January 2007
The developmental digest for emerging leader/managers devoted to growth and excellence
CONTENTS:	Section 1 - Topical Topics   - Leadership Opportunities . . .   - Timely Insights Section 2 - Talk Back   - Dear Coach   - Commentary   - A Point of View Section 3 - On the Horizon   - Opportunities and Challenges   - Reach Out Section 4 - Secure Site
Section 1	- Topical Topics
	Leadership Opportunities . . . Over past issues we’ve critically examined the roles, the credentials and the strategies that are peculiar to the leadership role. Now it’s time to explore some of the opportunities that people in leadership roles have to make profound differences in the lives of those they might lead. In the next issues of Polaris Digest we’ll compare and contrast how a leadership perspective can add unique and substantial value to some ordinary and familiar undertakings. We’ll begin with the ubiquitous task of problem solving. Grist for the Mill . . . It’s been said that solving problems is the essence of business management. Whether or not this assertion is defensible, it is certain that most organizational and business managers spend much of their time and energies on resolving problems. Problems are likely to arise in two main arenas ; “systems ” (policies, goals, standards, processes and practices, etc) and “people” (characteristics, temperament, motivations, attitudes, relationships, etc). A great deal of work has been done, over the past six decades particularly, to develop effective and efficient interventions in both arenas – with less than complete success. One champion of the “systems” approach in recent years is Peter Senge – of Fifth Discipline fame. Senge’s proposition is a compelling one wherein he argues that change / value is to be found at the interface of components rather than within the components themselves. A simple example would be the traffic congestion that occurs when there’s a confluence of vehicles in a high-speed setting and abrupt braking causes a domino effect resulting in a complete stand-still – a traffic jam. Rather than seek a solution through the attempted regulation of individual driver behaviours, he would suggest that the entire traffic stream should be slowed. When this occurs the braking is much less severe and traffic flows more smoothly. This is a “systems” approach – and very effective – as the London Ring Road (M25) experience has demonstrated. “People” based approaches have been the domain of behavioural scientists. Leading thinkers, like Robert Quinn of the University of Michigan, have put forward compelling arguments that effective change has to begin deep within the individual. He asserts that this is especially true for leaders who must reorient themselves from “externally directed and internally focused” to ”internally directed and externally aware” by following a regimen of self-examination and behavioural adjustment. His seminal work, “Entering the Fundamental State of Leadership,” was introduced in the December 2006 issue of Polaris Digest and is a “must read” for every aspiring leader. A Familiar Conundrum . . . So, we’ve a polarity – which of the two approaches would make the most practical sense? Well, the short answer has to be “Both!” We can’t afford to neglect either approach, particularly if we want sustainable solutions. The aspiring leader must learn to harness the one while controlling the other. This begins to sound complicated, even precarious, but in fact it’s totally compatible with the leader’s role. The leader is one who focuses the desire for change resident in others and facilitates the emergence of a sustainable new reality. Using this definition, the leader’s main interest is in what others desire and the emphasis in action is upon encouraging alternate behaviours that will impact on systems to produce alternate outcomes. In other words, the leader is concerned with what people need to do differently right now to produce the systems that will deliver the results they will value in the future. This may sound like driving a team of horses harnessed to a wagon. Many leaders seem to embrace such a style because it does produce results – the wagon inevitably arrives at its intended destination. People are not horses; however, we can gain a valuable insight from our equine friends. Consider, a horse is a prey animal – some predator’s breakfast. One physical identification is that horses have their eyes on the sides of their head, so they have a frontal “blind spot”. Predators (like us) by contrast, have eyes frontally mounted. So, horses prefer to herd and look out for one another – in fact they’ll even “pair off”’. They’ll position themselves with one horse (the leader) slightly ahead and the other (subordinate) horse behind and at an angle. This way they’ll have a complete span of vision between them. Horses use body language to communicate and, at all times, they’re alert to possible threats, share the leadership role and are ready to respond at the first sign of danger. Should you ever want to command a horse you must first establish a relationship of trust; in effect, become the leader in the pair. This is best accomplished by communicating with the horse in the only language the horse understands – body language. For horses, words are superfluous. Within a relationship you can signal your intentions to the horse by using your body positioning and movement. Once you have established a relationship the horse will be receptive to your intentions; without such a relationship he’ll either ignore you or move away. Now the center of power for the horse is the rump area, the hindquarters, for this enables movement, out of danger. Point your body towards the rump, the horse’s center of power, and the horse will move forward, away from the point of application. Point