Happy New Year: Two Weeks in a Row

Yep, I have posted two weeks in a row. This is a record of historical significance. Songs will be sung. Poems written. A feast ordered in my name.

I wanted to share a few links:

1. A business reporter with Newsday (which covers Long Island, NY) included me in her column about motivating employees at small businesses.

2. I found this review of my book published in the South China Morning Post. I didn't even know they were working on a review. So, if someone from the South China Morning Post reads this blog, thank you very much for the excellent review. Actually, I think this is my favorite review of my book.

3. I appeared on the Career Solutions radio show a couple of weeks ago. The podcast has not posted yet. However, here is the interview I did with them in the summer. Many of the same thoughts, the difference is that it was hot and humid outside when I said them.


Have a Happy New Year.

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.

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.

Black Mock Turtlenecks Attend Signing

If you have read my book, this photo is funny. If you have not read my book, you are wondering why I have posted a photo of two guys wearing black mock turtlenecks holding blueberry muffins.

An excerpt from Make the Right Choice:

This book is not for managers in black mock turtlenecks. They won't turn away from their presentations of upside-down triangles and convoluted mission statements to read a book. They only learn from other black mock turtlenecks.

Take a moment to watch and study the black mock turtlenecks in their natural habitat. Look down the hall at the cubicle on the right, the one with way too much college sports memorabilia on the walls, and you might see a black mock turtleneck (BMT). Or, maybe you are attending a conference and you see a BMT near the coffee station. They tend to circle near blueberry muffins. You don't have to be quiet when you observe the black mock turtleneck. They don't listen very well. He won't even notice you watching. He is too busy eating the muffin, staring at his phone and answering e-mails about fungibles.

Every so often, the black mock turtleneck manager must feed. He feeds on those he manages after a larger and stronger black mock turtleneck requires quarterly performance improvements.

Now, you understand the photo. I do want to thank my friends from HOBY-Texas North for really getting into the spirit of my book signing. By the way, Rich and Brian are not real black mock turtlenecks.

The Mighty, Mighty PR Machine is Rolling

The mighty PR machine is chugging up the mountain. Meeting the reporters and dealing with the PR game reminds me of my past lives as a newspaper reporter, PR writer and account executive. I am having a great time and am really enjoying getting the word out about my book.

It is quite interesting to see what messages/ideas/thoughts different members of the media pull out of the book.

Here are a few links:

The Miami Herald: http://worklifebalancingact.blogspot.com/
The Fresno Bee: http://www.fresnobee.com/jobs/workwise/story/137729.html
The Houston Business Journal (two stories and two links): http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2007/07/30/focus2.html
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2007/07/30/focus1.html


I also did an interview with FOX 26 in Houston. They were kind enough to post the interview on their web site. Please notice that at different times during the interview I have no control of my hands.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=48C81416E4307CCF839D13A5DC8864A6?contentId=4312589&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

I have a couple big stories coming out (hopefully) in the Dallas Morning News and Houston Chronicle.

And, if anyone has a connection, friend, parent, spouse, child, relative, neighbor, vendor, partner, colleague, Jedi, they know in the media, please forward information about the book.