Dear Readers,
I hope you enjoyed my posts on this blog. I've decided to concentrate on myprogramidea.blogspot.com. I will post regularly there, and will also incorporate the star in your life material. Look forward to seeing you there.
Peter
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Mother's Day
Today I'm sure you did your best to make your mother feel special. You sent her a card, with presents. Maybe even flowers. You may have made her breakfast in bed, and cleaned the toast crumbs off the sheets. Perhaps you took her out to brunch, or dinner. At the very least, you wished her a Happy Mother's Day. You made your mother feel like a star!
What about the rest of the year? What do you do to show appreciation to the people in your life? I'm sure you don't give them presents every day, but do you even say thank you? People are hungry for appreciation. You'll be amazed at the results you can achieve simply by thanking people for what they do.
My first job in professional theatre was as assistant director to Ed Sherin on a production of A Streetcar Named Desire. The great Shirley Knight starred as Blanche. I didn't do much during the production -- just followed along on the script and ran errands for Ed -- but to this day I can quote large pieces of dialogue from the play.
On opening night, Shirley gave gifts to everyone who worked on the play, including the stage crew, prop manager, lighting board operator -- and me. She gave me a small children's book, The Story of Ginger and Pickles, signed her name and wrote 'thank you.' I still have that book. It may not have meant that much to her, but it meant the world to me. I felt that my contribution, small as it was, had some value to her. That's how a great star behaves.
Our paths have not crossed since, but if I ever had a chance to do something for her, do you think I would hesitate? All because she took the time to thank a lowly assistant director many years ago. Most of the time, we never know how our behavior affects others. But our behavior can have a powerful effect, for good or bad. If you want to be a star, treat others like stars -- not just on special days, but every day.
What about the rest of the year? What do you do to show appreciation to the people in your life? I'm sure you don't give them presents every day, but do you even say thank you? People are hungry for appreciation. You'll be amazed at the results you can achieve simply by thanking people for what they do.
My first job in professional theatre was as assistant director to Ed Sherin on a production of A Streetcar Named Desire. The great Shirley Knight starred as Blanche. I didn't do much during the production -- just followed along on the script and ran errands for Ed -- but to this day I can quote large pieces of dialogue from the play.
On opening night, Shirley gave gifts to everyone who worked on the play, including the stage crew, prop manager, lighting board operator -- and me. She gave me a small children's book, The Story of Ginger and Pickles, signed her name and wrote 'thank you.' I still have that book. It may not have meant that much to her, but it meant the world to me. I felt that my contribution, small as it was, had some value to her. That's how a great star behaves.
Our paths have not crossed since, but if I ever had a chance to do something for her, do you think I would hesitate? All because she took the time to thank a lowly assistant director many years ago. Most of the time, we never know how our behavior affects others. But our behavior can have a powerful effect, for good or bad. If you want to be a star, treat others like stars -- not just on special days, but every day.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Make Yourself Essential
That's the key to stardom. Movie companies don't hire stars because they like them -- although executives will often boast of the close personal relationship they enjoy with Leo, or Tom, or Katy. They hire stars because they open. That is, a movie with a star in it will generally earn more money in its first weekend than a movie without stars.
Movie companies consider stars essential to their success. That's why they keep paying them millions of dollars even in a recession. What about your job? Are you essential to your company's success? If so, what are you doing to demonstrate that? Are you bringing in revenue? Do you have an essential operating responsibility? Do employees outside your department know who you are?
By the way, these days, even having an important role is no guarantee you'll continue working at the same company. But a star at one company can usually find a job with another company. If Warner Brothers doesn't want Leonardo DiCaprio for their current project, Paramount will be happy to sign him for theirs.
So what are you doing to make yourself essential? Are you paying more attention at work? Are you taking the extra steps needed to make your work better? Are you taking time to talk to your colleagues and learn how to make their work easier? If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you should have started doing all of that and more by now.
