"What Is Executive Presence?"Written by Roberta Prescott
"What Is Executive Presence?" by Roberta Prescott Often our clients refer someone to us for Executive Coaching with a glowing description such as "This is one of our most valued and brilliant employees …. But …. he or she needs "Executive Presence", or as one client said "He's so low-key he's invisible. Give him "Executive Swagger".Yet when asked to explain what they mean, their responses remind me of Supreme Court's comments on pornography - - that it's difficult to define, but you'll know it when you see it. From our successful interviews and coaching of hundreds of executives, here are some common traits of those who do project Executive Presence: They radiate confidence, poise and authority; they know how to connect with others; and, most important, they build on their own strengths and are genuine. Following is a 5-point plan to help you build on YOUR strengths so that you project an impression of Executive Presence that matches your abilities: 1. Use your body language and visual image to convey confidence ·Stand and walk tall ·Use steady eye contact, not eye-darting ·Give a crisp handshake, not a dead fish ·Lean forward and be engaged in meetings. Don't fidget or play with your palm pilot
| | Consumer Directed Health PlansWritten by Michael Ertel
Most of you have heard about “consumer directed health plans”. The Bush administration has been a strong supporter of this concept as a way to get a handle on soaring healthcare costs. The recent inaugeration of Mr. Bush signals that consumer directed health plans will increasingly make up a larger percentage of group medical plans over next several years. In past, consumer directed plan designs have taken on many forms: Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).Many experts consider HRAs and HSAs to be first generation of viable consumer directed health care products. HRAs are typically paired with a high-deductible health plan and are employer-funded Section 105 defined contribution plans. HSAs are latest version of consumer directed health care plans. The core components of HSAs include a high deductible insurance product and a cash spending account. HSAs combine pre-tax treatment of a FSA, portability and roll-over characteristics of a 401(k), and tax-free distributions of a Roth IRA. One of main goals of any consumer directed health plan should be to get consumer more involved in both cost and statistical outcomes of certain healthcare procedures. Informed healthcare consumers will make wise healthcare decisions and typically these decisions will result in both lower costs and improved quality.
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