Welcome to this 166th edition of Rachel's Reflections, the number one Internet publication providing you with practical, dynamic help to develop your emotional intelligence and communication skills.
Written and published by Rachel Green.
Visit our website at http://www.rachelgreen.com
To subscribe or unsubscribe click here.
In this edition:
- How to be the perfect dinner party host.
- Latest news: New course for Christmas.
- Top tips on how to be the perfect dinner host.
- How you can learn more at home or work, immediately: First 5 to book into the featured course by 7th september 2005 will get a free CD set.
- Fortnightly Feelings: "I was satisfied."
- Laugh your socks off.
1. How to be the perfect dinner party host.
I was speaking on Radio ABC Darwin recently and a caller phoned in describing a nightmare of an experience that she'd had in the hands of a dinner host and hostess. It turned out that the host and hostess had very strong political views that the guests didn't share. Worse still, the host and hostess kept on talking about their political side of life. Every time the guests tried to change the topic and introduce something different and lighter, the hostess would revert straight back to politics with the phrase, "As I was saying...". This couple had a dreadful evening. Don't do this to your guests. Be the perfect dinner party host or hostess and leave your guests happy and wanting to invite you back! How? Read on to the tips section.
2. Latest news: Christmas functions made interesting.
The rounds of Christmas functions will be starting soon. Client functions, staff Christmas parties, the relatives for Christmas dinner ... the number of events that we are expected to attend can seem daunting sometimes. So we're putting on a New! course to help you cope and converse at all your Christmas networking and business functions AND your social ones too. Let's have cheer this Christmas. Come along to our new course on Thursday, 13th October 2005 "Be a winner at Christmas dinner (or any networking event): Chat and network with confidence and skill". This is our featured course of the fortnight and the first 5 people to book in through this edition of Rachel's Reflections will get a free copy of the CD set "Be a winner at dinner" to the value of $75; providing they've booked in and paid by Wednesday 7th September 2005. Be one of them. Click here to book now.
3. Top tips on how to be the perfect dinner party host or hostess.
Tip A. Match your guests thoughtfully.
When you're deciding whom to invite think carefully about the different personalities and interests of the people involved. Picking five Extraverts and one Introvert may make it very hard for the Introvert. Having four fanatical football fans and someone who loathes football may potentially get boring. Or inviting one single person amongst four married couples may be hard for the single person. Invite people with similar interests and personalities. Of course, a wide range of cultures and backgrounds can be even more fascinating, but also more work for you.
Tip B. Prepare topics in advance.
Don't just spend your time on preparing the food, cleaning your house or working out what to wear. The biggest part of any event is the conversation. People do not eat food in silence! So decide in advance on at least five topics you can introduce into conversation. And be willing to do this whenever the conversation falls into silence.
And if you're not sure what to talk about come along to our featured course of the fortnight: "Be a winner at Christmas dinner" on 13th October 2005. Click here to book now.
Tip C. Monitor your guests' involvement.
Keep an eye open for guests who aren't saying much or who seem to be isolating themselves. It's your job to help keep them involved. Make it easy for them to feel a part of it. Help them feel comfortable with what's happening. I remember going to an evening picnic concert recently. Sitting in front of us, on the lawn, were a group of nine people, all eating their dinners together. Four were couples and one was a woman on her own. As the evening progressed I watched the couples enjoying the conversation and the single person move to the outer edge of the group both psychologically and physically. No-one bothered to help her feel included. Don't let your guests feel left out of it. Involve them. It's your job!
Tip D. Monitor for bores or domineering people.
Watch who is doing what and to whom, conversationally speaking. If one person is dominating and the others are only politely tolerating, do something to break this pattern. For example, you may do this by starting another conversation with some of the others, attracting the dominant person's attention, changing the topic and then throwing it to someone else, or making everyone move seats.
Tip E. Put time limits on the invitation.
If you're worried about people staying too long then put time limits on the invitation and tell your guests in advance. I say something along the lines of, "We're not wanting a late night as I have an early start the next day, so we'll be finished by 10pm". This way, when it gets to the event itself, it's easy to say "10 o'clock, it's time to go."
4. How you can learn more at home or work, immediately.
Be a winner at dinner: Chat and network with confidence and skill.
This set of 3 CDs will help you develop your conversational skills at dinner and other events, so you can be the perfect hostess or host and cope with all your Christmas functions. Have lots of topics to talk about, overcome awkward silences, avoid running out of things to say and be able to get your guests to open-up to you. Order now! AU$75.00, with no extra for postage, world-wide.
BONUS OFFER - The first five people to book into and pay for the featured course of the fortnight "Be a winner at Christmas Dinner" will receive an absolutely free copy of the 3CD set "Be a winner at dinner", to the value of $75, providing you book in and pay by 7th September 2005.
