The Professional Centre Park Avenue

Six Minutes to Success

2009-01-15T20:46:00.003+11:00

- by Bob Proctor

You've probably read the news of late, haven't you?

The headlines say it all:
"2009 is Going To Be a Bumpy Ride"
"Home Prices Fall Near Depression Pace"
"Willem Buiter warns of massive dollar collapse"
"Engines of Recovery Flame Out as Economy Seeks Obama-Fed Rescue "
"U.S. Manufacturing at Lowest Level Since 1948 "
"Factories slash output, jobs around world"
"Average Brit Spends Over 2 Hours a Day Worrying About Depression"
"Jobless who get benefits most since '82; 4.5 million figure is expected to grow 73,000 retailers to close in first half of 2009"

Seems like, all that's left for us to do is say our prayers and pop in a few Prosaic pills to avoid dying from depression, doesn't it?

But wait a second! Not so fast!

In just a second I'm going to reveal a secret video that is almost GUARANTEED to make you a windfall of money.

This secret is truly the NUCLEAR option of all secrets that I've held closely to my chest for the last 40 years.

And now…I'm finally going to reveal it to you.

You see, I've had it with the news media.

Yes it's true the economy is bad, BUT there are still a select group of people (say about 10,000 or so of them) making a killing in this economy.

And I'm going to share with you EXACTLY what they are doing different.

In fact, I've created a special video that is 100% FREE (no strings attached) as my gift to you for achieving all your dreams in 2009.

The information on this special video I share will help you achieve massive success... no matter what business you are in...where you live... your current financial condition...what your education level is... your IQ... or... who you want to become!

It is truly the enriched uranium, if you will, to trigger a nuclear chain reaction of EXPLOSIVE wealth building.

Watching the video is as powerful as having 100 idea-sucking IV's hooked up to my brains until finally, the you've vacuumed out every gem of money-making and success getting expertise I've held close to my chest for the last 40 years.

You've probably seen me in the movie The Secret.

I've had the good fortune to see it become the best-selling and most viewed movie of all time on the subject of getting rich, having healthy relationships and staying healthy.

The Secret has created a tidal wave of interest in the American media and has gone on to become the #1 seller on Amazon and is on the New York Times best-seller's list.

The simple "get rich" strategies I revealed in the movie and the two others shown here have created a worldwide sensation.

I've been invited on just about every major TV talk show in America and around the world, including Larry King, Ellen DeGeneres, and Cynthia McFadden of ABC Nightline.

When these TV interviewers ask what qualifies me to teach people about money, my answer is simple...

I have a lot of it and most importantly I can teach almost anyone in the world to get it!

I'll explain the "almost anyone in the world" part in a second.

You see, I've found a way to make it so easy, convenient for you to explore my strategies that there is literally nothing to stand in your way...

Here's the explanation for the "almost" part: I don't care if you're dead broke. I don't care if you are out of work, discouraged and depressed.

As long as you're not brain-dead, a total idiot or lazy beyond belief... what you will learn will allow you to quickly flood your bank account with enough money to satisfy your wildest dreams.

In this video I'm going to reveal time tested secrets of making millions that...

Works As Predictably As The Laws Of Gravity!

You know, there are a lot of reasons for making a lot of money.

There are all the material things: cars, houses, boats, vacations, private jets and so on.

There's the peace of mind of not having to worry about bills.

There's the extra time money buys you to be with your family, friends and loved ones.

But, the single biggest advantage of having money is, it gives you the ability to say...

No!

You are interested in getting the ability to say "no" at will, and get all the material things in life that money can buy, aren't you?

Then perhaps you'd want to click on this special link right now and watch the special life-changing video I've created for you.

Go there now. Don't wait a second. It is an order from me.
http://store.sixminutestosuccess.com/?aid=586116

Warm regards,

Bob Proctor

P.S. My tech guy just walked in and informed me that we have limited bandwidth on our server.
This email is going out to more than a million subscribers.

Once the bandwidth capacity is reached – I'm sorry, but you won't be able to access this life changing video.
So do yourself and your family a favor and GO THERE NOW.
http://store.sixminutestosuccess.com/?aid=586116

Fun New Year's Resolutions That Work

2009-01-07T09:55:00.006+11:00

- By Dr. LeslieBeth Wish

Leftovers are gone, weight gain is on, favorite presents used and worn. No more holiday cookies to bake, just New Year's Resolutions to make -- and later not forsake! Here is a brief, fun, and innovative list of resolutions that not only involves the whole family, but can also change how you relate to each other.

