Here is your May newsletter
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Volume 5, Number 3 May 2005
Publisher: GoalMinds, Inc.
E-mail: condrill@goalminds.com
http://www.goalminds.com
Copyright 2005 Jo Condrill All rights reserved

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A hearty 'Thank you!' To our military men and women. May
this Memorial Day weekend see a surge in recognition and
appreciation for each of you. I have seen your sacrifice
first hand and I salute you.

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'Vision without action is a daydream.
Action without vision is a nightmare.'

--Japanese Proverb

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Speaking with Clarity, by Pamela Kelly, M.A.
2. What Do You Think?
3. A Meeting of the 'Minds'
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Have you ever learned to speak another language? At first,
the lips stumble from one sound to another and the tongue
feels clumsy attempting to make a vowel it's never made
before. But with practice, the lips and tongue begin working
together and the sounds start falling into place, feeling
and sounding familiar at last! Now turn up the heat and
imagine having to give a presentation, lead a meeting or
talk on a conference call in a foreign language! Suddenly
your ease with that language is in the spotlight and
everyone knows whether or not you're in command! These are
the situations plenty of non-native English speakers face,
day in and day out. Here are three potent tips that benefit
native as well as non-native speakers.

#1 Speak in Short Statements with Pauses You’ll speak with
much more clarity if you break up your ideas into phrases
followed by pauses. The pauses allow your listeners to
digest what you just said. Pauses also allow you to observe
your listeners’ responses. Instead of this -
'SpeedTalkersgoonandonrunningtheir
wordstogethersayingtoomuchandconfusingtheirlistenersbeforega
spingforbeath' say 'Speed Talkers go on and on, // running
their words together, // saying too much // and confusing
their listeners // before gasping for breath.' To avoid
falling into a sing-song pattern, stay focused on your
listeners and mean what you’re saying.

#2 Open Up A less obvious symptom of anxiety is tension in
the jaw, lips, teeth and tongue. English has many sounds
that can be be seen as well as heard, which is why people
can 'read lips.' For instance, in the word 'tooth,' the lips
should be visibly extended and rounded for the 'oo' sound.
For the final 'th' sound, the top lip should be raised and
the tip of the tongue should be seen sticking out between
the upper and lower teeth. When English sounds are
pronounced correctly, many can be 'read' on the lips,
tongue, teeth or jaw. But if a speaker feels anxious, these
articulators tend to freeze up and this muffles the sounds.
So, to speak English with clarity, practice opening your
mouth and using the lips more than you usually do. It may
feel strange at first, but you’ll look more expressive and
sound clearer!

#3 Use English Music Boldly Some speakers may pronounce
English sounds correctly, but because they use the “music”
of their native language, their meaning is not clear. This
is because the tone and tempo of your voice communicate a
meaning that is distinct from the actual words. The most
effective speakers make sure their tone and tempo are
consistent with their intention. To use the music of
English, which includes intonation and emphasis, remember a
few tips. When you’re making a statement, and want to sound
confident and assertive, use a downward intonation pattern
at the end, as if you’re saying “It is so!”

It
is
so!

Avoid ending a statement with the upward intonation, which
sounds as if you’re asking the question, “Is it so?” and can
convey a lack of confidence.

so?
is
It

Also, to make your most important ideas stand out and stick
in people’s minds, change your pitch and volume and slow
your tempo on your most important ideas, words and
syllables.

There you have three valuable tips to help you speak with
more clarity. Apply them to your presentations, meetings and
teleconferencing calls, and you will come across with more
confidence and leadership.

- ------------
Pamela Kelly, M.A. is a 'Master Teacher' with
the University of California, Los Angeles' UCLA Extension.
She has been instrumental in developing courses and
implementing 'train- the-trainer' programs for new
instructors. She also consults and coaches individuals.
Mailto:PKellyCom@aol.com http://www.PKelly.com
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Pre-publication Offer: The Fourth Edition of '101 Ways to
Improve Your Communication Skills Instantly,' by Bennie
Bough, Ph.D. and Jo Condrill, is just off the press. Crisp,
clear tips and techniques presented bullet style. 'An
excellent, provocative view into the minds and hearts of
communicators, organized for maximum effectiveness.' The
Book Reader. Get your copy now at http://tinyurl.com/a5w45

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2. What Do You Think? ======================================

Do you ever find it difficult to think? I mean really think.
When the pressure is on to create a new product or write a
proposal, where do you begin? What do you do? Where do you
go? For me, the first issue is to clear a space in my head--
to stop thinking about everything else that swirls about me.
I'm not talking about global problems or even local events.
I'm talking about things that affect me...family activities
such as upcoming graduations or party invitations, and
business activities such as designing a new course or
attending a networking event.