your body line to the horse’s head and he’ll stop, reverse and move the other way, away from your line of approach. As humans we connect with others on several levels – physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual (values level). Yet how many people, as leaders, pay close attention to either developing a relationship with their followers or to their precise body postures which telegraph their intentions? Body language is certainly a more primitive level of communication than the use of sophisticated verbal language, but it’s usually more compelling for this same reason. What happens when there’s mixed signals at these different levels? Unless we are very sensitive to the several levels at which we are interacting with others and strive to make our various signals coherent, we’re creating multiple confusions and contributing to behavioural paralysis. Signalling for Success . . . As leaders, our first task is to focus the desires of others – but upon what? Most often it’s on the problem or issue that confronts us. Isn’t that what we’ve always been taught – “firstly you define the problem correctly and you’re sixty percent towards the solution”? Nonsense! Defining the problem will not inevitably lead us to a solution; it may just lead us to more problems! Einstein even stated that we can’t use the same type of thinking that created the problem to find the solution. Leaders deal in visions. The first task, therefore, is to help others to “see a solution” – what would it look like if there was no problem, or what would indicate an ideal or preferred state in their view? This is being ”solutions focused” and it’s the obvious strategy for the leader – to guide and support people away from that which challenges or threatens and towards that which is desired. Consider the horse again; recall that to make the animal move, all you need to do is direct your line of intention to its center of power. The horse does the actual moving, acting in response to your intention. This is perhaps just as well for the challenge of moving a thousand pound horse could be daunting. So it is with people – as the leader sets direction and impetus, the follower performs the required movement. Note that the leader doesn’t stand between followers and the desired outcome, attempting to draw them to the solution. Nor should the leader stand behind – out-of-sight – perhaps intending to push, but exposing him/herself to possible injury or embarrassment. The effective leader takes a position that is at a respectful distance, and in full view, where further signals can be readily seen. Should we short-circuit this planting of an individual vision, believing that we can save time and effort by treating others as an extension of ourselves, we will not realize these benefits. It would be like dragging or carrying the horse to where we need him to be. To “move” the horse you need first to understand and relate to it and then to give it clear signals; it’s the same with people. Words may help to make us more comfortable, but the responses we elicit are more likely to be centered on our non-verbal signals. The Leader’s Opportunity . . . So there needs to be an ongoing partnership based in mutual confidence; a dynamic relationship which demands continuous maintenance and adjustment. People, like horses, deserve to be trusted, to run free from unnecessary restraints and to receive clear coherent signals that will take them to a better place. Individuals, like the horse, must trust the leader to guide and protect, to preserve freedoms and to improve desired options. People and horses are quite capable of overcoming their own obstacles and challenges along the way, so long as trust is there and all signals remain clear. This means that all related communications have to be coherent and consistent. Where there’s any doubt or inconsistency, we must accept that it will be the most fundamental level – body language – that will be believed and acted upon. The instant either trust or signal integrity fail, the relationship bond is broken. When others have their own version of a common vision, remarkable things start to happen. A personal vision compels, energizes and motivates the individual to move towards fulfillment. Here’s a feeling of ownership, of accountability which contributes directly to the quality of outcomes – quality, quantity, timing and cost. In the final analysis each of us will persist with and defend what we own and value. This is the opportunity for the leader within the organization. It begins with a relationship that recognizes and preserves others’ interests; responds to their internal needs, visions and desires, and provides a focused direction in which they can be confident. It really is that simple – in fact it’s horse sense! I’d welcome your questions, comments and suggestions. We can all learn through dialogue and your experiences will undoubtedly gain more value when shared. Please contact me at david@andros.org. A Note to our Readers . . . Previous series of articles on the topics of Tomorrow’s Leaders – a model for SME organizations The Leadership Crucible – the ‘making’ of leaders Leadership Characteristics – a comprehensive catalogue of leader qualities Succession Planning – the strategic argument, principles and strategies, and Managing Change – every person’s guide to painless processes have been summarized as discussion guides for those who lead and manage through mentoring and coaching. If you would like to secure a copy for your own use, please contact us. It is a pleasure to share ideas with you and we’d welcome your questions, suggestions and comments. They’ll assist us to refine and expand the essential value of these initiatives. Thanks in anticipation for your participation. Please contact me at david@andros.org.
