#1 Fear that Holds People Back in their Careers

Written by Scott Brown


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We recommend visiting your local Toastmasters club to see how it works. To find out more about Toastmasters, visit their web site at this address: http://www.toastmasters.org

Quick Tips for Conquering Your Fear

- Everyone gets nervous before a speech. Even former President Clinton has talked about how he still gets nervous before speeches, even after having spoken in front of all kinds of audiences all overrepparttar world. Experienced speakers talk about harnessing that nervousness and using it to energize and inspire yourself to give a better speech. Plus, they sayrepparttar 139048 nervousness generally goes away afterrepparttar 139049 first couple of minutes of speaking and turns into a feeling of excitement and exhiliration.

- There usually isn't as much at stake as you think there is. People often makerepparttar 139050 mistake of assigning an unreasonable amount of importance to people in their audience. The truth is most audience members in any given situation are preoccupied with their own thoughts: what they're going to do later that day, their relationship with their spouse, their kids, personal problems, etc. Your speech is much less important to them than it is to you. And they will be much less critical of your performance than you are. Plus, no matter who is in your audience, they are not more important than your family members and people who truly care about you.

- The speech does not have to be perfect. As mentioned earlier, there's a tendency to compare yourself with polished public speakers you see on TV. Your audience will not expect you to be at that level, and you should not expect it of yourself.

- The most important ingredient in a good speech is preperation. This often requires investing time in researchingrepparttar 139051 topic ahead of time so that you have enough material that you could speak for at least twicerepparttar 139052 amount of time allotted. If your speech has information thatrepparttar 139053 audience finds interesting or that they did not know before, you will have done a good job as a speaker.

Scott Brown is the author of the Job Search Handbook (http://www.JobSearchHandbook.com). As editor of the HireSites.com weekly newsletter on job searching, Scott has written many articles on the subject. He wrote the Job Search Handbook to provide job seekers with a complete yet easy to use guide to finding a job effectively.


COACHING SKILLS

Written by Steven J. Stowell, PhD


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  • observation of performance, followed by constructive feedback
  • an investment in helping others succeed
  • a focus on performance and achieving results
  • courage to address difficult issues, and engage others in growth opportunities
  • time to help people improve as jobs, technology, and markets change

    Coaching is a process, not an event. It isrepparttar ongoing and consistent way in which we present ourselves, and through which we build and maintain relationships with others. Coaching is not a top-down weapon you use on a subordinate. Coaching is a partnership designed to tap intorepparttar 139005 knowledge, information, synergy, and talents people bring torepparttar 139006 problem solving process.

    Coaching Behaviors

    A good coach:

    • promotes open and constructive discussion
    • is comfortable with differences
    • uses authority and power sparingly
    • is not demeaning or disrespectful of others
    • creates a safe environment for interaction, disclosure, and information flow
    • shares views, facts, and information in a non-threatening manner
    • is open to new ideas, and torepparttar 139007 possibility that he/she has an incomplete understanding ofrepparttar 139008 situation
    • focuses on learning and change
    • strengthens and empowers others
    • maintains high expectations and performance standards
    • unleashes motivation and creativity
    Conclusion

    Coaching skills are not “found,” they are actively “developed” by people who want to lead and be an influence in their organization. Coaching takes some time (but not a lot of time). Time is an important ingredient and you will need discipline to manage allrepparttar 139009 priorities and business demands leaders face today. Extra time isn’t going to come looking for you. You have to think of coaching is an investment.

    Coaching also takes energy. You will need to pick your battles and decide what is important and what isn’t. Your coaching effort is an asset that must be deployed wisely.

    Coaching takes courage. There is always a risk that someone could feel hurt or take offense when you putrepparttar 139010 microscope on some element of his or her performance. Don’t take reactions personally. You should be more concerned if people don’t react, if they seem indifferent. If you inadvertently touch a nerve, or if people are extremely sensitive, you will need to draw on your support account.

    Finally, be patient and persistent. Change frequently happens slowly for people. If you encounter someone who wants to make a quantum leap, it’s a real bonus. Enjoy it, but remember thatrepparttar 139011 real work of a leader is helping those who don’t immediately recognizerepparttar 139012 need or opportunity to improve. Keep in mind that when you coach you won’t be receiving accolades and embraced as a hero. Most people need time to process and grasprepparttar 139013 magnitude of what you are conveying to them.

    Learning to be a good coach is a life long journey. The learning you are about to engage in represents a solid step along that journey. Enjoyrepparttar 139014 trip, participate and ask questions inrepparttar 139015 workshop, trust yourself inrepparttar 139016 practice sessions, and learn from your colleagues.




    Steven J. Stowell, PhD, is the Co-Founder of the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness, Inc.

    To learn more about CMOE’s Coaching Skills model please contact a Regional Manager at (801)569-3444 and discover what 100,000 managers have learned around the world.




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