Learn The Art of Public Speaking | Develop Communication Skills | Groom Your Personality

Key Secrets of Effective Presentation

2012-01-12T11:00:00.000+05:30

A presentation is a form of communication with an audience. When you prepare for a presentation, you must consider elements such as situation for which the presentation is designed, the method used and the response the audience will make. The object of a presentation is to transmit information and opinion to an audience in your own words, within a limited amount of time.

Key Secrets of Effective Presentation

Be Prepared
Being prepared is by far the most important element. It demands you to spend major hours on preparation and rehearsal. This will help you to get an accurate picture of how you speak.
Give yourself to the audience
Use personal examples and stories in your speech. Make sure that your stories help to emphasize or support your point. The stories must match your message. Use examples from your professional and personal life to make your point. In either case, be willing to give yourself to your audience by sharing some of your bit with them.
Stay Relaxed
To stay relaxed, you should be prepared. Also focus on your message and not the audience. Make usage of gestures, including walking patterns. Practice the opening of your speech and plan exactly how you will say it. The audience will judge you in the first 30 seconds, they see you.
Add Natural Humour
Use natural humour by poking fun at yourself and something you said or did. Do not try to be a stand up comedian. Be sure of not to make fun of anyone in the audience. People will laugh at you, when you make fun of yourself but do not overdo it.
Plan your Body and Hand Positions
During the practice of your speech, look for occasions where you can use a gesture. Pick three positions, one on the center stage, one on your right and one on your left. Maintain eye contact with the audience.
Pay attention to all details
Make sure you have the right location; you know how to get where you are speaking. Ask how large an audience, you will be speaking to. Arrive early, so you can check out where you will be speaking and make any last minute changes.
Maintain your anxiety-
Most of the nervous symptoms you experience before a presentation are exactly the same as those you feel when excited. If we call it Energy or Excitement, its Good, but if call it Anxiety, its Bad. Tell yourself that you are excited about the opportunity to speak in front of the group. This is because, the excitement is mush more manageable and positive emotion than anxiety. Use this excitement to energize you and help you communicate your enthusiasm to your audience.
Never Apologize, Confess or make Excuses
When you apologize, confess or make excuses at any time during your presentation, you are saying to your audience- Do Not expect a lot from me today, I will disappoint you.
Give the audience all the enthusiasm you want back
You cannot expect your audience to be enthusiastic about a product or a program, if you are yourself not excited about it. The audience will have about as much excitement as you do and no more Enthusiasm is very catchy, most audiences will match your level of enthusiasm.
Get the audience involved in your presentation
According to a survey, an average attention span of an individual is nine seconds. With so much fading in and out, it makes sense that the audience remembers major part of what you are trying to convey. Your goal is to transform the audience from Passive Listeners to Active Listeners.

It is very important that you pay attention to even the smallest details. You can never over plan. The person, who fails to plan, is actually planning for a failure.

Importance of Interaction in Presentations

2012-01-11T16:00:00.000+05:30

Interaction is simply a method of sending message from one person or group of persons to another. It is of vital importance in business because it involves all the persons or organization connected with the business- employees, customers, shareholders and all the different sectors.

Importance of Interaction in Presentations

As a presenter, you always want to know your audience. When presenting to hundreds of audience members at a large event, you must be very well prepared with the basic idea.

Best Summary
Each participant must prepare a summary of the main points at the end of a presentation. Teams of participants switch their summaries and select the best summary out of all.
Brain Storming
The presenter can conduct a brainstorming session on open-ended questions contributing his or her ideas when appropriate.
Concept Analysis
The presenter can ask series of questions related to a concept. Building on participants responses, presenter explores the critical features and types of the concept.
Debrief
A brief and powerful experiential activity is followed by a debriefing discussion to elicit and share useful insights.
Essence
The audience can write several summaries of the presentation, repeatedly reducing its length. Thus, giving them a better understanding.
Glossary
The presenter identifies a key term related to the training topic. The audience can make teams and come up with the definition of the term the presenter collects these definitions, inserts the correct definition among them and plays a dictionary type guessing game.
Intelligent Interruptions
Presenter can stop the presentation at random levels and selects a participant. The participant asks a question, makes a comment or challenges a statement as a way of demonstrating that he or she has been intelligently processing the presentation.
Item List
The participants or audience review a list of items in the hand out and select a few that can then clarify these items.
Multilevel Coaching
Presenter can train a small group of participants and test them to make sure that they have acquired the skill. These participants can then become coaches and train the others.
Question Cards
After the presentation, ask teams of participants to write 20 short answer questions based on the content. Collect all questions shuffle the cards and conduct a quiz- program.

In this way, interaction will ensure that all the persons/ participants/ audiences have understood the message that is sent. This will also be more likely to respond favorably to the message if it appears reasonable and fair to the receiver.

