Donkey God

Did the “Painless” part of the title get your attention?

Speaking in front of a group ranks with death of a family member and loosing a job when it comes to the emotional toll it takes on some people.

If you are one of those folks who look for any excuse not to give a presentation in a meeting, social club or your church take heart. You can learn to present with confidence and style. All it takes is following a few simple steps BEFORE you get up to speak.

The first decision you need to make is determine what kind of presentation you are giving. Generally presentations will fall into one of six different forms.

1. Providing information

2. Teaching a skill

3. Reporting specific progress

4. Selling a product, a service or an idea

5. Agreeing on a decision

6. Solving a problem

After you accurately determine the form of presentation you plan to make, the next step is building an outline. Things to consider when building you outline include an

• Incorporate a Strong Opening statement,

• What information does your audience need to hear?

• Be sure you clarify and industry jargon on acronyms.

• Clearly tell the participants exactly what’s in if for them.

• What are the benefits?

• And a strong close.

When you have developed your outline it is time to “fill in the blanks”. The detail of your notes will vary depending on factors such as your familiarity with the subject, the number of details that need to be given and the level and amount of technical information you will be sharing.

When the outline and notes are developed it’s time for Practice, Practice and then some more PRACTICE.

It takes about six times going through the presentation before a facilitator is comfortable with the material. Don’t skimp on time here, it will show up later.

During and after your presentation, be prepared for questions. A few tips to help here include planning for questions. Plan by answering as many questions as you can during your talk. If you get a question you don’t know the answer too, don’t fake it. Tell the group that you will get the information back to them as soon as you can.

Be sure to answer the question briefly, yet completely. Do not go over your entire presentation; simply answer what was ask.

Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you don’t understand the questions.

If you wold like to learn more on Painless Presentations email info@TrainingConnections.ORG. We offer a one-day or two-day class for your organization.

(C) 2003

About The Author

John Robertson is a Professional Trainer with over 20 years experience in Mid to Sr. Level Management in several Fortune 500 companies. His real world experience will bring credibility to your meetings. TrainingConnections.ORG focuses on three major categories of Employee Performance Improvement; Leadership, Management and Sales Training. Contact us today for more information or check our web site.

TrainingConnections.ORG

All Rights Reserved

Anyone who tells you, that he or she would not like to hit the golf ball further is either a liar, or Tiger Woods.

Drive for show and putt for dough maybe sound advice, but if you ask the average weekend golfer whether they would like to putt like Brad Faxon, or regularly belt the ball like Tiger, most would opt for Tiger’s power off the tee.

It is this fascination with power in golf that prompt’s me to write this article, and provide a golf tip.

A couple of facts first, that were discovered two or three years ago, by the teaching profession in the USA. These were, that by using the golf swing, test robotic arm generating a clubhead speed of 100 mph, the golf ball, on average, would go around 265 yards.

However, if the clubface is opened by 2 degrees only, then the distance reached was only 225 yards, with the same clubhead speed. Again by opening up the face to 4 degrees, the distance covered was only 185 yards.

This shows that distance is not just about power, and clubhead speed, but also hitting the ball squarely with a nice golf swing. This may sound like common sense, however many golfers are trying to hit the ball with the incorrect golf swing.

So, what is the secret of achieving maximum power? My golf tip is this:-

Speed, can be increased, by setting the wrists into a cocked position early, and on the downswing keeping the wrists cocked for as late as possible, and then swishing through the ball. This is similar to flicking your wrists, when using a badminton, squash, or tennis racket.

Power, comes from having as full and flexible a body turn as possible, plus creating a wide arc. The powerful muscles of the legs will also help.

To generate maximum power, it is essential that the start of the downswing be calm and unhurried. This enables the golfer to build up speed, so that the golf club is still accelerating when it reaches the ball. Finally, ensure that the arms are fully extended through to a high finish.

A key point to note is that the hands control the position of the clubface, keeping it square at impact.

Golfers, who are inclined to hit at the ball with their hands rather than a nice even tempo golf swing through the ball, find that they lose a lot of power, and hence distance.