Take more responsibility for yourself in the family. Every family member can offer a New Year's Resolution for another person in the family! For example, a daughter can make the resolution for her older brother that he won't eat up all her favorite snacks. Or, a wife can say her husband must resolve to put his laundry in the basket and not on the closet floor. If the person accepts the resolution, then that person gets to make a resolution for the family member who made it. Perhaps the husband, for instance, says he'll be more careful about his laundry if his wife promises to watch a favorite television show with him.
Build in family rewards for keeping the resolutions. Decide on a family reward if everyone cooperates. Some families agree to go on a vacation. Others decide to get a pet, redo a room, or buy a family item such as a television, DVD player, or computer. Determine how many stars or points each person must have by a specific time in order for the whole family to redeem the reward. Keep a chart of stars or points for each member's successes.
Build cooperation by mutually helping other family members with their resolutions. Helping each other with these promises promotes teamwork, openness, and caring amongst all family members. If you offer help, you must agree to receive help from someone in return.
Maintain the Golden Rule through kindness and not criticism. Pay attention to the tone and words you use with other family members. Be sure you are speaking and acting toward others as you would like others to speak and act toward you.
Apologize so you can sustain an atmosphere of mutual respect. When families value and support saying "I'm sorry," they teach everyone that apologies are more valued than being right. We learn from mistakes, not from being defensive or insensitive.
Plan specific ways to spend quality time with each family member so that you can teach your family that there is enough room in everyone's heart to love all. Sibling squabbles often stem from lack of quality time with each parent or caregiver. Spouses and partners can also feel disconnected from each other when work and family needs override their intimate time. Think about what each family member needs from you -- and what you need from each family member. Some families do something as simple as go for walks together or watch a favorite television show and talk about it. Other families pair up with someone whom they haven't spent very much time with. For example, if Dad is always going to soccer games, make sure Mom goes to some too. Spouses and partners should make a resolution to establish private time together at least once a week.
Promise to focus on solutions instead of who-did-or-said-what. When a problem arises, recruit the necessary family members to get solution-oriented instead of wasting time reviewing whose version is right.
Prioritize so that you can be in charge of your time at home. Observe how you are spending your time, especially at work. Are you chatting, e-mailing, surfing the Internet too much? Use your time wisely so that you don't have to bring your work home.
Plan a community-giving activity. Choose a charity or charitable event where everyone in the family participates. You might go through the cabinets and pack up all your unwanted food items to give to the local food bank, for example. Integrating community responsibility builds empathy and social responsibility.
Include laughter, learning, and silly times. Do something fun, silly, and out of the ordinary or something where another member can feel the family support when he or she tries something new. Teach Dad how to snow ski. Bring little sister to the bowling alley. Rent funny movies or go to the children's museum and local weekend events. Get everyone to paint each other's faces!

Happy New Year!

About the Author:
Dr. LeslieBeth Wish is a psychologist, clinical social worker, and author who is nationally recognized for her contributions to women, love, relationships, family, career, workplace, and organizations.LeslieBeth is writing her next book, "Strong Women and Love," to help women get over their mistrust, fears, and unhappy, unhealthy dating patterns and learn to date and love smart! To participate in the research for this book project, to read her articles, or to send her a question, visit http://www.lovevictory.com

I received this article via my subscription to David Riklan's Self Growth newsletter and I felt it was well worth sharing.

Secrets Exposed Club Trial

2008-12-16T11:28:00.006+11:00

Hi there,

A couple of days ago I came across a great website. It is called the Secrets Exposed Club. Have you ever heard of it?

Well I suggest that you check it out today because on the site you'll find over 500 Audios, Videos, Books and Interviews from some of the world's most successful people…

Names such as

Richard Branson,
Bill Clinton,
Anthony Robbins,
Brian Tracy,
Mark Victor Hansen,
Jack and Suzy Welch,
Seth Godin and
Stephen Covey.

But Here Is The Best News…

…If you are a member of Secrets Exposed Club, you can download as much content and information as you like for free. That's right for F.R.E.E.

For more information, just click on the link below now:
http://www.secretsexposedclub.com/partners/lindaward/testdrive

There are resources in topics like Business, Personal Development, Property Investment, Internet Marketing, Health, Relationship, Success and lots, lots more.

As a member myself, I am delighted with how easy it is to use and how much value you receive from Secrets Exposed Club. I honestly believe is one of the best websites on the internet today.
So don't miss out any longer. Just click on the link below now before this opportunity is taken away:
http://www.secretsexposedclub.com/partners/lindaward/testdrive

Make sure you do it now, you'll be glad you did.

Warm Regards,
Linda

P.S. Before this opportunity disappears, I'd encourage you to send this blog post to your friends. I am sure they will thank you later.

Speaking Confidently

2008-12-16T09:27:00.003+11:00

It is often said that speaking in public creates as much stress for an individual as divorce! In fact I've heard people make comments like "I'd rather chop off my arm, than get up and speak in front of a group of people". Luckily, speaking confidently in front of a group of people is a learned skill and not a natural born talent.

The benefits in developing your presentation skills are manifold and can be achieved at low cost by joining your local Toastmasters International Club.

