Everyone Communicates, few Connect by John Maxwell Published by Thomas Nelson ***look below for a free copy Many of us have intentions to read more self-development books, but by the end of the work-day we are simply too tired, so we end up in front of the TV or reading a light novel. This book [...] Related posts:

1. Book...

Here is a brief extract from an interesting list of 10 things to never say to your customer. It is from”the amazing service guy”. How many of these have been said to you? “We’d like to help, but it’s our company policy…” “You’ll have to talk to the corporate office about that.” “No one else [...] Related posts:

1. 47 Phrases to avoid...

Heard in a presentation by (the other) Michael Jackson “Yes, you should wake up every morning terrified with your sheets drenched in sweat, but not because you’re afraid of our competitors. Be afraid of our customers, because those are the folks who have the money. Our competitors are never going to send us money.” Jeff [...] Related posts:

1. Radio Shack Employees laid-offs...

Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution – 25th Anniversary Edition Steven Levy The book provides an interesting view of the history and growth of computers, seeing through the eyes of the hackers; the somewhat elusive group of people that have never cared much for contention, have pushed the limits of both computing hardware and software, [...] Related posts:

1. Book...

I have received a copy of my recent interview with the times. This was recorded at the dinner at the Toastmasters conference in Johannesburg.  I discussed Toastmasters, the importance of communication and leadership skills, and why the Toastmasters programme is so important. Thanks to Ian and Michael Bratt, as well as the Times for the [...] Related posts:

1. Interviewed for the Times Listen on...

How to effectively introduce a speaker at a function. Some very simple and easy to follow guidelines.

Are you going to be the emcee at a function? Do you need some simple guidance? This articles is a crash-course in the basics of the role of emcee at any function.

When you are working towards a goal, how often do you abandon the journey because you are so focused on the your progress that you don't see the progress over the weeks? Do you get frustrated because you don't see any weight loss from day to day, or because you aren't running further each day? Do you realize that over a week you have lost weight, or you are running further, faster and with less effort?

Currently, every 10 year old kid with a computer and iPod is downloading and sharing unlicensed (i.e., illegal) music. Because it is so easy to download and share music, the music industry is understandably concerned about lost revenue, and everybody with a single illegally obtained MP3 (i.e.,: most of us) is technically a criminal. This is clearly a lose-lose situation. So, how can we turn it into a win-win situation?

'Why do I need to practice speaking off the cuff?', you may ask. The answer is simple, 'because we do it all the time'. Impromptu Speaking is one of the most important yet least practiced skills of verbal communicating.

The GROW model is a coaching model that describes a very simple process that can be followed to help you work towards and to achieve your goals. The first step is to understand what your goal is. Understanding your goal gives you a concrete objective towards which you can work, and the freedom to start doing so.

Email has become a primary communications medium for many of us. It is (generally) reliable, allows for mass communication, and it lets you respond in your own time. However, many of these messages are poorly composed, difficult to read, and unclear as to the purpose. Of course, this makes it very difficult to manage the volume of email. So, here is my list of 21 tips for email etiquette. By following them you should make both your life and the recipient's life easier, and make the volume of email a little easier to manage.

Does voicemail facilitate communication, or is it a barrier to effective communication? Here is how to ensure that your voicemail messages are read, and that your calls are returned.

If you are speaking on a regular basis, you get used to packing and unpacking everything that you need for your presentations. However, it is very easy to leave something small behind that you really need! I have my own checklist of stuff that I always take with me. I use some of them at almost every presentation, and some items (such as spare extension cables) are for "just in case".

A few years ago, my band was offered a headline gig in one of the live music venues in Cape Town. The problem is that while our band could draw a crown of about 50-100 people, the venue held over 700 people We reluctantly turned down the gig and instead asked to play in their smaller venue downstairs that only held 80 people. The downstairs gig was great - it was full, crowded and had a great vibe - we would have needed at least 500 people upstairs to get the energy we had downstairs.

A few years ago, I witnessed a really small thing having a huge impact on a presentation - in this case a negative impact. Half way through the presentation I was attending, the presenters laptop died! It was not plugged into the wall, and the battery had gone flat. It took him over 15 minutes to find the power cable, get an extension cable, get AC power running and reboot his machine.