Slow, smooth tempo wins every time.

About The Author: Bill Ritchie is the owner of http://www.thegolfprofessor.com website, which is a great golf resource with a variety of information about this wonderful game of golf.

Why not take a look at: http://www.thegolfprofessor.com/

Who would have thought it! It was a perfect spring day in the Bitterroot Range of Montana. My trail was a generally easy hike up Bass Creek from the Charles Water’s Recreation Area and campground. We were only going one mile up the trail, to that beaver pond where the canyon widens out, the trail levels out, and there are some perfect spots to sit and enjoy the peaks that rise up around you. It was hard to believe the mile up that trail was so long!

Our journey started in the Bass Creek Campground near the campground host’s site. We always visit with them, sharing Pom Stories. Their two pomeranians and our little pom guy Koda came from the same family in Nampa, Idaho. So every jaunt through the Bass Creek Campground is like a family reunion.

Finally we hit the trail up through the campground, and halfway through I dashed back to the car to get the camera. Once I caught up again, our group headed from the campground and up the Bass Creek Trail. Since it was springtime, I had no idea what to expect along the trail. Many years I’ve started too early and run into snow and iced trails, making a challenging and much abbreviated journey. One year we encountered snow banks that promptly cut the trek even shorter.

This jaunt at the beginning of May seemed later in the spring though, because the trail was completely dry, warm, sunny, and gorgeous - absolutely gorgeous. It’s always exciting to hit our traditional trail of spring and discover that it is open, ready and genuinely a place to get out and stretch the legs. So onward we went. My wife Ev, son Geno, and our friends John and Jane charged on up the trail. More accurately, we were alternatively dragged by their big wild eyed young border collie, Woody, and involved in corralling our 2 little pomeranians, Tina and Koda as they raced about in their wild enthusiasm. They do treasure taking to the trails.

Regardless, the rush of spring and our first run on a Bitterroot trail prompted our entire crowd to race along that first third of a mile. We quickly arrived at the cliffs with the awesome overhang rocks above the trail, where the fallen rocks had formed pools and waterfalls along the creek. It’s a remarkable spot on the creek with a small sandy shore and a deep fishing pool. It has often afforded a perfect turnaround place for those with small children in years past, or now with the little dogs.

Considering the effort ahead as the trail immediately takes a sharp upward bent from that point, it was often quite reasonable to turn back at that point. That wasn’t for John and I though as we persisted onward. Afterall, we were only a third of a mile up the trail, and I really did want to get the spring workout. The amazing thing, and I still puzzle over it, is why the next 2/3rds of a mile were such a long, long ways compared to the first third, especially considering the ongoing winter weekend workouts!.

We made it up the first incline without missing a beat. The trail levels off for a bit, and wonderful pools are visible along the creek some distance below. Beautiful area all around and we picked up the pace a bit, charging on up the next stretch of incline. The Bass Creek Trail follows that pattern for a while, alternating degrees of levelness with yet another incline stretch, into what seems like an endless series of progressions as we made our way along.

In fact, that series of inclines did begin to seem endless as I now “worked” my way up the trail, under the 30 pound pack, trying to keep up with John. He questioned the whole pack thing, which I once again explained was a training tool…, like a millstone around the neck. Regardless, why did it have to be so hard!

Each incline looked like the famous last incline finally leading to the breakover point. The narrow canyon would widen, the beaver pond would come into view, and the trail would level out - our short term destination for the first spring trek into the Bitterroot Range. Lo and behold, instead we would round a corner, and another uphill climb lay ahead, leading around yet another corner along the stream.

It didn’t go on forever - it just seemed that way. At last we topped that final incline, rounded the last corner, and the meadows and pond filled the canyon bottom ahead of us. A truly wonderful mountain setting, the pond is surrounded by tall pines and marsh, with a breathtaking set of ountain ridges rising in the background. An access trail leads down to the ponds edge, with a perfect spot by the water to enjoy our lunch. A wonderful slice of Montana Bitterroot Range backcountry surrounds you in that perfect mountain setting. Great pictures of the scene and trail are in our website gallery at http://www.montanaadventure.com/ .

