Neworld Tributes: Bruce Parsons from TCS Paralegal

Posted on: February 21st, 2012 by Neworld Coaching No Comments

“I was just working at my desk when I saw your reminder email and I thought I would log in for fun.  The Tuesday Night with Neworld show was great!  Fun… informative… interactive… kind of like listening to old friends!

You know you have a hit when you beat out CBC Radio!  Thanks guys.  You are wonderful!”

Bruce Parsons
Traffic & Court Services
www.tcsparalegal.com

022 – Over the “Next Few Weeks”… Timeline

Posted on: February 20th, 2012 by Neworld Coaching No Comments

It was announced on January 24th in a Facebook Blog that the new “Timeline” Profile design will become mandatory very soon.  Since “a few weeks” have already passed since this post… I think I had better dive in and see what this is all about before we are forced to create Michael’s ‘Timeline”!

I hate change.  Really I do!  I ruthlessly procrastinate… but I don’t see any reason to protest in this case because it is not MY sandbox that I am playing in.  Facebook will do what Facebook will do… and I have to play by their rules!  Full stop.  After further research of the inevitable I found that upon activating my Timeline Profile… I will have 7 days to perfect it before it becomes public!  THAT sounds reasonable.

When I am fully ready to activate my 7 day clock… I will go to the Introducing Timeline Page and activate and follow the instructions there.  I want to be particularly careful about reviewing the new “look” and ensuring that it show the best side of me… to the people that I want to see it at all!

I have gathered a few resources including the Facebook Help Center   and various blogs dedicated to the subject of Timeline and I am going to jump in… tomorrow!

Stay tuned for an update and a preview next week…

~Dawn Fletcher

P.S. Are you watching the “Tuesday Night with Neworld” weekly webinar?  Check it out Click Here

How to Communicate Effectively… 3 part series

Posted on: February 17th, 2012 by Neworld Coaching No Comments

Presents… Beginning February 22nd

Communication is more than the words we speak.

It is about who we are and how we express ourselves. It is also about how we relate to everyone and everything… every day!

Communication is the message we send through nonverbal as well as verbal means.

It is the ultimate expression of who we are…

  • Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed and ineffective when networking with strangers?
  • Would you like the confidence and skills to speak to a group of people or lead a sales meeting and know that your message is being heard, understood and remembered?
  • Have you ever really analyzed YOUR communication skills and discovered exactly HOW people are relating to what you are “saying”?

Permission and Guilt

Posted on: February 14th, 2012 by Neworld Coaching No Comments

We are all awesome in our own way. YOU are awesome… I am awesome… and we are all trying our best at life and succeeding at it much of the time.  Lists are made and intentions are high that we will accomplish all or most of what we set out to do.  And then it happens… life gets in the way and a big part of the schedule flies out the window!  It happens to me… actually it happens to me a lot.

The issue seems to be, that most of us are obsessing about the tasks that do not get completed far more than we are celebrating what we do get done!  Weird… but natural.

The thing about guilt… believe it or not… is that we all choose to experience it and allow it into our lives.  We actually look for things to feel guilty about.  Yes we do.  Now hear me out… does this sound sort of typical?

You get up in the morning and begin your day.  You eat breakfast (or not) and shower (or not) and get ready for whatever tasks are ahead of you.  Throughout the day you make choices.  Choices about which call to take, or which project you will focus on, or whether or not you will go to the grocery store or find the time for little Billy’s baseball game.  You choose each action and deal with the subsequent reactions to your efforts.  Sounds simple right?  It is! The problem begins at the end of the day when you reassess your choices.  So many things are left undone or there were many different choices you could have made and you lament these choices.  Then the guilt sets in…

The guilt about what you DID NOT DO!  Perhaps you didn’t get to Billy’s game because you needed to finish the project for your company and meet your timeline.  Perhaps you went to the game and gave up on the project knowing that your company would ultimately suffer for your choices.  Either way… you did not do it ALL… and now… you feel guilty about it and that guilty feeling seems to be ruling us!  What an extreme waste of our already precious time!

As entrepreneurs (many of us home based) we feel the need to be all and do all… ALL of the time.  This is just not possible.  We all have the exact same 24 hours in each day and it is what we choose to do with those hours that can define our success or failure.  If we choose to forgo our children’s sporting events in favour of work then we have failed at being a good parent and missed out on a potential memory for the family.  If we choose to forgo the work and be with the family then we have failed at our business.  The same is true if we neglect the house cleaning in favour of our marketing or we choose to skip a monthly newsletter so that we can spend the day at a museum.  I could go on and on… but that wouldn’t help to solve the problem.