Survey after survey shows that presentation skills are crucial to success in the workplace. Many people pay high fees for seminars to gain the skill and confidence necessary to face an audience. Toastmasters provides an option that is less expensive and held in high regard in business circles. This organization has been around for more than 84 years and offers a proven – and enjoyable – way to practice and hone communication and leadership skills.

You will…

Learn to communicate more effectively
Become a better listener.
Improve your presentation skills
Increase your leadership potential
Become more successful in your career
Build your ability to motivate and persuade
Reach your professional and personal goals
Increase your self confidence.

How you do it. . .

Build speaking and leadership skills with time-tested methods
Focus on areas of interest in our self-paced curriculum
Receive suggestions for improvement through constructive evaluations

Toastmasters programs are . . .

Inexpensive
Interactive
Convenient
Friendly
Supportive

More than four million people have discovered the benefits of this proven learning formula.

What are you waiting for? Contact Linda Ward for more information about Coffs Harbour Toastmasters. This club meets at the Community Village in Earl Street on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7:15pm.

Book Review - Flight Plan by Brian Tracy

2008-11-01T10:58:00.005+11:00

Brian Tracy is a master at teaching time-management, personal and organisation productivity, sales, goal setting. He is a real-life example of a rags to riches story having lived in his car and studying from successful sales people how to be successful.

Flight Plan teaches how to take your big dreams and ambitions and develop a simple yet effective plan. Brian leads the reader through effective goal setting in a way that assists to address all the obstacles before commencing.

"You need a flight plan to succeed. It’s amazing how many people fail because they just don’t have a plan. And having a plan isn’t enough. Just like an airplane pilot you must make course corrections to arrive at your destination – your goals."

I highly recommend this book and with the additional bonuses, you also receive training on improving your sales, mastering your goals and self discipline.

Goals!(60-minute CD)Learn a practical, proven series of steps you can take to get and achieve any goal. Resolve to achieve all of your goals today.

The Miracle of Self-Discipline (60-minute CD)Learn how to develop the master key to riches and great success. Connect to your own personal greatness.

I urge you to take control of your life - Click here now and order this book now - it could be the most powerful tool you invest in to achieve your dreams in 2009.

Writing a Book/Article or Speech

2008-10-29T10:11:00.008+11:00

For as long as I can remember, I have loved books. I have also always loved writing and telling stories. My family will laugh at that comment and they will tell you I have a skill of embellishing the stories from our childhood.

Recently, I attended the Business Swap convention and had the great pleasure of hearing Mariette Rups-Donnelly present "Everything I know I learnt from Hello Dolly". This was the most entertaining business talk I think I have ever experienced (and believe me, as a seminar junkie, I heard lots). Mariette had a passion as a child for show business, she would lock herself in the family loungeroom singing and dancing to broadway musical records her father bought. Understandably, Mariette moved into a career in the entertainment industry and enjoyed success on the stage.

For me, the life changing message I took from Mariette's presentation was "your inner child knows what you're good at, go back to that time and you will find your passion". At that moment, it dawned on me - I am a story-teller, I always have been, I love capturing an audience of 1 or 10 or more with the excitement of an adventure, a mishap, or an uplifting event.

I have been working towards this for years by going to Toastmasters and journalling my stories. I keep putting it off though, with one excuse after another like "I don't have enough experience yet". Mariette's presentation gave me the reality check I needed, "I am ready now" and "I will never be ready now" are both true and false. At the end of the day - just do it!

This morning I woke up at 4:30am with absolute clarity about a part of my book. It was so crystal clear that I just had to get up and start writing. Keep posted, there will be more to follow ...

Incident Reports

2008-10-28T15:06:00.008+11:00

My blog today is due to an incident that occurred at the office yesterday whilst I was out. I toyed with the idea at first that this should be about the need to provide exceptional customer service in a shaky economy but decided in the end to keep the focus on what we have some control over and that is how we choose to react.

Let me explain ...

Yesterday a delivery arrived for an in-house client. The delivery man approached Mikhayla at the front receptionist and in fairly rude manner said he had a delivery for (client) and he needed a hand to unload it (I'll leave the swearing out). Luckily, Tony Foote overheard the commotion and asked if he could help. Tony assisted the truck driver drag a 120kg box off the back of the truck and help with bringing the trolley into the building and up the lift. Tony then directed the man to the client's office, he was distracted by a phone call and did not continue with the delivery. At that point the driver allegedly hit the hallway wall with the trolley, other clients have since told me they heard the bang throughout the building.

Kristel emailed me to advise of the incident straight away. I suggested she phone the company and report the incident, which she did. I thought that would be rectified easily until I received an email later in the day letting me know that the company had called back after checking with their driver. The driver had denied doing any damage, the caller was rude to Kristel, calling her a liar and saying that they would not bring goods inside the building again as we couldn't be trusted. I decided to wait until I could survey the damage today before proceding with this any further.

