or...
Stop being so darned "professional" and take a break today! |
|
| Welcome! If you enjoyed last month you'll be craaaaazy
about this month! The purpose of this ezine continues to be
inspiration, humor, business, personal and just plain fun: aka the
don't-take-yourself-so-seriously ezine. |
|
|
|
|
Wow, what a month! The photo above was taken at the New Orleans
retreat of my CEO group. We all
boarded Amtrak on a Thursday night and arrived Friday afternoon for a weekend
of fabulous food, frolic,
learning, laughing and imbibing. Needless to say, what happens on
Amtrak stays...
(My luxury bedroom on the train!)
After hearing me speak, Ramie Tritt invited me for a weekend at
his 18 acre estate on Lake Lanier in Georgia. I spent a fabulous weekend with him and his family conjuring up business
deals, working out in his fully equipped gym, watching movies in his theater,
socializing in the great room and enjoying the magnificent scenery.
 (The gorgeous house, scenery, Ramie and wife Joyce at the gate, and my favorite room - the theater!)
 
 Okay, I admit it, I have favorite clients and favorite audiences, and
going back to work with Joel Helle at CVS/Caremark is one of them (that's Joel and me at left). After doing Part 1 of The Whole Life Trilogy, A
Balancing Act: Walking the Tightrope of Life™ last year,
they invited me back for Part 2 We Interrupt This Life To bring You...™ and how
wonderful to find out it was at The Hyatt in Bonita Springs, five minutes from
my new Florida home. Twice blessed.
On to L.A. for another return engagement to
another favorite client, Hot Dog on a Stick with my You've Got Personnel-ity™ program
Nicole
Johnson said, "I loved how interactive and energetic the presentation
was. Your humor really makes the
presentation."
Speakers
School was great with the new addition of the video coaching day. Pictured here with attendee, Elaine
 Jensen, Director of Corporate Communications from Universal Weather and
Aviation in Houston, Texas.
|
|
|
|
I LOVE THIS BOOK!
|
Women Want More: How to Capture Your Share of the World's Largest, Fastest-Growing Market
by Michael J. Silverstein and Kate Sayre
The
authors studied 12,000 women in 40 countries and discovered that the
relentless upward climb has left women feeling stressed out, time starved and
overburdened. Heck, they could have just interviewed me and I would have told
them that... duh! As a result they look to products and services that will help
them claw back time, juggle multiple roles and capture a few moments of
enjoyment. Women want MORE... much more in every category of goods and
services. And no matter what their
age or economic situation or where they live in the world women will spend
trillions of dollars over the next decade on the brands that truly deliver.
This
book will provide business leaders with the understanding and practices they
need to capture their share of the rising "female economy." The authors
predict that market will help bring us out of the economic downturn and also create one of
the most dramatic market opportunities of our lifetime...bigger than the rise of
China and India; more sustainable than any bailout package.
|
 |
Mikki will be teaming up with some of her fabulous friends and peers to create unique training days.
SIGN UP NOW FOR THE NEXT TELESEMINAR:
Conversations with Mikki
on "Speak Loudly and Carry a Big ShtickTM"
March 31, 2010
12:00 Noon CST (that's 1:00 p.m.EST and 10:00 a.m. PST) CLICK HERE to register
If you fumble and mumble every time you get up
to give a speech, if you put your foot in your mouth....
MM&I (as in me, myself and I, get it? Mikki and
Friends?)
will be interviewed by my new Director of Opportunities, Sue Ryan (see profile
below) on how to give a great speech. No matter who you are or what you do, you ALL need this info. Whether
it's your brand differentiation, your internal customers or client prospects,
your kid's bar mitzvah or your own eulogy, you'll at some time be giving a
speech. And wouldn't you want it to just knock their proverbial socks off.
Listen to this live interview with tips, tactics and techniques excerpted from
my Speaker Schools and my coaching clients. I believe it's not about being
different, it's about being unique.
Everyone can copy different, no one can copy unique!
"The bonus of
dialing in to the Mikki & Friends
series was both an honor and a pleasure and my notes are many. I knew it
would be excellent. Thank you for the gift and thank Dave Nelson for me as
well. A way-cool job! Kudos to you both."
Vicki
Thomas
Media
Relations
Homes
for Our Troops
|
|
He Who Laughs...Lasts! AKA Humor in the Workplace. In April I'll be doing my first ever webinar (oh Miss Techie that I'm
becoming, woo hoo!) on this very topic (see below). Here are some points from
that upcoming event.
