Love at first sight can be the birth of a child; this deepens as the child grows from infant to adulthood. Granted there can be more electric and/or shocking periods as the child experiences the terrible two’s or teenage trauma. Love does not disappear during those times but it may undergo some stress in the relationship.

Customer service flows in a similar pattern. Ah, I hear your brain saying, “I’m beginning to get the connection.” When you first sign a contract with a new client, you are both anticipating a profitable and productive relationship. Naturally you are both eager to begin the process and discover the benefits of the new relationship.

Business involves people. With people come a variety of personalities; perhaps outside events (personal or other business factors) influence your business situation. The emotional current of those outside factors can create challenges causing the enthusiasm of this business situation to fade for a time. Just as the terrible two’s or teenage years can challenge a family relationship, so can outside factors challenge a business relationship.

This flow of emotional turmoil, emotional ice water, can be damaging at least temporarily to a business or a personal relationship. The fact that these challenges occur is undeniable. It is not about what happens outside your control; it is a matter of what you do that is within your control.

Just as that personal relationship requires patience, frequent attention and genuine communication, so does your business relationship. Customer service is about serving the customer. Serving the customer means more than produce a good product and deliver it on time, but follow up to determine how effectively the product is fulfilling the customer’s needs. Is the product solving the problem the customer expected it to solve? Is the product solving the customer’s problem in the way the customer anticipated that it would?

Follow up with the customer to determine:
1. What do you like about the product or service?
2. What would you like to have but do not have now?
3. What else can I do to assist you with this problem or another problem?

Just as a business relationship requires follow up and genuine intention to serve the customer, so a personal relationship requires heartfelt attention as well.

Relationships have common threads whether they are personal, inner company or client relationships. For more keys to effective customer service, hire Elaine Love to speak to your organization. The keys are simple, effective and highly profitable for all concerned when known and properly implemented. Customer service requires effective relationships. Effective relationships are more than just communication, they are sustained connections. To book Elaine Love, go to www.MeetElaineLove.com.

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District 26 Public Relations Officer
303-617-9525
Pro1112@d26leaders.org

Aurora, Colorado, April 23, 2012 (for immediate release)

Toastmasters District 26 Member Rises to the Top

District 26 congratulates Elaine Love, Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) who has achieved the status of Professional member of the National Speakers Association.
“Thanks to Toastmasters training, my speaking has progressed from total beginner to professional status in the National Speakers Association in three years. Toastmasters speaking and leadership training propelled me to two Distinguished Toastmaster awards in 42 months as well as an expanding trophy collection. The essence of effective communication is connection at its best. “
As District 26 Metro Division Governor 2011-2012, Elaine serves six areas where she has set a high bar for leadership and cooperation. Her team of area governors is inspired by Elaine’s example of personal performance and eagerly lends their support to one another.

# # # #

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Founded in October 1924, the organization currently has more than 270,000 members in 13,000 clubs in 116 countries. Each week, Toastmasters helps more than a quarter million people of every ethnicity, education and profession build their competence in communication so they can gain the confidence to lead others. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.d26toastmasters.org.

The National Speakers Association is the premier organization for professional speakers offering resources and meetings to build a successful speaking career. Members must meet a specific set of criteria to be eligible. Read more at www.nsaspeaker.org/

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Do you relate to Mary Kay Ash, “There are two things people want more than sex and money… recognition and praise.”

Or do you relate to Bob Nelson, “People may take a job for more money, but they often leave it for more recognition.”

William James phrased it “What every genuine philosopher (every genuine man, in fact) craves most is praise – although the philosophers generally call it ‘recognition’!”

All three are extolling the importance of recognition.

The book, Emotional Ice Water speaks of emotional blocks encountered in life. Amazingly, many blocks can avoid being created in the first place simply by recognizing people and appreciating their efforts. How many emotional blocks: anger, guilt, lack of deservability, or low self confidence were created or justified because someone did not feel appreciated.

