Balance Beam

Mary's Corner!

“March went out like a lion, a whippin’ up the water in the bay. Then April sighed and stepped aside and along comes pretty little May..”….hmmm, hmm…
Oh, no—she’s humming again!! (who knows what song this is from?)

Isn’t it fantastic weather this year?! This has to be one of the most gorgeous on record and I have been spending as much time outdoors as possible. My new venue for meetings is a walk in Central Park or along Cherry Creek—so get out your comfortable shoes if you are coming to meet me this Spring.

I just returned to NYC from Denver and all the bulbs are at their bloomin’ best, in the garden at the Institute offices.

So much is happening everywhere in this season of renewal—so much news, it’s hard to keep up. So many of you tell me you are going through major shifts. Change does not come easily, does it?
You know that f-l-e-x-ability factor I am always talking about? It will stand you in good stead through change. Breathe and hummm and stay centered—tune into yourself. Keep your balance. I am doing yoga again and I must say it helps.

Don’t miss Hillary Locke’s inspired thoughts on a different way to view change.

And, Eileen Winnick offers some tips on the day-to-day of presenting our wonderful selves; the strategies we can artfully apply when winning others over to our point of view-- and simply ensuring the perceptions others have of us are “winning” in and of themselves.

Happy Spring everybody!!
Be sure to get outdoors and B-R-E-A-T-H-E the fresh air.

Mary's Pick of the Month:
Yamuna Body Rolling
YBR is a revolutionary approach to health and fitness that creates both positive and long lasting changes in your body.

Inspiration of the Month:
“Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength”
—Sigmund Freud

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Law of Least Effort,
adapted from Deepak Chopra’s
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Hillary Locke

Spring is upon us and as the crocuses are blooming and the days are getting longer, you can actually feel the excitement of change and growth. Many of us feel the need to keep up with the changes and instead of reaching our goals, we in fact get in our own way and spin our wheels without results. According to Deepak Chopra, author of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, the law of least effort is based on the fact that nature’s intelligence functions with effortless ease and abandoned carefree-ness. This principal of least action is the key to achieving our goals and working in balance with nature. If you think about it, the flowers don’t try to bloom, they just do. The wind doesn’t wish to blow, it just does. The sun doesn’t hope to shine, it just does. Nature allows growth to happen when the timing is right and without struggle of stress. It is the intrinsic nature of life just as it’s human nature to make our dreams manifest into physical form, easily and effortlessly. Sound too good to be true? Think about when you realized you’ve accomplished a goal or when an idea comes to you out of the blue. That is the law of least effort in action. When you’re in harmony with nature, the sky is the limit.

We can apply these ideas to our work and professional lives as well. Instead of engaging in negative push/pull energy or allowing the fear of failure to motivate you, be gentle and detach yourself from the outcome. If you focus your energy on your spirit vs. your ego, you can harness your power effortlessly and effectively. Flipping the situation upside down to make your problems into positive opportunities will let you fulfill your dreams organically rather than forcefully. When you remain open to all points of view, your dreams and desires will flow with nature’s desires. At that point, you can release your intentions without attachment. Whether it’s giving a powerful presentation, closing a deal, starting your business or anything in between, remember the law of least effort and the true meaning of spring. Don’t force the growth, allow it come when the season is right.

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Mary’s Link of the Month!
http://www.chopra.com/home.aspx

Mind of the Body
Developing A “Presentation” Strategy
by Eileen Winnick

We give a series of Presentations daily but rarely use a Presentation Strategy in our day to day communication. Think about your day so far: you met a client for a quick breakfast, called a colleague on her birthday, discussed last night's game with fellow commuters, shot off an email to confirm a meeting with a referral, and you are about to meet with the tech support staff and the day’s not half over.

Teaching yourself and your team to win over people to your point of view is an art, particularly in everyday conversation. Mastering it will bring you closer to reaching your desired business outcomes.

To help you to implement a Daily Presentation Strategy remember:

• An audience can be made up of one person.
• In order to really know your audience be aware of the psychology and prejudices hard wired into all of us.
• Use your Sensory Acuity (use of all 5 senses) and create conversations where you employ empathetic listening.
• Your appearance plays an amazing role in how you are perceived
• The art of a successful presenter lies in your ability to influence the content of another’s mind at a given time. Know your objective in each interaction.
• You change minds by adding skills, shifting attitudes or imparting new state-of-the-art information.
• People respond positively to consistency and commitment.
• Likeability is contagious.
• Own your authority. Leverage your experiences to color your communication.
• Create a feeling of scarcity. You and your business are a rare commodity.
• Engender reciprocity. When someone does you a favor, or makes a concession, it’s natural to want to reciprocate.
• Avoid generalizations in speech; delete words such as all, always, never, everybody and nobody. The more precise you are the more effective.
• Realize that the words we use to explain or describe things have different meanings to different people.
• Turn devising presentation strategies into a daily habit.

