10 Tips on How to Shake Hands

Handshakes are an essential part of business etiquette and communication.  #8 from the article linked above reminds me of a true story...I was meeting with a client several years ago who, while problem solving an issue he was having with the carpeting I had sold him, happened to be standing under a very hot spot light.  I also have to mention that he was bald - by choice would be my guess because he was a relatively young man.  In any case, this spot light was generating a lot of heat and the man was perspiring from his temples.  He kept wiping the perspiration off with his right hand...I would also guess that he was becoming very cognizant that he was sweating, but never suggested we move out from under the light.  I had become distracted from what he was saying because all I could think of was, "I'm eventually going to have to shake that hand."  Ever since this meeting, I have carried a small bottle of Purell in my purse...  Is your handshake firm, brief, and hygienic?  If not, practice!  

Friendship in the digital age...not that much different from the stone age.

I thought the following article was very interesting...it is in regards to Dunbar's Number and Social Media friendships.  Dunbar's Number is "the limit on the number of individuals with whom one can have a personalized relationship". 

After an unscientific survey of my FB friends and Linkedin Connections, it seems to be the case that 150 is the average number of friends and connections we have in the digital world.  Let's face it...who has time to keep track of anymore than 150 people on a personal level!? 

I especially like the Community Attributes paragraph:  1. Trust.  If I don't know you or have had a personal experience with you, there is no chance of you being my friend or connection.  2. Peer Pressure.  It's true.  I will admit...if Chrissy is your friend on FB, then I will be your friend too. I always look for mutual friends.  If Chrissy is there, you're in. 

http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/17/internet-facebook-social-networking-business-friends-oxford.html

How many FB friends do you have?  Take the survey to the right.

I love Fall Fashions!

Fall is my favorite fashion season.  Skirts with tights, tall boots, turtleneck sweaters, cable knit cardigans... it kills me that I can't really wear this stuff until January here in the desert.  September is an exciting fashion month!  The  fashion magazines are 3 times bigger than normal and "Back to School" sales are everywhere.  I still go "Back to School" shopping.  This is a great time to update your work wardrobe staples and get them on sale.  The article below gives a great outline of the basic items needed to create a work wardrobe.  What I especially like are the recommendations on how to mix and match the staples into various outfits.  A simple and well thought out wardrobe can go a long way...Happy shopping!

Basic Wardrobe Staples for Work

photo from www.newyorkandcompany.com

Reconnecting...good for the soul.

I know what you're thinking..."Gosh, a whole month on vacation.  Lucky Mary!".  I wish!  I enjoyed my time off immensely, however, upon my return, the daily responsibilities of parenting, housekeeping, and work had quickly piled up.  To say the least, my inbox is a mess again.  Anyway...I spent my vacation reconnecting with my family, high school girlfriends, and my dance teachers - three important groups of people who all have influenced who I am today.

It was great to have my children interact with their aunts, uncle, and cousins... whom they do not get to see on a regular basis.  I loved spending time with my sister Cindy - it had been two years since the last time I saw her!!  My high school girlfriends have changed so much, yet, are still the same...in a very good way.  I wished I had snapped a photo of me with my dance teachers...drat!  It's the 30th Anniversary of Jan's School of Dance...definitely something to celebrate!  We are planning a "reunion" party during the recital this year. 

While I live far away, reconnecting with these special people reminded me of how important and beneficial it is to keep in touch with those who are and have been influential in our lives. 

The article below from http://www.healthywomen.org/ agrees -
http://www.healthywomen.org/content/blog-entry/reconnecting-old-friends.

High School Girlfriends - 12 years since we've all been together!

My Sisters and Brother - 3 years since we've all been together!

How to Prepare The Office For Your Vacation

1. Out of Office email....check! 
2. Change Voicemail...check! 
3. Update reports...eh...check-enough. 
4. Emergency Contact...check! 
5. Relax...well, after I successfully land at my destination I will relax. 

I'm taking a vacation, folks.  No worries, my loyal followers, I promise to come back refreshed and full of new ideas to share with you.  In the meantime, refer to the attached article to find out 5 must-do's to prepare your office for your next vacation.   