Think of a small child who brings you a bug. Now if you are like me, you don’t like bugs. To this small child at this moment in time, catching that bug was a major achievement. Yes, I know you were probably very busily working on an important project and admiring a bug was the last thing on your priority list. Could you consider taking 30 seconds to a minute to praise the child for catching the bug?

Take this same scenario in to the workplace and in to your volunteer organizations. Employees come to work because they are getting paid. It is handy to have money to pay the mortgage, food and even gas to drive to work.

Check out this link of appreciation http://d26toastmasters.org/WP/members/officer-resources. Marcia, Amber, Ann, Shari and Tyler have all worked together as a team. They are all volunteers. Note the caption under the picture: ‘The Metro ‘Team Awesome’ sets a high bar for leadership, cooperation, and fun to serve the clubs, areas, division, and the district. This is the goal we all shoot for. I am so very proud of the area governors in Metro. They are all always willing to step up to help and support each other. “
-Elaine Love DTM, Metro Division Governor 2011-2012

Think how you can reward your family, co-workers or fellow volunteers. You will be amazed and thrilled at the boost in attitude and the enhanced sense of pride and cooperation. Just a tiny token of appreciation goes a long way.

Darren Hardy, Publisher of Success Magazine, started an appreciation journal one Thanksgiving. Every day he wrote something he appreciated about his wife. At the end of a full year he had filled an entire journal. He wrapped it and gave it to his wife as a present. She cried tears of joy and told him, “This is the best present I have ever received.”

Appreciation (Recognition) is the best prevention of Emotional Ice Water. When we concentrate on good thoughts and good feelings for each other, we eliminate any room for negativity.

Where can you find an opportunity to appreciate someone?

For more positive solutions to living a productive, profitable and peaceful life, opt in to www.Elaine4Success.com or hire Elaine Love to speak or train at your next event. Emotional Ice Water exists, but there are solutions and there are preventions.

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Connections are Key

Do you know yourself? Really know yourself? Sounds like a strange question, perhaps.

If you have ever taken the Myers Briggs or the DISC profile, you are familiar with psychological types – behavioral types – personality types. This information is extremely helpful as it guides you to know how to present your information in the manner which your listener finds most appealing to them.

For a more extensive description and adaptation of your specific message to each, contact me or attend one of my workshops.

Task People

Driver

Expressive

Analytical

Amiable

A Driver is task oriented, results driven and a rapid decision maker.

An Expressive is people oriented, recognition driven and also a fast thinker.

An Analytical is task oriented, accuracy driven and a more cautious decision maker.

An Amiable is people oriented, security driven (they want to be liked) and requires a longer time frame to get to know people.

Granted this is a brief, 30,000 foot level description but it provides the general idea. If you were presenting a potential home for purchase to a driver, you would give them the facts, the status potential of the location and move at a more rapid pace.

Presenting that exact house to an expressive, you would emphasize the social opportunities. An expressive is more interested in the people aspect. You would also move along quickly as they are rapid decision makers.

The analytical would want all of the statistics – demographics, statistics about the property including every possible number fact. Don’t rush them, they like to research every detail and know all of your sources for your information. They will ask numerous questions to be certain they have all of the facts to make a good decision.

The amiable will want to know that the neighbors are friendly and that it will be a good environment for their family. They may even want to meet the neighbors in advance to get to know the community.

Currently I am reading Carol Tuttle’s book It’s Just My Nature about the 4 energy types. It follows a similar pattern in that it describes the 4 different personality types as it relates to their internal and external energy patterns.

Once again, a 30,000 foot view:

Type 1 is light hearted, upbeat, non-structured and spontaneous.

Type 2 is more connected, relaxed, subtle and steady.

Type 3 is active, dynamic, swift and confident.

Type 4 is Constant, structured, reflective and precise.

Carol goes into great detail about the various tendencies and even physical appearances of each energy type.