If you stopped going to work tomorrow, how many people would notice? Would they be able to go on without you? If your answer to the second question is "yes," then you haven't gone too far along the path to stardom yet. Resolve to improve one thing about your job performance tomorrow. Then two days later change something else. Keep that up for two months. In six months, you'll be amazed at the positive impact you've made on your workplace. You'll be well on your way to starring in your own life.
Movie companies consider stars essential to their success. That's why they keep paying them millions of dollars even in a recession. What about your job? Are you essential to your company's success? If so, what are you doing to demonstrate that? Are you bringing in revenue? Do you have an essential operating responsibility? Do employees outside your department know who you are?
By the way, these days, even having an important role is no guarantee you'll continue working at the same company. But a star at one company can usually find a job with another company. If Warner Brothers doesn't want Leonardo DiCaprio for their current project, Paramount will be happy to sign him for theirs.
So what are you doing to make yourself essential? Are you paying more attention at work? Are you taking the extra steps needed to make your work better? Are you taking time to talk to your colleagues and learn how to make their work easier? If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you should have started doing all of that and more by now.
If you stopped going to work tomorrow, how many people would notice? Would they be able to go on without you? If your answer to the second question is "yes," then you haven't gone too far along the path to stardom yet. Resolve to improve one thing about your job performance tomorrow. Then two days later change something else. Keep that up for two months. In six months, you'll be amazed at the positive impact you've made on your workplace. You'll be well on your way to starring in your own life.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Combatting Shyness
Are you afraid to call attention to yourself? You'd like to be a star, but you feel shy. I have a simple piece of advice for you:
GET OVER IT!
Of course I know it may not be that simple for you. It's difficult to overcome a lifetime of shyness. That's why I encourage you to make small changes in your behavior to start. But you have to start. The key is to take action. Stars may feel shy, but they don't act shy. Nor should you.
Here's one way to overcome shyness: Start a conversation with a person by asking about them. Most people want to talk about themselves. Ask them about their families, their jobs, or their hobbies. You'll find that many people will talk about these things with very little prompting. You don't need to talk about yourself. I will bet that at the end of that conversation the person talking to you will have formed a very favorable impression of you. Try it on one or two people to start. You'll be amazed at the results.
After awhile, people will begin to seek you out so they can tell you the latest thing that's happened to them. You'll be the center of attention. You'll be a star.
GET OVER IT!
Of course I know it may not be that simple for you. It's difficult to overcome a lifetime of shyness. That's why I encourage you to make small changes in your behavior to start. But you have to start. The key is to take action. Stars may feel shy, but they don't act shy. Nor should you.
Here's one way to overcome shyness: Start a conversation with a person by asking about them. Most people want to talk about themselves. Ask them about their families, their jobs, or their hobbies. You'll find that many people will talk about these things with very little prompting. You don't need to talk about yourself. I will bet that at the end of that conversation the person talking to you will have formed a very favorable impression of you. Try it on one or two people to start. You'll be amazed at the results.
After awhile, people will begin to seek you out so they can tell you the latest thing that's happened to them. You'll be the center of attention. You'll be a star.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Take stock on Sundays
Today is Easter Sunday. For Christians, it's a day of celebration and reflection -- a day to take stock of their spiritual lives.
Don't wait a year before reviewing the success of your transformation into a star. Review your progress at least once a week. What actions did you take last week to achieve your objective? What obstacles remain in your path? What do you intend to do in this coming week to achieve your goals?
Write these things down. Review your lists from the previous weeks. Make sure you're making progress. If you're not making progress, take a long, hard look at yourself. Have you put these principles into practice? Or are you just dreaming, without doing?
Make a weekly review a regular part of your routine. As Will Rogers said, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."
Don't wait a year before reviewing the success of your transformation into a star. Review your progress at least once a week. What actions did you take last week to achieve your objective? What obstacles remain in your path? What do you intend to do in this coming week to achieve your goals?
Write these things down. Review your lists from the previous weeks. Make sure you're making progress. If you're not making progress, take a long, hard look at yourself. Have you put these principles into practice? Or are you just dreaming, without doing?
