Communication Articles

áá Have you ever wondered what separates average from superior performers in the workplace? Why do some

Envision the following scenario: You’re in a crowded room full of fitness professionals. Business cards are flying out of pockets as if possessed. Handshakes occur at a rate that makes a NASCAR race look like a slow crawl. There is a constant hum from the sound of voices weaving together in a cheerful harmony.

Reinvigoration Strategies By Kay L. Cross, MEd Breathe New Life Into Your Business Reignite your enthusiasm for your career by creating a new vision for your company. After a number of years in personal training, many trainers find themselves in need of renewal and reinvigoration. Burnout--due to boredom, stagnation and lack of personal balance--is common even among the most seasoned professional...

Just a few months ago, an 8-year-old boy had a 2-year-old bike collecting dust in the garage. His mother’s efforts to get the boy to ride were met with much resistance. So many other things came more easily for him; he simply was not eager to try this challenging activity. His mother was convinced his first wheels would be those on a car. The boy became more frustrated every time his mother encouraged him to try riding. She too began to get apprehensive. If he fell, the mishap was of course all her fault.

You’ve heard the story before.Your new client has decided to start working out.As she tells you her goals, you discover that she has never been successful at any program, and your health club is her third stab at making a lifestyle change. She explains that something always seems to get her sidetracked.This time, however, she knows it will be different. When talking to her about the commitment it will take to change her lifestyle, you get the distinct impression that she was really hoping you hadamagic wand you could wave over her and transform her life. Sound familiar?

Is teaching your class a no-brainer? Do your participants readily comprehend your ideas? Effective communication begins and ends with you. If your cues aren’t being understood, the problem may lie not in what you are saying, but in how you are saying it.

A great reason to attend one of IDEA’s three conferences this year is the outstanding networking opportunity. New research has found that entrepreneurs who want to enhance their creativity should mingle more and reach out to people they don’t know.

Brain-based research is revolutionizing teaching and learning. We have learned more about the brain in the past two decades than in all recorded history. However, all that knowledge is useless unless you know how to apply it. Learn how to implement brain-based theory in your own staff training and watch comprehension and follow-through improve.

Q:The teacher before me is running late again. Our back-to-back classes have only 10 minutes between them, and now my class will start late. What should I do? Barge in? Wait? My class participants expect me to do something. I need advice for handling this problem immediately, when the director isn’t around.

If you've followed this column since January, you've read about how savvy managers increase efficiency and avoid burnout by establishing work-related boundaries for themselves and their stuff. This final article in a series of five provides practical solutions for creating boundaries with three common categories of customers. When you skillfully reign in your most challenging and picky patrons, you boost productivity and strengthen customer ties. Here’s how to do it.