This morning I inspected the damage to the wall, certainly it's a big chunk of gyprock but fixable. I am more concerned though, with the manner that my team members were spoken to as a result of this incident. I spoke with clients who were present and asked my team members to complete incident forms relating to this.

Having since spoken with the Customer Service Manager for the freight company, it seems that there is a big difference between goods being freighted and couriered. If you are having items delivered, I recommend you understand the difference. I have since updated our procedure for accepting deliveries on behalf of clients and discussed a policy of zero tolerance with my team regarding abusive behaviour and foul language.

Making sense of this incident and supporting my team members was made much easier due to our use of incident forms and our documented policies and procedures. Written systems gives business owners the freedom to not always be on-site.

Building Relationships and Networking Online

2008-10-27T18:40:00.009+11:00

I have heard various business owners and speakers talk about using Online Networking Groups over the past year and I kept thinking "I must look into this". In fact I had joined Linked In, ZaaBiz and Facebook, but then I'd done nothing with these sites, so of course nothing happened.

Over the weekend however, the benefits of being involved in these networks finally dawned on me - I know, I'm a bit slow sometimes!

Online Networking is just like any other type of networking, there are some key things we need to do if we want results:

Show up - you can't meet people and build a reputation of being someone they might want to know (and do business with) if you don't show up.

Present yourself - when we are networking in person (at a face-to-face function) we dress like a professional, we do our hair (and make-up for the women), we shine our shoes and iron our clothes - online networking is the same, except your profile is your presentation. Take the time to complete your profile.

Keep your promises - just as with building all relationships, make sure you followup with people promptly. Send them information they request, ask them how you can help.

Ask for Testimonials - On Linked In this is called asking for recommendations.

Give Praise Frequently - Again on Linked In this is called send recommendations.

Join In - All of these networks have various specialty online discussion groups where you can ask questions from experts - just let that sink in for a moment - FREE advice!!!

Expose Yourself - again with the discussion groups and forums, there is the opportunity to post articles thereby promoting yourself as the "expert" in your field.

Be Proactive - invite people to join your networks, ask people to introduce you to others, be helpful, basically get involved.

As a result of the light bulb going on in my head yesterday, I have built my LinkedIn network to over 70 connections in less than 36 hours. Linked in shows your contacts, and their contacts, and the number of people involved in your extended network as a result. That means, right now, I have made a potential connection with almost 800,000 people. Now, I don't know about you, but I think that's phenomenal.

I'm so impressed that I've established a new user group called "Doing Business on the Coffs Coast" specifically for the support, education and networking opportunities for local businesses. You can join by clicking on the above link or via my Linked In page.

Linked In also provides loads of tools, articles and a learning centre to guide you step by step. What are you waiting for?

Working Live Seminar with Phillip Bonser

2008-10-24T15:10:00.007+11:00

"Leading through improvisation, spontaneity and risk"

I invite you to join me in a practical, experiential seminar/workshop that will help us explore the likelihood that leaders of all kinds are at their most influential when they are "working live" in the midst of the day to day conversations that are the way we organise ourselves.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop/seminar is specifically designed for senior managers and leaders who are doing less and less of the day-to-day work and who are finding that their time is increasingly spent in "conversations" designed to set contexts, intentions and visions, further and sustain action and review and assess progress. Typically participants will be leaders and managers who find that they must engage in these conversations one after the other in real time with little time-out for reflection.

About Phillip Bonser

Phillip Bonser is a former teacher and senior executive in the education and training sector who now works as a freelance business and organisational change consultant. He has worked with a wide range of individuals, leadership teams and organisations in Federal and State governments, professional services, banking and finance, local government, education and training, manufacturing, rural industries, healthcare and recruitment. He is currently involved in a collaborative project with a number of colleagues in New Zealand, the UK and US designed to rethink managing and leading as relational practices, rather than sets of attributes and competencies.

The Workshop

During the course of the day we will:

Experience the improvisational nature of conversation
Practice working live
Experiment with different ways of "reading" everyday conversations
Practice "noticing" the opportunities everyday working conversations contain for responsively shifting towards new directions and approaches.
Experiment with ways leaders might spontaneously "intervene" and improvise in conversations

The workshop will be practical and experiential and designed to enable reflection on, and perhaps re-discovery or re-valuing of, what we already know and how we already use our knowledge of conversation, improvisation, spontaneity and risk-taking.

Workshop: Friday 14th November

Time: 9:00am - 4:30pm

Where: The Professional Centre Park Avenue. Level 1/9 Park Avenue Coffs Harbour

Contact: Linda Ward 02 6659 2000

Book Online: Event Link: http://www.stickytickets.com.au/1136

Investment: $750.00 one delegate $1200 two delegates.

