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Communication Matters Newsletter
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 The back burner cooks better pancakes
Most Sundays at lunch, I put on my chef hat and serve my family by cooking for them. Usually the kids request pancakes. Since I LOVE breakfast - at any time of the day - it's easy to convince dad to bust out the griddle and start flipping hotcakes. Our stove is not the gourmet variety, and it cooks unevenly. Through trial and error, I've learned that the back burner - the smaller one - cooks hotter and better than the front one at the same setting.
 But this isn't usually the case in life. The "back burner" is a Western idiom for something you've started or planned but put off finishing and are trying to keep warm by putting on the rear, or back, burner. Most of us have project lists that are FILLED with back burner ideas. Corporate America has gotten used to the notion that a boss or project lead will prioritize ideas without hurting anyone's feelings by putting something "on the back burner." Dictionary.com even has an entry for it, defining the term as "a condition of low priority or temporary deferment."
Sometimes it's the small projects that "cook" better - that give us the best results. Sometimes it takes trial and error of actually COOKING something to find that out. The best place for life-changing action is NOT the back burner.
But in the business world - as well as personal home life - I've found that once something hits the proverbial back burner, I seldom bring it back up to full boil with my primary attention. There are exceptions, of course, but it's rare that we pull back on something that we've put off.
Our business project list at MillsWyck Communications is littered with such ideas. I'd be embarrassed to list them all here. One that we ARE prioritizing is pertinent video content. We are launching a series called, "What NOT to say!" that are tutorials on short phrases that get speakers in trouble. Those of you who have attended one of our workshops have no doubt heard some of these as coaching points, but in this series, we'll examine the WHYs behind the phrases and uncover some truths and generalities that will help you to avoid these speaking no-nos. Don't go looking for advanced, professional video editing -- that's not why this was on the back burner. Just go with an open mind and a desire to purge your language with phrases and words that hinder your message.
Many of these phrases are personal pet peeves. All of them are things I've seen on a public stage by people who really should know better. And, sadly, many of them are things I've done myself. This month, we look at "Before we get started..." Let us know what you think on Facebook or Twitter!
 | | What Not To Say: Before We Get Started... |
I've had three recent coaching clients who all had put speech coaching on the back burner. In one case, we were not able to accomplish the desired goals prior to a big event simply because the call had delayed until there was not enough lead time. Had the call come in even two weeks earlier, the outcome would have been much different.
Many times, the only, and best, time to pursue such things is NOW.
What are you putting on the back burner that needs to be done FIRST?
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StepUp Ministry Workshop
On May 25th, MillsWyck Communications held a Speaking with Confidence workshop at the Step Up program in Raleigh. The workshop provided training for alumni of the program to participate in its new Speakers Bureau.
The goal of StepUp Ministies is to promote stable lives through jobs and life skills training. The workshop was a huge success in helping participants hone their speaking and delivery sills not only for their roles in the new Speakers Bureau, but also in their roles in the workplace.
We want to thank StepUp Ministries for all they do for the community. We look forward to partnering with them in the future to build strong employees with strong communication skills for triangle businesses. If you are interested in learning more about StepUp Ministries or have a business that may be interested in hiring a StepUp graduate, click here.
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| Upcoming Workshops | |
June 17, 18
Two days that will change your life! This highly interactive, hands-on workshop gives you the skills to face an audience and deliver content in a clear, concise, and compelling manner. Close that deal, give that career-changing presentation, or motivate your audience to action. Speak with confidence, power, and ease.
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| Visit our Website | |
Find out more about our public workshops, corporate training, private coaching, and keynote speaking at www.millswyck.com.
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