sorry I’ve been away for so long….
September 5th, 2007 by aileen
Will be back soon with a new , updated, slightly more out of the box, blog.
Crazy in love?
February 13th, 2007 by aileen
With Valentine’s day tomorrow I thought I’d try and be topical and I found this great article in the Wall Street Journal, (yes the Wall Street Journal) about love and what it does to your brain…
“At some point in life, most of us will face a major mental-health crisis. It is called love.
Science is beginning to pay more attention to the chemical storm that romantic love can trigger in our brains. Recent studies of brain scans show that being in love causes changes in the brain that are strikingly similar to serious health problems like drug addiction and obsessive-compulsive disorder.”
It’s great to know that science and love go together so well… read the whole article here. Remember when you communicate with people tomorrow, that if they are all loved up with valentines stuff, they may be acting kinda crazy.
I’m not the only one who thinks you are beautiful..
February 12th, 2007 by aileen
Last month I wrote a post called ‘You are beautiful’ - just to remind you that you are. Recently, on a trip out of town, I noticed other people were thinking this too. I started to see ‘you are beautiful’ spray-painted on buildings and on stickers in random places. At first I thought I must be imagining it but it made me smile, then I was worried it was some marketing campaign. This week I found out it was linked to a website and I’m really smiling now. I love these people… here’s what they say (or some of it)
“You Are Beautiful is a simple, powerful statement which is incorporated into the over absorption of mass media and lifestyles that are wrapped in consumer culture.
This statement and the context in which someone finds it gives meaning to its message and purpose to this project.
The intention behind this project is to reach beyond ourselves as individuals to make a difference by creating moments of positive self realization in those who happen across the statement: You Are Beautiful.”
Please visit their site at http://www.you-are-beautiful.com/ and remember YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.
Positive Communication… the fastest way to improve and a note to Forest Whitaker!
February 8th, 2007 by aileen
There is an article on page 2D of today’s USA today that made me uneasy. It’s titled “Thanks, um, for, you know” and is basically about how bad Forest Whitaker’s Golden Globe speech was. The print the whole speech (including ums and ers) and point out all the things he did wrong. What about what he did right? What about his strengths and wonderful personality?
They have had the speech critiqued by someone from Toastmasters - a great organization and some of the points are very valid, others made my blood curdle. I’m not going to repeat them here, that would just be me being negative in return. They miss the most important part for me and that’s being genuine and speaking from the heart. I don’t care about ums and errs - I want the real person, a connection, a heart.
Forest, enjoy your moment if you get it at the Oscars. Don’t act your way through a speech, -we know you can act, we want to see the real you.
Occupation Communication?
February 7th, 2007 by aileen
And what do you do?…..
This is your chance… especially if you need new clients, or sales, or customers, or connections… what do you say?
I know you’ve heard of an elevator speech but do you
a. Wing it and say whatever comes into your head
b. Give a rehearsed emotionless response that you have learned by heart.
c. Start with um… i just…
d. Give a from the heart, individualized response suited to the person asking and showing (not telling) how much you love your career.
You need to spend some time working on this, not so you can get to answer b, but so that you can confidently give answer d. When someone asks what do you do?, hear What can you do for me? If you find, after some soul-searching that you don’t love what you do then maybe you need to ask some other questions.
Communicating what you do starts with your communicating with yourself.
Ask and it shall be communicated…
February 6th, 2007 by aileen
Asking is underrated…. we all think we have so much to lose, that we would rather not ask than be told ‘no’ - get over it. If we don’t learn to ask for what we want, we may never get it and if we are told no, we are no worse than before.
Take your future in your own hands and ask for what you want. You never know what will happen.
Super Bowl Ads - Did they communicate?
February 5th, 2007 by aileen
Yesterday I watched most of the superbowl (go Colts) or should I say most of the superbowl ads. I must say I wasn’t blown away, I felt immense sorrow for the unemployed GM robot and wanted to give him a good home and the Blockbuster mouse made me laugh out loud… it seems my reaction wasn’t that unique. I found this great article this morning about how they scaned the brains of people while they were watching the ads and found some suprising things… my question is why didn’t the ad companies do this BEFORE they spent $85,000 per second (and that’s without production costs).. Read the article here.
Sometimes we all make mistakes…
February 1st, 2007 by aileen
I found a beautiful story on the internet today that should make headlines… A 71 year old woman who had her purse stolen when she mislaid it, had it returned to her with all the money and prize possessions in it. It had a note that read:
“I found this purse and at the time, I was desperate for money.
There was $89.20 exactly — including all change.
There is a money order for that amount.
It won’t make up for your anxiety over your temporary loss.
I’m SORRY.
Please forgive me!!!
We all have done things wrong, this shows that we can make it up. The right communication can always work.
read the whole story here
Believe you belong…
January 29th, 2007 by aileen
Wherever you are today, whoever you are just believe you belong. If you are in a business meeting speak up, your opinion is worth as much as anyone elses. If you are giving a speech, make the stage your own.
Many people work hard to get somewhere and then doubt their own ability or feel as though they don’t deserve what they have. Many people feel as though they are an imposter and that someone is going to find them out at any moment.