Promoting Your Local Business Over the Internet

2008-10-23T18:41:00.005+11:00

Promoting Your Local Business Over the Internet

by Debra Templar from The Templar Group

http://www.thetemplargroup.com.au/

Question: If you own a local business, what good is the Internet to you?

Answer: If you live in a town or city of any size - especially in an area where new people are moving in - people are increasingly using the Internet to find local businesses. That may not be your preferred mode of research, but for many, especially younger people, the Internet is their key to knowledge - both local and global.Fortunatley, for a local business you don't need a huge, complex and expensive website to be effective. You're not competing with the best of the best nationally, you just need to present yourself well to local residents and those within driving distance. You must, however, present your busness, products and services in a convincing manner to people who live in your area.

The Purpose of Your Website
The most important decision you'll make is to determine exactly why you need a website.

What is your exact purpose? To attract people to your shop. For most local businesses, this is the chief goal - to get more customers.

To facilitate in-store visits. Providing store locations, driving directions, store hours, will make it easier for people to visit you.

To motivate people to telephone you. Some businesses are looking for leads or appointments eg. doctors, dentists, insurance agencies, architects, landscapers...

To keep existing customers coming back. It is quite possible using Internet Marketing to increase the visits existing customers make to your shop, just by keeping in touch. Getting sign-ups for a monthly e-mail newsletter will help. You also might develop an online FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section to help customers troubleshoot problems they may be experiencing. It'll save you time on the pone and help your customers get answers quickly.

To sell products online. If you plan on serving just your local area, you probably won't sell online. Occasionally, however, you may want to allow local ordering and delivery.

Writing a Website
I know it doesn't sound very exciting but writing is the chief task in developing a website. You can hire a website developer to make it look pretty and put it on the web, perhaps, but a web developer won't write the copy for you. You'll need to do this yourself - before you put up your website.

Fortunately your task is pretty straightforward, to convince site visitors that:

You have what they're looking for. Describe your services and products and how you will meet your customers' needs.

You are trustworthy. Tell them about the passion that motivated you to start the business - this adds to your credibility

You have good standing in the community. Mention her your memberships in organisations such as Chambers of Commerce, etc.

You treat customers right. Explain your customer service policy and returns policies. Be generous here. Stingy policies creat mistrust.

The typical local business website might look something like this:

Home PageIntro + links to sections
About UsYour store passion + credibility
Product + ServicesDescribe in detail in other pages
Customer ServiceReturns Policies, FAQs etc.
How to Find UsProvide a map + directions
Contact FormLead generation, subscriptions etc.

Other Page 1
Other Page 2
Other Page 3
Other Page 4

Of course your shop may need more than this. If you sell online, you'll want an ordering system or catalogue. But these are the basics. For 80% of local small businesses you can get by with a website of 6 - 10 pages.

If you would like to reprint any of our articles, you are welcome to do so. Please ensure that you credit The Templar Group and include our website http://www.thetemplargroup.com.au/. Many thanks. We appreciate your courtesy.
Copyright © Templar Group 2008. All Rights Reserved.

What Comes Next is Anybody's Guess! by Phil Evans

2008-10-22T17:16:00.007+11:00

We sure are experiencing uncertain times right now! Actually, we are always in reasonably uncertain times, as there are no guarantees to what the future holds ....ever! It's just that at this very moment - it is far more obvious than usual - and therefore the impact can be more devastating than usual; if we allow it to be!
My intent and my mission today is to encourage as many people as possible to minimise their personal pain or angst at the global economic situation, and to minimise the negative impact which may have the potential to cause a wave of knee-jerk reactions at the personal and individual level.
It is more important than ever to make the best of every day; to have an attitude of gratitude; to focus on what we have, rather than focusing on what we don't have, or may have just lost!It is extremely important for us as individuals to acknowledge our fears or doubts; but to consciously let go of them, and stay focused on as much positivity as possible.There is a fine line between pretending that nothing has happened by sticking our heads in the sand; or choosing to wallow in what has happened, and stay stuck in 'poor me' or 'poor us' thinking.Personally, I refuse to allow a handful of people to control the quality of my life!I'm even going to start support groups and meetings which will be called: "Staying Positive in an Uncertain World", for anybody who is interested. I have already created a 'model' for what to do and how to run these meetings. The meetings will be based on simple (and fun) methods of acknowledging fears and doubts; then destroying them so we can move forward with the ability to focus on all the great stuff which is available to us!So, regardless of where you are in the world, if you're someone who is interested in doing the same, please write to me as a reply to this email and I'll help you do the same.

Something for everyone: An Everyday Survival Kit
Here are 9 everyday items that make up an excellent everyday survival kit for you!

Toothpick: to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others.

Rubber Band: to remind you to be flexible, things might not always go the way you want, but it will work out.

Band Aid: to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's.

Pencil: To remind you to list your blessings everyday.

Eraser: to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's okay.