As a presentation trainer, my focus is how to present to each energy type in the manner they prefer to receive the information,

A type 1 personality would want to keep the information light, fast moving and fun. Tedious details would leave them bored and distracted very quickly.

A type 2 would prefer to receive their information very similar to the manner in which you would present to an amiable. Making connections would be very important. If you rush them, they will retreat. Mentally they will join the witness protection plan and disappear.

Type 3 is similar to the expressive/intuitive style. They enjoy center stage and are quite willing, even eager, to step into new social situations. Showing them a house miles from the nearest neighbor would be as undesirable as forcing them to work in a cubicle with no windows and no other people in the area.

Type 4 is similar to the analytical in that they want structure and detailed, verified facts. They are deep thinkers who want to know what, why, where and how.

Whether your terminology is behavior, personality, psychological or energy, the common denominator is that people are individuals. They each have a preferred method of receiving and transmitting information. If you want to be the most effective in your communication, it is important to recognize the various individual preferences. Once you become aware of the different styles, you can start crafting your message in the manner they wish to receive it. Once you communicate in their preferred style, you begin to make connections.

The key to effective communication is connecting with people. Connection is at least one step above communication. Improve your connection and you improve your results.

Hire Elaine Love to speak or train at your next event. More connections equal more sales and more happy customers. Can you really afford NOT to connect? www.Elaine4Success.com and click on the “contact” tab.

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Welcome!

We are pleased you are ready to expand your skills, your value to others and your PROFIT.

Elaine Love

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Committed to your success . . .

World Class Speaking Coach

www.Elaine4Success.com
303-284-0514

I work with professionals who choose to improve the effectiveness of their presentations.

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Winner of the International

“Innovator of the Year Award”

To Achieve more. . . . Connect more

More Connections = More Sales

and More Happy Customers

You will gain:

	Immediate connection with your audience
	Specific keys to holding their attention
	Keys to be remembered and repeated
	Systems to keep you “top of mind.”
	Solutions to increase your connection

You only have to connect if you want them
to remember you and what you said.

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To have World Class Success, train with a World Class Speech Coach.  Simple secrets you can not afford to ignore if you desire to reach the top and stay on top.

Book Elaine Love

to Speak at Your Next Event

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You will receive a proven system that guarantees success

Author of the life changing book

‘Emotional Ice Water
- Solutions for identifying and melting the final blocks to achieving connections.’

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 ”Elaine spoke to our top leaders from 8 states, she gave us new and positive ways to connect with people which is EXACTLY what we wanted. Thanks Elaine”
-Tom Fajardo, State Farm

Elaine Love

Elaine combines femininity with savvy business expertise so that you can increase your productivity, profitability and peace of mind. Your group will learn the systems and strategies necessary to create and continue success in a challenging marketplace.

As an experienced and award winning entrepreneur – for over 35 years – as well as an award winning speaker, trainer and author, Elaine reveals the secrets to tap into your inner strength and power without abandoning your core values.

Elaine’s proven formula is essential for any leader to create and share a compelling vision.

When the world said, “You can’t!” Elaine Love used that as fuel to show the world that she can.  You will learn how You Can Also. Her straight forward, simple formulas spiral your productivity and profitability UPWARD.

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If you are like me, you probably have a l-o-n-g list of “I will do this just as soon as I have time.” Volunteering in the community, spending more quality time (focused hours rather than time when part of my mind drifts in and out with “I need to remember to do . . .”) and creating more materials to assist others are all activities which vie for the time available. If we truly desire to do these activities, why don’t we? The common excuse/reason becomes “not enough hours in the day or not enough energy.” Is it really not enough hours or is it the energy to invest in doing additional activities? Do other items seem to rank higher on your priority list? Sometimes the urgent and important seem to bump the important but less immediately urgent off the list entirely. By the end of the day, eight hours or sixteen hours depends on your individual schedule, exhaustion sets in and you sit down with a sigh of “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

Did you over-schedule the time required, become distracted, or simply run out of energy before you ran out of tasks to do? With more energy, you could accomplish more.

