www.staceyhanke.com

Author and speaker Stacey Hanke shares her top tips for speaking in public and no, we don’t have to imagine everyone in the audience is naked.

1. Focus on your listeners expectations. When you design your presentation to meet your listeners needs and expectations you increase the likelihood of influencing them to act on what you have to say. The acronym K.N.O.W. is an immediate, easy and effective way to do this.

o What do your listeners Know about your topic?

o What do they Need to know in the time frame you have to take the action you want them to take?

o What is their Opinion about your topic?

o Who are they?

2. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare…Practice, Practice, Practice. If your communication is not top notch in your day-to-day interactions, it certainly will not be powerful during your presentations. To be an effective, memorable and persuasive presenter you must first polish your day-to-day communication; face-to-face conversations, meetings, phone calls, etc. Then and only then will you be a presenter whose message gets heard.

3. Less is more! Stop rambling and start engaging. Pause is a powerful skill few people know how to use or are willing to use. You need to pause to think on your feet, change your message on the fly and give your listener an opportunity to hear and understand your message. Without the pause you will ramble, forget what to say and communicate more than your listeners want to hear. As a result, your listeners begin to question your intent. When you begin placing pauses at the end of your sentences, in between your thoughts and points, you immediately begin to engage your listeners and reach a call to action.

Stacey Hanke helps individuals change their communication behavior to maximize performance, boost profits and build relationships to win business. Her book “Yes You Can! Everything You Need From A to Z To Influence Others To Take Action”shares practical and immediate skills and techniques to change the way we communicate. Website: www.staceyhanke.com.

1. Why should we care about what happens on Wall Street?

Wall Street controls how money works in our society, including your money. All car loans, all home loans, all credit cards - anything you borrow money to buy - Wall Street affects. If WS goes down, your access to leasing and getting loans becomes unattainable. Additionally, the recent bailout of Wall Street will result in massive inflation, meaning that everything will be getting much more expensive, including every day things like groceries. Being prepared for this inflation will put you at an advantage later.

2. Should we cut back/stop our contributions to our 401K?

Not necessarily. Your first priority is to get rid of all of your debt. If you use the money that you would have put into your 401K to get rid of your debt, then yes. If you have a long time horizon before retirement, say 20-30 years, your 401K can stay like it is. If you are going to retire in 5 years, the deep recession we are heading into could have an adverse impact on your 401K and you should consider protecting your wealth by investing in other areas.

3. Where's the safest place to keep our money?

In the U.S. , there are few safe places for your money to hide. The dollar will decline rapidly, as will the stock market, as will government bonds. Consider investing in companies that produce resources like oil, timber, precious metals, wheat - resources that people need. Or with countries that are historical safe havens for money, like Switzerland (you can buy Swiss Francs, or Swiss bonds). Historically, precious metals, like gold and silver, do very well in times of economic crisis.

4. What is the first thing we should do if we loose our job?

Take a realistic look at your financial situation - your debt, your assets, and your monthly expenses. If you have plenty of savings, you can take your time and shop for the right job. If you are in more of a desperate financial situation, you should seek out any employment (temporary employment agencies, etc.) and swallow your pride. Some income is better than nothing. If you qualify for unemployment, you need to apply immediately.

I am Jill Keto, author of Don't Get Caught With Your Skirt Down: A Practical Girl's Recession Guide, which addresses the collapsing U.S. economy and practical solutions to survive in it. My expertise is in the current recession and lifestyle factors surrounding it, including how women can take charge of their money. My book is presently #5 on Amazon for "recession" books, and the only one for women.

Ingrid Betancourt made headlines across the world when she was released by the captors that had held her hostage for six and a half years. A man that knew her through the horrific captivity at the hands of the FARC was Luis Eladio Perez. He too was taken hostage and spent seven agonizing years not knowing if he would come out if it alive. But he did, and his recently released book Siete Años Secuestrado por las FARC recounts his time at the hand of his captors.
 
Written by Dario Arizmendi the book is hard to put down yet some parts almost too painful to read. However, there are lighter moments, where Mr. Perez is able to find ways of coping, like hearing his family's broadcast messages of love and support over the small portable radio he was allowed to keep. The broadcasts not only gave him hope but kept him from despairing at times when he could not see living through another day.
 
I spoke with Mr. Eladio Perez who was in Miami during a phone interview and he expressed that despite the great joy of being free he cannot fully manifest his happiness in light of his fellow countrymen who remain hostage.  Also spoke of Ingrid Betancourt and although he's not seen her since her release a bond has been created between them as a result of sharing days, months and years in captivity. This bond, said Mr. Perez goes beyond a friendship and becomes a sort of kinship.
 
In the face of so much loss and hardships I asked Mr. Perez what he gained: "Tolerance and humility" was his quick answer.

By Lorraine Howell

www.mediaskillstraining.com