Presentation Tips and Ideas

I was forwarded an inquiry this morning regarding an article on how executives can improve their presentation skills. The writer was looking for some tips. Since I have seen thousands of executives give presentations, I jotted down a few thoughts.

I plan on writing a full article based on these tips. Until then, I hope this helps.

As an executive speaker, please DO NOT:

1. Stand behind a lectern. Basically, you are standing behind a wall that separates you from the audience.

2. Read your presentation. We can all read. I don’t need to be read to like I was a toddler. Just e-mail the presentation.

3. Try to make jokes when you are not funny. Humor is a powerful tool. Please do not make offensive jokes, bad jokes, jokes that exclude.

4. Use business clichés. I don’t want to hear about synergy, cross-functional team environment or a paradigm shift. As soon as I hear someone say these things, I know they are full of it.

5. Give me tired and used examples of other company’s success. Nordstrom’s, Disney and Starbucks are all great companies. I got it. Do a little more research and uncover something I haven’t heard 1,000 times.

6. Overuse PowerPoint. A few key words and phrases are all you need. I don’t need the history of your organization and the theory to global peace all on one slide.


As an executive speaker, please DO the following:

1. Connect with your audience. Speak to the audience and reach out to them from the stage.

2. Move around the stage a little. Don’t just stand there behind the lectern.

3. Speak from the heart.

4. Understand that you are going to make mistakes. Nobody cares. I would rather you be real, make mistakes and have fun with them, then read a boring presentation full of business clichés.

5. Have something to say. We all know where we have been. We know where we are. Tell us where we are going. The rest you can send in an e-mail.

6. Stay on time. Nobody wants to sit through your business cliché filled presentation as it runs 30 minutes over. I want to use the restroom. I want to have lunch.

7. Have a sound check before the presentation. Learn how to use the microphone. The time to do both is not during your presentation. “Is the microphone on?”

Finally, I want to give you a link to a great review of my book, Make the Right Choice:

http://blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com/2008/10/make-right-choice-by-joel-zeff-book.html

Have a great week.

Survive the Recession: Listen to this Podcast

As you can tell, I have not posted in some time. Depsite the economy and the media preparing us for armageddon and the apocolypse, I have had a very busy last three months.

Here is my goal: I will try to post every Sunday/Monday with something. Anything. So, in honor of Cloris Leachman's continued pursuit of the mirror ball trophy on Dancing with the Stars, I give you my first blog post for the Fourth Quarter 2008. Or, as the history books will some day refer to it, the moment everyone realized that it wasn't such a good idea to buy everything on credit.

By the way, for those of you who do not respect Cloris Leachman the comedian, you might want to rent/buy Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein. It is certainly in my Top Ten funniest movies of all time. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072431/)

I recently was a guest on three podcasts/tele-seminars. On each, I talked about my book's messages on leadership, work/life balance, passion, communication, creativity, change and teamwork. Strange things seem to happen to me when I do these tele-seminars/podcasts/webcasts/phone interviews/whatever you call them.

Here is what happened during my last three:

1. During a tele-seminar, someone’s line became unmuted and the listener was having a conversation with I think was her cat. This is classic. To hear this podcast, you have to sign up as a member (I believe there is a fee). http://www.success-avalanche.com/main.html

2. Yesterday, I was being interviewed for a blog podcast when the host somehow dropped off the line. I began calling out his name like a lost child looking for a parent at the department store. And yes, the dead air and me calling out the host’s name was still in the podcast for a few days. I think, by now, it has been edited out. The podcast is free. Here is the link:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/joel+zeff

3. My most recent podcast was fun and uneventful. The podcast is free. Here is the link:
http://www.coachingcommons.org/featured/book-it-words-for-the-soul-uncommon-conversation-october-23-author-interview-series/

Have a great week. Happy Halloween

Recession Survival: Seven Essential Career Tips

Execunet has asked me to give a teleconference seminar on recession survival. I recently wrote an article for a newsletter on their web site. You have to be a member to see the newsletter or listen to the seminar. If I can figure out how to post a pdf file on a blog, I will post the newsletter article.

For those non-members, here is a summary of my presentation. Of course, this is what I plan to talk about. Sometimes, the plan gets side-tracked a little.

By the way, here are three other possible titles to my presentation. Which one do you like best?

Recession Proof Your Career: Seven Essential Tips
Recession Career Survival: Seven Essential Tips
Recession Preparation: Seven Essential Career Tips

My Seven Key Points:

1. Be Open and Flexible to Change
2. Take Responsibility for Your Happiness, Passion and Energy
3. Stay in the Game
4. Work and Live in the Moment
5. Figure out What Makes You Happy
6. Create Passion
7. What would you do for free?


A Quick Summary:


We may or may not be in a recession. We are definitely working in a time of great change and stress. How do you manage change and stay passionate and energized at your job? Can you be happy during a recession? How do you take responsibility for your happiness when so many changes are out of your control? Join Joel Zeff (www.joelzeff.com) a national workplace expert, speaker and humorist for his session on seven essential career tips to survive a recession.