The journey back down tells the tale. I’m always surprised heading back down this trail at the steepness of the incline that we came up. Then we realize that there really was a reason for all that huffing and puffing. Such a wonderful first jaunt into the Bitterroot Range though, and one that I’ve taken almost everyone I know on as an “easy outing”. It’s just hard to imagine why that is such a long, long mile! The trail’s access road leads straight to the mountains from Highway 93, around 25 miles south of Missoula, Montana, half way between Florence and Stevensville. Great places to stay for your explorations in this area are available north in Lolo and Missoula, and south in Hamilton, Montana, and easily available through the website at http://www.montanaadventure.com/out/state/us-mt.html . Happy Trails!

As web designer for the Montana Recreation Connection and Wester States Wilderness Tours at
( www.montanaadventure.com,
Gordon Hollingshead has provided an online travel directory for the past 10 years for people planning theri vacations and travels
throughout the western United States. More information contact Gordon at gordonh@montanaadventure.com.

If you’re like most CEOs in business today, you will probably be faced with this decision at some point in the life of your organization. That time might even be now.

Perhaps your sales team consistently misses quota or your market share is in decline. Perhaps lethargy and complacency have taken hold in your sales department. If so, then a “sales reset” may well be in order.

But before deciding on any course of action, here are 13 questions you should ask yourself:

How is your sales department’s time currently divided among performing company tasks, working with existing customers, and meeting new prospects?
How consistently and how often do you personally meet with the top 10% of your installed customer base?

How much time are your sales people spending on project management or customer service?

Who do your sales people serve most - your company or your customers?

Do you have sales department processes and rules in place that drive:

a. Enhanced margin?

b. Sales pipeline reporting and predictability?

c. Reduction of errors?

d. Effective communication of other company capabilities, products and services?

Is there a communications choke point between you and your sales teams?
Can you prove that your company feedback system is really open, honest, and without repercussion?

How long does it take your company to respond to an RFQ or RFP? Relative to your industry is this good or bad?

Do you regularly test and evaluate the product/service knowledge of your sales group and also their knowledge of customer environments and needs? Is the training adequate to the task? How fast do new sales people become productive?

When was the last time someone outside your company assessed your standard sales pitch?

Which of the following is the main contributor to missing revenue goals:

a. Total available market (TAM) size is too small?

b. Lack of visibility or new opportunities?

c. Poor win-rate for New Name accounts?

Are you struggling to find enough warm qualified leads?

Is your sales cycle longer than the industry average?

Your answers to these questions will determine whether a “strategy” change, a “process” change, or a “people” change (or all three) is required for your company to achieve optimum sales performance. In cases where the problem is people related, sales coaching combined with some strategic sales development could effectively cure what ails your organization. But, if your sales people resist reform, you may indeed be forced to push the sales reset button on a case by case basis.

Cube Management provides sales acceleration services to emerging growth and mid-market companies in the technology, manufacturing, healthcare and business service sectors. The experts at Cube Management work across the entire spectrum of marketing, sales and business development to provide customized solutions that drive revenue and profit growth. Cube Management combines Strategy, Process & People to produce winning results.

The City has a collection of the greatest museums on the whole planet in trueness it has hundreds of museums & fairs both large & little. There are plenty to elect from nonetheless for obvious reasons a few are more well-liked than others. Some of the most trendiest ones to drop in at are the British Museum, Natural History and Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Imperial War Museum and the National Maritime Museum.

The British Museum has in recent times opened again with a substantial revamp & is generally agreed as being the greatest museum on earth where 3000 year old Egyptian Queens benefit from a considerably more lively afterlife than they ever designed. Sited in the Centre of the Capital this is at the moment one of the foremost museums in The Capital to go to. There are plenty of interesting collections & corridors to observe, some of which include the reading room and the recent African collection, which experts advertise as being the world’s largest and most excellent in terms of array and quality with in excess of 200,000 relics.