Importance of English Language

2012-01-11T10:30:00.000+05:30

English is one of the most important languages in the world. It can even be said to be the single most important language. Other languages are important too, but not for the same reasons as English are important. English is important because it is the only language that truly links the whole world together. The other languages may be important for their local values and culture. English can be used as a language in any part of the world. This is because at least a few people in each locality would know the language. Though these people might not have the same accent as others, the language at least will be understandable

Importance of English Language

In countries like India, with people of various cultures live, the languages of each part of the country also differ. English can be the only link as people in each place will not be able to learn all the other languages to communicate with the people. English bridges this gap and connects the people. When a person travels to another part of the world either for the sake of business or even as a tourist, the languages may differ. In these conditions, English is the language that helps people to deal with the situation. It is like a universal language.

The presence of English as a universal language assumes importance in the fact that more and more people leave their countries not only for the sake of business and pleasure, but also for studying. Education has increased the role of English. People who go to another country to study can only have English as their medium of study. This is because the individual will not be able to learn a subject in the local language of the country. This again reinforces the fact that English language is very important.

All correspondences between offices in different countries and also between political leaders of various countries are in English. This linking factor also tells of the importance of English language. In spite of the growth of Internet in various languages, English is the mainstay of the Internet users. This is the language in which most of the information and websites are available. It is very difficult to translate each and every relevant webpage into the language of various countries. With Internet becoming very important in education, English language is bound to grow. Thus the importance of English as a language is emphasized.

The future of English as a language is very secure. The day is not far when this language will become the single language of the world like we have a single currency.

Develop English Fluency for Fluent English Speaking

2012-01-10T16:30:00.000+05:30

Fluency is the ability to read a text accurately, quickly, and with expression. Fluency is important because it provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension. Fluent readers read aloud effortlessly and with expression. Their reading sounds natural, as if they are speaking. Readers who have not yet developed fluency read slowly, word by word.

Because fluent readers do not have to concentrate on decoding the words, they can focus their attention on what the text means. They can make connections among the ideas in the text and their background knowledge. In other words, fluent readers recognize words and comprehend at the same time. Less fluent readers, however, must focus their attention on figuring out the words, leaving them little attention for understanding the text.

Fluency Development
It is observed that repeated reading as the key strategy for improving students' fluency skills (NICHD, 2000). Repeated reading has two essential elements:

Giving participants the opportunity to read and then re-read the same text and
Having participants practice their reading orally with an opportunity to receive corrections.

Research has also determined that having students read aloud along with a model of well-paced, expressive reading and receiving specific feedback through systematic progress monitoring also helps improve participant’s fluency skills.

Knowing the meaning of a word is useful, but knowing how to use it in context is vital. Words aren't used in isolation and will often form part of an expression or fixed set of words. Speaking English fluently is not just about making corporate presentations and giving long speeches. It is about expressing your views on the most mundane of things. The ability to make small talk is very important in business and social conversations. Topics for casual conversation could include the weather, sports, current affairs, arts, hobbies, travel, etc. Read up on your area of interest and try framing sentences expressing your opinions. Talk about it with someone close to you so you can check for grammatical accuracy.

Fluency is the ability to read most words in context quickly and accurately.
Fluent readers recognize words automatically when reading silently.
Fluent readers read with expression when reading aloud.

Thus, fluency plays a crucial role in all the sectors at the personal as well as professional. Other essentials for encouraging voluntary reading include a plentiful library of books. For gaining fluency, quantity is more important than quality.

Basic Understanding on Body Language

2012-01-10T11:46:00.000+05:30

Body Language is a part of Non-Verbal language. It includes things like gestures, facial expressions and even small things that are barely perceptible like a brief shrug of the shoulder or nod of the head. We frequently communicate both bodily and verbally and an estimated 70% of what we communicate may be on verbal. Non verbal language is an even bigger category than body language and includes things like tone of voice.

Since, most of us live in one area the body language may be similar among people, its important to know that your gesture, what you do with your arms when you are sitting or standing and talking to someone else, and even what your posture may say.

Excellent Body Language

Maintaining a relaxed posture while walking or during a meeting- Relaxed posture indicates you are comfortable in your surrounding and not under stress. Even if you are in stress while working, when you reduce the appearance of stress, those around you will feel comfortable and have more faith in your abilities.
Mannerisms- Mannerisms like fidgeting, moving around while talking, breaking Eye Contact can be seen as a distractive to those around you. These mannerisms can make you appear anxious, unprepared even if you are not. Mannerisms can be controlled by making note of when they occur and consider ways to alter them. Many times, mannerisms are just old habits that need to be broken.
Controlling Facial Expressions- Learning how to control your facial expressions can help you become more successful in the workplace Change your facial expression by practicing in the mirror. Find an expression that is relaxed and calm and make an attempt to wear it as often as possible around others.

Body language plays a key role in helping an individual to form quick impressions. Through body language, a person can convey a host of feelings without actually speaking a single word. The body language really can reinforce or contradict verbal messages because a person’s body discloses true feelings.