With wit, a sharp observational eye, and playful irreverence, he discusses the choices we all encounter in our careers. We each have the ability to take initiative and make the right choice to live a more creative, passionate, effective, and productive life – even during a recession. How do you make the right choice? You must take ownership of your work environment and create a foundation of opportunity and positive support. You can choose to be patient, supportive, and more flexible to change. You can choose to have fun in the workplace and still be productive. Joel teaches us just how easy it is to make these choices.

This session is not about "strategic deliverables," PowerPoint presentations with upside-down triangles, or "paradigm shifts in a cross-functional organization." This session will be conversational, funny, and very informative. Yes, Joel will make you laugh, but he'll also make you think. This session delivers a combination of inspiration, essential business knowledge, and significant ideas to help you reconnect with their own passion, creativity, and success.



The Seven Points in More Detail:


1. Be Open and Flexible to Change

Always be open and flexible to change. No matter what happens to the economy, there is going to be change. You may have to deal with a merger, layoff or restructuring. Most of these changes are out of your control. We may not control the change, but we always control our reaction and attitude. Take ownership of the change by being open and flexible. Take ownership of your attitude and reaction to keep your energy and passion. How you deal with change determines your success, productivity, creativity, passion and stress. Ask yourself two important questions: Does this change affect my happiness and success? Does this change affect the people around me? Focus your energies on what really matters. Be open. Be flexible. Live healthier.


2. Take Responsibility for Your Passion, Energy and Happiness

Learn to take responsibility for your passion, energy and happiness. Too many times, we let other people’s actions or words determine our happiness. Happiness is a choice. Unfortunately, when we give control to other people, we are never very happy.
It is easy during a recession to give up control. You may have to do more work, stay late. You might have to do more with fewer resources. Your best manager might leave for a better opportunity.

Would you, as a normal, sane person, really make the choice to wake up in the morning, comb your hair, brush your teeth and say, “Man, I am bitter, frustrated and angry. I can’t wait to get to work.” No, you would not. Yet, people do that every day. We have no control over many issues at home or at work. We always have control of our attitude and how we react to those issues. We do have a choice to wake up every morning happier and more energized. And happy people get to work early when there are still blueberry muffins.
When we are happy and having fun, we are more creative, productive and effective. We are better leaders. The choice to take ownership of your attitude is an important key to everyone’s success.


3. Stay in the Game

Anyone can quit. You don’t even have to go to school to learn how to quit. And I am not talking about quitting your job. I am talking about quitting goals, challenges, and initiatives. Think about your role models. Think about the great men and women of history. They all dealt with mistakes, failures, and challenges. The difference is how they dealt with those issues. They did not quit; they stayed in the game. There are many issues during a recession, and the only way you are going to fail is if you quit. If you stay in the game, you might have to communicate, work harder, find a common ground, learn something new or get out of your comfort zone. If you stay in the game, the only thing you have to look forward to is success.


4. Work and Live in the Moment

Be in the moment at work. Be in the moment at home. Working in the moment means being focused and connected to what is happening right now. Listen to each other. Make eye contact. Engage in the communication process. We are at our best when we are in the moment. It is too easy to lose focus if things are not going the way you planned. Keep your passion for success and focus in the moment. It is too easy to worry about tomorrow and start playing the game “what if.” Working in the moment is about being present right now.


5. Figure out What Makes You Happy

Tell someone what you need to be happy. We all need opportunity. When was the last time you told someone specifically what you need to be happy? The next time you have a great day at work, take a moment to write down what made that day special. Now, you have a list of what you need to achieve success and happiness. Ask for it. Demand it. Work hard for it. Happiness at work will create the balance you are seeking. Even during a recession, you still need to enjoy what you do. Recession means change. It also means opportunity. Take the time to speak to your staff, management or ownership and figure out what you need to be happy. Do you want more responsibility or less? Do you want the opportunity to be creative?


6. Create Passion

The truth is you don’t want a job, you want a passion. How do you get a passion? Create an environment of opportunity and positive support and you will be amazed by what you can accomplish. After you build the foundation, you will start to care. We only care about something if we have responsibility or ownership. Guess what happens when you care? You start to have passion. If you can’t create that at work, you are going to have a hard time finding balance.


7. What would you do for free?

You have to face reality during a recession. There are going to be significant changes. Those changes will also create a great opportunity for you. Is it time to make a change? Do you need to change jobs? Do you need to change industries? Do you need to go back to school? Times of change are also the best time to reassess. Are you happy? Ask yourself a very important question: What would I do for free? Now work toward creating a career around that answer. Yes, you might have to put in some extra work. You might have to go back to school; take a risk; or make a significant change. That is what life is about. You have to take a risk to find reward. The end result is you don’t have a job anymore. You have a passion. And, it is a lot more fun and rewarding to have a passion.


Hope everyone is having a great summer. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July celebration.

Joel Zeff Summer Newsletter

Ten days since my last post. Well, I did send out the official Joel Zeff newsletter during that time. You can sign up for my newsletter list here. The newsletter, which includes a new article, links, meeting and speaker tips, and maybe even a laugh or two, comes out 8-10 times a year. So, if you can handle 8-10 extra e-mails a year, then please sign up.

Click here for the last newsletter.