The Natural History & Science Museums are perfect for both kids & grown ups. The Natural History Museum building is excellent any dinosaur fan beyond a doubt will relish getting lost in the total history that escorts this special museum.

The Science Museum is astonishing, and very recent in relation of when new breakthroughs are found. There are a cluster of scientists at the museum arranging authentic experiments that you can be a subject of if you fancy. There are lots of exhilarating hands on things to do for both teenagers and adults. Time Out has details on a whole range of London Attractions.

The Victoria & Albert museum what’s more usually identified as the V&A is a huge museum crammed with culture. It is worth a visit just for the cast digs alone. The museum itself is free to enter & is the world’s biggest decorative & arts & design museum. The Imperial War Museum looks a lot at the history of the war rather than its prosecution. Some specific displays like that of the “The Blitz” and “The Holocaust” are immensely touching.

If you apply for an fast online minikrediet for 304 euro you will usually have to fill out an online form and attach copies of your documentation in an email, or by fax.

The charge you need to observe is how much you pay back on the amount you borrow - this is a fixed sum dependent on the individual provider. For many it simply can’t arrive soon enough as we attempt to juggle bills and expenses, as well as trying to have a little fun in life. The premise behind payday loan is simple whatever you need 183 euro for, you can take out a loan (usually ranging from 417 euro but sometimes up to 1,000 depending on the provider) that is repayable on your next payday, whether it is 9 minutes away or less.

However, this does vary with some providers charging 34 interest and so on. However, it is not necessary to use the loan for this purpose and effectively the cash can be used at your discretion as long as it is paid back with interest during the short loan term. In the majority of instances for every 260 euro you borrow you have to pay back 210 euro, meaning 17 interest. As with all fast minikrediet it is best to take a complete search of the market before you apply for a minikrediet for aount 232 euro so you can compare interest rates and make sure you are getting the best deal for your needs. Unexpected costs can hit even those who keep a tight grip on their finances if something goes wrong in the home, a family member needs support or you receive a larger than expected bill you might require cash to help you get by until your next wage slip.

However, for lengthier journeys you are better to use a method of transport that specialises in long distances such as a train or plane, direct online minikrediet are certainly a short-term special. You must however, be able to satisfy the gsm minikrediet provider that you will have enough cash available to cover the advance repayment they will look at how much you can afford to pay back on an individual basis between 154 euro. This is where a online minikrediet comes in, offering a suitable sum of money to help you get by. Be sure to use the 10 minutes minikrediet comparison tool at online minikrediet aanvragen to compare rates. A fast online minikrediet is a way to solve a short-term cash issue for amounts like 475 euro.

It’s easy to compare direct minikrediet with us and hopefully you’ll soon have the cash you need to get by without worrying how far away your next payday may be.

A lot of us count down the hours until payday?

Healthy skin is one of the most common health and beauty concerns for people today, and rightfully so. Our skin is our bodies largest organ, and when our skin doesn’t look or feel good, it is exposed for the rest of the world to see.

Consequently, there are hundreds of companies selling thousands of products, all vying to have the best selling skin care product. Although this is not inherently bad, many of these companies charge an arm and a leg for products that are chemically based, pose a risk of skin irritation, and damage to the environment.

However, there are effective alternatives to chemical skin care. An all natural, home remedy can often achieve the same results as the chemically based products, but without any of the irritation or side effects.

One of the best forms of natural home skin care are masks. Masks can be made from a wide variety of ingredients at home to achieve whatever your skin care needs are. Furthermore, most of the ingredients are easy to find, and very affordable.

The most popular home made mask is an oatmeal mask It is a simple, completely safe mask, and it works perfectly for people with oily skin. The ingredients are as follows:

1/3 cup of fast cook oatmeal (1-3 minutes)

cup of honey

cup of water

Mix the water and the oatmeal together, and cook. Then, set the oatmeal aside to cool and thicken. As it is cooling, mix in the cup of honey. Once the mask is well mixed and cool, apply a thin even layer to the skin.

Be careful when applying this mask around the eyes. Though completely safe, the oatmeal can cause slight eye irritation. Better yet, place a used tea bag over the eyelids to reduce any redness or eye irritation.

