Speak to Lead

Smile to Connect & Succeed

One of the best "tools" for connecting with people is a genuine smile.

Note, however, the word "genuine." In a 30-year study, researchers began by going through 141 photos in a Mills College (Oakland, California) yearbook, and marking those with more genuine smiles. Study participants were then contacted at ages 27, 43, and 52 and asked about their marriage and life satisfaction.

Those with genuine smiles were more likely to get and stay married, and to experience a greater sense of personal well-being. (A Genuine Smiles Goes a Long Way, Vijai P. Sharma, Ph.D.)

Other studies suggest smiles may be one of the causes of success. Researchers who analyzed 225 studies involving 275,000 people have concluded that if there is a causation, it goes from smile to success. Genuine smilers tend to be fun, easy to work with, highly motivated, and willing to take on tough problems. A 2005 study published by the American Psychological Association suggests that this is what leads to their success.

So how can you obtain a meaningful smile? Here are 5 tips:

1. Cultivate your sense of humor. Funny things are happening all around us. We just need to know what to look for. I highly recommend you get...and use!...Jeanne Robertson's book, Don't Let the Funny Stuff Get Away.
2. Avoid smile killers. It's hard to smile when you're whining, for instance. (And conversely, it's hard to whine when you're smiling!)
3. Begin the day by deciding to be happy. Count your blessings. Look for the good in others. Be willing to laugh at yourself.
4. Practice. Some of us forget to smile. When you catch yourself frowning, lighten up.
5. Surround yourself with smilers. According to recent research, people who don't smile have a negative impact on both their friends and strangers. Grumpy persons can decrease your chances of happiness by nearly 10%; smiles can increase your happiness by the same amount.

So for positive connection and greater success, SMILE.

Create a Marketing Habit in 21 Days: A Guide for Professionals

This is for those of you who lead small or solo practitioner professional services firms, and suffer the frustration of not having time to market when you're busy.The solution lies in Paula Black's new book, The Little Black Book - A Lawyer's Guide to Creating a Marketing Habit in 21 Days.

Don't get distracted by the lawyer focus; the process applies to all professional services. Paula kindly sent me a pre-launch copy and I think it's terrific. (In the interest of Washington DC's new love of transparency, I should be clear that I do not derive any income from recommending, nor from purchases of, the book.)

Here are 3 reasons I like TLBBALGTCAMHITOD (just try pronouncing that acronym!)

1. The 21-day plan breaks marketing into easy to do steps, short enough that you can fit them into a tight schedule. 
2. Because the steps are short and clearly defined, they do become habit forming. 
3. The formatting, typography and page design are worthy of an award. Key meaning jumps out at you; the look of the pages energizes you.  

For further information, and to see the bonuses Paula is offering for purchases today and tomorrow, follow this link http://tinyurl.com/nb8z3j

Speechwriting: 3 Lessons for Crafting Memorable Speeches for Executives and Political Leaders from Winston Churchill

Still under the influence of Mays visit to Chartwell, I recently read Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: The Dire Warning - Churchill's First Speech as Prime Minister.

John Lukacs' account of Churchill's May 13th 1940 address to the House of Commons and subsequent speeches given that year has the page-turning qualities of a suspense novel.

Much of Europe had fallen to the Germans. Defeat of Great Britain by Hitler was a real possibility. Some of the British leadership were already discussing suing for peace. Churchill was widely disliked or distrusted by many in his own party.

But Lukacs shows how Churchill rallied the British people, turned political antagonists into supporters, and turned the tide of war. It's an interesting, insightful, and at only 147 pages, a quick summer read.

There are also lessons for speechwriters. (The first two would be especially useful for political speechwriters.) Here are 3:

1. Churchill's vision created the rhetoric. What a novel concept: have something to say before speaking.
2. He was willing to level with the public and let them know the difficulties and sacrifices they would have to make. He trusted the public rather than pandered to them.
3. Churchill often used conversations with friends and colleagues to try out phrases and concepts he was thinking about including in the speech. A trial run allows the speaker to refine content and increases the speaker's comfort and confidence.