The Arizona Republic published an article about employers who create a fun work environment have happier, more loyal and productive employees. The writer interviewed me, but my quotes didn't make the online edition. I was briefly quoted in the print edition, including having my photo in the paper. Two of my clients, KPMG and Laramar, were both quoted.

Click here to read the Arizona Republic story.

Have a great weekend.

Tips on Successful Meetings

Every meeting planner is looking for the secret to a successful meeting. Most of the secrets, I have found, will hardly event affect your budget. Most don't even cost a dime. Just a few simple ideas that will energize your meeting.

I wrote two articles for Convene magazine a couple of years ago. I thought it might be a good time to dust off the articles for the blog. By the way, both of these articles led to chapters in my book, Make the Right Choice.

Enjoy the articles.

http://www.pcma.org/Convene/Issue_Archives/July_2006/Articles/7_Steps_to_a_Better_Meeting.htm

http://www.pcma.org/Convene/Issue_Archives/December_2006/Articles/And_the_Award.htm

Nothing But Nets Article in the New York Times

Nothing But Nets is an incredible organization that purchases anti-malaria nets for families in Africa. I first read about Nothing But Nets in a Sports Illustrated column by Rick Reilly. The idea of this organization is so simple, yet so brilliant. They have one goal: purchase nets to protect families from malaria. Simple. It is easy to understand where your money is going.

I encourage you to learn about Nothing But Nets. The New York Times recently wrote about the organization, which is affiliated with the United Nations.

Here is the New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/02/us/02malaria.html?ref=health

Here is Rick Reilly's Sports Illustrated column from 2006:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/rick_reilly/04/25/reilly0501/index.html

I will even make a donation for you. Yep, I will purchase two nets ($20) for every review that is posted on Amazon for my book, Make the Right Choice.

I have been told that posted book reviews on Amazon are very important to ranking, search engines, time-space continuum, a free market society, capitalism, democracy, and nation building. Yes, that is quite a bit of responsibility. It is easy to post a review. Just look up a book (for instance, you might look up Make the Right Choice) and then follow the very easy directions to post a review.

I know many of my newsletter readers enjoyed "Make the Right Choice". And I know everyone is very busy, and writing a short book review is not on the top of your priority list this Summer.

If you enjoyed the book, then let the donation be a little incentive to take a couple of minutes and post your thoughts on Amazon. Here is the link to post the review on Amazon. It doesn't have to be long -- short and sweet is perfect. For every new review posted by the end of business on August 1st, I will donate $20 to http://www.nothingbutnets.net/.

Here is to a happy reviewing summer. I will post the grand total donation in August.

Links of the Week on Work Life Balance

I thought I would share a few recent articles on business success and work life balance.

The first article is the cover story for St. Louis Woman Magazine. I met Holly Cunningham, the owner of Hollyberry Baking and Hollyberry Catering, years ago. When I need a special gift for a friend, relative or client, there is nothing better or more unique than a Hollyberry crate box full of awesome (and I don't throw that word around lightly) sweets, cookies and goodies. The article is a great story about entrepreneurship, passion for your work, work/life balance and success.

St. Louis Woman Magazine article about Holly Cunningham.

The second article is about strategic planning from fellow speaker and author, John Spence.

John Spence article.

Finally, check out www.toolsforsuccess.com to see the new pod casts. This is a brand new site and they have really put together a tremendous amount of content. Some of the top authors, experts and speakers are interviewed about such topics as human resources, innovation, customer service, networking, leadership, sales and marketing. My pod cast on the site is here. The site is adding new pod casts every week.

Let me know what you want to see on this blog. Right now, the blog is just an infant. My goal is to post every day or at least every other day. Tell me what you would like to see. Humor? Travel stories? Tips? Articles?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Donny Deutsch: The Lost Photo

It is amazing to me how excited people are when they find out I have appeared on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch.

"I love that show."

"What is Donny like?"

"How did you get on the show?"

"What was it like?"

"I watch that show all the time."

Just a few of the comments that I have heard during the past few months. I recently found the one photo I took from my appearance. Which, of course, gives me an excuse to post the interview again. And if you have never seen the interview, well you are in for a treat. Why? Donny gives me a back rub.

Here is the interview:

Here is my article from the show blog:

Enjoy your weekend. And please take a moment to remember all those who have allowed (and continue to allow) you to enjoy a peaceful time with your friends and family.

The HOBY Experience

This is my fifth (I think, it could be 6th) year to speak at the HOBY Texas North Leadership Seminar. This event easily is one of my favorite of the year.

HOBY is an all volunteer organization focused on building leadership skills for high school sophomores. The HOBY ambassadors (one per school) attend the Leadership Seminar each Spring and get the chance to learn, create, and build communication, teamwork and leadership skills. Speakers come from business, media, politics, law to talk to the students.

The HOBY story is a great one. It all started with a television actor who spent some time with Dr. Albert Schweitzer.

If you ever doubt the future of our country or doubt the spirit, energy, creativity and leadership of today's kids, I encourage you to volunteer with your local HOBY chapter. Meet some of the HOBY ambassadors. I guarantee you will be inspired and impressed. These kids are amazing, and the HOBY experience is truly rewarding.

If you are interested in HOBY, please visit http://www.hoby.org/. There are chapters across the country (and many chapters in other countries). If you live in North Texas, visit http://www.hobytexasnorth.org/.