Make a weekly review a regular part of your routine. As Will Rogers said, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Clarify Your Intent
While I was in LA I also got to sit on set and watch the filming of one of the top television dramas. I watched them take two hours to film two pages of dialogue involving three actors.
Writers of one hour dramas can be paid six figures for a single script. In the scene, one character was supposed to convey anxiety about an upcoming event, and the other character reassured him that everything would be fine. The actors rehearsed the scene and ran the lines, but they just couldn't say the lines as written. Yet they filmed the scene anyway. Why?
Because the actors clearly conveyed the intent of the scene. After all, the point of acting is to get the actions right. The meaning is in the doing. The actors prepared properly; they knew the intent of the scene.
We've talked about overall objectives. But you achieve your overall objective through your day to day actions. Do you know what you need from each interaction in your day. Are you sure of your intentions before you walk into a meeting at work? If not, get clear. Know what you want to achieve in each meeting, each phone call, each hallway encounter. How can you expect other people to help you get what you want if you don't know?
Writers of one hour dramas can be paid six figures for a single script. In the scene, one character was supposed to convey anxiety about an upcoming event, and the other character reassured him that everything would be fine. The actors rehearsed the scene and ran the lines, but they just couldn't say the lines as written. Yet they filmed the scene anyway. Why?
Because the actors clearly conveyed the intent of the scene. After all, the point of acting is to get the actions right. The meaning is in the doing. The actors prepared properly; they knew the intent of the scene.
We've talked about overall objectives. But you achieve your overall objective through your day to day actions. Do you know what you need from each interaction in your day. Are you sure of your intentions before you walk into a meeting at work? If not, get clear. Know what you want to achieve in each meeting, each phone call, each hallway encounter. How can you expect other people to help you get what you want if you don't know?
Monday, March 15, 2010
Keep those projects rolling
This past weekend I attended an entertainment industry conference in Los Angeles. I saw panels and presentations from some of the most accomplished people in the business and some people just starting out. They all agreed on one thing -- the key to success is to have several projects moving forward at the same time, because you can't be sure what will work until you make your project.
The Vice President of Production for Summit Entertainment (studio for the Twilight Films) said when they optioned the first book in the series it had only sold 100,000 copies. They cast it with actors who were not stars at the time because that's all they could afford. Of course, the novels and films have enjoyed tremendous success, but the people at Summit knew the film might not work. So they had several scripts and films in development at the same time.
How does that news help you star in your own life? Apply these three principals.
1. Work on multiple projects to improve yourself. If you want to learn Spanish and equipment maintenance, great. Work on both at the same time. Don't want to learn one and then try the other.
2. Give everything your full effort. You never know which project at work will be brought to the boss' attention.
3. Have positive interactions with everyone at your company, from security guards and receptionists to the company President. You never know which person will be able to help you, whether at your company or at another.
Start doing this today.
The Vice President of Production for Summit Entertainment (studio for the Twilight Films) said when they optioned the first book in the series it had only sold 100,000 copies. They cast it with actors who were not stars at the time because that's all they could afford. Of course, the novels and films have enjoyed tremendous success, but the people at Summit knew the film might not work. So they had several scripts and films in development at the same time.
How does that news help you star in your own life? Apply these three principals.
1. Work on multiple projects to improve yourself. If you want to learn Spanish and equipment maintenance, great. Work on both at the same time. Don't want to learn one and then try the other.
2. Give everything your full effort. You never know which project at work will be brought to the boss' attention.
3. Have positive interactions with everyone at your company, from security guards and receptionists to the company President. You never know which person will be able to help you, whether at your company or at another.
Start doing this today.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Constructive Criticism
The first show I ever directed was a one-act play by the Irish author Lady Gregory called "Spreading the News." I was just learning how to communicate with actors, and their performances demonstrated that. Watching the final run through, it seemed to me that everyone was in a different play. I took several pages of notes about everyone's performance, and after the run through of this half-hour play I kept the cast sitting on stage for an hour, listening to my criticisms of their performance. I described where they failed and told them how to correct it for next time, and then dismissed them.