Action speaks louder than words are an indicator that body language is the literal translation to this statement. The ability to understand body language is powerful tools that will help us connects with others, express what we really mean and build relationships.

Tips for English Trainers

2011-10-04T10:23:00.000+05:30

Trainer is a person who gives people training on various subjects and guides them in order to take them to the next level. It is the responsibility of the trainer to understand the requirement of his/ her subject and make an impact to their lives.

Language trainers need to be very particular and precise. They should be well accepted and understood by the audience. They should themselves be well equipped with the product knowledge and should have the quality of being quick and correct decision makers. The lives of the trainees should be inspired by the trainers. The trainers should give them a clear vision of where their efforts will take them in future. The trainer should make the trainees feel the importance of the language.

Motivator: The trainer should act as a motivator. He should time and again motivate his audience. Motivation should come not only by narrating inspirational stories but also by giving them personal impact to which they can easily relate.

Trainers should act like “trainers” and not “teachers”. Most of them forget that their lies a difference between trainers and teachers. Teachers are the ones who have the knowledge and want people to know exactly what they know. For the trainers, the game is completely different. Trainers are the guides, who help in exploiting the potential of their audiences and create a spark in them. Sessions with the trainers should always have something that the trainee can take home.

Excellent Presenter: The trainer by default is expected to present his or her own self in a very genuine and decent manner. He should imbibe all the qualities that an orator (good speaker) should possess.

Eye Contact: eye Contact is one of the ruling factors to excel in the art of presentation. In order to get the attention at the first go.

Expressions: The trainer should be very expressive while delivering speeches The vocal chord of the trainer needs to be very supportive.

Confidence: Trainer is expected to be a complete idol of confidence. Confidence is expected to be at its brim.

Energetic and Enthusiastic: The energy level of the trainer needs to be at its peak. He should just give away all the positive energies to the audiences and create a different atmosphere altogether.

Clarity: Immense clarity is expected from the trainer. If the trainer is not clear, it is considered a “crime” in his profession and not a mistake.

The trainer should be cut above the edge and should help the audience in improving themselves. The audiences should feel that he is from a different world altogether.

Our Other Lenses:

1) Tips for Communication Skills Trainer
2) Cross Country Communication

Develop Corporate Hygiene

2011-08-03T11:41:00.004+05:30

Good hygiene forms an imperative (extremely important) part of our routine life. Most of the people associate frequent hand washes as a sign of good hygiene habits. However, hygiene is not limited to keeping your hands clean. It involves many more habits that are essential for a better self presentation.

Hygiene habits are of utmost importance when it comes to careers and workplace. Good Hygiene habits amongst the corporate Men and Women signify a sense of personal care.

Develop Corporate Hygiene Habits

Bad Breath

Bad Breath should be a complete No-No. You should ensure that you indulge in serious oral hygiene as at work you will have to speak and communicate with colleagues and if you suffer from bad breath, others are going to have a tough time. It will instantly amplify (reflect) your lack of hygiene habits and personal care.

Body Odor

Body Odor works as an enemy. When it comes to corporate hygiene, most people complain on how their peers stink due to body odor. If you do not want to be the person about whom they are talking then you need to change your Hygiene Habits.

Wear Washed and Ironed Clothes

Another important component of Corporate Hygiene is to wear washed and ironed clothes. An unwashed dress or shirt might stink due to prior wear. Crinkles on your clothes create a bad impression. Clean, ironed and fresh clothes exhibit your Good Hygiene Habits.

No Smelly Feet

Your feet should not be smelly. They should be clean especially for women, who wear open shoes at times. Make sure you invite good footwear that do not cause bad odor.

Avoid Chewing, Spitting and Littering in Office premises

Along with personal hygiene, one needs to ensure that the office premises are clean as well. Make sure the desks are dust and clatter free. Indulge in good sanitary habits.

These are some of the basic Corporate Hygiene that one must posses. It helps to personify a better character and Personality. Confidence, Adequate usage of English Language and Right Attitude is a good combination and BM assures you that these elements will help you stand out of the crowd and make a difference.

More Lens from BM English Speaking

1) How to Develop Positive Attitude
2) Improve Confidence in English Speaking
3) Be an Effective Speaker

1 Day Refresher Course on Presentation Skills

2011-01-04T07:06:00.000+05:30

1 Day Refresher Course on Public Speaking

2011-01-04T07:01:00.001+05:30

1 Day Refresher Course on English Fluency

2011-01-04T06:59:00.000+05:30

Soft Skills Training | Corporate Training | Business English

2010-10-14T10:45:00.000+05:30

5 Tips to Develop Confidence in English & Communication

2010-07-31T12:20:00.000+05:30

How To Make Your Day Productive

2010-05-28T11:35:00.000+05:30

It is said that "WORK IS WORSHIP". We all are involved in some activity or the other. We all get the same number of hours to do our work. Yet, we have different results. Many people do their work aimlessly, having no purpose and planning. At the end of the day, they do not have the desired results.