There's
not much to laugh about in these challenging economic times, the new normal as
it is called, with companies failing and jobs disappearing. Humor in the
workplace is exactly what is needed. I am happy to say that I am busier than
ever because more people now need humor, hope and inspiration...my key
subjects. What is the value of
HITW? Well, I'll tell you...it boosts morale, fosters creativity (which is
really problem solving), increases teamwork, reduces stress and more. But
you'll have to tune in on April 13th to find out more.
I'll
be sharing 15 ways to create HITW. Here's an example; create a humor bulletin board where employees can
post funny cartoons, quotes, bumper stickers and jokes. Appoint a CFO (Chief Fun Officer). If you're not having fun reading this
ezine then YOU need to attend this webinar, lol.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS COMPLIMENTARY PROGRAM
|
|
CREATIVE CAPTIONS
|
I love creativity and as a wordsmith I love double entendres, alliteration, onomato... whatever the heck that one was. One of my quirky habits is collecting names of businesses that display any of the above. Here are two of my favorites:
A Wreath of Franklin (Buffalo, MN, upscale home furnishings) Emerge 'n Sea (Scuba and Snorkeling Shop)
*********************************************************** I hope you'll continue to send me ones you know of. Please send to mikki@mikkiwilliams.com
|
|
Yes, I own about a billion pairs of shoes. And each pair has a story to inspire, a lesson to be learned, a laugh or an "aha!"
 Can
you believe I found this shoe store in New Orleans? Of course, you can! 
And so,
giving in to my substance abuse addiction of shoes, I meandered over  to the
store and of course I am now the proud owner of these very Vegas Mikki-type shoes that I have not worn yet but now you can just anticipate the future
story!
|
|
WONDERFUL WEBSITE-INGS
|
I come across so many and so many are shared with me that I thought I'd share with you.
|
MIKKI MOUTH:
QUOTATIONS I WISH I'D SAID AND SOME I DID SAY!
|
Enjoy a quote each month from my new book - some funny, some poignant, some professional, some just darn cute!
Anyone
acquainted with Ireland knows that the morning of St. Patrick's Day consists of
the night of the 17th of March flavored strongly with the morning of the 18th.
--Anonymous
|
|
READER REVIEWS
|
"I have to agree with the comment about reading these
all the way through. Without question one of my favorite emails I get."
Chris Reilly
VP Sales & Marketing
Mid-Way Supply, Inc. |
|
HE WHO LAUGHS...LASTS!
|
At the end of a job interview
the HR person asked the young MBA fresh out of MIT, "And what starting
salary were you looking for?"
The candidate said, "In
the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The HR person said, "Well,
what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full
medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a
company car leased every 2 years-say a red Corvette?"
The MBA sat up straight and
said, "Wow!! Are you kidding?"
"Certainly," said the
HR person, "but you started it."
|
|
JUST JEANNIE, THE SOCIAL MEDIA MAVEN
|
Jeannie Walters helps companies enter into the
social media mayhem - by connecting with customers, prospects
and colleagues in new and powerful ways. Tips from Jeannie:
Make Your Own Luck
Sometimes people look at the world as a place to GET. Others view it as a place to GIVE. In social media, a lot of exposure, promotion or whatever else you're seeking comes from giving, giving, giving.
Think of a few ways you can give this month. One great habit to get into is to support blogs and communities that support what you're interested in. Comment on blogs you admire and be sure you are an active participant in online communities. This helps the blogger and their audience as well as those in the community that can benefit from your knowledge. Share and be generous - the rewards are that people will discover what you have to offer!
Questions about social media? Questions about social media? Email me at Jeannie@360Connext.com
For more info see me at www.360Connext.com
 Follow Jeannie on Twitter
|
|
THE HAPPY COOKER
|
Yes, that was the name of one of my businesses and oh, come on, I know guys cook too. In honor of St. Paddy's Day: Guinness Milk Shake
1 cup premium vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
4 oz. Guinness stout
2 oz. chocolate syrup. plus extra for drizzling
Place ice cream, stout and chocolate syrup in a blender. Mix until just blended, about 10
seconds; it should be thick. Drizzle the inside of a chilled glass with
syrup. Pour shake into prepared
glass. Serves 1
|
|
If any of you remember the movie or Broadway show
"Auntie Mame" or if you're old enough to admit you remember it, then
you might recall that Mame was famous for her eclectic circle of friends. I
pride myself on that same principle of knowing so many diverse people and
calling many of them my friends.
