Spotting the Leaders

This is a story my Fripp Associate David Palmer, PhDtold at our recent speaking skills class. Hope it makes you think and act like a leader.

It was 1952. The Korean War had been going for three years...and the North Koreans were short of resources, especially soldiers.

Both sides continued to take POW's, but it took money to build high-security prison camps...and a lot of soldiers to guard them.

After studying the problem for a number of months, the North Koreans discovered an innovative solution...that worked. New POW's were put in a large, open camp and watched carefully for three days. Then 2% of the prisoners were cut from the group and transferred to small, high-security prison camps. The rest were transferred to large, low-security camps, thereby saving money and especially soldiers.

Who were the 2%? The leaders, most likely to try to escape. Were they just the officers? No, officers and enlisted men.

And how could they tell, just by watching? Behavior.

And what drove that behavior? Knowledge, values & passion.

Leaders don't simply accept their fate, they want to do more, learn more, and be more!

Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based executive speech coach, sales trainer, and award-winning professional speaker on Change, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Communication Skills. She is the author of Get What You Want!, Make It, So You Don't Have to Fake It!, and Past-President of the National Speakers Association. She can be reached at: PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035, http://www.fripp.com

We offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Patricia Fripp's name and contact information is included. PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035, http://www.fripp.com

Clean Out the Closets of your Life

Clean out the closets of your life. Have you ever looked at the clothes in your closet with a critical eye: the bargain shoes in the wrong color; the expensive suit you got on sale that never fit; the "great" shirt that was a gift from someone you love?

I had all of those items in my closet. Then a wardrobe consultant friend came over and made me clean out the clothes that didn't fit or that no longer represented my self-image. It was an exhilarating feeling. Now the clothes I wear make me feel and look great, and project the image I like.

Your clothes closet isn't the only hiding place for negative things in your life. You have a self-image closet too. Take a serious look at what you find there. Try cleaning it out. Throw out ideas that no longer fit your lifestyle or your experiences.

Clean your closet of certain old friends as well -- the ones who have become acquaintances. Too often we spend our energies with people whose interests have grown apart from ours.

Clean the negative people out of your life's closet. Some folks cannot accept your achievements, insisting it's only a "fluke" when you finally attain a great goal. Their own insecurities require them to shoot other people down. It is time to let them know you are proud of your achievements, and then move on to someone who will support you in your endeavors.

Closets may be hiding places for our outmoded clothes and ideas, but they are also where we store the building blocks for our daily lives. Don't let them get cluttered with outdated ideas.

Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based executive speech coach, sales trainer, and award-winning professional speaker on Change, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Communication Skills. She is the author of Get What You Want!, Make It, So You Don't Have to Fake It!, and Past-President of the National Speakers Association. She can be reached at: PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035, http://www.fripp.com

We offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Patricia Fripp's name and contact information is included. PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035, http://www.fripp.com

How to Say "No" by Saying "Yes"

In business, your time is as valuable as your contacts. Have you ever said "yes" when you really wanted to say "no"? It may have seemed the most efficient, popular or expedient thing to do at the moment, but you regretted it afterward.

Please realize you don't need to make any excuses for refusing a business proposal or social invitation. "No, thank you for asking, but I already have plans." What you don't have to explain is that your plans are with yourself.

And fortunately there's a way to say "no" and "yes" at the same time: Refuse the request, but offer an alternative that works for you and benefits the petitioner as well.

It has always been part of my overall marketing strategy to be well known in my community. Business contacts and worthy causes often ask me to volunteer my time. Here's how I handle it. An organization asked me to run a luncheon once a month for their volunteers. I said, "No, because I'm frequently out of town. Here's what I CAN do. Once a year I'll give a free talk to rev up your volunteers. I'll be donating a talent that most of your other members don't have." I was saying "yes" and "no" at the same time: "no" to the original request, but "yes" to supporting the organization.

Debbi Steele, when she was a sales manager for several small hotels, told me how she handled the frequent requests to "have lunch so I can learn what it is like to be in hotel sales." She said "no" to lunch and offered two alternatives. Either they could talk while jogging at 6:30 a.m., or the inquirer could spend an afternoon in Debbi's office, doing odd jobs while observing.

Often I receive thirty to forty calls a month from people who want to take me to lunch so they can ask me questions about the speaking industry. I reply, "No, I can't have lunch with you, but I'll give you five minutes right now. If we were at lunch, what would you ask me?" Many can't think of a question! If you are interest, check out the 100's of FREE articles my website. Look especially in the area of "For Speakers."

Before you say "Yes," ask yourself:
- Do I really want to do what I've been asked to do?

- Will I benefit personally from the experience?

- Will I have the opportunity to do this again?

- How much of my time is involved?

- Can the job be done quickly or will it involve weeks, months, or even years?

- How much help will I have, or do I have full responsibility? ...and this is the KEY question...

- Am I being asked to do this job because I'm right for it or because I usually don't say "No"?

If you don't have the right answers to these questions, teach yourself to say, "No, thank you, I already have plans." Or to say "yes" by saying "no."

Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based executive speech coach, sales trainer, and award-winning professional speaker on Change, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Communication Skills. She is the author of Get What You Want!, Make It, So You Don't Have to Fake It!, and Past-President of the National Speakers Association. She can be reached at: PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035, http://www.fripp.com

We offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Patricia Fripp's name and contact information is included. PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035, http://www.fripp.com