Energy comes from three main sources: nutrition, sleep and mindset. The items and quantity which enters our mouth influences our energy. Sugar, kiddy cocaine, sends our blood sugar rocketing to the top of the scale and then crashing down to the sub-basement level with alarming speed. Overeating slows down every body function; all of your energy becomes focused on digesting the massive meal. With the depletion of energy comes the overwhelming urge to close your eyes in a nap. Starchy foods tend to react much the same as sugar only on a more roller coaster curve than sharp peaks. Too little food or too little nutritious food and the body does not have the fuel to produce energy. What you do or do not eat has a significant impact on your energy.

The second influence on energy is sleep. Optimum sleep time varies with age and quality of the sleeping hours. Even though the basal sleep need varies with each person, the need to consistently receive sufficient sleep is necessary for all individuals. Sleep deprivation can lead to serious health consequences.

In a recent sleepfoundation.org article it stated: “short sleep duration is linked with:
• Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents
• Increase in body mass index – a greater likelihood of obesity due to an increased appetite caused by sleep deprivation
• Increased risk of diabetes and heart problems
• Increased risk for psychiatric conditions including depression and substance abuse
• Decreased ability to pay attention, react to signals or remember new information.
According to researchers Michael H. Bonnet and Donna L. Arand, “There is strong evidence that sufficient shortening or disturbance of the sleep process compromises mood, performance and alertness and can result in injury or death. In this light, the most common-sense ‘do no injury’ medical advice would be to avoid sleep deprivation.”
Nutrition and sleep both impact your energy level; however, the number one energy drain according to the One Percent Club is negative thinking. Your mindset maintains the most significant influence on your energy level. Negative thoughts can drain your energy faster than Superman can fly through the air. (If you are a Superman aficionado, you know he is reputed to be faster than a speeding bullet.)
Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 – 1948) said, “Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.”
You can chose to hold a positive or a negative thought but not both at the same time. Positive thoughts escalate into successful and happy lives. Negative thoughts drag your mood down, deplete your energy and throw a wet blanket over your life. Even worse, negativity throws an icy wet blanket over everyone around you.
Emotional Ice Water is a solution focused book detailing immediately implementable steps you can take to restore the peace within your soul. Numerous causes of negativity are explained along with potential solutions for each situation.
You maintain a high degree of control over your nutrition and sleep; however, your mind is totally within your control. Removing emotional barriers and enhancing positive thoughts will lift your emotional spirits and boost your energy.
What will you do when your mind is totally on a positive track and your emotional and physical energy is restored to peak levels?
Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com. Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote or workshop leader for your next event. Whether you are seeking to improve your personal energy, your employment situation, or be more effective in other aspects of your life, contact me and allow me to assist you. How will your life improve with more energy and enthusiasm?

Emotional Ice Water Cover

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A dear friend of mine frequently quips, “You heard the thought at the same time I did.”  In an ideal mental and physical installation, there is a filter between the thought entering the conscious mind and that same thought exiting in audible words.  There are cases on record of both faulty installations and totally absent installations.

July 4, 2011 at 1 pm I had a blind date with a professional golfer.  Having achieved the rank of professional on the PGA circuit, one would expect a certain degree of class and social graces.

His offer of a putting lesson sounded like a good idea. The lesson was certainly needed.  “Yes, I live on the 13^th tee of a professional golf course.  Yes, a golf bag and clubs exist in the dark recesses of the garage; however, they have not even been dusted in 30 years.”

3.57965 minutes into the putting lesson he said. “You have a great body.  How much do you weigh?  125 pounds?”

Guys, be honest.  How many of you even ask your wife what she weighs?  Add insult to shock and volunteer a number and you may be sleeping on the couch for a week.  Plan on taking up permanent residence on the couch if you volunteered a number and you were high.

