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or...
stop being so darned professional and take a break today!
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| 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. |
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Whew! Another whirlwind month with so many great happenings. Okay, where do I begin? The bobblehead!! Isn't that a riot? It was made for me by Jaeson Rosenfeld of whoopassenterprises.com. What a great gift idea! When I finished speaking in Miami I stopped at the new fabulous  Mondrian Southbeach Hotel. Check it out! The photo (left) was taken in their very hip lobby. Then off to Gary, Indiana (remember the show, The Music Man? Only some of you will get that!) to speak at Crown Corr, hosted by CEO Rich Pellar  (below). Fellow Vistage speaker and friend, the brilliant AmyK (below) is now part of my new biz launch - Outrageous Orators: Speakers who Rock...an uncommon speakers bureau. AmyK,  who speaks on brain brilliance and leadership, came to town with her wonderful hubby Christopher and we enjoyed catching up with dinner at Michael Jordan's new steakhouse in the Inter-Continental Hotel on Michigan Ave. Then I took a time-out to enjoy dance classes with good bud' and  Vistage member, Gretchen Hartke. Here we are (right) at Flirty Fitness at their lobby bar. And then, and then...I took a week vacay in Cabo San Lucas to officially end my "radical sabbatical" with gal pal Vicki Thomas and when she left I transferred hotels in Cabo to meet up with my CEO group on our annual retreat. It was simply amazing! It was hosted by our own Mark Partridge who knows the area well so we went to the coolest restaurants. There were 23 of us (including some spouses) and we enjoyed fabulous dinners out, sunning and drinking  poolside and in the jacuzzi, and I enjoyed my first-ever horseback ride on the beach at sunset.  We also had an amazing time on a private catamaran with music, food and drink, and sailing on the Pacific at sunset to watch the whales breaching. Outstanding!!! A week later I was conducting my Speakers School (next one April 26-28), and what a fantastic group it was. Thanks to this eclectic crowd from L.A. to Virginia. I wrapped up the month with an all-gal-pal night. We went to see friend and fellow speaker Jeanne Robertson on her U.S. one-woman show tour. (l to right below: Laura, Sandy, moi, Jeannie (who's not standing on a chair - she's 6'2"!), Sam, Cheryl, Mary and Michelle) I'm in the process of developing my own one-woman show so I wanted to support Jeanne and be inspired by her success. My long-time friend from New Jersey, Laura Berman, one of America's top life coaches, came in to see it too, as she recently launched her own show called Life Coach Lurlene. Catch her show in your city - she is "outrageously" funny.  AND if that wasn't enough to spring into spring, we had our monthly 6543 Meet-Up (you'll have to guess why we call  ourselves that!) at The Ritz for high tea.
(l to r: Sandy, Michelle, moi, Mary)
As I said...WHEW!!!
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I LOVE THIS BOOK!
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 Be Excellent at Anything
The Four Keys to Transforming the Way We Work and Live
by Tony Schwartz
I loved his first book The Power of Full Engagement so I was excited to read this. I just didn't realize how excited I would be. I took it with me to the beaches of Mexico and literally could not put it down and practically highlighted the entire book (a good sign). He shares pieces of his Energy Project on how to consistently achieve excellence and still live a balanced, satisfying life in our turbulent world. He writes about the four key sources of energy: physical (quantity), emotional (quality), mental (focus) and spiritual (purpose). The more skillfully we meet these needs, the more energy we have available to achieve whatever we set out to accomplish. This book helps you transform the way you work and how to take back control of your life.
I love this book!! |
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Join me and some of my fabulous friends for fun and informative tele-conversations!
The next tele-conversation is on
Friday, March 23rd at 12:00 noon CST.
No cost, no obligation.
Just CLICK HERE to register.
TELE-CONVERSATION WITH
CARYN KOPP:
Overcome Objections, Close More Sales Caryn is the Chief Door Opener� at Kopp Consulting whose Door Opener� Program for the past 13 years has helped thousands of business owners and sales people secure initial meetings with high level decision makers in almost every major Fortune 100 and 500 company including Proctor and Gamble, Pfizer, GE, Verizon,Target, CBS and the list goes on. Caryn's love of sales started at age 11. The family Caryn babysat for asked her to make telephone calls to generate appointments for their Lawn Doctor Franchise. She learned quickly that the right words got the appointments and the wrong words stopped the conversation. She felt if she was going to sit there and make calls she might as well use the words that work and get more meetings! She is the author of The Path to The Cash! � The Words You NEED To Bypass Those Darned Prospect Objections.