Creating an atmosphere conducive to creative thinking is
important. Where is your optimal thinking place? Some say
it's the shower. That's good for starters; for more extended
periods, I think best when I can stare out of a window at a
pleasant scene. It is as though that releases my mind to
wander and explore. In the beginning, that meant looking up
and out of the only window in my basement office at the tall
pine trees separating my townhouse from the old farmhouse on
the next property. Today I look out across the valley to the
hills beyond and the blue Texas skies. This puts me in a
receptive mood; I relax and let the ideas flow. Many of my
friends in the National Park Service have the advantage of
being surrounded by natural beauty. My friends in
metropolitan areas have a greater challenge. Creating
workspaces with inspirational artwork and artifacts may be
the answer. Whatever it takes, find a spot that works for
you and use it consistently to get ideas flowing more
quickly and easily.

Wrap yourself in the right kind of music and it can increase
your creativity. For many years I preferred to work without
music in the background. It seemed like I was too easily
distracted. Then I learned that the problem was the type of
music I was listening to! In fact, it has been proven that
certain types of music aid creativity and learning.
Scientists at Stanford University,in California, have
revealed a molecular basis for the 'Mozart Effect.' In his
book, 'The Mozart Effect,' Don Campbell cites other
research, such as that done at the University of California,
Irvine, which indicated that such music raised IQ scores by
9 points! I now put on a Mozart CD for background music and
notice a marked difference in my productivity!

So find your thinking niche, put on the music and get the
creativity flowing!

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Learn more about music and creativity
on the How to Learn website. Http://tinyurl.com/a94o9 NOTE:
There is no www in the URL. On the site click on 'Search by
Subject' and scroll down to The Mozart Effect.

An article by Charles W. Prather, Ph.D., 'How Is Your
Climate for Innovation?,' addresses the influence of the
workplace environment on innovative thinking.
Http://www.thinking.net/Creativity/creativity.html

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'Miracles happen when your inner desires push past
the logical limitations of your understanding.'

--Perry A, author of 'People Are Just Desserts.'

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3. A Meeting of the 'Minds'
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Master-mind groups are spawning all over the country,
offering support and specialized knowledge to people in
every industry and sector. A master-mind group consists of people who work together in absolute harmony to achieve diverse goals. Group members come together at regular intervals to brainstorm ideas, share knowledge, and help each other discover the tools to realize their dreams.

What do master-mind groups do? Here are some ideas from my
own experiences with several groups.

A master-mind meeting is different from regular business or
civic meetings. There is no agenda but there is a process.
The group is intended to stimulate thinking and share expert
knowledge in a spirit of harmony, honesty, and trust. Groups
may be formed either to focus on a specific team project or
to share individual dreams or challenges. In this article,
we will assume that the group has been formed for individual
purposes.

In the first group meeting, each individual should have an
opportunity to state their dreams or vision, their current
situation and short-term objectives. After all members have
introduced themselves, ground rules should be developed.
Such rules may include confidentially, accountability, and
regular attendance. The group also needs to decide how often
and where the group will meet and how long the sessions will
last.

The quicker these details are settled, the more time there
will be for each person to present an issue, challenge, or
project that they would like to have comments on from the
rest of the group. The length of the meeting is determined
by the group. The usual procedure is for everyone to have
the same amount of time to state their topic and receive
feedback. However, there will be times in the life of the
group when some will need more time than others, depending
on the challenge. It would be best to discover at the
beginning of each session if someone wants more or less
time. For the first session, count on equal time for each
person.

Often while discussing one individual's challenge, someone
else in the group finds valuable information that can be
applied to their own situation. Everyone takes their own
notes--there is no designated note taker.

After everyone has had an opportunity to give and get
information, the leader may ask each person to commit to
taking some action before the next meeting. Some groups rely
heavily on accountabiity. Others are more interested in
stretching their thinking.

At the closing of the meeting, the date, time, and place of
the next gathering is usually stated by the leader. The
bottom line is that the group decides on its process.
Adjustments can be made to the meeting format and group
processes modified to suit the members. Look for
inspiration, openness, honesty while tapping into the
synergistic effects of a master-mind group.

For more information get our downloadable booklet, 'How
toForm A Master-Mind Group.' Http://tinyurl.com/8myn2

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'Every person is the creation of himself,
the image of his own thinking and believing.
As individuals think and believe, so they are.'

--Claude M. Bristol, Author, 'The Magic of Believing'

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