To all my HOBY friends, thank you again for another great experience. Outstanding!

John Spence Article in Change This

A friend and fellow speaker recently posted a "manifesto" on the Change This web site. If you have never visited the site, I encourage you to take a look. Authors, experts, speakers and others submit proposals for their "manifestos" on a certain topic. If the article is accepted, the "manifesto" is published on the site.

Here is what John wrote about his article:

"It overviews what I believe are the six most important things every company MUST focus on to achieve and sustain success. I read more than 160,000 pages in order to develop the ideas I put forth in the 16 pages of this manifesto — so there are likely at least a few good ideas in there for you to steal."

Here is the link to John's "manifesto": http://www.changethis.com/46.01.AchievingExcellence

Until the next post, don't forget to Bunny, Bunny, Bunny today.

My first Podcast: Where's my iPod (Redux)

Okay, I was having some issues with the Amazon feed for this post. So, I am reposting. Hopefully, the links will work this time.

Thanks to http://www.toolsforsuccess.com/ I have jumped into the world of podcasts. My first podcast is now available here.

Just in case the link doesn't work for Amazon, please cut and paste: http://media.toolsforsuccess.com/joel-zeff-make-the-right-choice-creating-a-positive-innovative-and-productive-work-life/

The interview is fun, informative, interesting, fast-paced and probably the feel good podcast of the summer. People will be talking about three things this summer: Iron Man, the Democratic primary race that will never end, and my first podcast.

In full disclosure, I do not own an iPod. Yes, I realize my hipness quotient is low. Yes, I realize I may be the last person in America without an iPod. Yes, now that I have a podcast, I may look into purchasing an iPod.

Enjoy. Listen. Comment. Share. Until next time, don't forget to give a few Ta-Da's this week.

My first Podcast: Where's my iPod?

Thanks to Toolsforsuccess.com I have jumped into the world of podcasts. My first podcast is now available here.

The interview is fun, informative, interesting, fast-paced and probably the feel good podcast of the summer. People will be talking about three things this summer: Iron Man, the Democratic primary race that will never end, and my first podcast.

In full disclosure, I do not own an iPod. Yes, I realize my hipness quotient is low. Yes, I realize I may be the last person in America without an iPod. Yes, now that I have a podcast, I may look into purchasing an iPod.

Enjoy. Listen. Comment. Share. Until next time, don't forget to give a few Ta-Da's this week.

Yes, You Can Have Fun During a Recession

Jan Norman at the Orange County Register today posted a portion of my article on having more fun and reducing stress at work. Here is the post on her blog. Even if you don't live in the Orange County area, Jan's blog includes some great articles to help managers and business owners find success.

For Jan's readers (and really everyone else) here is the entire article.

Twelve Ideas to Reduce Stress and Have more Fun at Work

It’s hard to have fun at work during stressful times. Your stress builds after each media report about the recession. You start hearing whispers of a merger, layoff or the all encompassing “restructuring.” Your manager does not listen. Your customers don’t listen. The guy that sells sandwiches in the lobby does not listen. Maybe it is just easier to be cranky.

Maybe your sales numbers are down this quarter. Clients are taking longer to make decisions. You start to worry about expenses. What happens next? You walk into your next important meeting a bundle of nerves, tension and worry. Do you really think you are at your best?

It is time to stop worrying and relax. Give yourself a break. Stop letting the media feed your fears with the dreaded “r” word. Even during an “r” people work. Companies manufacture, transport, distribute, sell, market, advertise, produce, grow, research, develop, entertain, build and purchase. We have to figure out a way to do it without being cranky and stressed. Yes, we need to have more fun.

I sense that many of you have thrown this magazine down on the table, rearing back from these words with a shriek. How dare we have fun during a merger/recession/layoff/restructure/something else that takes up time before retirement? Fun is scary. Fun does not work. We are not fun people.

Yes, you can have fun. And in the process, reduce your stress and help create a more productive, innovative and fun work environment. First, we have to create a foundation so that fun can exist. Here are twelve simple ideas to reduce your stress at work and have more fun.

1. Be patient and positive in your tone of voice. Sounds simple, but a reassuring and patient tone in your voice will do wonders for teamwork and for helping reduce stress. You will rarely see a stressed, impatient person having fun. Watch people stand in line at the airport. The guy in the suit with three carry on bags and a phone hooked into the Matrix is not having fun. The guy in the Hawaiian shirt and hat made from palm reeds is relaxed and having fun. Same standing in line. Different attitude.

2. Take a break. Again, a simple idea but something that has very real results. Ever try and assemble something from the store? Ever get frustrated? Ever throw the directions across the room in frustration? Stop, take a break, and then reassess. Just a few moments away will give you the energy to move forward.

3. Think about what makes a great day at work. The next time you have fun at work, take a moment to reflect. Write down what happened that made the day so great. What did you do? What did you say? You now have your “great day” list. You know what you need. Work toward it. Fun is different for everyone. Remember the kid in your high school algebra class who got really excited when he solved a complex math problem? That is fun for him. For me, math is the equivalent of jury duty, going to the dentist, and cleaning the garage all in the same day.