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	Timely Insights . . . Mentoring - Step One to Leadership . . . It’s that time of year when we’re surrounded by bright-eyed, bushy-tailed young people all determined that this is to be the year for them to begin their meteoric rise to business leadership success. As the emotional heat of New Year’s resolutions begins to cool and the hard realities set in, they turn to you and ask, “What’s the best thing for me to do?” You have the wisdom of years; perhaps the tattered edges of experience are showing a little, and you’re right there! How do you respond? The danger, of course, is that you could fail to meet expectations by delivering either too much or too little. There’s a fine balance in giving advice, even when it’s solicited – too light and you’ll not likely be asked again; too heavy and you’ll definitely not be asked again. You’ll want to respond as a good mentor should. It would make very good sense to anticipate that you could be invited to act as a mentor at some point, now that you’re a leader and manager. The role does carry certain expectations. Where do you start? There’s a well-crafted article that would serve you well as an entry point. It’s written by Myrna Marofsky, President of ProGroup and author of the book, “Getting Started with Mentoring”. Myrna has a practical, down-to-earth style that makes a lot of sense. She guides would-be mentors through the many pitfalls that have to be avoided and offers enough to satisfy all levels of interest. Review her lead article at Linkages informative eNewsletter – Link&Learn. You’ll find it at http://www.linkageinc.com/ Then There’s Coaching . . . From executive coaching all the way to transitional coaching for newly appointed supervisors - this is the “in thing”. Also, for some years, OD specialists have been promoting the idea of “coaching-style leadership / management”. There are many excellent books available on the topic and training programs are now available, but what’s needed is a “primer” or an orientation session to assist us to assess the scope and merits of the process. As with mentoring, there’s a real danger that leader / managers will respond with either too much or too little to meet the needs of the moment. I know of too many mangers who claim that coaching is too time consuming and this means that they will definitely fall into the first category. There are also those who are so anxious to jump on the bandwagon that they’ll “blow out their brains” and fail to generate the results needed now. Sound advice on this topic is that coaching isn’t a style, or a particular strategy for leaders / managers to adopt – it’s a personal perspective and a set of practical tools. May I send you the “primer”? It’s based on a comprehensive book “Way to Coach – a practical guide for those who believe in creating success through other people”? I’ve written this book for three audiences – the harassed, practicing manager who needs help right now; the established coach who seeks further insights; and for the aspiring professional coach. It’s a tool bag, a resource pool and a roadmap, all rolled into one. Please take a look at it, for coaching will be an essential part of your future - http://www.ebooks4business.ca/way_to_coach/ But Begin at the Beginning . . . I’m a long-time admirer of Marshall Goldsmith’s work in the executive coaching field. His foundation message is, “To help others develop, start with yourself!” He wrote a very good article in Fast Company’s magazine back in March of 2004 and the message is timeless. He’s attracted the attention of such pre-eminent organizations as General Mills, IBM, General Electric, Dell Computers, Johnson & Johnson and Northrop Grumman. He has to know a thing or two and he’s undoubtedly doing many of the right things. Marshall and his colleague, Patricia Wheeler, publish an excellent monthly newsletter which provides great advice to the emerging leader / manager – it’s well worth a moment of your time and perhaps a subscription – no cost! You can review and subscribe at www.LeadingNews.org. You’ll be glad you did!
