Newsletter 7 - 15th April 2004

Announcing the New Communication Skills Section! This newsletter is published by Mind Tools Ltd of 2nd Floor, 145-157 St John Street, London, EC1V 4PY, UK. You have received it because you have subscribed to our double opt-in newsletter. To subscribe or unsubscribe, just click the links at the bottom of this email.

This newsletter keeps you up-to-date on what's new at Mind Tools and lets you know about new career skills on the Mind Tools web site.

In this newsletter, we provide you with exciting details on the new Communications section, which we are launching along with this newsletter. We’ll also review Think Right Now’s audio program on self esteem, and in the “Old Favorites” section, we’ll actually take a look at a new favorite: The Presentation Planning Checklist which will is now available in the new Communications section on the Mind Tools web site.

Also in this edition, Henry Neils writes on leadership. In this article, Neils breaks down the bottom line for developing your own leadership potential. This, he says, requires taking steps to discover your natural motivational talents, and then building on them. According to Neils, there are all types of leaders. What’s the best type of leader to be? Review Neils insightful article on leadership to find out.

Here at Mind Tools, we continually strive to improve the products and services we provide you. Because of this, we are always on the lookout for useful new tools that may be of interest to you. Please let us know if there are tools, services or even additional information you would like us to explore. And, of course, we want your ongoing input and feedback, so let us know if you have any comments, questions or suggestions for the Mind Tools newsletters at Suggestions@mindtools.com.

Also, if you find the Mind Tools web site useful, please let your HR department and co-workers know about it! There may be plenty of people in your company who would benefit from these tools and techniques. Click here for an easy-to-modify email that you could send to your HR contacts, and here for an email you could send to co-workers you think would be interested in this material.

In the meantime, enjoy using http://www.mindtools.com! Next, read more about the new Communications section...

New on Mind Tools: Our Communication Skills Section

We’re excited to tell you about the launch of our new Communications Skill section on the Mind Tools web site. As readers of our newsletter, you are the first to know about it! This has now been uploaded to the Mind Tools site - click here to visit it.

After much thought and very careful planning, we have broken the new Communication section into nine informative articles, mirroring the successful format of other sections already on the Mind Tools web site.

In this new section, we have provided information that you are sure to find useful, tackling tough communication challenges such as planning for a presentation, communicating electronically, and even communicating across different cultures.

The Communications section is packed with useful tips and information that will help you become a more effective communicator. We even discuss communication barriers and show you how to break through these to enhance your personal and professional communication skills.

We show you how to communicate more effectively through verbal and nonverbal means, helping you write letters and emails that are clear and concise and serve to get your important message across.

As always, we hope you enjoy this section and look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions on the Communications section and on the entire Mind Tools web site.

For more on the Mind Tools Time web site and the full array of information and resources available to assist you, visit http://www.mindtools.com.

Note to existing customers: This represents an upgrade to the Mind Tools e-book - if you have already purchased the Mind Tools e-book from us, please contact us at customer.services@mindtools.com, and we will be pleased to email you a complimentary copy of this new section in PDF format. When you do, please put the words 'Mind Tools Newsletter' in the subject title, so we can tell your email from the thousands of spam messages we receive every day. Thank you for your original purchase!

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Tools Reviewed:
Real Self-Esteem Now! (A Think Right Now product)
Reviewed by Kellie Fowler

This Think Right Now! Audio program is the result of 16 years of experience and research done by Mike Brescia, who used these methods to transform himself from a broke, unemployed young man to an international record-shattering salesman in various industries and a success coach to thousands.

Brescia’s Real Self-Esteem Now! program consists of 2 CDs and promises to be a complete mental conditioning program for developing genuine and lasting self-esteem. I found it to be more useful as a moral compass, mapping out the moral dos and don’ts of individuals and business leaders who are in search of the high road.

I like the Think Right Now audio products and find them particularly useful in the car, allowing me time to relax during my commutes and focus on bettering myself. However, I did not find that this audio program enhanced my self-esteem.

The CD starts out in a meditation mode, focusing on breathing techniques and relaxation. Admittedly, the tension I feel stuck in traffic decreased, but my self-esteem did not increase, as the product promises.

I find the CD more useful for self-improvement, which may very well result in enhanced self-esteem. For instance, the CD consists primarily of short simple phrases, such as “I can be counted on to pull my own weight,” and “I have replaced carelessness with close attention to detail”, each of which is repeated three times, all the while set to very relaxing music. In an almost trance-like state, the phrases are repeated with stronger emphasis each time. Each phrase is very practical useful, but did not self-esteem building.

Nonetheless, I like the CD and have enjoyed hearing it in my car. It contains very useful information about overcoming mistakes and fears and facing the challenges of every day life.

Each of the four tracks (there are two tracks on each of the two CDs) starts with relaxation and breathing. This is followed by the phrases, which by the second track focus on releasing jealousy, rising above pettiness, dissolving fears of rejection, and more. The latter tracks emphasize taking care of problems before they get out of hand, letting go of selfishness and taking responsibilities for mistakes.