Believe you belong and others will believe it too.
Presenting……a communication tip on overcoming fear
January 26th, 2007 by aileen
Speaking in public is still the number one fear in the USA and the UK, after September 11th flying took the top spot for a while but speaking has claimed it back. It’s the thing I’m asked most often - how to overcome nerves. There are a few answers and some great things you can use but at least 75% of nerves can be overcome by one simple step- Preparation!
Most of us think we can ‘just wing it’ when it comes to presenting, we know kinda what we want to say and hope it will just all come together. Lots of people tell me they are better speakers if they don’t prepare! I’m not convinced, if you don’t put in the preparation you are telling your audience that you don’t care, and if you don’t care they won’t either.
Take those extra hours, put in the work, you’ll be suprised how much your nerves subside when you know what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it.
What is Kofi Annan doing now?
January 5th, 2007 by aileen
Can anyone answer this question? either by leaving a comment or emailing me at aileen (at) that speaker (dot) com. I’d love to get in touch with him and interview him about communication. Lets do the six degrees of seperation thing and see what happens.
Communication is….
January 5th, 2007 by aileen
This is the first question I’m asking in a new range of audio interviews with people who I think communicate well. I have already interviewed Joey Durel (City Parish President - Mayor of Lafayette), Jack Canfield (author of Chicken Soup for the Soul and the Success Principles and all round guru and gentleman) and Rob Guidry (President of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce), I’m lining up more and they will be appearing on my new site coming sometime in the next month. The site will be as obssessed with communication as I am. Standby for more announcements soon.
If any of you have an answer for communication is… please leave a comment on this blog.
You are beautiful…
January 3rd, 2007 by aileen
What are the voices in your head telling you today?
Are they mean little critical voices or are they singing your praises in a sexy tone?
Are the words in your head helping or hindering you?
I have something to share, you created those voices and you can change them. Make them sexy, make them silly, make them motivational. It’s your head and they don’t pay rent so that makes you in charge.
The best year ever….
January 1st, 2007 by aileen
It’s been proved, science* has declared that 2007 is going to be a happy, wonderful, amazing year for everyone who makes it that way.
Because of the alingement of the planets divided by the number of sightings of Brittney Spears and the recent tidal patterns this will be the year you can achieve anything you work for. Once you start taking action you will see exactly the results you get.
*completely made up but true if you believe it.
in any language the meaning is the same…
December 22nd, 2006 by aileen
Afrikaans: Gesëende Kersfees
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan (Catonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Ruumsaid juulup|hi
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr! German: Froehliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri’cho o Rish D’Shato Brichto
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaian: Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci’gus Ziemsve’tkus un Laimi’gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un ‘n moi Nijaar
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Serbian: Hristos se rodi
Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serb-Croatian: Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tami: Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Vietnamese: Chung Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yugoslavian: Cestitamo Bozic
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye’dun!
Thanks to www.santas.net
Christmas Communication.
December 21st, 2006 by aileen
Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. Season’s Greetings. Warmest Wishes.
However you say it, the sentiment is the same but this year I’m wishing you all a really good time. Often we spend time with people that we may not really communicate with for the rest of the year, family, step-families, hangers-on, friends of family. This year make up your mind to treasure the moments that one day will be memories… the way Aunt Bessie complains all the time, the irritating noisy gifts given to your children, the stress when the dinner is ready but the brussel sprouts aren’t, the person that never helps, the arguments over things that don’t really matter. Imagine that this may be the last year you have the chance to savor those memories. Let things go and smile, that’s what really makes christmas. If you are alone for christmas, make something happen - volunteer, invite other people over that may be alone.
Christmas (and every other day) is what you make it, so make it a good one.
A slightly cynical guide to being amazing!
December 20th, 2006 by aileen
My new speech is officially titled: Bloody Brilliant - a slightly cynical guide to being amazing.
More details will be unveiled on the website in a few weeks. This is going to be a great speech - a real-world look at being your best. No group hugs, no touch feely - just what works and why. If any organisation wants to book this new speech early I’m offering discounts through to early March - in return for feedback, testimonials and video footage (there’s no such thing as a free speech!)
A perfect day…
December 19th, 2006 by aileen
What would be your perfect day? A perfect week. Take some time this weekend (or between christmas and the new year) to answer that question. Then you’ll know what you should be aiming for - what your focus should be on.
Some things will be very simple to achieve - you may write that on Sunday mornings you wake up and sit outside to have coffee or that you start going to the gym 3 times a week - you may be suprised by what you write. I’m going to do this for sure to make certain that I’m focusing on what I really want. Have a great (if not perfect) day
oh christmas tree… not about communication, but i love it!
December 18th, 2006 by aileen
I found the best tree ever… for a minamalist! It’s on the wall in my office (the beach house) and it makes me smile everytime I look over at it. There’s something full-cycle about the tree being used to make paper and then then paper being used to make a tree. You can download your own for FREE here
You are communicating perfectly…
December 15th, 2006 by aileen
for the results you are getting. Take a moment to look at your life, your friends, family, work, everything. Everything you have around you is a result of how you have communicated - with yourself and others.
I hope you are smiling.