4. Sometimes you have to ask. If something is bothering you and causing stress, then speak up and say something. Most people will just stew or whine in the break room rather than speak up. They don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Guess what? Someone’s feelings are being hurt – your feelings. If you ask nicely, most people would be happy to oblige and help. They probably don’t even know their words or actions are bothering you.

5. Be in the moment with your co-workers. Working in the moment means being focused and connected. Listen to each other. Make eye contact. Engage in the communication process. Try something new: put your e-mail enabled phone down and communicate with the living, breathing person sitting in your office.

6. Tell your co-workers you appreciate them. We all want positive support at work. When we don’t receive appreciation and thanks, we are not very happy. You know how you feel when someone says, “You made a difference,” or “Great job,” or “I really appreciate your help.” You get an incredible feeling right in the middle of your chest. Giving that feeling is a gift. And it does not take a budget, plan, or approval. It just takes a few seconds from your day.

7. Create opportunity. We all want the same things from our jobs: opportunity and positive support. We may want the opportunity to be creative; to be a leader; to help people; or to make more money. When we don’t receive opportunity and positive support, we are not very happy. Figure out what kind of opportunity you want from your job. Make sure your employer understands what you need to be happy. Again, stand up and say something.

8. Be a better listener. Everyone thinks they are good listeners. In reality, we get into bad habits that prevent us from being good, active listeners. We multi-task. We wait to talk. We play solitaire on our computer during a conference call. Pay attention to your listening skills. When we listen, we are more effective as a team; we are better communicators; we are more productive; and we have more fun.

9. Be flexible to change. When change happens, ask yourself two important questions: Does this change affect my ability to be happy and successful in my job? Does this change affect the ability of those around me – my family, colleagues, clients, and vendors – to be happy and successful in their jobs? If both answers are no, then you know the change is not worth creating stress.

10. If you really want to reduce your stress, make a list of everything that caused you stress and frustration in the last week. Take a really hard look at what you wrote. You will giggle. Why? Because most of the things on that list don’t matter. Sure, there are some very important items on the list. Most of the items, though, we will forget about in a short time. Why do we forget? Because they really were not that important. When you are in the middle of a stressful and frustrating situation, take a moment and ask, “Am I going to giggle about this in a week?”

11. Help your teammates (stressed or otherwise) take ownership of their happiness and passion. Too many times, employees let other people’s actions or words determine their happiness. Happiness is a choice. Unfortunately, when we give control to other employees, managers, customers, partners, or vendors, we are never very happy. We have to take back that ownership. We have no control over many things at work. We always can have control of our reaction and our attitude.

12. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. During my presentations, I use improvisation as a tool to communicate my messages. The audience participants engage in the process with passion and energy. They have fun. They are relaxed. Because they are enjoying the process, they are more creative and productive. Why? They are not afraid of making a mistake. They understand they are working in a positive and supportive environment. We are all going to make mistakes. We want to minimize our mistakes and learn from them. If we take some of the pressure off, and support each other, we will figure out that we will make fewer mistakes. We will also have more fun.

I hope these twelve ideas will help you reduce your stress. Fun helps create the energy and passion that fuels our productivity, creativity and effectiveness. Without fun, we don’t have any fuel. Just like everything, fun is a choice. We each have to take responsibility and ownership of our fun and our goal to reduce stress. Remember, it is always your choice.


Joel Zeff (http://www.joelzeff.com/) is a national workplace expert, speaker, author and humorist. He shares his experience and insight on creativity, communication, work/life balance, leadership, teamwork, passion, and fun through his speaking presentations and book, “Make the Right Choice: Creating a Positive, Innovative and Productive Work Life”. He has appeared on CNBC’s The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, the Fox Network’s Fox and Friends Weekend and been featured in the Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, The Kansas City Star, and many other media outlets. For more information on his book, please visit http://www.maketherightchoicethebook.com/.

Improv Everywhere and Phil Gerbyshak

A friend told me about Phil Gerbyshak's web site. She wanted me to check out his site and this recent post about Improv Everywhere.

I have to give credit to Phil. He definitely has a cool blog packed with useful articles and information. More importantly, the site has a very positive and fun vibe. The real credit goes to Phil for introducing me to Improv Everywhere.

Improvisation is an art form. As someone who has performed improvisation for almost 15 years, I am always excited to see how others are pushing the boundaries and experimenting with the form.

In my presentations and book, I use improvisation as a teaching tool. I always encourage anyone interested in improvisation to enjoy all of the different flavors it offers. Each improvisation group uses their own techniques and spin. That is what makes improvisation so exciting.

Be sure to check out Phil' site: http://makeitgreat.typepad.com/makeitgreat/
Be sure to check out Improv Everywhere's site: http://improveverywhere.com/

Have a great weekend.

Humor and Fun at Work

Everyone says we are in a recession. I am sure "fun at work" or "humor at work" are not the topics of choice right now. Remember the key lesson in improvisation: you have to stay in the game. Yes, there will be challenges and obstacles. The easy answer is to quit. If you stay in the game, you might have to work harder, learn something new, or get out of your comfort zone. If we stay in the game, we are guaranteed success.