In summary, I do not recommend this product for its intended use, but instead as a relaxation tool that helps to make users a better person, both in the boardroom and out.

For more information on Mike Brescia or on the Think Right Now! products, go to http://www.thinkrightnow.com.

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Advertorial: Are You a Leader?
By Henry Neils, Assessment.com (Mind Tools partner)

Are You A Leader?

Want to have some fun? Go to the book section of Amazon.com, enter the keyword “leadership” and see how many hits you get. The last time I did this I got 8,517 hits. Eight thousand five hundred seventeen! Why is there so much material on this one subject? The law of supply and demand would say it is because people are buying it. But I suspect there are other, more subtle reasons.

One of those reasons is the underlying belief that leadership can be taught. With enough training, anybody can be a leader. The thesis is that leaders are made, not born. Or are they?

The other day a woman told me that she sees definite leadership traits in her son. I asked her how old he was. “Six,” she replied. Too young to have been through any leadership training. So are leaders born or made? The answer is both.

The problem is that we often get fuzzy about what can and cannot be taught, and at the heart of the fuzziness is the difference between talent and skill.

Talent is what we do well naturally. It is our bent. Talents are inborn, and can be discovered and developed. They cannot be taught. However, skills can. Skills are simply how to do something. They are learned and transferable. When we confuse talent and skill, we set ourselves up for disappointing expectations from training.

What does this have to do with developing leaders? Everything. For example, the ability to create vision and strategy is a key leadership trait. Some people have a talent for it. They do it naturally and continually. Others don’t. Both can learn some skills that will help them do it better. The difference is that the one with the corresponding talent can be excellent at it, while the other one can be adequate at best. Talent is required for excellence. Who wants more “adequate” leaders?

Here’s the bottom line for developing your leadership potential: become the leader you are designed to be. Discover your natural motivational talents, and build on them. Volunteer for assignments and training that compliment your natural giftedness. Get on the track to excellence by aligning your development with your talents.

There are all types of leaders. Some rouse and inspire. Some organize. Some are strategic, and some tactical. Some spot opportunities, and some protect against disaster. All are needed in this world of ours.

What’s the best type of leader to be? The type you were designed to be.

For more insight you cam match your own motivational profile to leadership profile using MAPP Match at http://www.assessment.com.

Until next time,

Henry Neils, Assessment.com (Mind Tools partner)

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Mind Tools “New Favorites”

The Presentation Planning Checklist is one of the new tools available in the new Communications Skills section on the Mind Tools web site.

Presentation Planning Checklist

By Kellie Fowler, Mind Tools Contributor, FowlerKel@aol.com

The following presentation checklist will help you deliver successful presentation. This is adapted in part from “Business Communications: A Cultural and Strategic Approach” by Michael J. Rouse and Sandra Rouse.

Presentation:

• Does your introduction grab participant’s attention and explain your objectives?
• Do you follow this by clearly defining the points of the presentation?
• Are these main points in logical sequence?
• Do these flow well?
• Do the main points need support from visual aids?
• Does your closing summarize the presentation clearly and concisely?
• Is the conclusion strong?
• Have your tied the conclusion to the introduction?

Delivery:

• Are you knowledgeable about the topic covered in your presentation?
• Do you have your notes in order?
• Where and how will you present (indoors, outdoors, standing, sitting, etc.)?
• Have you visited the presentation site?
• Have you checked your visual aids to ensure they are working and you know how to use them?

Appearance:

• Make sure you are dressed and groomed appropriately and in keeping with the audience’s expectations.
• Practice your speech standing (or sitting, if applicable), paying close attention to your body language, even your posture, both of which will be assessed by the audience.

Visual Aids:

• Are the visual aids easy to read and easy to understand?
• Are they tied into the points you are trying to communicate?
• Can they be easily seen from all areas of the room?

Final note from James…

This is an exciting time for the entire Mind Tools family and we are happy to share our latest developments and tools with our newsletter readers. We are busy developing a whole range of new articles and e-books that you will see us roll out over the next several months.

In May’s newsletter, look for important information on stress management. We will also review Nightingale Conant’s “The Psychology of Winning” by Denis Waitley in this next issue and will share with readers information on other important tools.

Beyond this we will be launching helpful new sections on Time Management and Leadership skills, all focused on giving you the essential knowledge you need for an excellent career. We are also looking forward to some strong business book reviews and will provide you with interviews with these leading authors as an additional service.

As newsletter readers, you will be the first to know about these exciting developments!

In the meantime, and as we said earlier, if you find the Mind Tools web site useful, please let your HR department and co-workers know about it! There may be plenty of people in your company who would benefit from these tools and techniques. Click here for an easy-to-modify email that you could send to your HR contacts, and here for an email you could send to co-workers you think would be interested in this material.

Best wishes, and until next time!

James & Kellie

James & Kellie
MindTools.com
Mind Tools – Essential skills for an excellent career!

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