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Section 2	- Talk Back
	Coach's Corner . . . A selection of frequently-asked questions. Dear Coach: I don’t claim to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I’m not lacking a reasonable level of intelligence either. I likely wouldn’t have gotten to be a manager if I didn’t have some abilities in the thinking department. However, there are some real demands being made for me to handle issues that are larger than my present problem-solving abilities. My fear though, is that one of these days I’m not going to be able to deliver the expected results. I’ve been told that it’s not possible to increase one’s IQ, so what specifically can I do to strengthen my thinking competencies? Response: As I understand your situation, you are being stretched in this area but you haven’t failed yet. You must be doing something right! However, let’s start with the place you’d like to be – you’re seeking both the competence and confidence that you can handle all reasonable challenges thrown at you. So what are your resources? You’re a manager so you have direct access to a number of other minds, which may not be more effective / efficient than yours, but which are certainly different. This is an advantage. Those that report to you also share some common objectives, so there’s a concentration of knowledge, skills and experience that can serve you. You may also have access to others whose knowledge, skills and experience is even more profound in specific areas than your own. These are your colleagues, your superiors, customers, suppliers, consultants and other specialists. Add to this your contacts in the industry, profession, local business area, regulatory groups and similar sources of contacts. This amounts to a substantial body of knowledge. However, you’ve probably already noticed that knowledge, skills and experience alone are not always adequate to resolve issues. What’s needed in addition is a suitable strategy with effective techniques and also a willingness to collaborate – a “collective will”. I’m dealing with this matter of collaboration in the lead article of this issue, so please take the time to reflect upon that offering. Strategy and technique can be more elusive. As I review the processes and outcomes of the formal education system, I’m having difficulty pin-pointing where it is that we are taught / encouraged to learn about thinking as strategy or technique. It’s there but deeply inserted in other topics so it’s hard to find (e.g. scientific method as part of the hard sciences and logic as part of mathematics). So here’s a simplistic description of some thinking strategies. Consider them as cognitive “tools” that can be applied to various issues with varying degrees of appropriateness and effectiveness: Linear Thinking – rational, logical, differential, systems-based, causal, critical Lateral Thinking – innovative, outside-the-box, positional, outcome-centered Strategic Thinking – situational, relational, pattern-based, experiential, break-through Intuitive Thinking – subliminal, insightful, discovery-centered, perceptive, incubational Integrative Thinking – holistic, a seamless combination of all the above working synergistically. Clearly, different situations call for different tools or combinations. Choosing between two calculators would call for a linear tool; solving a non-rational brain teaser might be better handled with a lateral approach; looking at a business acquisition could be a strategic application; sorting out a complex personal relationship issue may well use intuitive thinking; and resolving the deep-seated, long-standing schisms in the Middle East is undoubtedly an integrative challenge. It makes no sense to use a tool(s) that’s inappropriate and/or inadequate for the task. The first step then is to assess your personal competencies within each category. Many of us are reasonably adept in some categories but less so in others. Here’s an intriguing self-assessment profile that will assist you to fix some bench marks. Next, what are the likely demands of your current and/or future roles? Consider the competencies and confidence levels of all others who are accessible to you. This time however, consider their thinking-strategy competencies/confidence levels as well as their body of knowledge, skills and related experiences. It would make sense too, to evaluate your facilitation skills, especially as they relate to conducting a “think tank” or brain-storming session. Consider your “team” to be an orchestra – different artists with complementary contributions - and you’re in the role of conductor. You must have a score with which you’re familiar, or their best contributions will result in a cacophony rather than the symphony you expect. Note that the orchestra conductor doesn’t need to outperform each and every other musician, nor do you. Your role is to harness the contributions of others so that all will benefit from giving their best while experiencing something that not one of them could ever produce alone. Your focus is concurrently upon each of them as an individual while monitoring the collective output through harmonious collaboration and integration – that’s your contribution! Good luck!
