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Publisher: Jo Condrill Condrill@goalminds.com
http://www.goalminds.com
Copyright 2002 Jo Condrill All rights reserved
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After too long a hiatus, we’re back online! By way of a brief explanation, we hit what must be the top three on the stress charts: relocated the office, purchased a new home, and dealt with the emotional upheaval of an aging parent who may in the early stage of Altzheimers Disease.

New Office Address: GoalMinds, Inc.468 N. Camden Drive, Suite 200, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Phone: 310 860-5681; Fax: 310 860-5600.
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"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
-- St. Francis of Assisi by way of Dr. Michael Wardinski
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ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE
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1. What's New in the Book Business?
2. Who Else Wants to Do Business with the Federal Government?
3. How to Deal with Communication Challenges
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CONGRATULATIONS~Jim Blasingame has been named the U.S. Small Business Administration's 2002 Small Business Journalist of the year! Jim is the creator and host of the nationally syndicated radio/Internet talk show, The Small Business Advocate, publisher of the weekly ezine, The Small Business Advocate, and author of Small Business is Like a Bunch of Bananas (SBN Books) "This award is given annually to a journalist whose work goes the furthest to increase public understanding of the role of small business in the U.S. economy," said Hector Barreto, SBA Administrator. "Jim Blasingame's unstinting support of our efforts at the SBA is only exceeded by his passion for helping entrepreneurs follow their dreams. We are fortunate to have such an advocate, and this award is a tribute to Jim's significant contribution to small business and the marketplace of ideas." http://www.smallbusinessadvocate.com Jim enthusiastically recommends our book, A Millennium Primer: Take Charge of Your Life to his listeners. We have been a guest on his radio talk show several times.
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If you received this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, please put SUBSCRIBE in the body of an email and send to condrill@goalminds.com
To subscribe to Jim's weekly Small Business Advocate ezine write to him jim@smallbusinessadvocate.com and type SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
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PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.
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Try our confidential, online, interactive self-assessment for more effective communications. It will help focus your self-development efforts.
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1. What's New in the Book Business?
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Authors, publishers, and publicists are eagerly anticipating the Publishers Marketing Association’s Publishing University at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City April 30-May 2. Opening day, Tuesday April 30 is FREE. Following the General Session from 9:30-10:00 A.M. PMA is offering an opportunity for attendees to meet with specific Barnes and Noble buyers by genre throughout the day. You must reserve a spot to attend this event NLT April l. Go to the web site, http://www.pma-online.org and register.
Each day of PMA-U is crowded with informative seminars like: Creating a Small Press Bestseller, Media Kit Savvy: From Bare Bones to Razzle-Dazzle, Selling and Buying Foreign Rights, and Using Word of Mouth to Extend Your Marketing Campaign. The major challenge is choosing which of the eight simultaneous 90-minute seminars to attend each day. Conduct a Low-Cost Book Signing Tour, Session 3A, is Wednesday from 2:00-3:30 p.m. The panel consists of Marcella Smith from Barnes & Noble Small Press Department, Todd Berman from Jossey-Bass, Linda Ligon, PMA Board of Directors Chair, and Maggie Lichtenberg, a publishing coach. I will be the fifth member and moderate the panel. Book Expo America (BEA) immediately follows PMA-U in the Jacob Javits Center in New York. There you will find thousands of exhibits, autographing tables, educational sessions, rights negotiators, and major opportunities for networking. http://www.bookexpoamerica.com
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Please FORWARD this newsletter to anyone you know that is interested in self-development, making money writing or speaking, or just hanging out with interesting folks having fun.
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2. Who Else Wants to do Business with the Federal Government?
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Large businesses and the federal government purchase just about everything. If you own or work for a small business -- women-owned, minority, SDB. 8(a), service-disabled veteran-owned, veteran-owned, or HUBZone--and want to do business with the Federal government or major contractors, you may be interested in the OSDBU Procurement Conference. Sponsored by the Federal government Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, this is an excellent opportunity to network and find potential new contracting opportunities with exhibitors and other attendees. It will be held April 23 in Upper Marlboro, MD. The conference offers four seminars, "One on One Counseling Sessions" with program managers and procurement representatives, and on-site procurement opportunities. One-on-One Counseling Sessions offer pre-scheduled appointments between Federal Government program and procurement personnel, large business prime contractors, and small business representatives. Each appointment will be 15 minutes long. Review the list of counselors and schedule your appointments via email once you have registered. Availability is limited. For More Information and On-Line Registration visit http://www.treas.gov/sba/osdbu
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Check out FREE tips from 101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills Instantly. Spanish audio tape of the book is also available. http://www.goalminds.com
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3. How to Deal with Communication Challenges
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Two specific challenges come to mind: conflicts and aging parents. Some years ago, I read Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D.'s excellent book, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Compassion. Dr. Rosenberg has developed a process, licensed instructors, and founded the Center for Nonviolent Communication. He leads a worldwide effort that teaches the Nonviolent Communication process, which "strengthens the ability of people to compassionately connect with themselves and one another, share resources, and resolve conflicts." Dr. Rosenberg's journey into the study began with race-related incidents in Detroit in the 40s and his own beating at the hands of classmates because he is Jewish. Dr. Rosenberg helps us make the distinction between requests and demands, shows us how to observe without evaluating, and teaches us how to deal with anger--our own and that of others. The Nonviolent Communication Model is presented in the book and taught at the Center for Nonviolent Communication. It focuses on observations, feelings, needs, and requests. One incident described in the book demonstrates how important it is to empathize with our listener. In his class, Dr. Rosenberg told his students to never put their buts in the face of an angry person. One student who worked at a drug detoxification center used this advice to save her life as a man who had obviously been taking drugs walked in off the street and asked for a room. She had no room; he insisted. She was about to say, "But we have no room" and refer him to another center when suddenly, she was on the floor with the man sitting across her chest with a knife at her throat. For 35 minutes the young woman used what she'd learned in the class, but never the word "but." She returned to the class to share her story. To learn more about the model, visit the Center's web page http://www.cnvc.org or phone: 818 957-0303 from anywhere in the world.

The second communication challenge was brought to the fore by my mother's health-related issues. How to you communicate with someone who seems to have lost touch with reality? "Consider your audience" is excellent advice for public speakers, managers, parents, and just about everybody. Brenda Avadian's book, "Where's My Shoes?" taught me how very important that concept is when communicating with someone who is suffering from Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. Brenda was the primary care giver for her father, an Altzheimer patient. She is also a professional speaker. "Meet them where they are," Brenda advises. "Step into their world. Do not try to get them to understand what is 'real,' and do not argue with them." So when her father "saw" her deceased mother, Brenda focused the conversation on pleasant memories of her mother, instead of trying to reason with him. He happily listened and seemed to remember.

Whether your "audience" is an aging parent beginning a struggle with dementia or a drug-crazed, violent person intent to do you harm, you can cope much more effectively if you are well-armed with specific communication skills.
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Thanks for being with us. Please tell your friends about this newsletter. To subscribe just type SUBSCRIBE in an email to mailto:Condrill@goalminds.com
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GoalMinds, Inc.
http://www.goalminds.com
468 N. Camden Dr. Suite 200
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Phone: 310 860-5681 or 858-0100
Fax: 310 370-4817 or 310 860-5600