Join us as Caryn and I discuss her important insights on how to "Overcome More Objections, Close More Sales" including:
- How to overcome more objections so you can close more sales...including the actual words you need to bypass many objections.
- The secret to crafting slam dunk objection responses (getting into the head of the decision maker, choosing impactful language, delivery).
- How to reduce the number of objections you receive...a strategic move few sellers consider.
APRIL'S GUEST: PATRICK RENVOISE Date: Wednesday, April 25th at noon CST Topic: Neuromarketing: Understanding the Buy Button in your Customers' Brain
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25 FOR 25
| In recognition of my 25th year as a professional speaker I am going to attempt to list my 25 favorites of various categories over this year. One of my favorite quotes is from Yoda... "There is no try, only do."
So here goes...Top 25 Books
1. Live A Thousand Years: Have the Time of Your Life by Giovanni Livera 2. How to be Excellent at Anything by Tony Schwartz 3. Chasing Daylight by Eugene O'Kelly 4. A Whack on the Side of the Head by Roger van Oech 5. Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Everlasting Fulfillment by Tal Ben-Shah 6. Real Moments by Barbara DeAngelis, PhD 7. Man's Search for Meaning by Victor E. Frankl 8. I'd Like to Call for Help, but I Don't Know the Number: The Search for Spirituality in Everyday Life by Abraham J. Twerski 9. The Lemming Conspiracy: How to Redirect Your Life From Stress to Balance by Bob D. McDonald 10. Psycho-Cybernetics: A New Way to Get More Living Out of Life by Maxwell Maltz 11. The Magic of Believing: The Science of Setting Your Goal and Then Reaching It by Claude M. Bristol 12. The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy Not Time is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr 13. Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko 14. The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck 15. Purple Cow by Seth Godin 16. Eccentric Glamour by Simon Doonan 17. Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty by Harvey Mackay 18. The New Retirementality by Mitch Anthony 19. Nuts ! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success by Kevin Freiberg and Jackie Freiberg 20. Passages by Gail Sheehy 21. The Artists Way by Julia Cameron 22. There Are No Accidents by Robert Hopcke 23. T he Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield 24. W hen You Look Like Your Passport Photo, It's Time to Go Home by Erma Bombeck 25. The Power of Purpose by Richard Leider
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CREATIVE CAPTIONS
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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:
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow (beauty salon)
Weiner and Still Champion (hot dog stand)
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SHOE-BE-DOO STORIES
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As change is one of my themes for the new year, here is a different version of this column for 2012. People knowing my love of shoes send me countless versions and articles they come across.
Just your basic
St. Paddy's Day shoe!
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WONDERFUL WEBSITEings
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I come across so many and so many are shared with me that I thought I'd share with you.
www.erideshare.com
Why share a ride?
- Gas is really expensive
- Wear & tear costs more than gas
- Driving is stressful
- Socializing is good for you
- Oil imports cause trade deficits
- The planet is on fire
- Helps you, helps someone else
How many reasons do you need?
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AWESOME APPS
| A new addition! We know you're all app-crazy so we thought we'd add to your madness...and please send us your favorites.
WIKIHOOD for iPad/iPhone/iPod touch, FREE Just like a tour guide, only far less irritating, this app pinpoints your geographic location and combines it with Wikipedia facts to show you important sites, historic events that took place nearby, famous folk linked to the area and other bits of fascinating trivia. |
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MIKKI MOUTH:
QUOTATIONS I WISH I'D SAID AND SOME I DID SAY!
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Enjoy a quote each month from my new book - some funny, some poignant, some professional, some just darn cute!
St. Patrick's Day is a great day for the Irish, but just an okay day if you're looking for a quiet tavern to talk, read or have a white wine spritzer.
--Jon Stewart
Order the book today!
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SOCIAL MEDIA GURU GUY
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Dave Nelsen
Dave's formal title is President, Dialog Consulting Group.
From 2005 to 2009 he was CEO of TalkShoe, a social media company now serving more than one million monthly listeners...and the fabulous company I use to produce my monthly teleseminars.
It's All About Your BrandReputation
You've heard of "word of mouth" and already appreciate its importance. Today, it's become a "world of mouth." People are reportedly six-times more likely to believe what they hear about you from their peers than anything your say about your company.
It used to be in business that we controlled the message, the image, the brand, because we were the ones spending on marketing, PR, and advertising. Now, we've thrown these tools to the democracy and there are so many more of them than there are of us that their collective voice drowns out our own.