Chewing Gum: to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything.

Mint: to remind you that you are worth a mint to your family and friends.

Candy Kiss: to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday.

Tea Bag: to remind you to relax daily and go over that list of your blessings.

A simple; effective; and light-hearted list for us all ....

To register your interest in participating in Coffs Harbour's "Staying Positive in an Uncertain World" email Linda . Phil Evans has agreed to travel to Coffs Harbour as a guest speaker and the fortnightly meetings will be held at The Professional Centre Park Avenue.

“Building Professional Practice” for Dental & Healthcare

2008-10-22T09:30:00.014+11:00

UNE Partnerships Free Networking and Information Session

Take advantage of this great opportunity to hear about the programs, to meet the UNE Partnerships Practice team and to tell us about your needs for your practice!

Information will be provided to you on how to gain a nationally recognised qualification, all essential skills and knowledge needed to manage a modern practice and how to develop a Career Pathway in Practice Management.

UNE Partnerships is Australia’s most progressive Registered Training Organisation specialising in vocational training programs that are nationally recognised. UNE Partnerships is the wholly owned education and training company of the University of New England. UNE Partnerships is committed to the provision of structured, high quality, industry relevant training to promote increased skills and knowledge.

Date: Tuesday 11th November 2008

Time: 5.00pm – 7.30pm

Venue: Coffs Harbour City Council Chambers
Coffs St (Cnr Castle St)

Information: Linda Ward at The Professional Centre Park Avenue on 6659 2000

Session Program:

5.00pm – 5.30pm Welcome drinks

5.30pm – 6.00pm Introduction to UNE Partnerships’ capabilities

6.30pm – 6.45pm Questions

6.45pm – 7.30pm Drinks, finger foods and networking

Proudly supported by Coffs Harbour City Council, NSW Business Chamber and The Professional Centre Park Avenue.

Welcome to Judy Bartholomew - Alzheimer's Australia NSW

2008-10-21T14:02:00.004+11:00

We are delighted to welcome Alzheimer’s Australia NSW - Judy Bartholomew to Coffs Harbour this month. Judy is located within The Professional Centre Park Avenue full-time.

Alzheimer’s Australia NSW is the peak body for representing the interests of people living with dementia in New South Wales. The organization provides leadership in dementia advocacy, awareness and understanding. This is achieved through a range of services including:

The National Dementia Helpline – 1800 100 500
Counselling
Carer support and education
Support and education for people with dementia
Community awareness raising
Library and information services
Professional education

The Mid-North Coast is serviced through the Port Macquarie Dementia and Memory Community Centre, Dementia Advisory Services and a new Coffs Harbour based educator/groupworker. This new position will offer education to health and aged care professional across the North Coast and New England regions, as well as carer education and community awareness raising activities.

Further information can be found at Alzheimer's Australia.

21 Success Secrets of Self Made Millionaires - FREE

2008-10-21T13:42:00.002+11:00

21 Success Secrets of Self Made Millionaires
- Brian Tracy

Click here for your Free CD of 21 Success Secrets of Self Made Millionaires Click Here

Brian Tracy is a real-life “rags to riches” story – he is a master salesman, entrepreneur and leader.

Brian’s book – 21 Success Secrets of Self Made Millionaires is pack with practical learning for you to apply everyday in your business and home life. This 77 minute audio is a valuable addition to our audio library and you can enjoy it also. Click Here

Improving Results for Business Owners

2008-06-19T07:55:00.001+10:00

Do you wish you had 30 hours in the day and the ability to be in more than one place at a time?

Many small to medium business owners struggle everyday to do everything for everyone while they build and maintain their reputation.

Their time is juggled between being the entrepreneur, the manager and the technician, often without any task being given the attention it deserves. Frequently they report working 80 hour weeks and still feel that they could have done more.

Being the owner/manager of a small to medium enterprise in today’s market requires businesses owners to work smarter not harder if they are to succeed.

In fact, time has become our most valuable resource, it is the one thing that we cannot replace or “buy” back once it has been spent. I have learnt over the years that as business owners it is important to consider time as a resource and make wise decisions as to where we best invest our time.

Brian Tracy’s best selling time management book “Eat That Frog” discusses how the Pareto Principle (the 80/20 rule) works in time management, as in every area of our lives. He shows that 80% of our results come from 20% of our activities. Therefore, to increase our personal productivity we can focus our efforts on increasing the tasks performed in the 20% area and generate higher results.

In another Brian Tracy book, Million Dollar Habits, he discusses effective time-management in relation to management and leadership. He advises to decide on what are the activities that only YOU can do in your organisation. These are the tasks that cannot be delegated effectively. The next step is to develop a plan to ensure that 80% of your time is invested in those activities and delegate everything else.

Now, although this is insightful information, HOW can you put this knowledge into action? Utilising a few different tools from various sources is one way of turning this knowledge into action.

