidays are near, it may be in your best interest to start thinking immediately of what to give to your customers as a holiday gift. When you have decided what to give out, you still have to take into account the color, design and quantity that you are going to produce. It is a given fact that color adds life and attractiveness to any material. That is why it is vital that you choose the right colors to your promotional item. But also make sure not to over do your colors. Just make it simply yet catchy as much as possible. You would not want your customers to have one look at it and decide to toss it in their drawers or cabinets.

When it comes to the design less is also more. Keep it simple as much as possible. Put only what is necessary such as your logo and the message that you want to say to your customers. Do not overcrowd your design as a disorganized product could discourage your customer from using it. Furthermore, it is important that you plan ahead. Give yourself enough time finish all the things you have to do before giving out your promotional giveaways. Avoid rushing as it could affect the production process and smooth transaction of your business.

And so, choosing the right giveaway for your customer is essential to a successful marketing strategy. Remember that giving some promotional products as a form of incentive to your customers can encourage them to continue doing business with you.

Getting Along with Critical People

We all have to deal with critical people at times. You know the type - the person who can spot a flaw from across the room, gives unsolicited advice, frequently complains and passes judgment, is negative and seems impossible to please. It can be quite challenging to get along with a critic, especially when we live, work or attend church with them. Learn practical strategies to help you get along better with critical people.

Keywords:

critical people, relationships, relationship at work, conflict resolution, difficult people, interpersonal relationships, relate well

Article Body:

We all have to deal with critical people at times. You know the type - the person who can spot a flaw from across the room, gives unsolicited advice, frequently complains and passes judgment, is negative and seems impossible to please.

We can all be critical. Every day, we literally critique everything that goes on around us consciously and unconsciously. Unfortunately, some people tend to verbalize the thoughts many of us have learned to keep to ourselves. When things don't go our way or we're in a bad mood it is easy to become critical. It's true, miserable people prefer miserable company. Critical people actually feel better around others who share the same negative attitudes. Before we spend time learning how to cope with other people's critical traits let's make sure we have our own well under control.

It can be quite challenging to get along with a critic, especially when we live, work or attend church with them. Here are 10 tips to help you get along better with critical people.

1. Understand what motivates people to be critical

Hurting people hurt people. Most critics were criticized themselves as children and did not develop the sense of security and healthy identity that can come from positive nurturing. They tend to have a low opinion of themselves and consequently feel best (although often frustrated) when attempting to achieve the unrealistic standards they set for themselves and others. Critics are often motivated by the need to feel better about themselves by putting other people down. Understanding their motivation can help us to develop empathy and compassion - two qualities that will help you get along with critical people.

2. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water

Although critical people often lack diplomacy and tact, they also tend to be able to size up people and situations accurately. You may be tempted to discount what you hear, but listen carefully to what they say because there is often valuable information underneath the sharp edges of the message.

3. Be willing to confront your critic

It is not easy to confront interpersonal problems, but it is typically the best approach. Be willing to tell the critic in your life how you feel about the way they interact with you. This won't guarantee change, however, by expressing your thoughts and feelings you are in a better position to manage your own emotions and behaviors. Emotional expression will decrease your chances of growing embittered, and consequently, doing or saying something you'll regret.

4. Focus on the truth not on the criticism

If someone puts you down, fight the temptation to dwell on the criticism. If there is something you can learn from the message, do so, but then move on. Instead of dwelling on the negative comment focus on the gifts, talents and strengths that you possess.

5. Be careful about what you share with the critical person

It's not always wise to share personal or important information with a critic about yourself or anyone else. Providing such information is asking for trouble because critical people often take things out of context, misinterpret or exaggerate information and place a negative spin on ideas or opinions. Learn how to discern what you should and should not reveal. When in doubt, don’t share.

6. Don't join in on criticizing others

It can be easy to fall into the trap of criticizing others when you're around a critical person. Joining in on the criticism only serves to legitimize the behavior in the mind of the critic, and the transition into gossip is close behind. Today the criticism is about someone else - tomorrow it could be directed toward you.

7. Limit the amount of time you spend with critical people

It may be very appropriate to limit the amount of time you spend with a critic. This, of course, can be difficult if they happen to be your spouse, parent or boss. However, it may be in your best interest to let the person know that your level of interaction with them will be based, in part, on their willingness to communicate with you in a constructive and appropriate manner. If the critic is your spouse you may benefit from consulting with a professional marriage counselor.

8. Control your response to critical people

Pay close attention to how you respond to criticism. If you tend to react with anger, hurt or intimidation, you will encourage the critical behavior. Critical people are often motivated to behave the way they do because of the response they trigger in others. When you learn to not overreact, the critic will likely move on to someone who will.

9. Try to understand the needs of the critical person

The emotional "gas tank" of a critical person is often very low. Criticism is sometimes an outward expression of an inward need - usually the need to feel worthwhile and significant. It is surprising how a sincere compliment, congratulations or demonstration of care and concern can improve your relationship. People with full emotional tanks are the least likely to mistreat others.

10. Maintain realistic expectations

Critical people don't change overnight. Even if they are making positive progress, they are likely to revert back to their old ways from time to time, especially under stress. Realistic expectations will help guide your interactions and will likely result in a healthier relationship.