There are many things we cannot control. We can always control our attitude and how we react to a situation. Too many times we give this control to others. The result is frustration, stress and working without passion. Doesn't sound fun, huh?

Well, maybe a few laughs will help. First up is a story from the Portland (Maine) Press Herald. Matt Wickenheiser wrote a great article about humor at work. I think this is an important topic during the current economy. Mergers, layoffs, recession all can drain the fun out of work. What happens then? Where do we find our energy for our creativity, productivity and success?

The really cool thing about Matt's article is he asked a couple of the sources in the story to record a joke for the Press Herald's web site. I was thrilled to contribute. I told one of my favorites: The Green Gorilla joke. This joke was told to me by my 8th grade history teacher. Now, Matt doesn't set me up very well. I know he was trying to warn the listeners that the joke is kind of long. Yes, it is a long joke. Yes, the punchline is silly. Still, it is one of my favorites. The joke is also a very physical joke, and better told in person. So, keep that in mind.

Anyway, here is the link to the article and a link to the joke recording:

Article: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=178953&ac=PHbiz

Joke: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/media/april1st_biz.mp3

Finally, one more link. I was recently interviewed on the Fox Network. I am sorry to say I was not on Bill O'Reilly's show. I appeared on Fox and Friends Weekend about "recession-proofing your job". I had a great time.

A few points of interest as you view the link:

1. Watch me dart my eyes back and forth at the beginning of the interview. Uh, scary.

2. Count the number of times I say, "you know." Shameful.

3. Try to answer the question, "Why is Joel holding a puppy?"

Here is the link:

http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=e1b554cf-8396-407d-b243-a6a05646c702

Until next week, Rock Chalk Jayhawk.

Suite 101 Book Review and Tulsa World Article

I wanted to share an excellent review of my book, Make the Right Choice. I am thrilled with the article because it is one of the most complete reviews that I have received. The reviewer really captured the book's combination of fun and key messages.

Enjoy the review: http://workplaceculture.suite101.com/article.cfm/make_the_right_choice_by_joel_zeff

Also, here is a very good article about my presentations from the Tulsa World:

http://209.184.242.25/business/article.aspx?articleID=20080313_5_E2_spanc15244

Finally, be sure to set your DVRs to Fox and Friends Weekend this Saturday, March 22. The Fox and Friends team will interview me about my book and "recession proofing" your job. I know. I can't wait to hear what I am going to say, too. The interview should be between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. (Eastern).

Have a great week.

Creativity for the Individual

I had big intentions of blogging about the Oscars. Then I got sick. I had even bigger intentions to blog about American Idol. Still sick.

So, this week I am posting a revamped creativity article. A friend who runs an excellent blog for photographers (http://rising.blackstar.com/) asked for an article that focused more on the individual rather than creativity in a team environment.

So, for all the freelancers, artists, writers, photographers, telecommuters, and anyone else who doesn't work in a team environment, here are eleven ideas to enhance the creative process.

And if you want to see the article on the photography blog, please visit http://rising.blackstar.com/11-ideas-to-enhance-the-creative-process-2.html.


Eleven Ideas to Enhance the Creative Process

It is time to think about reenergizing our creative process. We know how our minds create. All creative minds, such as photographers, artists, and writers, know what works best to inspire their creativity. What happens when we start bad habits? If we are in a rut, can we jump start our creativity?

I think we can all find new ways to energize the creative process. Creativity needs positive energy for fuel. If we make a few slight changes, improve our creativity habits, and just have more fun, our creative energies will increase. Here are a few tips that hopefully will inspire the next great idea.

1. Relax, and create ideas each day. Sometimes we are so focused on the current project or our business, we forget to step back and think. We rush. We move from one project to the next. We start to do things the same way because it is easier. Take five minutes each day by yourself and think. Don't think about anything in particular. Just think. Take a walk around the block. Go sit on a bench. Leave your cell phone and Blackberry on your desk. Now, just think. Stare at a tree. Don’t think about anything in particular. Your mind knows what you need. Each time you do this you will have an idea. Sometimes it will be a little idea. Sometimes it will be a big idea.

2. Expand your possibility box. If the box is bigger, there will be more possibilities. When people want to create ideas, the first instinct is to shrink the possibility box. If you shrink the box, there will be nothing there. Try to expand the possibilities. Remember: try not to create rules where rules do not exist. I will give you an example: take five minutes and write down every animal that starts with the letter “T”. Okay, how many animals do you have? If your list does not include made up animals (such as the tutu, teegee, or tylops) or animals with adjectives (terrible lion, terrific owl, tasty fish), then you did not expand the possibility box. You created rules for the game (no made up animals, no adjectives in front of animals). If you expanded your possibility box, you would have included adjectives, made up animals, and mythical animals.

3. Notate everything. Yes, it is a pain to write every idea down. If you don’t, you will forget. We always forget. Take notes or use and audio recorder. Send yourself e-mails. No idea is too small to notate.

4. Change your location. Creativity wants variety. Take a walk to another floor in the building, go outside and sit on a bench or stand around the parking lot. Go to a nearby museum, store, mall, coffee shop or park to think. Use your surroundings to inspire and motivate you to create. Get out of your normal surroundings and experience something new.