With a height of five foot one inch and wearing a size zero, obesity is not my issue.  Fortunately, a positive mental attitude exists to ward off the emotional ice water of such thoughtless remarks.

“Ralph, you are wrong, your number is high.”  Mentally, my cleats are dug in to the turf but my mind is racing for the safety of my car.  Totally clueless, he did not even bother to apologize.

A few months later he sent an email,”Do you remember me?”  Remember him?  Oh yes.  Respond to the email. .  .no!

In the interest of not being accused of gender bashing, come with me to a professional Realtor organization.  Keep in mind that my Real Estate Brokers license was issued in 1986; I have utmost respect for the industry.

The new President of the organization came up to me and declared, “Oh Elaine, the day I met you I went home and told my husband that I just met a lady with the most fabulous figure.  She must be in her 70s.”

Social error number two is commenting on a female’s age and volunteering a number over a decade high.

Once again, thank you for a positive mental attitude to see the humor in a potentially insulting situation.  Emotional ice water can be offset with a positive mental attitude.

Once again we have a serious filter installation issue.  Expertise in one area does not mean expertise in all areas.  Both individuals were accomplished professionals in their area of expertise.  Both committed grievous social errors.

Fortunately, maintaining a positive mental attitude provided ego salvation.

Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net.  Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote speaker or workshop leader for your next event.  Whether you are seeking to improve your employment situation, gain more expertise as a public speaker or be more effective persuading your kids, hiring a coach will assist you.  Your success requires a positive mental attitude.

Could it be priorities?  Distractions?  Perhaps it is an overactive “yes” gland.  Yes, I will get the groceries, cook the meals, take the kids to soccer practice, clean the house, volunteer at school, volunteer at church and work a full time job.  Sound familiar?  Looking at my calendar; I am guilty as charged.

Are all of these worthwhile endeavors?  Yes.  Do each of these activities need to be performed?  Yes.  Do they all need to be performed by you every day?  Maybe not.

As a busy executive discovers, some duties can be delegated, some declined and some prioritized.  Look at your “to do” list.  What is the possibility of having someone else in the house cook one meal a week?  How about doing a double batch one night and freezing it for next week?  Anything super easy and fast which would work for one meal a week?  Be creative.

Write a detailed list of everything you do for a week.  Pick one item a day and explore the options available.  Who is available to help with that task or even take it completely?

Carefully examine everything you do.  Caution, take only one item to brainstorm a day.

Your busy brain is now saying, with so many things to do and no time to do them how am I supposed to find time to do this additional task?

Treat yourself to 15 minutes a day just for yourself.  Yes, at first, that may be in the evening or early morning.  How badly do you truly want to recover your sanity and get your time under control?  Is it worth 15 minutes a day?  Your decision.

If you truly desire to take control of your time, it will require designing a success plan.  Design a plan you will actually follow through.  This is not a New Years Resolution which is broken in 3 days or maybe even 3 hours.  Design a success plan of your choosing which you truly believe you can follow through.  Implement the plan a if your life depended on its success.  Make the follow through an unbreakable priority.

Your 24 hours a day slips by whether you are harried, frustrated or organized.  The familiar saying “time is money” is simply not true.  If you lose money, there is always the possibility of making more money.  Once time is gone, it can never be recovered.

Email me with your time and sanity recovery success plan.  Success stories are wonderful!  The present is a great time to start!  Today in fact is the perfect day to start writing your new success plan.

Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net.  Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote speaker or workshop leader for your next event.  Whether you are seeking to improve your employment situation, gain more expertise as a public speaker or be more effective persuading your kids, hiring a coach will assist you.  Your success requires a success plan.

Have you ever said something which was perfectly clear in your mind, but someone else heard an entirely different meaning?

