It feels like Spring!

The sun is shining, the temperature has reached 17 degrees and the flowers are blooming...it’s finally feeling like spring!

It’s amazing what a little bit of sun can do to your mood, it puts a smile on your face when you get up and makes you feel optimistic about the day ahead. After the cold, snow and grey of the last few months it finally feels like things are changing and that anything is possible. The sun always helps to lift my spirits and make me feel happy.

‘The world always looks brighter from behind a smile’ Anonymous

With spring comes new beginnings, so what better time is there to take another look at your news years goals or even to set some new goals.

1)First look at what you have already achieved this year. You may not have reached all your goals but I bet you have done more than you first thought. Write down what you already done this year and this will give you a boost for achieving your next set of goals.

2)Goals are not just limited to your career. You can set goals in any area of your life, goals typically fall in to the following categories – family, social, financial, career, health, spiritual, mental state and community.

3)Make sure that as well as concentrating on what you want you also look at what you are becoming. Setting self-improvement goals will allow you to accomplish your goals more quickly and effortlessly.

4)Share your goals with those around you so that they can support you and assist you in reaching your vision.

Achieving your goals will probably involve time and effort but make sure you have fun while you are doing it and wear a smile on your face. Enjoy the sunshine!

Sophie Whittall
Marketing & Admin Co-ordinator

http://www.london.dalecarnegie.com/

Inspirational Leadership

Leadership is about the ability to motivate and inspire people from a variety of backgrounds to a higher level of performance.

One of the main reasons people are promoted into management and leadership positions is because they were effective at what they did in their job. Now, as a manager, the job is to get others to be able to do things as well as or better than we did them. These require a totally different skill set. Our success requires making the transition from doing to leading in order to leverage our skills and our time.

Without motivation nothing gets done but as soon as we try to hold people accountable they get demotivated, right? Not necessarily! There are tools to hold people accountable for their goals, objectives, and commitments and stay motivated at the same time. With this balance, the more control we have over results for ourselves and our team.

Today, more than ever, a manager’s job is to build people. When we can create an environment where people get results, develop new skills, and become successful, we are fulfilling our highest calling as a manager and leader of people. Communicating with strength and sensitivity, being a coach, and building people are a leader’s highest priority.

No matter what we do there will always be the challenges with negative people and performance management. Our results, and the results of our team, depend on how those situations are handled. Fairness, consistency and strength are required in the right places, at the right times and in the right way. Without this, morale can grind to a halt for everyone, effecting productivity, customer loyalty, and employee engagement-all mandatory in today’s highly competitive work force.

Leadership Development Quotes from Dale Carnegie
“If we want to find happiness, let’s stop thinking about gratitude or ingratitude and give for the inner joy of giving.” -Dale Carnegie

“Remember that the other man may be totally wrong. But he doesn’t think so. Don’t condemn him. Any fool can do that, try to understand him. Only wise, tolerant, exceptional men even try to do that. There is a reason why the other man thinks and acts as he does. Ferret out that hidden reason-and you have the key to his actions, perhaps to his personality. Try honestly to put yourself in his place.” -Dale Carnegie

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in other people, than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. Which is just another way of saying that the way to make a friend is to be one.” -Dale Carnegie

“One of the surest ways of making a friend and influencing the opinion of another is to give consideration to his opinion, to let him sustain his feeling of importance.” -Dale Carnegie

“This is a hurried age we’re living in. If you’ve got anything to say, say it quickly, get to the point and stop, and give the other man a chance to talk.” -Dale Carnegie

“Make a man laugh a good hearty laugh, and you’ve paved the way for friendship. When a man laughs with you, he, to some extent, likes you.” -Dale Carnegie

“Do you know the most important trait a man can have? It is not executive ability; it is not a great mentality; it is not kindliness, nor courage, nor a sense of humour, though each of these is of tremendous importance. In my opinion, it is the ability to make friends, which, boiled down, means the ability to see the best in man.” -Dale Carnegie

“We ought to be modest, for neither you nor I amount to much. Both of us will pass on and be completely forgotten a century from now. Life is too short to bore other people with talk of our petty accomplishments. Let’s encourage them to talk instead.” -Dale Carnegie

“Actions speak louder than words, and a smile says, “I like you. You make me happy. I am glad to see you.” That is why dogs make such a hit. They are so glad to see us that they almost jump out of their skins. So, naturally, we are glad to see them. An insincere grin? No. that doesn’t fool anybody. We know it is mechanical and we resent it. I am talking about a real smile, a heartwarming smile, a smile that comes from within, the kind of smile that will bring a good price in the market place.” -Dale Carnegie

For more tips like this attend our Engage & Inspire Seminar on 27th July.

Click here to register

Ready...Steady....Go!

The sun is shining and the air is filled with the sounds of cheers and whistles. The roads are clear of cars and there are people lining both sides of the street, crammed together and craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the runners. I’m at the London 2010 marathon.

