Be a team player. That’s good advice whether you are in the military, an office or a football team. Too much attention seems to be given to the individual stars and there is no doubt that some people are outstanding in their fields. If we are to succeed in any given arena though we have to learn to pull together with others. Even the most talented player in any field will have some faults and will need the support or influence of others. Certainly even those who play individual sports will have support from coaches or mentors So being a team player is something that managers, officers and coaches have to get across to those they are training. As the saying goes, there is no i in the word team. Some will reply that there is me in team but that is a selfish and childish response. As the advertisement says, together we can make things happen.

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Do it now. That’s good advice whether it means doing a kindly act, improving your lifestyle or sorting out a quarrel. Too often too many of us put things on the long finger and many of the things we should do are put off until tomorrow. There can be many reasons. We may be too lazy or we may not know the best way to go about things. Breaking up with someone for instance can be difficult. So too can writing a letter of condolence. Nonetheless we always feel better when we do these things. Of course you should carefully consider some things before you do them. You wouldn’t, for instance, buy the first house you saw. Once you have decided that something needs to be done than do it immediately. You’ll be glad you did.

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There are still customers out there. That’s something every manager and C.E.O. has to believe as the New Year approaches. The recession has made us all fearful and apprehensive about jobs in general. Certainly the downturn in the economy has ensured that it is harder to make sales but it is still possible. After all the number of people on the planet hasn’t diminished, though their buying power may well have been affected. So to capture those customers may mean looking at things differently. Certainly now is the time to sit back and consider how you can improve your sales in these difficult times. It may mean changing your tactics or selling different products. It probably means looking for different markets. It certainly means giving better value for money. Whatever changes you have to make will be worthwhile if it means having more customers. So don’t despair be innovative and you’ll find it’s true. There are customers out there for you.

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Christmas is one of the most stressful times of the year. Whether it’s because of all that shopping, the extra cooking or the office party lots of people feel overstretched. Financially too it can be a burden for some and then the stress simply mounts up. The question is how do you handle stress? What changes do your make to your life to ensure that you don’t get frazzled. At Christmas it could simply be a case of doing your shopping online. In that way you could avoid the crowded shops, the difficulty parking and the queues for the checkouts. Alternatively, you could simply give your recipients prize bonds or lottery ticket that supports a good cause. You could tell everyone that you are not giving gifts but sending the money to open a hospital in Africa or an orphanage in India. As regards the cooking swap wrapping Christmas gifts with someone who actually likes cooking but hates wrapping. If they need more persuasion offer to send their cards for them or to plant flowers for the spring. Everyone has a favourite chore and one they hate so don’t be a martyr slaving in the kitchen if you don’t have to. Don’t go to the office party if you hate it. Simply say that you will be out of town or offer to babysit for someone who loves to party. So just think about it and keep calm and reduce stress. You might even enjoy the holiday season!

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Step back and succeed seems like a contradiction in terms. Yet telling someone to step back is motivational and should lead to success. Otherwise they can become so involved in what they are doing that they won’t see things clearly. Their projects won’t evolve and it is hard for them to develop new ideas or strategies. We all know of committees that have had the same people on them for years. Fresh ideas are often strangled at birth on the grounds that they know how it should be done. That is not to say the experience is not important but every so often we have to step back and look at things from a new angle, a different perspective. So if you really want to succeed heed the advice to step back and take a break. It is often the key to success.

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Managers need to motivate, especially in these recessionary time. The cheapest most effective way to do this is actually speak to the staff. Far too often they are not involved in matters that will affect their own livelihoods and that’s a wasted opportunity to motivate. That is not to say that you have to disclose sensitive information. I t is merely to say that you have to communicate what needs to be done to help make the company successful. It is to say that you should express your appreciation of what has been done to date. It is to stress the importance you place on their suggestions and their ideas. “If you cannot use such suggestions explain that it is too expensive or too much like a competitor’s idea. Explain why you cannot use the ideas rather than let them believe their ideas is being ignored. Say that you would welcome any other ideas they may have in the future. Show them that you understand their concerns. Speak about success and how they have an important role to play in it. Speak to your staff as equals. You may be the hub of the wheel and they may be the spokes but always remember that that makes you dependent on one another. Show them you that you recognise their importance and motivate them by sharing your own enthusiasm with them. Above all speak of “We” rather than just “You.”

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Create your own personal lifestyle code. That’s something many of us fail to do. Instead we copy others forgetting our own unique qualities. We are influenced by the media and fail to remember that we are not as others. We are instead individuals with our own ideas and our own potential. We do not fulfil that potential by being a mere imitation of someone else. If we have a code of our own we have guidelines for life. It can be a moral code or it can be set of standards we choose or a combination of both. Once we have settled on such a code we are able plan our route through life. It is, in fact, the highway we will travel. Times change of course but some things should remain constant and they are the standards by which we choose to live. Honesty, integrity and loyalty never go out of fashion for instance. So choose your code and live by it.

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Leaders do more than just lead. They also have to speak a lot. So motivational speeches are their stock in trade. They may be coaches speaking to their teams. It could be that they are spiritual leaders addressing a congregation. They might be officers in the army giving deployment speeches. In fact it is possible that they are C.E.O’s inspiring their sales staff or teachers speaking at a graduation. Whatever the occasion and whatever type of leader is in question their job is to motivate their particular audience to do something or be someone. So there speeches have to capture attention and challenge behaviour. They have to communicate their message clearly. They have to convince those listening that it IS possible, whatever it happens to be.

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Companies should celebrate their anniversaries. After all in these recessionary times lasting another year is something to be celebrated. That doesn’t mean that you have to have dinner for all the staff in the Ritz. The form of the celebration is not important it can be a very modest affair. What is important is that the staff should get together, happy in the knowledge that their company is still in business. It’s the ideal opportunity to urge everyone to be a team player. It’s time to point out the challenges facing the industry and the way that, working together, they can be overcome. So get them together and get them motivated and promise an even better party next year.

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Motivational speeches are for teachers as well as students in rhetoric classes. In fact almost every speech a teacher gives whether at the opening of term or the closing of it is motivational. There are other times, though, that a teacher can motivate. They can urge their students to strive for excellence or to focus on the important things of life. They can explain to them that they should never give up on their dreams. They can tell them to be assertive not aggressive. They can suggest to them to think outside the box and be an original or to look at things differently. In fact teachers have the opportunity to give life lessons as well as teaching ordinary academic subjects. Almost everybody has, at some time been inspired by a teacher. So when you are standing in front of those students help them to help themselves have better, more fulfilled lives in the future by what you say now.

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