It is perfectly natural to view situations through our own personal experience and knowledge filter. Since we all have a different experience filter, is it any wonder that we see the situation from a different angle and thus receive a different message?

Come with me to a recent speech to 50 young financial professionals. The scent of coffee and chocolate drifts through the air as the group settles in to their seats in the packed conference room. The group of 20 and 30 year olds deal with the public all day in their jobs. My topic was Emotional Ice Water – how to deal with negative behavior in a positive way. Phrased another way; how to remain sane and calm in the middle of an emotional ice storm. The event organizers had encouraged me to distribute my businerss cards. My words to the audience were, “If you prefer to discuss your situation privately rather than to say it aloud in front of your co-workers, call me. You have my card.”

During the debrief a week or so later, Brenda said, “Elaine, place yourself in the mindset of these young financial professionals. Their job is to offer financial advice for a fee. Naturally, their filter says “If you are offering me advice, you plan to charge me a fee.” View my offer to help them through their lens of “If I call her, she will charge me,” the offer becomes a business promotion on my part rather than an offer to help them.

Change the angle of your viewpoint and the meaning changes. “What they heard is not what I meant.”

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer

Miscommunication occurs in all aspects of our daily lives. One of the most frequently cited causes of marital discord are “We just can’t communicate.” Actually, the root problem is not a lack of communication but a lack of connecting. When two people connect, they both understand and receive the same message. Communication occurs when one expresses thoughts verbally or in writing; however, it does not mean that the other party receives the message as the speaker intended. The disconnect is not in communication but connection.

Have you ever experienced miscommunication in a relationship? Guys have you ever asked a woman, “What’s wrong?” “Oh, nothing. . .” You get that “Oh not, knot in your stomach that says “What did I do wrong? What did I say? How can I fix this?” “I dn’t even know what I did wrong.”

In John Gray’s book, Men Are From Mars and Women Are From Venus, he extols the challenges of male and female communication. Do you ever feel as if you are speaking an entirely different language?

What she heard was not what he meant. Lack of communication happens in our personal and professional lives.
Money can be a major stumbling block, especially when it appears to be in short supply. Not only do couples have differing viewpoints of the best use of money, but this stress is transferred to others outside the walls of homes.

With the current economic turmoil, financial professionals are encountering negative reactions far too frequently. Imagine the shock when this group of young financial professionals heard, “The answer to your emotional turmoil is the IRS.” I can hear your brains saying, “What? The IRS is the answer to my emotional turmoil? I don’t think so.”

What do you think of when you hear the acronym IRS? Internal Revenue Service, right? Perfectly natural reaction, and that is one correct answer, but not the only correct answer.

Yes, the answer to emotional turmoil really can be the IRS.

Do a subtle mindset shift. What if the acronym meant something different than Internal Revenue Service. What if IRS meant . . .

Identify your feelings and why you feel as you do.
Release the stress and tension
Seek a solution.

Change the angle of your viewpoint and the meaning changes..

Doing a mindset shift from assuming IRS meant Internal Revenue Service to the new possibility that it meant Identify feelings, Release stress and Seek a solution changes your entire viewpoint.

What other facts do you know which may look different when viewed from a different angle.

Feelings and experiences serve as a filter for our perceptions of events in our life.

Change the angle of your viewpoint and the meaning changes.

Look at all events in your life from different angles and you will create more harmony for yourself and everyone around you. Looking from different viewpoints creates understanding and less hurt feelings. Understanding removes un-necessary tension and opens the door for solutions.

Change the angle of your viewpoint and the meaning changes.

Who knows? The future view of your life could improve from dismal gray to sunshine and gold.

Join me at www.Elaine4Success.com or www.ElaineSpeaks.net. Hire Elaine Love as your coach and as the keynote or workshop leader for your next event. Whether you are seeking to improve your employment situation, gain more expertise as a public speaker or be more effective persuading your kids, hiring a coach will assist you. Speak to connect, not just communicate.

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