After the notes session, my teacher Jerry Maijzlin gave me some notes. He said, "when you're giving notes, it's important to tell the actors the good things they did along with the things you want improved. Otherwise, they'll think they're no good and will stop trying. If the performance is truly terrible, don't dwell on it. Pick one thing for each person that you want improved, and tell them. At least that one area will be better next time."
I realized after working for years in television that this is great advice for all managers. You must praise people if they do well; that makes them want to do better. You should point out areas where they can improve, so they will. And if everyone is doing a bad job, pick one area where you absolutely need improvement and tell them -- at least that will be better.
That's how stars manage.
After the notes session, my teacher Jerry Maijzlin gave me some notes. He said, "when you're giving notes, it's important to tell the actors the good things they did along with the things you want improved. Otherwise, they'll think they're no good and will stop trying. If the performance is truly terrible, don't dwell on it. Pick one thing for each person that you want improved, and tell them. At least that one area will be better next time."
I realized after working for years in television that this is great advice for all managers. You must praise people if they do well; that makes them want to do better. You should point out areas where they can improve, so they will. And if everyone is doing a bad job, pick one area where you absolutely need improvement and tell them -- at least that will be better.
That's how stars manage.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Goals
Robert Lewis was one of the members of the Group Theatre in the 30s, a founder of the Actors Studio, and a respected director and teacher of acting throughout his life. His book, Advice to the Players, remains one of the best books about the craft of acting I've ever read. He tells a story about how he and some of the other actors from the Group were sitting in a restaurant in New York talking about their craft with some fellow actors. The Group was famous for introducing what became called 'Method' acting to the United States and their members took their art very seriously. Then one young woman who'd listened intently to this craft discussion said, "That's all very fine for you folks, but I'm going to be a star." That young woman was Katherine Hepburn.
Katherine Hepburn set herself a goal and achieved it. She was a star in theatre, in films, and in her own life. I saw an interview with her in which she essentially said she didn't have children because they would have distracted her from her career. She embodied both grace and star power on screen -- no matter what role she played, you knew you were watching a star.
Are you as clear about your goals as Katherine Hepburn? Can you state your goals in a short, active sentence? Remember from earlier blogs, a star's presence comes from the focus and relentless pursuit of their character's objectives. But in order to pursue goals, you have to have them in the first place!
If you haven't written down your goals for this year yet, do it tonight. Listing your goals is the first step toward achieving them.
Katherine Hepburn set herself a goal and achieved it. She was a star in theatre, in films, and in her own life. I saw an interview with her in which she essentially said she didn't have children because they would have distracted her from her career. She embodied both grace and star power on screen -- no matter what role she played, you knew you were watching a star.
Are you as clear about your goals as Katherine Hepburn? Can you state your goals in a short, active sentence? Remember from earlier blogs, a star's presence comes from the focus and relentless pursuit of their character's objectives. But in order to pursue goals, you have to have them in the first place!
If you haven't written down your goals for this year yet, do it tonight. Listing your goals is the first step toward achieving them.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
How Do You Want to Be Remembered?
Everyone's known for something. Actors are famous for their roles, and also for their celebrity. Tom Cruise is famous for acting in several blockbuster films, and for the close attention the media gives his personal life. Most of our lives aren't chronicled in the press. However, we are all famous for something amongst the people that know us.
One of the things I'm famous for is my knowledge of movie and music trivia, and my fondness for old jokes. Perhaps you're famous for your homemade pies, or your fried chicken recipe. Perhaps you're a famous Little League coach in your community, or the person that volunteers on every church community. Or, perhaps you're famous for ignoring your neighbor's request to turn down your loud music.
The point I'm trying to make is that people notice what we do, and what we say. How do you want to be remembered? Every day we make choices about what we do and say. These choices affect our family, friends, and co-workers. Do you want to be remembered as someone who had a positive effect on the people in your life?
If you do, learn to become aware of your surroundings. Take a few seconds to think about what the other person wants. You'll find that people will begin to look to you for advice. They'll make your needs a priority for them. Soon you'll become a leader in your community and at your job. In other words -- a Star!