Your brand is no longer what you say it is, it's what they say it is.
They're doing amazing things with their new-found power. Did you ever wonder what's going on in the Middle East; why Mubarak is on trial, why Gaddafi is dead, and why Tunisia just had the first free elections in our lifetime? Yes, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are powering the Arab Spring.
But maybe you don't care about what's going on half a world away. I bet you will care about what's going on at www.glassdoor.com. That's where (mostly former) employees go to write about their employers.
Recently, I met a new college grad who told me he had an interview offer from a company but first looked them up on GlassDoor and didn't want to work at a place like that. Imagine... your former employees affecting your ability to attract talent.
It's a new social world and it's now less about "brand" than it used to be. Think about a new word: "Reputation."
In a world of mouth, every interaction with an employee, with a prospect, with a partner, or with a customer can affect your reputation. The businesses that will survive and indeed prosper will be the ones that are the most engaged, the most responsive, and the best at supporting their customers.
If your business hasn't jumped into social media yet, consider this your wake-up call. It's like being in a room filling with carbon monoxide. Wake up now or there may be no tomorrow.
You can find more formal details here:
wesocialize.biz
To contact Dave directly:
dave@WeSocialize.biz
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TITILLATING TRIVIA
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Wearing of the green
Originally, the color associated with Saint Patrick was blue. Over the years the color green and its association with Saint Patrick's day grew. Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St. Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century. Saint Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the day. In the 1798 rebellion, to make a political statement, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on 17 March in hopes of catching public attention. The phrase "the wearing of the green," meaning to wear a shamrock on one's clothing, derives from a song of the same name.
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ECON RECON
| Introducing my newest columnist, the "economist with a personality" (my title not his) ...
Brian Beaulieu. I'm delighted, honored, thrilled, jazzed (can you tell I'm happy?) to have  Brian as a contributing columnist this year. He is Vistage's chief economist, one of the country's leading economists, MY Vistage member, a phenomenal speaker, brilliant businessman and a special friend. CEOs worldwide rely on his forecasting as they plan their business year. And for anyone trying to understand the economy, Brian speaks and writes in English not in that foreign language called economicspeak. Enjoy! There is great news on the status of U.S. consumers heading through early 2012. Personal bankruptcy filings fell for the first time in four years as economic conditions improved over the course of 2011. Filings were down to 1.4 million in 2011, an 11.6% decline from 2010. The Consumer Loan Delinquency Rate fell in the third quarter to 3.2%, the lowest level since the second quarter of 2007. Similarly, the Consumer Credit Card Delinquency Rate fell to 3.5%, the ninth consecutive quarter of decline and the lowest level since 1995. This is good news for lenders, who will write off fewer bad loans. The willingness to make non-mortgage loans is high and interest rates remain at or near record lows. Falling consumer loan delinquency rates, rising employment, retail sales heading higher, and increased willingness by banks to make loans are signs of economic expansion. Expect this trend to continue as global economic conditions improve in 2012 and likely the first half of 2013.The current attitude of fiscal responsibility, if maintained, suggests consumers in general will be in a better financial position to weather the economic storm of a 2014 recession than they were heading into the previous recession.
Learn more about the future at www.itreconomics.com
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THE HAPPY COOKER
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Yes, that was the name of one of my businesses and oh, come on, I know guys cook, too.
Chocolate Guinness Goodness
8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
one 14.9-ounce can Guinness Draught
3 cups heavy cream
7 ounces high-quality bittersweet (70 to 72% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped
Special equipment: Six 8-ounce old-fashioned glasses
In large nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar.
Open can of Guinness and slowly pour into 4-cup measuring cup, pouring down side of cup to reduce foaming. Pour half of Guinness (about 7/8 cup) into heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups cream and whisk to combine. Set over medium heat and heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles just begin to form at edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
Slowly pour hot chocolate mixture into eggs, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return mixture to saucepan and set over moderately low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon, about 15 minutes. (Pudding will look separated.) Pour into blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Divide pudding among glasses, leaving at least 1 inch of space at top of each. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set.
Meanwhile, pour remaining Guinness into small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 20 minutes. Pour syrup into small bowl and let cool.
Beat remaining cream until soft peaks form. Add Guinness syrup and beat until combined. Divide cream among 6 glasses of pudding and serve.
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HE WHO LAUGHS...LASTS!
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Mary Clancy goes up to Father O' Grady after his Sunday morning service, and she's in tears.
He says, "So what's bothering you, Mary my dear?"