5. Create fast brainstorming sessions. Do not linger. Use quick energy bursts. Give yourself 15 minutes and create as many ideas as possible. And then stop. You can even run in and out of the room to create a sense of urgency. The shorter time will force you to focus on the task and create more energy. Also, the shorter session will force you to make better choices in the creative process. There is no time to judge, analyze, or second guess. There is only enough time to create ideas. Do this several times a day. Use that positive energy to focus and produce ideas.

6. Stop creating rules where rules do not exist. If someone says, “This is the way we have always done it,” run away in horror. You are not safe. He or she is a creative zombie and may infect you.
7. Eliminate some of your fears (the fear of failure, the fear of making a mistake, the fear of looking foolish) and your creative energy will increase. Nobody is keeping score. Every great idea in the history of the world was foolish or stupid. How many people walked by Orville and Wilbur Wright’s workshop to tell them they were fools?

8. Find new ways of doing something. There is always more than one path and way. Don't be so quick to judge.

9. Stop trying to analyze and create at the same time. It is impossible. Our first instinct is to create an idea and then analyze it to death. As soon as you start analyzing, you have stopped the creative process. You are figuring out if one idea can work (do we have the budget, the time, etc.) and have stopped creating ideas. Our minds cannot do both at the same time. Separate the two activities. Focus on the creative process and building on ideas. When you have finished creating, then you can start analyzing. Creativity wants momentum and energy.

10. Don’t worry about who gets the credit. One of the biggest obstacles to the creative process is ego. Even as an independent photographer, you still have to work with others to create a finished product. Successful teams understand it takes many people, groups, and organizations for an idea to become a reality. Spend more time figuring out how to make the idea work rather than who gets the credit.

11. When you do work with a team (art director, client, advertiser, etc.) build on each other’s ideas. The most successful creativity sessions are when everyone is participating, contributing thoughts and building on ideas. Be open to each other’s ideas. When everyone has ownership and responsibility for an idea, the energy will fuel success.


Hopefully, these tips will inspire you to create. Don’t be afraid to try something different in the creative process. Find what works best for you. Most importantly, have fun creating ideas. Even when we are trying to create very serious ideas for very serious business clients, creativity still wants energy. Fun will invigorate the creative process. No matter what, don’t let the creative zombies zap your energy.


Joel Zeff (http://www.joelzeff.com/) is a national workplace expert, speaker and humorist. His spontaneous humor and vital messages have thrilled audiences for years. Corporations and organizations nationwide seek him out to motivate and energize their employees on such topics as work/life balance, passion at work, creativity, communication, teamwork, and leadership. His first book, “Make the Right Choice: Creating a Positive, Innovative and Productive Work Life” was just published by John Wiley & Sons. For more information on his book, please visit http://www.maketherightchoicethebook.com/.

Joel Zeff and Joel Zeff Creative retain the ownership and rights to this article. If you would like to reprint, publish, post or use this article, please contact the author to obtain written consent. Otherwise, we would be very unhappy.

Dealing with Stress

I was recently asked by a writer to jot down some thoughts on creating a better team and dealing with stressed co-workers. I was also recently interviewed about dealing with a "bully" at work. So, I guess I am the go-to guy about negative people at work.

When the bully article is posted, I will send a link. Until then, here are some thoughts on teamwork and dealing with stressed co-workers.


1. To me, successful teamwork is asking yourself one question: “How can I make the other people around me more successful?” If you answer that question and act on it, you can help create a better team (and help your stressed co-worker in the process). Most people come to work and say, “How can everyone else make ME more successful?” If you don’t care who gets the credit, if you learn to support and take care of the person next to you, the entire work environment will quickly change.

2. Help your teammates (stressed or otherwise) take ownership of their happiness and passion. Too many times, employees let other people’s actions or words determine their happiness. Happiness is a choice. Unfortunately, when we give control to other employees, managers, customers, partners, or vendors, we are never very happy. We have to take back that ownership. Would you, as a normal, sane person, really make the choice to wake up in the morning, comb your hair, brush your teeth and say, “Man, I am bitter, frustrated and angry. I can’t wait to get to work.” No, you wouldn’t. Yet, people do that every day. We have no control over many things at work. We always can have control of our reaction and our attitude.

3. Be patient and positive in your tone of voice. Sounds simple, but a reassuring and patient tone in your voice will do wonders for teamwork and for helping your stressed co-worker.

4. Take a break. Again, a simple idea but something that has very real results. Ever try and assemble something from the store? Ever get frustrated? Ever throw the directions across the room in frustration? Stop, take a break, and then reassess. Just a few moments away will give you the energy to move forward.

5. Be in the moment with your co-workers. Working in the moment means being focused and connected. Listen to each other. Make eye contact. Engage in the communication process. If you want to create more stress, then check your e-mail on your phone during a meeting. During one recent meeting with a new client to discuss their conference, one VP wouldn’t make eye contact. The other two participants kept sending texts on their mobile device. Nobody was in the moment with me or with each other.

6. Tell your co-workers you appreciate them. We all want positive support at work. When we don’t receive appreciation and thanks, we are not very happy. You know how you feel when someone says, “You made a difference,” or “Great job,” or “I really appreciate your help.” You get an incredible feeling right in the middle of your chest. Giving that feeling is a gift. And it doesn’t take a budget, plan, or approval. It just takes a few seconds from your day.