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	Commentary . . . The Final Frontier . . . It’s often been said that small-to-medium-sized-businesses (SMEs) are the main engine that drives our economy in Canada, and I believe this is well proven. What isn’t mentioned is that many leading-edge business practices have their origins in SMEs. It seems that larger corporations are not only slower to respond to change, but they are frequently less adventurous. Consider the rapidly expanding influence of Positive Psychology in the business sector. This is an idea whose time is most certainly overdue. Many businesses today are running with space-age technologies, twenty-first century financing concepts, cutting-edge marketing, and Victorian age people-management practices! This makes no sense whatsoever. The lack of full employee commitment, or “engagement” as it’s known, is costing the US economy in excess of USD 350 billion a year. Only 27% of employees are fully committed to their role, and an astounding 17% are actively disengaged – working against the interests of their organizations. This reliable information has been gathered by the Gallup Organization. Can we ignore it? The cold, hard truth is that most of today’s practicing managers are simply unaware of the reasonable expectations of their workforce. They strive to make production targets using outdated supervisory strategies thereby losing on two fronts – unmet goals and dissatisfied employees. This is like trying to chop through a massive log using the blunt edge of an axe! Here’s the challenge! Practices that work well for both the organization and the individual are simple, elegant and easy to master. However, we need to focus on them and make a concerted effort to change the way we traditionally do things, and this is a real challenge. Yet, it makes absolute sense to change, for if we don’t, we’ll surely lose credibility as employers. How can we get started? Fundamental changes that will take us more than 80% of the way to the mutually desirable goal of meaningful contribution likely will include these five issues: · Focusing on Solutions Versus Problems. Not only does a problem focus often fail to deliver the expected results, it’s demoralizing. See the lead article in this issue for more details on this. Defining the problem first does not guarantee us a solution, but identifying desired solutions as a first step liberates innovation, opens up initiatives, encourages contributions and delivers beyond expectations – need I say more? · Tap into Natural Energies. While it’s important to use individual mental / cognitive competencies – knowledge, skills, experience and memories – it’s even more important to apply passions and preferences. Over 60% of people in business are in an inappropriate role to use their native abilities and interests – this is absolutely non-sensical. People have personal strengths which are easily identified – www.inspiredleadership.org.uk - and which can be profitably discussed and applied. · Foster a Learning Organization. Freud stated that we’re either growing or dying – is there really an option here? If our employees look and act like the “living dead”, perhaps it’s because we are not giving them incentives and opportunities to grow in terms of internal value and self regard, and to realize their potential. Invest in people growth. It only requires a little of your time and interest and the payback is truly substantial – just recall how you responded to those who showed an interest in you. · Make Decisions Using Complete Information. This means recognizing people’s competencies and their strengths and how these combine to create real and resilient contributions. We expect people to put their “heart” into their work, but we never determine what’s in their hearts – emotional factors carry little weight in our decisions. It takes time and effort to acquire new knowledge, skills and experience, whereas our natural strengths are already there awaiting awareness – surely it’s a “no-brainer”. · Measure Success by “Engagement”. Those who will lead our enterprises in the future need to be at least as passionate and committed as we are today. They may not be as knowledgeable or skilled, exposed or experienced, but time and opportunity will resolve these aspects. On the other hand, if their “engine” isn’t running today, why should we expect it to be running tomorrow? Choose your future managers and leaders from among those who have the “will” – the “way” will follow, believe me. So, it makes sense to hire and promote those who are demonstrating personal commitment and unqualified engagement right now. It is considerably easier to steer those who are already moving under their own steam than to have to push people to achieve. Knowledge and experience can be gained, admittedly at a price, but the passion needed to make meaningful contributions is either present, or it’s not. No matter what else you might be able to do, you cannot insert it! Your future is in their hands, so decide today that you will work fully and only with the best – those who desire to make dedicated contributions to mutual success. Consider the realities of your “team” today. How many are on the right bus – your bus, regardless of its eventual destination? How many of them will you want as fellow-travelers no matter how difficult and trying the journey? What can you do today to retain those with a winning attitude, and how might you support them to sustain and increase their personal commitment? Think about it - what one thing could you do – right now?