Given below are some tips which can help in improving productivity:

Planning: Generally people prepare a plan for the day in the morning. But it is advisable that you plan your next day’s work in advance before going to bed the previous night. This gives you an edge. It saves a lot of time. You can also do the more important tasks first rather than wasting time on doing the less important ones.
Upgrading: Many people know, it helps to sharpen your axe from time to time. Keep upgrading yourself in every possible way. It is necessary that day by day we improve ourselves to increase productivity.
Time Management: Proper time management improves your productivity. Therefore prioritize your work and do not waste your previous time in non-productive activities. Giving value to your time adds value to your work.
Learn From Mistakes: Be quick to learn from mistakes and do not repeat them. Carelessness and ignorance can lead to wastage of previous time and can keep you busy with no productivity.
Attain Balance: Live a life of balance. There are seven important areas in our life. For long lasting and true success, devote equal time to your health, family, wealth, intellect, society, spiritualism and religion. Have a holistic approach.
Be Neat: De clutter your work station. It does save a lot of time!
Be Organized: File important papers separately and be meticulous. Waste papers should be discarded in the bin. All this saves energy which can be used to produce more work.
Be Result-Oriented: Spend your time only in qualitative work whether it is in your personal life or professional life.
Sleep: Though it is the simplest, it is also very important that you get enough sleep and rest during the dry. Never compromise on sleep because in the long run it can affect your productivity drastically. Sleep deprivation can cause lack of enthusiasm.
Relax: Learn to relax and rejuvenate yourself. Take a break from time to time, especially the meal break is very important. Never compromise on that. People, who feel that skipping their meals to do some work is a great idea, often feel exhausted very soon. Therefore do not commit their blunder. You definitely need proper meals to recharge your batteries.

Thus planning and organizing your work enables you to get better results and in the end leaves you satisfied. This way you don’t feel stressed and you can enjoy a peaceful sleep.

Importance Of Positive Thinking

2010-05-24T13:36:00.002+05:30

There is a saying that “Every cloud has a silver lining”. Positive attitude is when you are able to see that silver lining. It is our outlook towards life. When a person is able to see the brighter side of things, he is said to have a Positive Attitude. Such people are certainly more content than the rest of the people as they focus more on the good even in adverse conditions. They treat obstacles as opportunities. Positive attitude is also the key to success in life.

Positive thinkers are always upbeat. They find happiness in whatever they do. As a result negative energies do not affect them. Those who have a positive state of mind usually prove motivating to others in society. They love to see their near and dear ones prosper.

Positive thinkers are the ones who have understood very early in life that problems are a part of life and it is better to focus on the solution. They never cringe about a situation. Instead they go through the struggle without complaining and always remain hopeful that something good will come out of the difficult situations.

7 WAYS TO BE POSITIVE:

At first, you need to make a choice. Once you make a choice about changing your attitude for the good, then there’s no looking back. Your determination can help you in being a positive thinker.
Many great positive thinkers have quoted about attitude. One can read those quotes and get inspired. There are many books and tapes available in the market on ATTITUDE DEVELOPMENT. One can also attend Personality Development workshops for the same.
A sure-shot way to feel good and positive is to help others in their growth. Your success lies in their success.
Knowledge grows with sharing. So never keep it to yourself. Go ahead and share your knowledge with others. It gives immense satisfaction to see others grow due to your sharing knowledge with them.
Writing your goals also helps us to focus on the positive things on life.
Staying with Negative thinkers can have a bad influence on us. Therefore one must avoid such company.
People who think Positive are always welcome wherever they go. They are respected by others. You can count on such people in time of distress. Positive thinkers always stand by you, providing moral support.
Even if you have a negative attitude, you can surely change it to a positive one with your determination. Finally, remember that EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR THE BEST.

Always Keep Your Sunny Side Up.

Listening Skills - Importance of Listening

2010-05-13T14:44:00.001+05:30

It is more important to listen well rather than speak. By simply speaking one never communicates. It is only when one listens that the transaction is complete. Listening is not nearly hearing a set of sounds. Effective listening is when you not only hear but clearly understand what is being spoken. This is effective communication.

Listening is an art in which we must fully participate with our body, mind and soul. Like any other skill you can learn to listen. Speaking less and listening more is the quality which people find desirable.

Tips for Effective Listening: Hearing only means that you are aware of the sounds made by other person. Listening means that you only hear the sounds but also clearly understand the meaning of what is said.