The way this mask works is simple. The oatmeal in the mask is the primary “active” ingredient. It works to absorb excess oil on the skin and in the pores. Oatmeal will also help remove excess skin cells, and exfoliate the skin. The honey is simply there to turn the oatmeal into a pasty, sticky consistency that will adhere to the skin.

Another all natural skin treatment is to use lemon juice to help exfoliate and freshen the skin.

Lemon juice is a fruit acid, AKA Alpha Hydroxy Acid. It works in a similar fashion to salicylic acid, except that it is 100% all natural. It will help exfoliate the skin by reducing the “glue” that causes dead skin cells to stick to the skin.

This is one the simplest masks you can make, and is actually more of a “rinse” than anything. The only ingredients needed are water and lemon juice. Mix 1 part water to 5 parts lemon juice, and massage the solution onto your face. Then, rinse your face with cool water. Make sure to rinse well, because it can cause skin irritation if left on too long.

Even though these are all natural, it is always best to consult a dermatologist before using any skin care treatment. When used properly, these masks are effective alternatives to many of the expensive, chemical products sold in stores.

Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and the editor of http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com

Redwood wine racking offers the ultimate sophistication in caring for your precious wine collection.

They provide both functionality and beauty at the same time. You can also stack one on top of the next, allowing you to grow your wine collection through the years.

Various color schemes can be chosen as well and putting them together is a snap, with many kits offering pre drilled holes and providing the necessary hardware to boot.

You can buy half height, full-sized racks, and all sizes inbetween.

Redwood wine racking will allow you to store anywhere from just a few bottles of wine to over 150 of them, depending on your preferences and how serious you are about collecting wine.

When selecting a quality wine rack, give careful consideration to what is important to you.

For example, if you plan on drinking your wine within a fairly short date of purchase then it’s perfectly fine to buy redwood wine racking that allows you to stack bottles on top of each other in different levels and compartments.

However, if you intend to age your wine for many months and years, you want to buy redwood wine racks that allow the bottles to not touch one another. This is important for air circulation and temperature consistency, which creates a much more preferable aging process for your wine.

View the best redwood wine racks at our resource: http://www.wine-racks-selection-guide.com

When it comes to home decorating, it’s difficult to know where
to begin. Like an artist with a blank canvas, you look at the
room you’ve chosen to decorate and try to envision the finished
masterpiece. However, with a plethora of home decorating styles
from which to choose, that vision can be fuzzy. You may even
feel overwhelmed by the possibilities and paralyzed by the
thought that you’ll make choices you won’t be able to live with.
When that’s the case, it’s time to go back to the drawing board.

The first step in home decorating is to define your personal
taste and style. Invest your time in looking through magazines
and cutting out pictures of home decorating styles, furniture,
and accessories that appeal to you. Once you have a collection
of several dozen pictures, lay them out in front of you. You’ll
begin to notice a pattern of the style that appeals to you. Are
you attracted to the dark wood of antique furniture, or to the
minimalist lines of modern furniture? Do you imagine yourself
surrounded by the muted colors and furniture that remind you of
a beach house, or by rich colors and the ornate elegance of the
Victorian era?

Once you’ve defined your personal taste and home decorating
style, choose a room in your home to redecorate. Although you
may want to tackle every room in your house, choosing only one
will keep you from becoming overwhelmed.

Once you’ve selected a room, it’s time to choose the one item
upon which you’ll build the remainder of the design. This may be
a single piece of furniture that already own and love, an
antique reproduction that you treasure, or something as simple
as a handcrafted piece that you purchased while on vacation. The
item you choose may not be the centerpiece of the finished room,
but it will serve as your inspiration for the room’s décor.

Next, you’ll need to select the wall color. Since it’s next to
impossible to have a sense of what the entire room will look
like from a paint chip, buy a quart of paint in the color you
like. Then, cut several pieces of cardboard into 18-inch
squares, paint the cardboard, and hang one on each wall. Live
with those paint swatches for a few days, noticing how the feel
of the room changes with morning light, afternoon light, and
artificial lighting. Once you’ve decided that’s a color you
love, you should go ahead and paint the room. Remember that
there are a variety of texturing and patterning techniques you
can use to bring more vibrancy and life to the color of the
paint.