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	A Point of View . . . This section is a Guest Column. Those with different and interesting viewpoints are invited to state a case on a related topic. Articles are most welcome. I am an addict . . . My vice is not what you would expect. It is not a designer drug, a prescription drug, nicotine, or alcohol. My addiction has been called the respectable addiction. My addiction is work. I am a recovering workaholic. I always knew down deep that it was a problem; the hint of guilt I would feel at missing a significant family gathering, or something similar, told me that. But I would quickly suppress that feeling with one that would make me feel better, like reminding myself what a great lifestyle I was providing for my family. For me it was not about money, it was about recognition and adrenaline. Workaholics find an emotional payoff in overwork and get an adrenaline high from it. I was addicted to the stimulation those provided. One of the turning points for me happened a few years ago when my son was about 6 years old. We had planned a simple activity together on a Saturday afternoon. It was a small part of my day but something important to him and that he was looking forward to. On the Friday prior, I had a call from our head office asking me to make a trip out of town to take care of a problem at one of our facilities. Being the dedicated “Company Man” as I liked to call myself, I accepted and booked a plane ticket to leave that Saturday afternoon. I was packing for the trip and getting ready to leave at about noon on Saturday when my son came in and asked me for the time we had our activity planned. It was then that I realized I had forgotten about him. I quickly figured out when we could reschedule and asked him if that would be okay. We agreed to do it one evening later in the week. As I was walking by his room a few minutes later, I thought I heard him crying. Upon investigation my worst fears were realized; he was devastated that we were not going ahead with out plans that day. I made a decision right then and there that my trip could wait until Sunday and I called the airline and changed my plans. We had a great afternoon together and I learned a valuable life lesson. My life now is centered on work-life balance. This has meant a change in careers but I’ve never been happier. I am still an addict, prone to slipping into my previous bad habits, but now I work much harder at avoiding them - it’s better that way. Well, that’s the way I see it. Steve The Whiting Group
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Section 3	- On the Horizon
	Managing Presentation Nerves - Coping With the Fear Within by Dianna Podmoroff, with thanks to members of the Mind Tools Career Excellence Club for sharing their experience and tips for overcoming presentation nerves. Your stomach is queasy, your palms are sweaty, and you're struggling to remember your opening lines. How will you perform when you’ve been introduced and the room goes quiet? Are you doomed to presentation panic or paralysis, or can you overcome that debilitating nervousness and deliver a speech that wows the audience? (Or at least leaves them feeling satisfied?) If you are like most people, then public speaking or presenting is one of your major fears. Yet these skills are often called upon. It might not be to an audience of hundreds, but giving presentations to staff or even team members is a common enough occurrence. You owe it to yourself to develop the strategies and techniques you need to manage your nerves, so you can concentrate on delivering an effective and engaging presentation. Notice I didn’t say to get rid of your nervousness. This is because presenting is not a natural activity; even the most practiced presenters get a bit nervous. The point is this: Your nervous energy can be used to your advantage. When you are in a heightened state from the adrenaline that is being pumped into your body, you can use that energy to communicate enthusiastically, convincingly, and passionately. The key is to decrease your level of nervousness so you can use your energy on these positive activities, not on trying to control your nerves. So, to harness your nervousness and bring it under control, there are six key tips to remember. These tips are all designed to help you focus on your audience and their needs rather than on yourself and how you are feeling. They all stem from one truism: The more uncertain you are, the more nervous you will be. The more you can control the uncertainty, the less nervousness you will experience and the more residual energy you will have to devote to the presentation itself. Six Steps to Conquering Your Presentation Nerves Know Your Audience Consult your audience before your presentation. The more confident you are that you are presenting them with useful and interesting material for them, the less nervous you will be overall. You really don’t want your presentation to be a surprise. If it is, you lose complete control over the audience’s reaction and that is a large factor in nervousness. So: Define who your target audience is; Ask people who are representative of the audience what they expect from the presentation; Run your agenda by a few people to see if they think something is missing or is overkill; Consider contacting participants by email beforehand and asking them a few questions about what they expect; Greet audience members at the door and do a quick survey of why they are there and what they expect. Know Your Material Nothing is worse for nerves than trying to give a presentation on a topic you are not well prepared for. This doesn’t mean you have to be an expert beforehand, but you’d better know it backwards on presentation day. And making sure you’ve understood your audience and their needs properly will help you ensure that your material is on target to meet their needs. Another important point to remember is that you can’t possibly cover everything you know in your presentation. It would probably be long and boring. So select the most pertinent points from your subject base and then supplement with other material if time allows. Tip: To make your material