How do you want to be remembered?
One of the things I'm famous for is my knowledge of movie and music trivia, and my fondness for old jokes. Perhaps you're famous for your homemade pies, or your fried chicken recipe. Perhaps you're a famous Little League coach in your community, or the person that volunteers on every church community. Or, perhaps you're famous for ignoring your neighbor's request to turn down your loud music.
The point I'm trying to make is that people notice what we do, and what we say. How do you want to be remembered? Every day we make choices about what we do and say. These choices affect our family, friends, and co-workers. Do you want to be remembered as someone who had a positive effect on the people in your life?
If you do, learn to become aware of your surroundings. Take a few seconds to think about what the other person wants. You'll find that people will begin to look to you for advice. They'll make your needs a priority for them. Soon you'll become a leader in your community and at your job. In other words -- a Star!
How do you want to be remembered?
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Make Your Team Better
The greatest stars in both theatre and sports, don't shine on their own. A great star makes their team better. Whether it's Michael Jordan's pinpoint passes or Olivier's perfectly timed line readings, the top stars provide the opportunity for their teammates to do their best.
Stars know that they depend upon their fellow actors to deliver the lines and emotions in each scene that allows them to shine. Even if they're playing in a one person show they depend upon the director, designers, and stage manager to make sure they're shown to the best advantage. The greatest stars know this, and let their cast and crew know it, too. Even when I was a lowly assistant director on plays in New York, the great stars would give me, and the rest of the crew, gifts on opening night. A little kindness to the rest of the cast and crew will go a long way towards a smooth running production.
Practice that this week at work. Be generous to your co-workers. Say "please" and "thank you." Offer to help out on a project. Do something to make their lives easier. See what happens and let me know. You could be taking the first step towards becoming the office star.
Stars know that they depend upon their fellow actors to deliver the lines and emotions in each scene that allows them to shine. Even if they're playing in a one person show they depend upon the director, designers, and stage manager to make sure they're shown to the best advantage. The greatest stars know this, and let their cast and crew know it, too. Even when I was a lowly assistant director on plays in New York, the great stars would give me, and the rest of the crew, gifts on opening night. A little kindness to the rest of the cast and crew will go a long way towards a smooth running production.
Practice that this week at work. Be generous to your co-workers. Say "please" and "thank you." Offer to help out on a project. Do something to make their lives easier. See what happens and let me know. You could be taking the first step towards becoming the office star.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
What's Your Instrument?
Do you play an instrument? Have you ever watched anyone play an instrument? Whether you're a musician, play for fun, or just like watching from the audience, you can appreciate how important it is for a musician to have a quality instrument to play. Top quality instruments like Stradivarius violins sell for enormous prices because of the sound they can produce when played by a great musician.
An actor's instruments are his body and his voice. Great actors take voice lessons -- not singing lessons, but lessons about how to speak clearly -- in order to enhance their ability to play different characters. They take dance and movement classes to increase their ability to move like the character they're playing would move.
What are you doing in your life to learn to speak with authority and walk with more confidence? There are several inexpensive ways to improve your skills in these areas. If you want to learn to speak better, join a local Toastmasters club. Toastmasters clubs exist to improve their members public speaking abilities. As a long time toastmaster myself I have seen countless members, including myself, improve tremendously after only a few months. Go to www.toastmasters.org to search for a club near you.
If you already are a member of a YMCA or gym, you might find that they offer yoga, dance, or other movement classes as part of their membership. Try one. You will find yourself more flexible after just one class. If you can't find a free class there, try your local community or senior center. Very often they offer similar classes.
Improve your flexibility to stand up straighter, and get the confidence to speak with more authority. Those are two steps you can take immediately to help you become a star in your own life. Keep your instrument in tune!
An actor's instruments are his body and his voice. Great actors take voice lessons -- not singing lessons, but lessons about how to speak clearly -- in order to enhance their ability to play different characters. They take dance and movement classes to increase their ability to move like the character they're playing would move.