Take some of these points into consideration and when you evaluate your presentation success ratio, count the new opportunities you have created for yourself and your team.

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Ta Da’s
Special Congratulations go to:

-Laura Miller and Steven Donziger on your April nuptials.
We wish you happiness and love, always!
-Owen and Myung Ryan welcome Emma Kim—Happy New Baby!
-Fred Barrett on being named Chairman and CEO of Bill Barrett Corporation—we are proud of you, Fred!
-Andrea Gorkin on her position at Burson-Marsteller
-Nicole Currie is now at Allure Magazine
-James Humphrey on your move to Gourmet
-Emme and Phillip Aronson on their new book, Morning Has Broken: A Couple’s Journey Through Depression
-Guido Neels on his retirement from Guidant
-Carol Alm on her new post at the University of Denver
-Andy Oh from Leerink Swann on your move to Fidelity. Best of luck.
-Congratulations to John Burnett and the Marketing Round Table on a great event. We appreciate the opportunity to sponsor Jack Trout on “Strategy”

Birthday Bliss! Happy Birthday to all the Spring Babies... There are too many to list, but you know who you are!

Just want to send special wishes to our own MM+A team and all the milestone birthdays!

Jenny Brown
Connie Collins
Mary Mayotte
Andrea Nierenberg
Eileen Winnick

Linda Stocknoff
Tracey Goldblum
Danny Mayotte-Happy 50th to my brother!

Resources You Can Relate to:

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success - Deepak Chopra

The Mind Gym-Wake Your Mind Up - Time Warner Books

The Roar of Silence - Don G. Campbell
The Mozart Effect Resource Center

Trout on Strategy-Capturing Mindshare, Conquering Markets – Jack Trout

Click on the button below to go directly to Amazon.com's home page

The SFI® BEAT
“Inspiring Expert Communicators” – The Speech Fitness^® Institute® (SFI)

With the warm weather finally upon us, what better way to enjoy the outdoors than to book a retreat in the spectacular Rocky Mountains.

The Speech Fitness^® Institute® is hosting leadership and team building retreats at the world-renowned Cordillera Resort nestled between Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado and for a more intimate venue/smaller groups - The Wild Horse Inn in the beautiful Fraser Valley near Winter Park.

The golf, fly-fishing, hiking among the wildflowers and biking are sublime! Come join us!

Booking now for Summer, Fall and Winter 2006/07 Retreats
Click here for more information – www.Speech Fitness^®institute.com

What is SFI and how can it work for me and my company?….

What is it?
A customizable, executive retreat and sales meeting venue that blends a sports/performance-based approach with leadership training and team building, centered around your own high stakes communications needs, all set in an “outdoorsy”, back-to-nature environment.

Who is it?
Mary Mayotte a nationally known communications coach, who draws on over 20 years of communications expertise as a television personality, media spokesperson, model, and businesswoman. Teaming up with Mary for the SFI experience is a team of talented and diverse communications experts and special guests who are drawn from areas of business, fitness, behavioral studies, motivational communication, corporate dynamics, and sound logic.

Where is it?
The Speech Fitness^® Institute® seeks out the most renowned retreat locations that master a delicate balance between roughing it and the Ritz Carlton. Past Institutes have been held in such locales as Copper Mountain, The Wild Horse Inn near Winter Park, and the Broadmoor in Colorado, to name just a few.

Why you, Why Now?

• World class speakers
• Unparalleled expertise
• Innovative approach
• Indescribable experience
• Setting of a life time

The Time to Train is Now

Contact us now Toll Free at 877-321-8935 to learn more about how we can work together to ensure success with your next sales meeting, corporate retreat, or team building function. The Speech Fitness^® Institute®

What is YOUR Biggest Communication Challenge?
Email us your communication challenge, and if we select your challenge to report on in our next newsletter, you will receive a complimentary, one-hour Executive Coaching telephone consultation with the Head Coach, herself: Mary Mayotte.
Click here

Don't forget to visit our Website for a list of our services and to discover How Mary Mayotte + Associates can address your communications goals at www.Speech Fitness^®.com.

Or simply call us directly at 212.772.1275/303-321-8935
We look forward to discussing your specific training needs.

We'd love to hear from you—Comments and suggestions are always welcome! info@Speech Fitness^®.com

*** The Balance Beam is a collaborative endeavor from the MM+A team: Mary Mayotte, Head Coach; Eileen Winnick, Communications Coach/Senior Associate; Kerri Ryan, Editor; Hillary Locke, Former Director of Marketing and Communications and Karin Tracy, little b, inc. All rights reserved ***

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