interesting and memorable, include occasional questions to the audience to encourage audience participation. This enhances the learning experience and gives you a break from presenting. It also allows you to deliver your information in a more conversational manner which is often more believable. Structure Your Presentation A common technique for trying to calm nervousness is memorizing what you intend to say. But all this does is make your delivery sound like it is coming from a robot. If you miss a word or draw a blank, your whole presentation is thrown off and then your nervousness compounds itself with every remaining second. It is far better to structure your presentation so that you give yourself clues to what is coming next. Have a set of key phrases listed on a cue card; Refer to these phrases to trigger your mind as to what is coming up next; If you’re using slides, use these key phrases in your transitions. This approach helps you control your own uncertainty about whether you will remember what you want to say and the order you want to say it. Tip: A simple, widely-used, and highly-effective structure is to tell the audience what you’re going to say, then say it, and then recap what you’ve said. Practice, Practice, Practice Although you should avoid memorizing your presentation, you do want to be very comfortable with your delivery. Familiarity brings confidence, and practice helps you to deliver the words naturally. This means they will be coming more from your heart and mind, rather than from a piece of paper. Learn the organization and order of your presentation; If you do feel the need to memorize, limit it to your opening. This will help you get off to a smooth start; Try videotaping yourself. You will see what you look like to others and then you can make a plan to change the things that need changing; Use audiotape to listen to how you speak, your tone and your speed, and adjust appropriately; Prepare for large speaking events by practicing with a smaller audience first; for example, by inviting colleagues to listen to a dry run during their lunch hour. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare Once you know what you are going to say, you need to prepare yourself for the actual delivery. Decide what you are going to wear – make it comfortable and appropriate; Arrive early and get your equipment set up; Anticipate problems and have backups and contingencies in place in case something doesn’t work, you forget something, etc; If possible, give everything one last run through in the real environment; Prepare responses to anticipated questions. Try to think like that one person in the front row who always tries to trip the presenter up. Calm Yourself from the Inside Nervousness causes physiological reactions, which are mostly attributed to the increase of adrenaline in your system. You can counteract these effects with a few simple techniques: Practice deep breathing – adrenalin causes you to breathe shallowly. By breathing deeply your brain will get the oxygen it needs and the slower pace will trick your body into believing you are calmer. It also helps with voice quivers, which can occur when your breathing is irregular; Drink water – adrenalin can cause a dry mouth, which in turn leads to getting tongue-tied. Have a glass of water handy. Take sips occasionally, especially when you want to emphasize a point; Smile – this is a natural relaxant that sends positive chemicals through your body; Use visualization techniques – imagine that you are delivering your presentation to an audience that is interested, enthused, smiling, and reacting positively. Cement this positive image in your mind and recall it right before you are ready to go on; Press and massage your forehead to energize the front of the brain and speech center; Just before you start talking, pause, make eye contact, and smile. This last moment of peace is very relaxing and gives you time to adjust to being the center of attention; Speak more slowly than you would in a conversation, and leave longer pauses between sentences. This slower pace will calm you down, and it will also make you easier to hear, especially at the back of a large room; Move around during your presentation. This will expend some of your nervous energy. Key Points When it comes to presenting, nerves are inevitable. Letting them get the better of you is not. You need to develop a strategy for taking the focus off your nervousness and putting that energy to positive use. By controlling as much of the uncertainly as you can, you increase your confidence in your ability to deliver an excellent presentation. This confidence then counteracts your nerves and you create a positive cycle for yourself. Nerves are not your enemy and you don’t have to fear public speaking. For your next presentation, be knowledgeable, be well practiced and prepared, try out some physical relaxation techniques. Amaze yourself and impress your audience with your calm and cool delivery of a great presentation. For more information and the complete Mind Tools newsletter, please go to http://www.mindtools.com/
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	Opportunities & Challenges . . . 20 Leadership Lessons . . . Each month we share a free video “Lesson of the Month”. By sharing important business lessons on film, executives communicate in the most compelling method of all: one-to-one storytelling. Contributions are edited into short, powerful, highly engaging lessons that can be applied to decision-making across the entire range of business challenges. This month - Ken Freeman, KKR - A leader’s chance informal communication or personal interaction is often far more impactful than a structured or formal meeting, and being in such a position of influence, a leader must live the values s/he stands for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Remember to review the lesson Summary, Ideas for Action and Questions to Ask. It will take you just a few moments to gain a fresh perspective – well worth the investment! Try it – you’ll like it! http://www.50lessons.com/ - click on Submit. Ask us too about a free summary of Robert R Quinn’s book “Deep Change”. It’s yours for the asking.