Five basic tips to be a good listener:

Pay Attention: You must respect others than only you will pay attention to what they have to say. Look directly at others without being distracted, looking at your watch or speaking on your cell phone.
Do not Interrupt: No one like to be interrupted while speaking. Allowing the speaker to complete what he has to say will show that you are interested in it.
Do not let your mind Wander: If you are thinking of something else when the speaker is speaking you are nearly hearing but not listening.
Clarify: Requesting a speaker to clarify demonstrates your interest in what he is saying. It also helps to clearly understand the subject and remember the points made.
Do not jump to Conclusion: Nothing is more disturbing a speaker than someone leaping to conclusion before he has completed his speech.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

2010-04-29T18:09:00.001+05:30

Definition of Stress: Stress is the change in human behavior caused by situations & circumstances around us which affect us mentally, physically & emotionally. Stress can have both good and bad effect on our behavior. Stress can be an impetus for positive action for a desired result. At the other extreme, stress can create anger, feeling of inadequacy, lack of faith in others, depression etc. which causes actual physical problems in the form of headaches, stomach upset, sleepless, high blood pressure, cardiac problems, stroke etc. Normally the loss of spouse or close relative, delivery of child, friction in relationships, a job promotion etc causes stress. Stress can also be caused when you are joining or leaving a job, interviews at the time of annual appraisal by your boss, pressure at work, the desire to conform with friends and colleagues, relocation out of town, salary can be either positive or negative.

Stress is Relative: The identical situation may or may not be stressful to different persons. Though two persons may be working in the same organization, under the same boss, with identical designations, one may feel stressed while the other may actual enjoy his job. Stress if therefore relative. Similarly, there is no one uniform solution to stress. It will differ from person to person depending upon the nature and qualities of that person. Lots of things cause stress at work. Deadlines, competition and friction at work lead to anger, anxiety and sadness but the stress level is never constant but keeps varying.

Stress Management: To cope with stress and may be get rid of it, you first need to understand the cause of stress.

Neglect stress at your peril. Tackle it, lead on by finding out what causes you stress.
If you can identify what causes you stress may be you can avoid such a situation the next time.
Impersonally analyze the effect of stress upon your physical & mental state.
Ask yourself whether you can avoid situations and circumstances which trigger stress?
If stress simply cannot be avoided, ask yourself, whether you can limit the period you are exposed to stress?
One way to reduce stress is simply to take a break when you are stressed. Stretch your legs. Go for a walk. Take a vacation.
Stress Management techniques should effectively put you on top of situations which you previously feared or were anxious about.
Understand that it is simply impossible to please everyone in life. So do not doubt yourself at the first sign of disapproved or criticism.
You can reduce stress by refusing to treat every matter as urgent or critical.
Stress is a good servant but a bad master. Do not allow stress to dominate you. Think of ways in which you can harness stress to get things done.
If you are stressed you tend to become emotional. It also works the other way round. If you can control emotions or find a safe outlet (like exercise, for example) you can control stress.
When stressed your heart beat start racing in readiness to cope with the threat. Bring it down through deep breathing.
Monitor your physical parameters with regular check-ups by our doctor and keep blood pressure under control to ensure that your body doesn’t take a beating.
But remember that addiction to medicines as a way to control stress can actually lead to more stress.
Natural and common sense ways of controlling stress are best.
Exercises which are good for the heart are also good for relieving stress.
If you have your weight under control, it is likely that you have stress under control.
Give yourself the 8 hours or whatever you require to really feel rested. Sleep like a child and you can deal much better with stress at work.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

2010-04-26T15:12:00.000+05:30

Public relations refers to a systematic and organized way of creating good will and understanding between and an organization, its stake-holders and the general public. Thus it will include customers, suppliers, share holders employees, banks, government departments and the media.

What is Public Relations?

Public relation is a formal way of maintaining good relations with all concerned in a systematic manner.

Public relations now-a-days is not confined to the print media. Television and the internet have become a very important means of communication used by public relations professionals.
Public relations focus on timely and creative communication of information to both stake-holders and general public.

Importance of Public Relations: Public relation is important because:

It makes an organization well known to the general public.
It helps in creating good will for the organization.
It helps to inform stake holders and the public in a timely manner.
It allows an organization to extend the area of its reach.
Through positive and negative feedback it helps an organization to understand its customer’s better.
Through modern means of communication an organization can reach out to global markets.
Feedback helps an organization to know levels of customer satisfaction and their expectation in future.

What is LEADERSHIP?

2010-04-14T16:07:00.000+05:30

Leadership is the ability possessed by some persons to motivate, guide & lead others. Those who are lead may have hidden abilities and potential which can only be realized under able leadership. This is similar to a child having the ability to sit, move, speak or walk but requiring someone to guide or lead him.

True leadership is helping people to achieve their full potential by giving them a purpose & direction.