What are you doing in your life to learn to speak with authority and walk with more confidence? There are several inexpensive ways to improve your skills in these areas. If you want to learn to speak better, join a local Toastmasters club. Toastmasters clubs exist to improve their members public speaking abilities. As a long time toastmaster myself I have seen countless members, including myself, improve tremendously after only a few months. Go to www.toastmasters.org to search for a club near you.
If you already are a member of a YMCA or gym, you might find that they offer yoga, dance, or other movement classes as part of their membership. Try one. You will find yourself more flexible after just one class. If you can't find a free class there, try your local community or senior center. Very often they offer similar classes.
Improve your flexibility to stand up straighter, and get the confidence to speak with more authority. Those are two steps you can take immediately to help you become a star in your own life. Keep your instrument in tune!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Acting and Reacting
There's an old saying in the theatre: "There is no acting, only reacting."
That means that the truest acting means reacting to what actually is occurring on stage at that moment -- not what you rehearsed, but what is happening. The audience can tell, even if they can't articulate, the difference between being in the moment and being removed. The actors we remember understand the importance of presence.
Are you present in your own life? How often do you just enjoy the present moment and react to it? It's difficult to do. If we're in a meeting at work we're thinking about going home and when we're at home we're thinking about a project at work. The stars are the people who can concentrate on the present moment just a little better than the rest of us.
Today, try to focus fully on one of your tasks for ten minutes. Whether it's a job at work or dusting the furniture at home, don't let anything distract you. If you concentrate fully, you will be amazed at how much you can accomplish in a short period of time.
Don't act: React!
That means that the truest acting means reacting to what actually is occurring on stage at that moment -- not what you rehearsed, but what is happening. The audience can tell, even if they can't articulate, the difference between being in the moment and being removed. The actors we remember understand the importance of presence.
Are you present in your own life? How often do you just enjoy the present moment and react to it? It's difficult to do. If we're in a meeting at work we're thinking about going home and when we're at home we're thinking about a project at work. The stars are the people who can concentrate on the present moment just a little better than the rest of us.
Today, try to focus fully on one of your tasks for ten minutes. Whether it's a job at work or dusting the furniture at home, don't let anything distract you. If you concentrate fully, you will be amazed at how much you can accomplish in a short period of time.
Don't act: React!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Listen
How well do you listen? Do you wait until the other person finishes talking before you answer, or do you interrupt them in mid-sentence?
The greatest stars know the importance of listening. Cary Grant, for one, knew that he could be more noticed on screen listening and reacting than talkng. He was brilliant at letting other actors do the talking, while he stole the scene with his facial expressions and reactions. One of my favorites is the scene where he discovers the body in the film 'Arsenic and Old Lace.' His face says everything without the need for dialogue.
Resolve to spend the next two days giving your colleagues at work and your family members your full attention while they're talking. You'll be amazed how hard that will be at first, but try it. Just focus on what people are saying -- don't think about your next meeting, your other errands, or even the brilliant retort you're planning. Just listen. Then think before you respond. You'll find your conversations becoming deeper and more efficient almost immediately. Keep doing it and pretty soon more people at work will discuss their ideas with you because they know they'll get a fair hearing. You'll be invited to more meetings because they will value your opinion. Your children and spouse will share more with you, too, because they know you care.
Listen for a week. Then let me know how it worked out for you.
The greatest stars know the importance of listening. Cary Grant, for one, knew that he could be more noticed on screen listening and reacting than talkng. He was brilliant at letting other actors do the talking, while he stole the scene with his facial expressions and reactions. One of my favorites is the scene where he discovers the body in the film 'Arsenic and Old Lace.' His face says everything without the need for dialogue.
Resolve to spend the next two days giving your colleagues at work and your family members your full attention while they're talking. You'll be amazed how hard that will be at first, but try it. Just focus on what people are saying -- don't think about your next meeting, your other errands, or even the brilliant retort you're planning. Just listen. Then think before you respond. You'll find your conversations becoming deeper and more efficient almost immediately. Keep doing it and pretty soon more people at work will discuss their ideas with you because they know they'll get a fair hearing. You'll be invited to more meetings because they will value your opinion. Your children and spouse will share more with you, too, because they know you care.