So what can we do about this?  Are we destined to be “glass 1/2 empty” type of people or is there an answer?  What can we honestly do about the nagging pains of guilt that seem to make us feel mediocre and unfulfilled?  You will be happy to know that I do have a simple answer for you.  I really do!

Give yourself permission to not feel guilty.  Simple right?  It can be!  Each time you feel badly about not accomplishing your family duties, or your business tasks etc, reassess your time spent for the day.  Did you lounge around idly watching TV instead of working on the goals you had laid out for yourself?  maybe you did… so what?  Tomorrow is another day and you have yet another chance to make it count!  If you worked all day as hard as you could and you just didn’t get it all done… then give yourself a pat on the back for not being lazy and celebrate what you did get done.  There will be another newsletter for you to write next month and I am sure Billy will come to understand that sometimes sacrifices need to be made.  It is when we consistently make choices that unhinge our lives that we can run into trouble.  Too much work or too much of anything for that matter will lead to unbalance.

Permission… to try again the next day… to NOT let guilt rule your emotions… to let go for goodness sake and relax!  Permission to be human and to fail once in awhile.  By frequently reassessing your successes and failures you will able to make choices that will help to keep you in balance.  Strive to find that balance and to forgive yourself for your shortcomings.

Remember… You are doing your  best and you ARE AWESOME.

~Dawn

Crescent Wrapped Brie!

Posted on: February 11th, 2012 by Neworld Coaching No Comments

Just in time for Valentines Day!

This recipe takes just a few minutes to prepare and it is so elegant!

Ingredients:
•    1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
•    1 (8 ounce) round Brie cheese
•    1 egg, beaten
•    48 water crackers or baguette French bread slices

Directions:
•    Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
•    Unroll dough and separate crosswise into 2 sections
•    Press dough into 2 squares, firmly pressing perforations to seal
•    Place cheese round on center of 1 dough square.  Fold up around the brie
•    Place remaining dough on top of cheese and form around… sealing edges
•    Place on ungreased baking sheet
•    brush with egg
•    Bake 20-25min until golden brown

Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm with crackers.

~Yummy!

Neworld Web Goes Public!

Posted on: February 9th, 2012 by Neworld Coaching No Comments

Exciting announcement…

Now YOU can lease or rent the Neworld Web System and use it to create your own amazing “live” webinars and recordings!

If you would like to learn more about creating your own live webinars or recordings using the Neworld Web System… Click Here

Become a Moving Billboard!

Posted on: February 7th, 2012 by Neworld Coaching No Comments

By lettering your vehicle with your company logo and contact information… you become a form of NO Cost advertising that carries your message wherever you go!

Years ago… when Dawn and I originally moved to Ontario, we lettered our car with just the simple URL of the company (www.neworldcoaching.com).  Each time a call or email would come into our office regarding Neworld’s services, we would ask where the person had heard of us.  On dozens of occasions it was the car that had lead them to us… ultimately netting us thousands of dollars in revenue over the years!

Well worth the initial small cost!

~Michael

P.S. What are YOU doing this week to grow your business…?  Leave a comment here!

021-10 Ways to Show Your Professional Side!

Posted on: February 6th, 2012 by Neworld Coaching 2 Comments

Many millions of users are using Facebook for professional networking, and most of them are balancing their profile between their personal, business or working life.

If we want to be seen as professional to any degree, we need to be especially careful about what we share with the world on Facebook.

Let’s take a look at a few suggestions OF how to ensure that your profile projects a professional image.

  1. Keep your profile simple and clean, with minimal graphics and widgets. With the new Timeline feature, it’s even easier now for your profile to appear VERY busy.
  2. Choose your profile photo carefully. It is okay to post a profile shot of you fishing or playing the guitar, if that fits in with your business model. It’s best, however, to err on the side of caution and post a professional head shot. I doesn’t need to be taken in a studio with a canvas backdrop, but make sure that it is a shot of YOU—not your pet or your kids. Remember that, regardless of your privacy settings, your profile photo is the one thing that everyone can see!
  3. Complete as many sections of the INFO tab as you can, including the biographical information. Don’t just include your professional data, though. Be sure to post some nuggets about your interests that show who you really are…like you enjoy golfing or history or reading. AVOID posting your religious and political affiliations, unless that is directly related to your professional life.
  4. Pay attention to your privacy settings. On Facebook, the default settings make all of your profile information available to everyone. It’s best to assume that everything is public, including the ability to post to your wall, and work backwards from there to customize your privacy settings.
  5. Filter AND limit the number of photos that you upload. Only include relevant photos and DON”T just upload every shot that you take. Pay attention to any “tags” from other users’ photos that are attached to your name, and delete them as needed so that your name isn’t attached to them anymore. It’s almost never a good idea to tag others in your photos without their permission either.
  6. Be careful which apps you allow to access your profile, as many of them are able to grab data from your profile. If you aren’t comfortable about giving your data away, don’t use the app. You don’t want another professional to think that your only interests are Vampire Wars and Farmville!
  7. Filter your friends. Quality is almost always better than quantity—especially when you’re dealing with Facebook. Your friends, after all, are a part of your profile, and we CAN tell a bit about you by the company you keep.
  8. Avoid posting controversial status updates and comments. The same goes for joining groups and liking fan pages that aren’t generally acceptable to the public.
  9. Keep private things private. If you must pass on a questionable message or share details that aren’t fit for public viewing, send a private message.
  10. Avoid being vain. A bit of narcissism isn’t all that bad, but most people don’t care to read the extended story of your life. It’s also a good idea to leave the year of your birth OFF your profile and to keep family details to a minimum (except for posting your relationship status; on Facebook, that is ALWAYS a good idea!).