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	Your Development How well are you doing with your personal development? Will you be ready for the opportunities and challenges that tomorrow will undoubtedly bring? Would you like some help with professional / objective assessment? ongoing self development? personal, one-on-one coaching We have a talent for bringing out the very best in people. We help them to focus, to build self and general confidence based on committed results and we contribute to competence and resiliency. We are Polaris – the finest self-navigation program for emerging leaders / managers. You can reach us at info@polarisprogram.com or by calling (519) 766-1178 anytime. Perhaps Polaris would be the right program for you? We’d welcome the opportunity to demonstrate this powerful program and to contribute to the strengthening of your profile and/or management team. Please contact us for details.
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	Reach Out! Harness the power of a sparkling new thought every week. By subscribing to our "Reach Out" service you'll receive a short, high impact, motivating and often provocative quotation every Tuesday morning. It will lend focus to your week, stimulation for your thinking, insights into your whole life and perhaps even solace for your soul. Best of all, it's free! Take a moment for yourself and make room for a little refreshment. http://www.reachoutdirectory.com
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Section 4	- Secure Site
	A New Polaris Program . . . will begin in the Spring 2007 There are currently openings for this leading-edge personal development program which is winning plaudits across the board. Please call us for details of qualifications required and registration processes. Polaris participants are invited to use their assigned usernames and passwords to access the extended curriculum and knowledge base at http://www.polarisprogram.com/members.php Review Sessions . . . Polaris program participants are invited to review the modules for Work Out 3 Operating Strategically – Integrative Thinking Influencing Others – Relating Styles & Interventions Focusing Principles – Leadership Beliefs & Strategies Work Out 9 Implementation – Imagination & Innovation Obstacles & Setbacks – Stress Management Integrity & Ethics – Self Fulfillment / Actualization Preparatory assignments . . . Preparatory materials are on the web site and will also be sent by e-mail. Work Out 4 (February 14th) The agenda for this session will comprise: Personal Organization – Vision, Mission & Values Influencing Others – Group Dynamics Focusing Principles – Management Beliefs & Strategies Work Out 10 (February 7th) The agenda for this session will be: Implementation – Decisions and Monitoring Building Relationships – Networks & Alliances Beyond Self – High potential Characteristics Any person who has participated in the Polaris Program at any time is invited and encouraged to attend any Work Out at any time and without fee. Please contact Sheila to advise her of your intention to attend. Please set time aside for your preparatory work, and call your coach with any questions and comments. Use your RED time well!
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	Be kind to yourself - and to someone else!
	Stay well, live long and prosper. David Huggins and Amanda Levy Andros Consultants Limited http://www.andros.org Helping individuals and organizations be their best http://www.ebooks4business.ca Distinctive business books for the discerning mind http://www.polarisprogram.com Realizing tomorrow's potential - today! Shameless Marketing Tip: With close to thirty years of experience in identifying and resolving professional and business issues, we've developed a wealth of expertise that could benefit you. An exploratory consultation carries no obligation. Let's talk! Contact us at info@andros.org
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