Identify all of your current roles, the various “hats” you wear, and all of your activities.
What are your passions? Why do you do what you do? What are your values?
Where are you now? Where are you going? Establish you goals.
What are you prepared to do to get your goals?

At a recent seminar entitled Aligning Your Business Values, Lynda Dyer explained a process she has used for many years in determining where to best invest her time. This simple process utilises your existing daily diary or “to do” lists by evaluating your activities at the end of each day. Simply divide your diary into 3 columns prior to adding your activities and tasks for the day. At the end of each day revise the activities and tasks that you successfully completed, document the achievement that resulted and evaluate whether this activity moved you closer to your goal.

If the activity yielded good results, you repeat it, if it did not you drop it or delegate it. Dyer also recommends that each day needs time for meditation, learning, nutrition and exercise. She asks: “What are you prepared to give up in order to get more?”

The evaluation of achievements at the end of each day is a powerful tool in ensuring that you balance your activities across your various goals and you can readily see where you’re time was invested well and where it was wasted.

Lynda Dyer’s DVD series takes this a step further to show that to get more achievement in your day, it is not always about working harder. Review your activities constantly and decide what can be given up, what can be delegated and what can be rearranged to give better results.

In her article “Business is Booming – How Do You Keep Up?”, Jane Thomas states that there are 4 strategies that owners should consider:

Franchising
Outsourcing
Subcontracting
Limiting growth

References:

"Business is Booming – How Do You Keep Up?”, Jane Thomas.
Million Dollar Habits, Brian Tracy – www.briantracy.com
Eat That Frog, Brian Tracy – www.briantracy.com
Empower Change – Series A, Action to Achieve, Lynda Dyer – www.mindpowerglobal.com.au

Written Goals Can Hamper Success

2008-06-19T07:35:00.001+10:00

Do you have written goals? Are your written goals successful?

In this article I will share with you some of the myths surrounding goal setting as a method of gaining success in your lives and hopefully provide you with some methods for improving your success using some different ideas.

Over the past 20 years, I have been an avid reader of personal and professional development books, I have attended various seminars, and listened to numerous tapes and CDs on the subject of creating success in my life.

I have learned many valuable tips, gained brilliant insights and believe that along the way I have developed as a person. I believe that I am successful in many areas of my life and continue to work toward improving in some areas.

Recently, I had the joy of picking up a new book, or rather a very second hand book, which has challenged many of my beliefs around goal setting and success. “Making Pigs Fly” by Judith Sinclair has caused me to re evaluate much of my years of learning and the beliefs I have accepted to be true.

I, along with millions of people who have followed the “success movement” have heard about the importance of setting, writing down and following goals with energy and persistence. Written, carefully specified, measurable goals with a time limit are the holy grails of the success movement states Sinclair.

You may have heard of the famous early 20th Century class at Harvard where only two percent of students had written goals. Needless to say, that two percent rose to super success. They achieved fame, fortune and fulfillment.

It has been reported for many years that the reason why the golden two percent were so successful is because they had written goals, which they followed persistently.

Sinclair points out that if this is the case how do we explain Bill Struggles and Jane Citizen, both of whom have written goals that they persistently and relentlessly work toward. Most of us have seen people like Bill. He looks pale and drawn from the fatigue of working long nights at his large investment problem – a lack of money. We’ve also met many Janes, she is organised, filling every waking moment with business or career. Focused, maybe over focused. Working hard and almost managing to hide the desperation in her eyes.

Both Jane and Bill have followed advice, dreamed up and written down goals. They have followed the goals relentlessly, persistently. Why, then, are they so unsuccessful and frustrated?

Did the lecturers, the books, the tapes, the seminars all lie about the importance of goals? What about the class at Harvard. Doesn’t their success prove that goals guarantee winning? Or, was everyone lying about that Harvard class?

Well, as Sinclair points out, they weren’t lying, but they sure weren’t telling the real truth or our many unsuccessful success chasers would not be so overworked and desperate.

The people who started the stories meant well. They saw that people who made an impact were headed unfailingly in a certain golden upward direction. However, they failed to notice and report on the flexibility, the ducking, the weaving, the maneuvering, and creativity that success demands. Seeing only part of the “secret”, they invented the valuable “goal”. Others unthinkingly repeated the story, until the movement grew. A full scale goal hunt began, with true believers calling all sorts of things successful people did “using goals”, even if what the successful people did was actually rather different.

Many chasers of written goals are despairing and frustrated. Goal chasing can reduce your chances of success.

Those advising you to persistently follow rigid goals don’t understand the way the successful succeed.

Through Sinclair’s personal success and her study of other dynamic achievers, she discovered that the golden two percent were not using goals as the majority of success books understand them. They were actually using strategic directions.

