6. If you work with meeting planners and bureaus, enlist their experience and suggestions. Let them review and provide you with feedback on your schedule. They know market and continually compare speakers' schedules.

7. Create a PDF file for e-mailing your schedule. Or create a complete marketing package that includes your fee schedule and turn into a pdf file.

8. When presenting your services to a meeting planner, visualize that person looking at a giant chart on wall which lists all different times and programs planned at their event, but that are not yet scheduled. Ask meeting planner if he or she has any unfilled time slots available on day you are scheduled. Then suggest a second program for managers or sales team. This helps them because they have to book less speakers, cuts their planning time considerably, and usually saves money on travel expenses and hotel rooms.

9. Meeting planners discourage back-of-the-room sales because they do not want you to use "paid" time to push those materials. Instead, sell them separately through their educational materials budget. Add your educational materials to your schedule (books, workbooks, audio programs, subscriptions) with any quantity discounts (10-15%). Include special "program only" package opportunities as well. Place these in center of your schedule. List shipping separately in a footnote.

10. Speakers are now asking for a flat fee for their travel expenses. This provides flexibility for speaker and saves meeting planner time.

Army Step 4. Hygiene - bathing, clean uniforms

Corporate Solution: A scheduled break to get cleaned up before lunch or after a hard day of dirty work can pay off in a big way. Make sure everyone has right protective clothing for job. Extreme temperature and dampness create stress that can be easily relieved by proper apparel and hygiene breaks. And, as surprising as it might seem, some employees do not have running water at home.

Not all of them have hot water. Not all of them have washing machines. Make these things available at your workplace or find alternatives. One-time arrangements can go a long way in helping stressed workers get their emotions under control and get their productivity up where it belongs.

Army Step 5. Discussion - A chance to talk about what happened, to tell war stories

Corporate Solution: Everyone benefits from a chance to tell about what went on. Some people are more sensitive than others. There is often great value in routine meetings to kick off shift or explain day's activities. Scheduling time before or after meetings to talk about what happened can relieve stress for those in spot light. Team discussions after sales calls can help stressed workers understand results and focus on what needs to be done.

In times of high stress, some people need to talk about what happened to others around them - family members, community tragedies. Managers can handle day-to-day conversations and experts are available to address major stressors. Help workers tell their "war stories."

Army Step 6. Restoring identity and confidence with useful work

Corporate Solution: As soon as possible, over stressed workers need to return to their positions of responsibility. They need to see that (a) they can perform well (b) that management recognizes their efforts (c) and that life goes on. Emphasize small accomplishments. Find reasons to reward each person for their achievements.

GIs usually return to their jobs after a short rest, a hot shower, a chat with their supervisor, and a warm meal. Your people can do same. Most of time, they can continue in their jobs if you pay attention to their basic needs.

Watch for high stress period in your business cycle and schedule time to work on these six steps. You'll improve productivity and workplace environment by taking care of your people. Your investment of time and money will be rewarded in better performance and lower costs.

Work with your human resources experts to assist those who are beyond your ability. Let professionals take care of severe cases while you take care of your other employees and get work done.

Can you identify employees who are suffering from stress? Do you know what to do about it? Evaluate employee problems with an eye toward stress control. Send a blank email to toptenstressors@couragebuilders.com for a f`r`e`e article about top ten causes of workplace stress.

Copyright 2004 - Dale Collie

Dale Collie (MailTo:collie@couragebuilders.com) speaker and former US Army Ranger, CEO,and professor at West Point. Selected by "Fast Company" as one of America's Fast 50 innovative leaders. Author of "Frontline Leadership: From War Room to Boardroom," and "Winning Under Fire: Turn Stress into Success US Army Way." (McGraw- Hil) Free newsletter upon request: MailTo:subscribe-956606571@ezinedirector.net