The best way to treat your “friendship” with Facebook is to look upon your profile as a little piece of you that anyone can access, and try to provide as accurate a representation of yourself as you can.

A professional profile doesn’t have to be entirely business related, but it does mean that you should project a positive online presence.

Deborah Plouffe
rewriter.ca
705-920-9473

P.S. Could you use a good laugh? Subscribe to our 365 daily “Gaffe du Jour!” www.rewriter.ca/free-stuff

On the Web… No Cost Thursdays

Posted on: February 4th, 2012 by Neworld Coaching No Comments

“No Cost Thursdays”
Each week a different topic that is geared toward your business growth. In the past we have done shows on Video, Blogging, Twitter, HootSuite, Promotions etc. We also give you the occasional Q&A show for good measure! (see below). All videos are uploaded into the library for YOU to enjoy anytime!

Neworld Q&A… The show where you pose a business question to the Neworld AND we make up a Power Point slide to promote YOU while we are answering it. YOUR promotion will be sent to everyone who joins Neworld Web and it will be seen by hundreds!

Just Join the Neworld Web Club and enjoy the show”live” or by watching the recordings anytime!

Here are some of our topics that are coming up…:

•    Neworld Q&A!
•    Stock Market for Beginners
•    How to create CONFIDENCE in yourself and others
•    Everything you need to know about S*P*A*M
•    Word of Mouth Marketing
•    Public Speaking
•    And more from YOUR IDEAS

Effective Communication

Posted on: February 1st, 2012 by Neworld Coaching No Comments

Effective Communication

Effective communication is an essential element in our professional as well as our personal lives. Misunderstandings can cost money, time and even relationships. Have you ever stopped to think of ALL the ways in which you are communicating your message every day?  Sometimes… even by doing nothing at all we are communicating a message to our audience.  Whether verbal, non-verbal or written, learning to communicate effectively will help every part of your life, and lucky for us… this is something that we can always work on and improve!

Whether it is via email, telephone, face to face or simply by body language, we are communicating a message to people each and every day.  Here are some steps and tips to help you develop good communication skills.

  • Understand the fundamentals of communication.  It is the process of transferring signals and messages between a sender and a receiver.
  • Keep a good attitude.  Whatever your attitude… it will reflect on the tone of the conversation!  Be honest, respectful, patient and accepting of others!
  • Be conscious of your body language.  It doesn’t matter what your mouth is saying if your body is pushing them away!
  • Make eye contact whenever possible.
  • Be confident.  Know that what you have to say offers a meaningful contribution to the whole!
  • Practice
  • Speak clearly
  • Listen.  This can be a difficult skill to master.  Most often we simply listen for people to stop talking so we can begin.  Ask yourself… why would anyone listen to MY message if I am not listening to theirs?
  • Make sure that you are being clear in the delivery of your message!  Misunderstandings can happen in all forms of communication.
  • Remain focused!
  • Learn how to deal with conflict in a constructive manner.  Compromise is key
  • Ask for help when you need it.
  • Remain calm and in control
  • Clarify your own ideas before attempting to communicate them

The most common cause of misunderstanding arises from assuming that the words used are the object. Two people can then be arguing about a concept, referring to it by using the same word and arguing because this word means something different to each of them.  Remember… to be meaningful, words must establish the same thought in both the sender and receiver of a communication.
If you would like to learn more about communicating effectively… please visit our events page on our website to learn about our upcoming webinar series!  Click Here

As always… my office door is open and if YOU want to chat about your business just send me a note. Click Here

~Michael