The qualities of a Good Leader are:

Natural Ability: Some people are born leaders with a burning desire to forge a different path.
An example to follow: Good Leaders set great examples for others to follow.
Good leaders are good listeners: A good leader is not ashamed to seek suggestions from the people whom he leads. It improves participation and productivity.
Constant Improvement: Leadership qualities need constant refinements. A fine leader is always in the making.
Be one with the team: A leader should never stand aloof from his men. Encouraging those who come out with positive suggestions boosts their morale.
Encourage education & training: It is a truism that learning never ends. Constant education and training helps people to contribute to better team performance.
Never hide your mistakes: Only those who act can commit mistakes. The team greatly admires a leader who accepts his mistakes as a mark of true courage.
Tackle the bad apple: Do not allow a problem creator to get away. Tackle him immediately and firmly.
Celebrate each other’s success: Team members must be trained to appreciate and acknowledge each other’s achievement. Crab mentality where each pulls the other down must be avoided at all cost.
Motivation: An important way to motivate your team is to hold functions, give awards and generally recognize achievements of the team.
Awake abilities: A good leader conducts contests and competitions to bring out the latest talents and abilities of the team.
Expose: A good leader gives his team maximum exposure so that they gain experience and knowledge in all kinds of situations.

How to go about DECISION MAKING?

2010-04-04T12:04:00.000+05:30

Decisions are central to our lives & professions. Decision making is crucial at almost every stages of management while there may be 100 routine decisions; there are also some critical decisions in an organization which place a big burden on the decision maker who shoulders the blame if the results are not as expected. Is there a method to decision making? How does one make a choice between multiple options and how does one deal with the decision that gives bad result?

It is almost impossible not to be confused & stressed while taking critical decisions. It requires both bravery and stamina for the decision maker to decide in the first place and then shoulder the responsibility decision. No wonder such persons are welcome in most organizations. Such a person must be positive & cool in dealing with the uncertainties surrounding decision making. No decision maker can be right all the time but he must certainly have the ability to take a gusty call.

Why is decision making so difficult?Critical decisions cannot be changed later and consequences both good & bad arise. One bad call will result in condemnation of the decision maker which is why such decisions are critical.
In this case of a critical decision the entire focus is on the decision-maker. In case he makes a wrong decision he will never be allowed to forget all his life.

Critical decisions can make you famous or dubbed a fool. Fear of failure is what puts great pressure on decision-maker leading to uncertainty and consequent mental distress.

8 Easy steps to decision making:-

A decision is something like the toss of the coin. One must be prepared for either heads or tails. But one must always back one’s decision. Have the right mental frame.
Having assessed the situation to the best of the ability take your decision in positive spirit and chances are likely that you will succeed.
There is no way that you can be 100% right in every decision you make. The simple solution is to openly accept when you are wrong and go on with your life.
Procrastination is the greatest enemy of decision making. It is worse than a failure due to bad decision and can destroy your reputation.
You may depend on your own knowledge and experience or you may ask those you may trust. But remember when you finally take the decision, the buck stops with you.
Remember large decisions are frightening because they are complex. If you take the decision one step at a time what is complex may now become simple.
One simple trick to decision making is to list them and dispose them according to priority.
If the same technique or the same logic applies to all decision making it would be wonderful. But each decision comes with its own baggage and requires a different template for its solution.

How Good Are You At Setting Goals?

2010-04-02T17:44:00.003+05:30

Everyone wants to be successful in life. But you can measure success only if you have a goal. No football match can be played without having a goal post. In the same way there can be no success in one’s career without a clear goal. There are systematic steps to goal-setting as given below:

The SMART way to set goal. Five easy steps to set goals:

S – Specific: General goals are no good; Goals must be specific and clear. For e.g. Just wanting to look presentable is not a clear goal. However, “Achieving the ideal weight can be a definite goal”
M – Measurable: A goal which cannot be measured is not a true goal. For e.g. A goal of losing weight is too vague. But losing “15 Kgs.” is a clearly measurable goal.
A – Achievable: It should be an attainable goal. To dream of losing 60 kg weight at the age of 20 years when you totally weigh 130 Kgs is thoroughly unattainable.
R – Realistic: It should be feasible to attain the goal. There is no point in setting goals which are simply outside one’s abilities.
T- Time bound: A goal without time limit is no goal at all. Every goal should have a commencement and a completion time. For e.g. If we commence weight loss exercise today, we can set ninety days as completion time for losing 15 kgs.

So whether it is your career, job, profession or business. Remember there is a smart way of setting goals. And finally, big goals lead to big success.

Financial Planning: Real Financial Advice for Real People

2010-04-02T16:54:00.001+05:30

Whatever you do in life, whether you are a Businessman or a salaried employee, you are interested in earning a good income to keep up your standard of living. This requires that you keep checking different parameters such as source of income, liabilities and net worth. Financial planning is the systematic manner by which we control and manage the above parameters with the view to increasing one’s net worth.

Given below are simple tips on Financial planning which will really make your money work for you..