When selecting furniture for your room, keep your inspirational
piece in mind. An antique reproduction of a Chippendale chair
may be the perfect accompaniment to your treasured area rug, but
an antique reproduction of a French armoire won’t fit if your
room is inspired by a 1950s Havana cigar box. Likewise, you
should select furniture that fits your lifestyle. A white sofa
isn’t a good solution if your dark-haired pooches will be
sleeping on it.

Home decorating is both fun and rewarding. Best of all, your
finished room will be a reflection of your personality and
lifestyle - and will make coming home a sweet experience.

If you feel the heat of burn-out, it is possible to stop the fire before it stops you.

Burn-out burns out
confidence
trust
hope

Burn-out can burn up
your job
your marriage
your friendships

There is a simple strategy for helping yourself prevent burn-out, especially if you are a person with more responsibilities than choices.

This strategy may seem too simple, even a waste of time, especially if you are used to looking for a SOLUTION.

YOU CAN PREVENT BURN-OUT BY LEARNING TO LISTEN TO YOURSELF …even IF YOU THINK THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY!.

If you are a person who is living in the Myth of Everything, then a PART of you that thinks it’s ALL of you may be living MOST of your life. That PART of you may not be able to stop herself from working harder and harder as a way of finally making life easier…unless she finds someone to talk to.

The PART of you that is trying to be ALL of you may think that she is ALL of you, especially if you have taken it for granted that she is.

Everyone else in your life may think that this PART of you that tries to do it all is ALL of you, too.

If this is the case, you probably have A LOT of obligations and very few CHOICES.

If you are close to burn-out this PART may be doing everything she can to take care of you the only way she knows how.

I wonder how long she’s been living your life.
I wonder who she thinks you are.
I wonder what she does to take care of you at work.
I wonder what she does to take care of you at home.
I wonder how old this PART of you really is.
I wonder what she would do if she discovered that she isn’t alone.
I wonder how she would feel if she knew were listening and that she had even one person who understood what it feels like to be you.

If a PART of you has been living your life inside the Myth of Everything, she has probably been trying to get it all done so that you can finally do what you want, but this Part of you may not be big enough to be EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE ALL OF THE TIME. She may not be big enough to be everything for you all of the time either.

HOWEVER….she may not appreciate your shoving her aside and taking over.
What if you asked her what you could do to help her out?
What if you asked her what would make it possible for her to let you be around more of the time?

LISTENING to yourself can often prevent burn-out. LISTENING is FRIENDLY.

Listening to a part of yourself is a good way to make a new friend of someone who thought you already knew.

When you LISTEN to a PART of you, then you are by definition NOT ONLY that PART…When you aren’t ONLY one part of you, you might be able to find other parts of you that know how to help you avoid burning-out. You might find other parts of you to help you live the life you really want.

If you decide to LISTEN to the part of you who is living MOST of your life, remember that she needs a friend and not another critic.

After all she has been trying to do it all in a life where there is always more to do. Even if you can see that she doesn’t “get-it” about what you really need, THIS PART OF YOU NEEDS A BREAK.

The last thing she needs is somebody telling her that she is not doing enough.

What this part of you really needs is a friend. She needs someone to talk to.

You could be that friend. It might make all the difference.

I am a graduate and ongoing student of Mentorcoach a professional coach training program, and I am a member of the International Coach Federation.

In addition to professional coach training, I have a Master’s Degree and license in counseling psychology, graduate training in business communications, a graduate diploma in religious studies, a five-year training-analysis in Jungian psychology, and nearly twenty years’ experience helping people make choices, overcome obstacles, and resolve conflicts in order to act in ways that satisfy them.

I also co-own and operate a thriving small retail business and know first-hand how to help you plan and work in the real world.

http://www.acoachingconnection.com