Archive for 2013

Want to write or talk about Priscilla Richardson? Here’s what you need to know. Feel free to quote anything you see in this section.

 

 

My book Speak, Don’t Freak: Six Secrets to Master the Fear of Speaking will be published by Motivational Press, coming out soon. This book brings together the teaching, training and writing I’ve done for almost 20 years to help those who suffer from the shakes and the pain of standing up to speak.

 

 

After the concept of using passion about a topic to erase fear, each chapter has an inspirational quotation to start – for example, Whoever listens to me [wisdom] will live in safety and at ease, without fear of harm. from Proverbs 1:33.

 

More how-to’s launch with this definition: “Fear is excitement without the breath.” A whole chapter demonstrates the how’s of diaphragm breathing to support a calm and purposeful voice. Another chapter illustrates the way Olympic athletes prepare to win, using directed imagining.

 

The book goes on to give ideas for speech practice and preparation for unexpected things that come up while speaking, such as heckling.

 

 

Now – who am I to write this book?

I am a recovering attorney, meaning I am licensed to practice law in Virginia but I’d much rather write and speak. I started my writing and speaking career by doing, because there’s a tremendous need that’s just not being met. Look at all the people you know who would rather die than get up to make even a short report to a group. Or who moan and sweat over writing that report. It’s not easy to find someone who can help you communicate successfully – without adding more pain to the process.

 

First I published articles as a freelancer for magazines such as Woman’s Day, and in between I did professional speaking. More recently, I wrote about Botetourt county folks for 6 and half years for the Botetourt View.

 

Today, with over one hundred forty articles (and more coming all the time) I have appeared in print media as varied as Successful Meetings and The Practicing CPA, and in e-zines such as Worldprofit Magazine and the Prosperous Living Crusader – list below.

As a speaker for clients such as Roanoke City Engineering Department, Hanover Direct, Litton Network Access Systems and the National Association of Women Business Owners, I like to start by telling audiences “your ideas will be turned up-side-down.” Then I lead them into new — and easier — approaches.

 

For example: I tell groups not to worry about the so-called rules of grammar. Because they do not exist!
I like to leave my motto behind me:  “Success is 1% inspiration & 99% communication!”©

Partial client listing

Litton Network Access Systems

Hanover Direct

National Association of Executive Secretaries & Administrative Assistants

Carilion Health System

Roanoke Times

Webb’s Oil Corporation

Business & Professional Women/Virginia

American Business Women’s Association/Roanoke

Hollins College Women’s Center

Roanoke County Adult Education

Junior League/Roanoke

American Society for Training & Development/Valleys of Virginia

National Association of Women Business Owners

SOME RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Four Steps to Avoiding Embarrassment in Print TE* PR*

In Your Next Meeting, Try Hitting Your Coworkers’ WIIFM Button OP*

Taming the Fear Monster of Public Speaking SM, FH, WPM*

Speechless OP*

Marketing: Publishing in Five Easy Steps PCPA*

Five Easy Steps to Building Your Training Career with Published Articles FO*

A Winning Proposition SM*

Your Presentation Voice, Five Secrets of a Successful Start FH*

Dealing with Difficult Questions During Presentations CEO, FH, SP, WPM*

“When in Rome. . ..”:Writing for Translation SM, TE*

Personal Finance Roundup Book Review RT*

Career Roundup Book Review RT, PLC*

Using Your Public Library for FREE Wealth-Building Help PLC*

Forty-three articles to date for BRBJ* & one for PE*

Cellular Telephone Eavesdropping WD*

Exit 44, the Business Side of an Interstate Exchange R*

Meriwether, a Planned Unit Development near Historic Fincastle R*

Personal finance monthly column F*

**** Communication Insights   Monthly Email Newsletter***

*key to publication name

BRBJ=Blue Ridge Business Journal CEO=Cutting Edge Opportunity FH=Fincastle Herald F=Frond FO=Focus OP=Office Pro PCPA=Practicing CPA PE=Progressive Engineer PLC=Prosperous Living Crusader PR=Presentations Magazine RT=Roanoke Times R=Roanoker Magazine SM=Successful Meetings SP=Success Pill TE=The Executary WD=Woman’s Day WPM=Worldprofit Magazine