A penny saved is a penny earned.
Just keeping a record of your expenses will magically reduce them.
A credit card is a good servant but a bad master. Never use it for impulse purchases but only in a crisis situation.
A budget makes senses only when you stick to it. It is a very important tool in financial planning. Remember if you do not stick to your budget, money will not stick to you.
The first rule in investment is earning safety of your money. High returns from fly-by-night operators is best caution, choose caution.
The simple goal to save an “x” amount of money every month makes sense. Each addition to your savings gives you a big kick so keep up the monthly savings habit.
Remember savings can come only by reducing expenses. For eg. Your car could be guzzling fuel or your electric bills may be shooting up or you may be spending too much on unnecessary clothes. But these are the areas of potential savings if you can cut down on your expenditure.
Meticulous records of liabilities can end up saving the whole lot of money spent as delayed payment charges. Paying insurance premiums and credit card bills on time, filing income tax returns on due dates etc. will save a good chunk of hard cash.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

2010-03-24T17:35:00.000+05:30

People who are good public speakers always have an edge over others who do not know the art of public speaking. If you want to master the art of public speaking then correct training & technique are a must. Preparation and practice alone can help you overcome the fear of facing a large audience. Below are some tips on mastering this art and becoming professional public speakers.

It is commonly observed that when a person is about to enter the stage to address a large audience, his heart starts beating frantically, some even develop cold feet. People often s experience a nervous feeling like butterflies in stomach. The main cause of such a feeling is often the pressure to do well. This is the time to take deep breathes, relax, move slowly towards the stage & begin the speaking. The fact that these are the initial jitters experienced by many and it is quite natural, should help you keep relax.
Your actions speak louder than words. Correct posture reflects great confidence. Your posture should be relaxed with one foot little forward.
Unnecessary gestures can leave a bad impression. Gestures should be in co-ordination with the topic.
Eye contact is another important factor which radiates confidence and helps to build a rapport with the audience. Make sure to maintain eye contact with each and every person in the audience. Do not make the mistake of looking up at the ceiling or down at the floor.
Focus on word-stress, as emphasis on the wrong word can give different messages to people.
Taking a pause is equally important while maintaining a good flow of speech. A good rule is to take a pause of 2 seconds after a coma & 4 seconds after a full stop.
A good voice level ensures that your voice reaches people sitting at the back. Also it radiates your confidence as a speaker. Your volume speaks volumes about you.

There are many course conducted on Public Speaking. These courses & books related to public speaking can be very useful in overcoming any fear. Convey enthusiasm through your body language & speech and you’ll surely win over your audience.

CHANGING YOUR CAREER

2010-03-12T15:06:00.000+05:30

Switching over to a different career is a crucial decision. There are a lot of uncertainties involved in it. There are chances of success as well as failure. This decision can be a turning point in one’s life. One must weigh the pros and cons carefully. If the current career is not working for you at all then changing a career becomes inevitable. Let us see what steps can be taken to ensure a smooth transition.

Plan: in order to ensure that you face as few hurdles as possible during your career change you need to plan well in advance. It is possible that your new career may not give you profits for the first few months. In such a scenario how will you survive? Take into account your monthly expenses and also ways to meet your expenditure till you start getting money out of your new career. Get information about any skills that you need to acquire for your new career. Evaluate the growth prospects in that career and study the market trends.
Inspiration: During this phrase it is also essential keep yourself motivated. Keep yourself surrounded by as much positivity as possible. One good way is to read the success stories of achievers, especially those who dared to change their careers. It will definitely keep your motivation level high. You also need to interact with the right kind of people who can guide you regarding your new career. You can benefit by listening to their experience and considering their advice.
Evaluate your Skills: Skills never go waste. The skills that you already possess can be an added advantage in your new career. So assess your skills and try to make maximum use of your acquired skills.
Introspection: This is the time to introspect. Think over it many times before taking this important decision. Make sure that it is not a hasty decision and that the timing is right.
Act wisely: Begin by taking small steps. You can look out for some part time jobs first while keeping your present career. It would be better if you don’t jump directly to the new career. Part time or weekend jobs related to your new career can help to make you comfortable and build your confidence before taking the giant leap.

HOW TO PLAN YOUR CAREER

2010-03-08T14:23:00.001+05:30

Different people have different perception about a fulfilling and successful career. To many, a successful career would mean a good pay package, to others it can mean the work which gives them job satisfaction and some will consider both equally important. The perception generally changes with age and position. Ideally a good career would be the one that you build with planning, taking into consideration your interest and aptitude.

One can, infact, build the right career with proper planning. There are three steps to follow:

Step 1: To begin with one needs to some soul searching. Spend some time with yourself and think that work which you would enjoy doing again and again and never get tired off. See what is your passion. See what it is that you always dreamt of doing. This introspection will provide you with answers. Then move on to the next step.

Step 2: After dream comes action .Once you have chosen the career, you need to check whether you have the skills and qualifications needed for it. If not then check how they can be acquired. Also do self-analysis. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. It is very important that your skills match the career that you have chosen. For example; if a person has chosen Graphic Designing as a career option and he also has a genuine interest in art and a good hand at sketching then definitely it is a smart decision. Now think of a person who has poor communication skills and he lands up in the field of marketing, he is definitely going to have a tough time. He either needs to enhance and work a lot on his communication skills or quit the career.