Listen for a week. Then let me know how it worked out for you.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Making an Entrance
How do you enter a room filled with people? Do you slide the door open quiety and try to sneak in as quickly as possible? Or do you fling the door open boldly and announce to the crowd, "I'm here!"?
Which do you think stars do? That's right -- they make sure everyone knows they're in the room. They expect attention and they make sure they get it.
You can't blend in with the crowd if you want to star in your own life. Here are three techniques to help you be noticed in the room.
1. As you walk to the door, take a deep breath. Remind yourself that you've been invited to the party or meeting because people wanted you there. And they will want to know when you've arrived.
2. If you're greeted at the door, shake the person's hand. Introduce yourself in a loud, clear voice that will carry a few people away, so everyone will know you're there. If you know your greeter, say "Hi, Joe (or whatever his or her name is) in a clear voice. Ask to meet everyone.
3. Just before going through the door, adjust an article of your clothing, or shift your pad from your right hand to your left. If you're physically doing something when you're going through the door, you will be less nervous about shaking hands.
Remember, when you're watching a play or movie you know who the star is from their first entrance. How are you entering the room?
Which do you think stars do? That's right -- they make sure everyone knows they're in the room. They expect attention and they make sure they get it.
You can't blend in with the crowd if you want to star in your own life. Here are three techniques to help you be noticed in the room.
1. As you walk to the door, take a deep breath. Remind yourself that you've been invited to the party or meeting because people wanted you there. And they will want to know when you've arrived.
2. If you're greeted at the door, shake the person's hand. Introduce yourself in a loud, clear voice that will carry a few people away, so everyone will know you're there. If you know your greeter, say "Hi, Joe (or whatever his or her name is) in a clear voice. Ask to meet everyone.
3. Just before going through the door, adjust an article of your clothing, or shift your pad from your right hand to your left. If you're physically doing something when you're going through the door, you will be less nervous about shaking hands.
Remember, when you're watching a play or movie you know who the star is from their first entrance. How are you entering the room?
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Money
We start 2010 discussing the third constraint -- money.
If you have unlimited money, you can do practically anything. A group in Dubai just completed the world's largest building in just under six years. They spent lavishly to get it done on time. Movie companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars on special effects to make things like space travel and alien worlds realistic.
On a personal level, if you feel you're not being noticed at work and have enough money you can give yourself a complete makeover: New clothes, hairstyle, even plastic surgery. You can take classes to improve your skills, or just to learn a new hobby. If you have enough money to buy whatever you want you probably don't need to become the star of your own life: you probably are already.
But most of us don't have unlimited money to promote ourselves and our ideas. Fortunately, the online world provides us with tools that enable us to do this at very low cost. For example, you can start your own blog, as I have, for free. You can connect with friends and colleagues through Facebook, Linked In, and a plethora of other social networking sites. You can send news releases about your activities to just about every news organization in the world for free. You can create your own website, marketing yourself to the world. The tools are there for you to use them.
Make 2010 the year you decided to star in your own life!
If you have unlimited money, you can do practically anything. A group in Dubai just completed the world's largest building in just under six years. They spent lavishly to get it done on time. Movie companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars on special effects to make things like space travel and alien worlds realistic.
On a personal level, if you feel you're not being noticed at work and have enough money you can give yourself a complete makeover: New clothes, hairstyle, even plastic surgery. You can take classes to improve your skills, or just to learn a new hobby. If you have enough money to buy whatever you want you probably don't need to become the star of your own life: you probably are already.
But most of us don't have unlimited money to promote ourselves and our ideas. Fortunately, the online world provides us with tools that enable us to do this at very low cost. For example, you can start your own blog, as I have, for free. You can connect with friends and colleagues through Facebook, Linked In, and a plethora of other social networking sites. You can send news releases about your activities to just about every news organization in the world for free. You can create your own website, marketing yourself to the world. The tools are there for you to use them.
Make 2010 the year you decided to star in your own life!
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