The atmosphere is electric and everyone around me is happy and excited, everyone is here for the same reason to cheer on the people brave enough (or you could say mad enough!) to run 26 miles around London. Most of the people running are doing it to raise money for their chosen charity, their commitment and enthusiasm is inspiring – some are even going that bit further and running it in fancy dress as camels or chickens.

The crowd of on-lookers are not only here to support their loved ones but to support absolutely everyone who is running and they are a great example of Dale Carnegie’s principles for becoming a friendlier person. I have never been anywhere where everyone is so kind, generous and friendly to complete strangers; on marathon day London is the friendliest city you will ever go to!

Principle 3 – Arouse in the other person an eager want.

If the crowd saw someone struggling they would shout to egg them on and give them a pat on the back as they ran by.

Principle 6 – Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest most important sound in any langauge.

Lots of the runners had their names written on their tops and the crowd shouted out their names with words of encouragment – ‘Come on Sue, your over half way.’ This made the runners feel important almost like they were famous and gave them that extra bit of adrenelin to keep on running.

Priniciple 5 – Smile

It may seem like such a small thing but just a smile from a stranger can really help to keep someone going as they reach mile 20 and begin to hit the pain barrier.

Why not try using these principles all the time and perhaps we can make London feel like its marathon day everyday!

Sophie Whittall
Marketing & Admin Co-ordinator
www.London.dalecarnegie.com

Building Relationships

Billie, our local Big Issue Seller is a bit of a star around these parts.....mainly down to her 'nothing is going to get me down' attitude, even when life chucks her some lemons.

I think the world of Billie. She makes me smile from yards away as I hear her shouting out in the morning, trying to entice another person to buy a Big Issue. I find her hugely inspiring. She has been through such a tough time in life, and I am sure has seen things we wouldn't want to see, but a few years ago she decided to change her attitude, stop being negative and appreciate just what she had...and that was her life. Thanks to the Big Issue she has been able to earn money to change her life.

Recently she proudly told me how she went to 10 Downing Street and had tea with the Prime Minister...yes, the Prime Minister! She had the fortune of sitting in Sir Winston's Churchill's chair, and at the desk where Margaret Thatcher worked. She pulled out her phone and showed me a snap of her with Gordon Brown - how many of us can say we met the man who is running our country (whether you like him or not)!

She is also a little bit famous.....she has had a few articles written about her in national papers, in Time Out Magazine and most recently The Guardian newspaper (link below). But why? Why write about Billie? I guess you can't fail to hear her as she shouts 'Good morning ladies, good morning gents' every day as people pass her by.......you can't fail to see her as she dances about, playing with her amazing dog, Solo (who by the way should be on Britain's Got Talent).....however, I think the reason she has been in so many articles, including this one, is that she is an inspirational, genuine person, who reminds us that in this day and age, showing care and compassion is not dead. She KNOWS how to build relationships with her customers.

So how can you do this? Here's some tips for success:

• Become genuinely interested in other people
• Smile
• Be a good listener
• Talk in terms of the other persons interests
• Remember their name
• Make the other person feel important - and do it with sincerity
• Ask questions
• Encourage others to talk about themselves

Billie does all this naturally!

I would love Billie to find a full-time job, maybe working with people who have been through tough times, as she is such a people person. And when that day happens, and I think it will, I will miss her on the corner by Pret a Manger, greeting everyone with a cheery smile, remembering their names or calling them by her own made up name (Milky for the milkman, Windy for the window cleaner, Ms Gym Box for the fitness lady).

I reckon we could all learn a lot from her..........

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/sep/18/big-issue-18-birthday

Helen Mills
Financial Controller
www.london.dalecarnegie.com

Love Life!

'I Love Life' ...This is one of my friends favourite sayings and a good one it is too. Whenever we are out having fun together she will never fail to say this, in fact after a few drinks she may even shout it!

What makes me 'love life' is being with my family and friends doing the things we enjoy together. You can't beat having having people around you who will support you, care for you and make you smile.

To me interacting with people is one of the most important things in life if not the most important thing. Whether its a planned meeting or a chance meeting, your contact with each person shapes a small part of your life. People can bring out many different emotions within you such as anger, frustration or happiness, people help you to live and love life to the full.

When we are walking around we often ignore the people around us because we are in too much of a hurry. Next time you are out why not take the time to look at the other people around you and maybe smile at a stranger or chat to someone in the queue with you. This small gesture will mean something to that person and make an impression on their life, you never know they may even become a new friend.

Over the next few weeks I also urge you to think about the friends you already have and perhaps haven't been in contact with for a while maybe because they have moved to another country or because you have simply been to busy to contact them. Call these people up and have a chat with them or even arrange to meet them, I can guarantee that this contact with an old friend will make you smile and remind you that life is for loving.

Sophie Whittall

Marketing and Admin Co-ordinator

www.London.dalecarnegie.com