Step 3: The third step would be to study the market trends, industry norms and growth, prospects related to that career. For example; if a person chooses to become a chef as per his passion and aptitude then he also needs to be aware of the minimum and maximum remuneration that can be earned. Building a career requires a long term planning. Switching a career at a later stage can be damaging and unfavorable for growth.

HOW TO MASTER THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

2010-02-25T17:38:00.001+05:30

A majority of the people experience fear when they have to speak in front of a group or audience. What holds them back is the fear of appearing foolish in front of others. Preparation and the right attitude is the key to win over this process.

Some of the fears that top the list are fear of dying, fear of snakes fear of height etc and fear of public speaking is also one of them. Many people experience faster heart beats and dry mouth when they are about to begin their speech. Some even experience nausea or giddiness. These symptoms aggravate once they start speaking. The heart beats frantically and the voice starts trembling. Their body, especially the legs begins to shake. Stuttering or increased rate of speech is also possible. In some case, people experience these symptoms only during the initial moments, later they calm down whereas; others may go through the ordeal for longer.

I remember my high school days, whenever we were asked to speak in front of the whole class, I would develop cold feet and I would start shaking and behaving in an unnatural manner. Then I found a way out. I realized that I could give a good presentation to the class only when I was sitting on a chair. But that didn’t help me because my teacher thought I was trying to act smart.

The primary reason that holds back people is their fear of looking foolish or dumb in front of their peers or others. They dread being laughed at. If they make a mistake or forget something, people may form a not-so-good opinion about them. This in turn affects their ego and confidence. If we follow some steps, we can definitely overcome fear.

Preparation: The value of preparation should not be underestimated. Being prepared well in advance helps to avoid blunders. It is necessary to be aware of what you are going to speak and who will be your audience. Professionalism demands that nothing is left to chance. Work on your strategies, keep the material ready, pay attention to every minute detail, plan well in advance. Preparing in advance makes you feel confident and in control of yourself, thereby reducing the chances of foolish mistakes or failure. As far as the material is concerned knowing about your speech content doesn’t mean you learn it by heart, because that may make you sound scripted. Instead you should know the outline and the structure in which you are going to talk. Also not knowing about the type of audience can leave you embarrassed at the last minute. Therefore you should know your audience and accordingly you can customize your speech. Depending on the importance of the event you can prepare yourself and overcome the anxiety.
Practice: It is said that knowledge is a treasure and practice is the key to it. Practicing the speech takes you nearer to perfection. There are various ways to practice. You can begin by practicing alone. Saying the speech loudly a number of times helps to get the material easily registered in your memory. Next you can do mirror practice. This exercise is very effective. You need to stand in front of a mirror and say the speech loudly, maintaining eye contact with yourself. This helps you to observe your body language as well. Then, you can also practice speaking by standing in a corner. This way you can listen to your sound reflecting back to you. Using a recorder is also a good way to practice. You can learn many things by observing your voice. You can record your voice and listen to it as many times as you want. You can learn many things by observing your voice. Finally you can practice in front of your friends. They can give you a feedback. Practicing before friends gives you a feel of talking in front of the real audience. The number of friends required for this practice is irrelevant. You can even begin with one friend.
Back up plan: It is always advised to have a back up plan ready in case of emergency. The type of emergency I am talking of is, let’s say what if in spite of a lot of practice you can forget what you had to say or you go blank. Your back up plan can work as a safety net in such a scenario. What you can do is, you can note down the outline of your speech on some sheets or on small cards. These important points can be referred to very easily and the audience also would not mind. Only bear in mind that you shouldn’t sound scripted. When you have a back up plan ready you can rest assured that in case you happen to forget something, you have help at hand. This reduces your anxiety to a great extent.
Knowing the audience: When it comes to the fear of your audience, remember it is all in the mind. The magnitude of your fear can get greater only if you allow it to be. The fact that you focus your thoughts on your audience as being very important can aggravate your fear and anxiety. Your audience can be truly important, for example your bosses, your colleagues, your important clients or even your friends and relatives but that should not inhibit you in any way. What you can do is you can shift your focus. Instead of fearing your audience and feeling intimidated you can look up to them. You need to visualize them as your friends and supporters. Remember, they are there because they want to listen to you and infact they want you to succeed. Visualize that they care for you. If your focus shifts from negative to positive, you will find the same shift in your body language and it will definitely be reciprocated by the audience.
Relaxation: Relaxing yourself before your speech may sound a little difficult but you can follow a simple step and actually feel relaxed. Before starting your speech do remember to take a few deep breaths and then begin by thanking the person who introduced you. Then immediately start counting 1 to 10 in your mind and begin your speech. With each breath and count you feel relaxed. It also gives time to the audience to settle and get ready for you speech. This is also the moment when you are in front of your audience and you may panic. However, being prepared allow you to be confident & in control of the situation. It feels good to be in command and you definitely deserve it. If your work demands that you speak in front of small or large groups of people then you should practice speaking in order to enhance your skills and overcome the fears. Doing a Public speaking course is also a good idea and a proactive measure.