 INTRODUCING...my
new Director of Opportunities, Sue Ryan
Sue, (Soogle as
I call her which is a combo of Sue
and Google because she can find everything) came back from sabbatical to join me! As she will tell
you she is the happiest person - lives it, believes it, shares it! She
left the technology industry when she fell in love with the man of her dreams.
It took a long time for her find him since she traveled all over the
country loving her work in sales for large application software companies.
When she and her husband compared their travel logs, they realized they
had over 7 million air miles for business, so they decided to take some time to
travel for pleasure. They have settled for living in paradise, Naples, Florida (where
I have my second home). How convenient...Sam here, Sue there, o' lucky me!
While on
sabbatical, Soog did a lot of volunteer work including helping seniors become
comfortable with computers. Although lots of patience and serenity are
required, getting them using computers is very rewarding. She also
realized she loved photography and has been given the nickname
"papranazzi" for all the photos she takes of her four grandchildren.
Originally from Chicago and having lived in the Midwest and West most of her
life the only snow she wants to see is on the Weather Channel!
Contact Sue at
239.537.5828
sue@mikkiwilliams.com
|
|
MIKKI'S MANTRA
|
Be outrageous...it's the only place that isn't crowded.
My favorite quote is featured in The
Woman's Advantage Shared Wisdom Calendar, one of only 365 chosen from
over 3,500 submissions.
The Woman's Advantage is a line of
information products designed exclusively for successful women business
owners. For more information call 919-841-0401
or visit The Woman's Advantage
|
|
INSPIRATIONS
|
As the wordsmith that I have always been, from my high school honors in English (and French) to my calling as a professional speaker, each of the "inspirations" that I share every month are from years and years of collecting words that have inspired me.
The Most
Important Words
The
SIX most important words are: "I admit I made a
mistake."
The
five most important words are: "You did a good
job."
The
four most important words are: "What is your
opinion?"
The
three most important words are: "If you please."
The
two most important words are: "Thank you."
The
one most important word is: "I."
|
|
MIKKI ON THE MOVE
|
Check out where Mikki will be speaking and piggyback your company or association event. Or just invite her to dinner or shopping!
Click here for her calendar:
Mikki On The Move
|
|
Day One: Presentation Skills
Day Two: Learning Lab (Your opportunity to practice what you learned in Day One. You must have completed Day One to participate.)
Day Three: Marketing Your Speeches
The next Speakers School is April 22-24, 2010.
It's for people at all levels: novices, wannabes, CEOs, professionals or anyone who needs to improve their communication skills.
Upcoming Speakers Schools:
September 23-25, 2010
Rick Herbst, Principal at Sikich Investment
Banking says,
"Everyone needs this
program. There's so much practical advice,
just for every day interaction, whether it's business-related or personal. What
I learned will not only help me be a better speaker but a better communicator."
|
|
Become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, connect with me on LinkedIn, catch me on YouTube, look for me on Plaxo:
    
Don't forget to check out my personal blog every Sunday
for a new post:
And my Work Life Balance blog:
In case you've missed past issues of the ezine
Click here to visit the archives.
|
|
To book Mikki for your next event as a keynoter, emcee, panelist, seminar or workshop leader (she doesn't do floors or windows) or for more info on Vistage, Speakers Schools, Coaching or Consulting or anything else that's on your mind, contact Mikki or Samantha |
| MIKKI WILLIAMS, CSP |
Mikki Williams, CSP is a professional speaker/trainer, specializing in business dynamics and human potential as well as a Resource Speaker for Vistage International, the worlds largest CEO organization. She is a small business consultant, runs tri-annual Speaker Schools, Chairs two Executive Think Tanks, affilated with Vistage International and is a Life Architect, helping people design their lives and businesses through a coaching model. To learn more about Mikki Williams Unltd. and all the services provided
CALL ME: 312.664.8447
FAX ME: 312.664.8460
E ME: mikki@mikkiwilliams.com
SEE ME: www.mikkiwilliams.com |
Thanks for spending time with us!  My awesome, great lookin' team...Sam, Director of Everything; Sue,
Director of Opportunities and moi, Director of the Universe!
|
|
|
*If you enjoyed this ezine and know others who would like to receive it, please forward this along to friends, family and colleagues! Use the "Forward e-mail" link at the bottom of this newsletter.
** To unsubscribe please use the link at the bottom of this newsletter (but we'd rather you didn't!).
All contents � 2008, except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. Duplication or reprint only with expressed permission from Mikki Williams. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. All contents provided as is. In our extensive research we've made every attempt to be accurate in attributing quotes, poems, jokes and the like and want to apologize in advance if we have not given proper credit or given it erroneously. |
|
|
|
|