Strategic directions have a slight resemblance to goals. They show you a direction to pursue. That is why people thought they were observing goal setting when they were only seeing a small and temporary aspect of the operation of strategic directions. However, there is a vast difference between narrow, constricting goals and powerful strategic directions. Successful people do, in fact use goals, but they are the last step in the process uncovered by Sinclair.

How then are goals harmful? The best way to analyse this question is to study people who have religiously written down and followed goals and consistently failed. This is another area where Sinclair goes against the traditional “self-help” book – the majority only look at successful examples. Sinclair argues that to avoid mistakes and pitfalls we should study failure. She states that when we only study the masters we might not get the answer we need, they are so skilful, they naturally avoid potential disasters.

Failures and unsuccessful people show us that rigid, unsuitable goals can become and obsession and people blindly and persistently chase them in unimaginative, conventional ways. Goals, when rigidly followed, can make you too blinkered to explore wining paths.

Instead of chasing goals, Sinclair advocates using Strategic Directions. She believes that this is the dynamos of Success.

What are the differences between a strategic direction and a goal?

Strategic directions are generalised
Many paths can lead to success
Steps along the way can be fun and playful
Each advance is a reason for celebration
Each “failure” is looked on as a learning experience or as a new opportunity

What makes a good strategic Direction?

They give you deep satisfaction and personal fulfillment
Their achievement is not at the expense of personal suffering or frustration
Your success depends mostly on your skills and selective persistence.
You can derive many action plans form the strategic direction.

Turning goals into winning strategic directions;

There is a two step method for turning inappropriate, narrow goals into dynamic, powerful strategic directions.

Analyse the things that make you want the goal. Find the element you desire, often emotional
find a more generalised aim that will satisfy your wishes.

Using Strategic Directions allows us to see a wide range of opportunities and to generate creative action plans. When you have many action plans, you can choose the ones that will lead to success most pleasurably and easily. As we develop action plans, we will then develop strategies for implementing our plans. This starts to become the “how to” point. Sinclair identifies seven steps to developing winning strategies;

Think and Research. See what action is most likely to succeed and where it’s best to apply it. Study also what action is likely to lead to failure or blind alleys.
List all the methods and stages: conventional approaches and original, effective ones. If appropriate, be unconventional. You can’t be super successful if you only copy others.
Examine your assumptions and discard the wrong ones.
Assume you might fail – have several alternative methods, to replace failed ones, or to find the ones that succeed best.
Keep your ears and eyes open for feedback and new opportunities.
Ask for and listen to tips, but analyse them. Be brave enough to ask questions and to question answers.
Survey your situation regularly

As we develop strategies we can then develop actionable steps to enable us to break down complex tasks and roles into simple one and to manage our time effectively.

Actionable steps enable us to;

Stop you procrastinating, simply because you have no idea where to start, or what to do next.
Help you analyse all that you need to do to complete your task
Help you write a timetable; work out which steps can be done concurrently.
Help you prioritise; work out which steps are essential, which would be very useful, and which unimportant.

In other words, actionable steps help you become efficient with your time, and help you remember all the tasks you need to do.

Lastly, Sinclair discusses the use of mini-goals as a method to assist with our actionable steps. It is only at this point that the use of SMART goals comes into effect. Many of us are aware of this method of goal setting but have unfortunately not utilised the previous essential steps in the process first.

The handouts are for your use to hopefully implement this system for yourselves. These handouts have come from another worthwhile source and I find them useful as they focus initially on recognising our values and various roles to ensure we maintain balance in our planning.

In Conclusion:

Rigid, narrow, inappropriate goals are frustrating and lead to misery. Often broader strategic directions are more appropriate.
Create strategic directions by finding the things that are important to you, then finding a broader direction that satisfies them.
You can use your strategic direction to produce many specific, creative action plans.

Choose Strategic Directions

That give you satisfaction
Where your success depends mostly on yourself
In an uncrowded field
If it is a money making enterprise, choose a business with a potential for a good profit margin and turnover
Some difficulty in reaching your target is fine.It stops competitors getting there easily.
Remember to remain playful and inventive
Work out a success strategy
Find out where the pivotal points that propel you to super success are
Work out the actionable steps
If appropriate, change directions as you learn more
Keep thinking!

Your Receptionist - Phone Answering & Messaging Services

2008-02-14T20:11:00.001+11:00

Congratulations, you've taken the plunge, left your paid job and started your own business. Now you're the boss, you arrange your own schedule, all of the income is yours, and you can take the clients you choose to work with. Well ... that's the ideal situation ... unfortunately for many small business owners, the exact opposite becomes the reality!

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If only you could get two hours of peace and quiet during the day to finish that project, you might get paid!
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If only someone else could answer your phone so you can meet that important client!

You can solve all these challenges with one cost effective solution. In fact, you can create a more professional image, give clients and prospects the impression you are a larger company and find time to build your business for less than $25/week (AUD).

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