She says, "Oh, Father, I've got terrible news . My husband passed away last night."
The priest says, "Oh, Mary, that's terrible. Tell me, Mary, did he have any last requests?"
She says, "That he did, Father."
The priest says, "What did he ask, Mary?"
"He said, 'Please Mary, put down that damn gun..."
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MIKKI'S MANTRA
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Be outrageous...it's the only place that isn't crowded.
My quote was chosen again from over 5,000 submissions to be featured in The Woman's Advantage Shared Wisdom Calendar for 2011. I'm on July 3rd (a coincidence since my birthday is July 4th) and the chosen quote was "Life gives you choices, not chances and it's those choices that determine the quality of your life."
For more information call 919.841.0401 or visit The Woman's Advantage
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INSPIRATIONS
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Take These Thoughts With You On Your Journey To Your Dreams
Don't ever forget that you are unique. Be your best self and not an imitation of someone else.
Find your strengths and use them in a positive way. Don't listen to those who ridicule the choices you make.
Travel the road that you have chosen and don't look back with regret. You have to take chances to make your dreams happen.
Remember that there is plenty of time to travel another road - and still another - in your journey through life.
Take the time to find the route that is right for you. You will learn something valuable from every trip you take, so don't be afraid to make mistakes.
Tell yourself that you're okay just the way you are. Make friends who respect your true self.
Take the time to be alone, too, so you can know just how terrific your own company can be.
Remember that being alone doesn't always mean being lonely; it can be a beautiful experience of finding your creativity, your heartfelt feelings, and the calm and quiet peace deep inside you.
Don't ever forget that you are special and you have within you the ability to make your dreams come true.
~ Jacqueline Schiff ~
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VISIONARY VOLUNTEERISM
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Visionary - adjective (esp. of a person), thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom
 I speak of volunteerism is my speeches. I tell stories to inspire and challenge audiences to volunteer as individuals, as responsible business and community leaders. as parents/grandparents, and to get their children involved early. By the way, volunteerism is the number one way to raise self-esteem. What are you doing in this visionary effort? Each month I will give you a link to a site where you can volunteer. Please send me a link to your favorite volunteer opportunity to post.
IN MEMORIAM
Susan Roman was a former member of my Vistage group and a very dear and cherished friend  along with her wonderful husband, Rick.
Susan co-founded the Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness Organization when she was diagnosed with the disease herself in 2009. The organization was co-founded with Rick who is the CEO of The Signature Room at the 95th (for you out-of-towners that's the famous John Hancock Building) and their friend Vallie Szymanski, with the intent of raising awareness and educating people about the silent symptoms of this killer disease. Susan lost her own mother to the disease in 1976. Every female born in the United States has a one in fifty-five of, or 1.8%, of developing ovarian cancer.
Sadly, on Monday March 5th, at 56 years old Susan lost her valiant fight with the disease. As a way to show support for her and her family, and a way to shine a light on the cause she and her organization are vigilantly supporting, Trump Tower and the Wrigley Building in Chicago decided to light their roofs through March 11th. Teal is the official color representing Ovarian Cancer Awareness.
Here's a link to the website where you can donate your time or money, or just become aware of this incredible organization and its purpose, and honor my very special friend, Susan.
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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 |
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The next Speakers School is in session on
April 26-28, 2012 in Chicago
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Why Should You Come to Speakers School? |
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: Getting Booked
Speakers School is for people at all levels; novices, wannabes, CEOs, professionals or anyone who needs to improve their communication skills.
And who doesn't?
REGISTER NOW!
OR...BRING SPEAKERS SCHOOL TO YOUR COMPANY.
IT'S A GREAT VALUE.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS THE CORNERSTONE TO SUCCESS.
Help your employees improve their presentation skills, whether they're
speaking in front of a group or in a one-on-one situation.
Successful business people know it's important to have an edge these days, and Speakers School provides that with Mikki's how-to techniques you can use, not theories you'll forget. Excellent communication skills set you and your staff apart and help take your business to the next level.
CALL NOW FOR MORE DETAILS: 312.664.8447
OR SEND AN EMAIL TO REQUEST MORE INFORMATION.
Upcoming Speakers Schools:
April 26-28, 2012
September 13-15, 2012
February dates to come
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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 blog:
Would love for you to join my Facebook Fan page. Just click the icon below:
In case you've missed past issues of the ezine
Click here to visit the archives.
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| 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 |
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MIKKI WILLIAMS, CSP
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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
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Thanks for spending time with us!
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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.
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