Other free newsletters:
There are now over 165 newsletters bursting with practical tips on the rachelgreen.com website for you to read or print off whenever you wish. Several include tips on conversation.
Click here to read them.
Tips
Benefit from other useful tips on the rachelgreen.com website. Topics range from how to talk to teenagers or elderly parents to personality types, body language and developing your emotional intelligence. Click here to read them.
NEW! Ten tips on being the perfect dinner party host. Click here to read them.
5. Check your Fortnightly Feelings: "I was satisfied."
How many feeling words do you have in your vocabulary? You need the language of emotions to understand and think about emotions and to communicate clearly. Send me your stories of the feelings you've experienced.
Today's word is satisfied.
"I had so much to do and so little time to do it in. The usual story: commitments to fulfil, family duties to meet, work to be done, unexpected issues to deal with, friends to see, and all while planning to go on a big holiday and getting the house ready for renovations. Every day I woke up with a list in my head to tick off that day. And each evening I'd have generated another list of things to do. The pace was frantic. I was juggling so many things at the same time. I kept going. Then as I saw the jobs getting finished, one by one, I started to relax. Things began to come together. Everything was ready for the builders to begin. The lounge was cleared. The relatives had visited. The holiday itinerary was finished. I looked outside the window. The sun was shining. I was breathing easily. And I felt satisfied."
The strength of the emotion: Mildly pleasing.
Associated emotions: Relaxed, happy, pleased, at peace, still, content, gratified, good, at ease.
6. Laugh your socks off.
This is said to be an actual job application a 17 year old boy submitted at a fast-food establishment in Florida ... and they supposedly hired him because he was so honest and funny!
NAME: David Homer
SEX: Not yet. Still waiting for the right person.
DESIRED POSITION: Company's President or Vice President. But seriously, whatever's available. If I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn't be applying here in the first place.
DESIRED SALARY: $185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz style severance package. If that's not possible, make an offer and we can haggle.
EDUCATION: Yes.
LAST POSITION HELD: Target for middle management hostility.
SALARY: Less than I'm worth.
MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it notes.
REASON FOR LEAVING: It sucked.
HOURS AVAILABLE TO WORK: Any.
PREFERRED HOURS: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL SKILLS? Yes, but they're better suited to a more intimate environment.
MAY WE CONTACT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER? If I had one, would I be here?
DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM LIFTING UP TO 50 LBS? Of what?
DO YOU HAVE A CAR? I think the more appropriate question here would be "Do you have a car that runs?"
HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION? I may already be a winner of the Publishers Clearing house Sweepstakes.
DO YOU SMOKE? On the job no, on my breaks yes.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS? Living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy dumb sexy blonde super model who thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually, I'd like to be doing that now.
DO YOU CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE? Yes. Absolutely.
SIGN HERE: Aries.
If you have some clean jokes we can use, please send your contributions to
May you entertain your guests in magnificent style so you all enjoy yourselves.
Until next fortnight,
With kindness,
Rachel.
How I can help you, now.
If you would like to have a conference, event or function with an energetic and entertaining speech, E-mail or call +61 8 9390 1188, or fax +61 8 9390 1199.
You can also attend regular public seminars in Western Australia, to develop your communication, presentation skills, emotional intelligence or networking strategies. To be automatically kept up-to-date on future courses please e-mail us at: .
Job interview training is available, e-mail:
If you need to enhance your people's communication, presentation, networking or emotional intelligence skills, I can help you:
Wanting to learn in your own time?
There are four CDs and a book to help you:
- "Happy not hassled: Manage your emotions, meditate and find contentment": 2 CD set, only $45.
- "How not to take things personally: Dealing positively with negativity": 2 CD set only $45.
- "Midlife and Happiness": A book to inspire anyone over 40. Only $34.95.
- "How to be a winner at dinner: Chat and network with confidence": 3 CD set and booklet, only $75.
- "Becoming a skilled communicator": 3 CD set, only $60.
Order all 5 in one go and you will receive a bonus saving of 10%.
To order e-mail us now:
Make sure you read the next Rachel's Reflections:
 | Team work made easier.
|
| Manipulative mothers-in-law.
|
Subscribe now
If you know of anyone who might benefit from these newsletters, please send them a copy or encourage them to subscribe. Click here to subscribe - it's free! All NEW subscribers get a FREE BONUS E-report "7 easy ways to improve your relationships". Subscribe now.
Reflections is only sent to those who have requested it. Your privacy is protected and the mailing list is never shared with anyone.
Please note, material in this newsletter is copyrighted and remains the intellectual property of RachelGreen.Com Pty Ltd.
|
Disclaimer: The information in this newsletter is of a general nature and may not suit everyone or every situation. While every care has been taken to ensure it is useful and appropriate, no responsibility can be taken for the results gained from its implementation. Please seek individual professional guidance for any difficulties you may have in your communication, inter-personal or emotional skills. Thank you.
|