Joel Zeff (http://www.joelzeff.com/) is a national workplace expert, speaker and humorist. His spontaneous humor and vital messages have thrilled audiences for years. Corporations and organizations nationwide seek him out to motivate and energize their employees on such topics as work/life balance, passion at work, creativity, communication, teamwork, and leadership. His first book, “Make the Right Choice: Creating a Positive, Innovative and Productive Work Life” was just published by John Wiley & Sons. For more information on his book, please visit http://www.maketherightchoicethebook.com/.

Joel Zeff and Joel Zeff Creative retain the ownership and rights to this article. If you would like to reprint or publish this article in your blog or other media, please send an e-mail to the author for permission.

Welcome to my Amazon visitors

If all goes well, this blog will start showing up on the Make the Right Choice page on Amazon. The "if" part takes into consideration:

1. That I correctly signed up for the feed.
2. That I correctly signed up for the Amazon Connect, allowing my blog to be shown on the book's page.
3. That I have any idea what a "feed" or "Amazon Connect" really does.

So, welcome to my little blog. I will post recent articles I have written, interviews I have done about the book or other topics, and various musings on life, work, and happiness.

Enjoy the blog. Enjoy the feed. Enjoy my feeding the blog or blogging the feed.

The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch

I haven't posted an entry in quite some time. The reason? I think I best explained my lack of new writing in my last newsletter:

November came and went and there was no newsletter. “It’s Thanksgiving,” I said. “Nobody needs a newsletter during Thanksgiving.”

December came and went and there was no newsletter. “It is the Holidays,” I said. “Nobody needs a newsletter during the Holidays.”

January started and my wife asked when I was planning to write a newsletter. “It is Bowl season and the NFL playoffs,” I said. “Nobody needs a newsletter during Bowl season and the NFL playoffs.”

And then my wife told me to get off the couch and write a newsletter, except she didn’t use the word “couch.”

I hope everyone has a wonderful 2008. And, I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday Season. Okay, it is time we all get off our “couch” and get back to work. Here is the first blog entry of 2008.

First, this should be the first post that will have a feed on Amazon. So, if you stumbled on my book in the great big world of Amazon, I welcome you with the embraced arms of my blog link. For more information, check out the book's web site at http://www.maketherightchoicethebook.com/ or my speaking web site at http://www.joelzeff.com/.

Second, I recently appeared on the CNBC show, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. I had a wonderful experience on the show. I walked past Carmen Electra. Donny massaged my shoulders on the air. I ate vegetables in the green room. Yep, a great day.

You can see my interview with Donny here: http://www.cnbc.com/id/22902819

I also posted an entry on the show's blog: http://www.cnbc.com/id/22903025

The first part of show's blog is below:

The whole experience as a guest today was exciting, fun, energizing; and happened extremely fast. I have watched the Big Idea since it started because it really is the only show that captures the spirit, energy and ideas of the people who make business work in this country.

Every show is an eclectic mix of personalities talking about their passion.The show was kind enough to ask me to blog about my experience. So, I thought I would jot down a few thoughts and then include a recent article I wrote that will give some more details to the five points I discussed on today’s show.

1. One of the coolest aspects of appearing on The Big Idea is sitting in the green room before the show and talking to the other guests. It is very energizing to be in a room with people, just like you, who are passionate about their work and ideas. I spent most of my time talking with the Blender Guys and the team behind Just Between Friends. The Blender Guys have inspired me with their great idea using funny videos on You Tube to market their product. And, as a father of two children, Just Between Friends, is a brilliant idea. I can’t wait to get home and clean out my garage.

2. Bill Zanker (I think it was him) threw out the perfect new name for the Grill Charms. Stake Your Claim gets my vote.

3. At different times during my interview, I have no control of my arms. Many people suffer from this affliction during an interview. I am just the one pointing it out to everyone.

4. During the interview, Donny massaged my shoulders. Frankly, that small fact makes me feel very special. To put that in perspective, I was on the same show as Carmen Electra, and I was the only one to receive a shoulder massage during the interview.

5. Speaking of Carmen Electra, unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to meet her. We did walk past each other in the studio. I am not sure, but she was probably thinking, “Is that the guy Donny just massaged on air?”

6. During the show, the other guests are watching the taping in the green room. When the Blender Guys were putting together the final ingredients to blend, we all kept cheering to add a bottle of glue. The glue didn’t make the final very cool mixture. Still, I think it was funny that everyone kept yelling at the monitor, “Put in the glue!”

7. Donny and I were wearing very similar suits. Our shirt color schemes were also the same (we were both working the purple). I pointed this out during my interview. I am pretty sure Donny had no idea what I was talking about. I am not sure why I am bringing this up now. Actually, I have no idea why I used valuable national air time to discuss our similar tastes in clothes.

8. I do want to thank the wonderful staff of The Big Idea. Thank you for all of your help, support and advice. And, thank you for making me feel comfortable and welcome. It was a pleasure working with everyone.

To read the rest of the blog (which includes an article about dealing with "grumpy" people at work) go to the CNBC blog and hit the link for the jump:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/22903025