Speak all Day Without Hoarseness

The Missing Link in Teamwork and in Customer Service:  Effective Listening

By Priscilla Richardson

What’s the most valuable commodity in any business today? It’s not money. Anyone can go out and borrow a ton of it. It’s not equipment or software. Anyone with money can buy the same things.

The most valuable commodity is information. For example, your customer list. Can I come in and take it? Buy it?

Why not? Without your customer list you’d have to start all over again. You’d go from being in business to wanting to be in it. Big $$ difference.

That leads to the most valuable asset in any organization, you, its people.

You use your own information obtained through education and experience. You use company information to bring in and service business. With information, you make the profits to pay salaries and bonuses.

Then comes the question: how do you as an individual or you as a company representative, get your information? Reading? Good, the more you read the more you’ll know.

But most of us get a lot of our every day, work-a-day information through listening. Co-workers on your team talk to you. Your customers talk to you. You listen.

The big problem with getting information through listening? Everybody — and that includes you and me –  forgets 45% of what they hear.

That means if you’re working in a team and basing work decisions on what you heard, you can be working with HALF of what you need.

If you’re working with a customer, basing price quotes and recommendations on what you heard, you can be working with HALF of what you need.

How do you take care you’re using 100%? With active listening.

How do you listen actively? By

Taking notes.

Asking questions.

Avoiding multi-tasking.

Killing your assumptions about people and situations.

And paying attention while listening instead of planning what you’re going to say.

Remember the most valuable commodity in any business, information. Remember to listen more actively.

Starting right now.

END

Communication consultant Priscilla Richardson speaks & trains on all communications topics. For more information on how she can help your business or association reach greater productivity, email her at Guru@WriteSpeakforSuccess.com.

You are free to use any of this material in whole or in part as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link and email link. Please also notify me where the material will appear.

The Missing Link in Teamwork and in Customer Service:  Effective Listening

By Priscilla Richardson

What’s the most valuable commodity in any business today? It’s not money. Anyone can go out and borrow a ton of it. It’s not equipment or software. Anyone with money can buy the same things.

The most valuable commodity is information. For example, your customer list. Can I come in and take it? Buy it?

Why not? Without your customer list you’d have to start all over again. You’d go from being in business to wanting to be in it. Big $$ difference.

That leads to the most valuable asset in any organization, you, its people.

You use your own information obtained through education and experience. You use company information to bring in and service business. With information, you make the profits to pay salaries and bonuses.

Then comes the question: how do you as an individual or you as a company representative, get your information? Reading? Good, the more you read the more you’ll know.

But most of us get a lot of our every day, work-a-day information through listening. Co-workers on your team talk to you. Your customers talk to you. You listen.

The big problem with getting information through listening? Everybody — and that includes you and me –  forgets 45% of what they hear.

That means if you’re working in a team and basing work decisions on what you heard, you can be working with HALF of what you need.

If you’re working with a customer, basing price quotes and recommendations on what you heard, you can be working with HALF of what you need.

How do you take care you’re using 100%? With active listening.

How do you listen actively? By

Taking notes.

Asking questions.

Avoiding multi-tasking.

Killing your assumptions about people and situations.

And paying attention while listening instead of planning what you’re going to say.

Remember the most valuable commodity in any business, information. Remember to listen more actively.

Starting right now.

END

Communication consultant Priscilla Richardson speaks & trains on all communications topics. For more information on how she can help your business or association reach greater productivity, email her at Guru@WriteSpeakforSuccess.com.

You are free to use any of this material in whole or in part as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link and email link. Please also notify me where the material will appear.