How to Prepare The Office For Your Vacation eHow.com

What is a Blog?

Everybody is doing it. Seriously... every company, every store, some of your friends, perhaps, have blogs. The video link above gives an excellent 3 minute explanation on what a blog is. Now go on...start one of your own!

Empty Your Inbox

This post was inspired by my friend Emily, who updated her status on Facebook as "crawling out of an "inbox" mess" a few weeks ago. I've read where the looming backlog of messages in your inbox can create unnecessary stress. Who needs that? I found this article by Janet Baily, whose company is Mindful Time Management (http://www.mindfultimemanagement.com/). You should check out her website for other great time management suggestions. The link below offers a great methodology for cleaning out your inbox...so I gave it a try:
http://www.mindfultimemanagement.com/2009/10/approaching-the-inbox-with-a-shovel-or-maybe-a-bulldozer-tea-and-lots-of-chocolate/

I didn't have tea or chocolate...I drank a Michelob Ultra and ate pizza instead. It took two hours to file and delete my way to a better state of mind. I left 21 emails that will serve as my to-do list when I return to work on Monday. I'm afraid if I filed them, I'd just probably forget about them. Now, I just need to commit myself to keeping this practice up. Cheers!

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?

For an owl, it took 3 licks before he bit into it. I think the point being made was that no one really knows because it's impossible to wait that long. But perhaps the bigger point was that the owl didn't wait for the center to reveal itself...he took charge and made something happen. Just like a good sales person doesn't wait for an order to come to them, the good ones go out there and make them happen. Whether you are in a sales position or not, we all have an element or two of selling in the work we do. This year has been challenging, to say the least. However, those of us who approached this year with optimism and old fashioned hard work are probably starting to see the fruits of our labor....even if those fruits are smaller than in years past. Stay optimistic, keep up the hard work, and stay strong...only the strong will survive!

http://www.rethinkingsales.com/blog/2010/7/29/selling-only-the-strong-survive.html

Power Networking

net-work-ing: -noun 1. a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.

definition via Dictionary.com

Networking is a good exercise in any profession. Most of us in the commercial furnishings and textiles business belong to networking groups made up of non-competing sales people where each person brings to the meeting new projects and/or contacts to share. By the definition above, a good networking group is "a supportive system of sharing information". There is a tremendous amount of trust among members of the group and unwritten rules of conduct of which everyone abides by. Some networking groups are better than others...the group has to have good chemistry. I was recently invited to join two non-competing sales representatives and hosted their "Power Networking" meeting. What made it a "power" meeting? Not only did we exchange information, we actually followed thru on making the call to set up meetings and or presentations with the new contacts shared. We agreed to invite each other to additional sales presentations we make in the coming weeks. Not only will this allow us to share in the expense of a lunch presentation, have a more focused presentation - 20 min versus a whole hour - but more importantly, it will allow our time-crunched customers the opportunity to be exposed to a wider variety of product over the hour lunch break. I see it as a win-win for everyone. How are you utilizing networking groups to grow your business?

An Apple A Day...

Eating healthy on the road is a challenge for me...this was dinner Wednesday night at McCarren Airport. Give me at least one gold star for drinking water instead of soda. I've tried packing food with me to help avoid the temptations that exist at the airport...(Cinnabon, Starbucks, that spicy cracker wasabi pea snack mix, you know the one I'm talking about)...but two months after a business trip to Chicago I found a rotten apple in my carry-on along with an empty Nuts On Clark bag of popcorn. Gross! Well not the popcorn. It was the Chicago mix, of course! After reading this article from CNN.com's Road Warriors series, I vow here and now to better plan ahead and bring healthy snacks with me to avoid the temptations that exist at every turn when I'm out of town for business. [Read: I will actually eat the apple I pack in my carry on] As for packing my workout gear......baby steps, please. www.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/09/05/healthy.eating/index.html

How To Pick A Travel Bag

Lands End is a great company.... I bet these bags really perform well. Enter the sweepstakes to win one! http://bit.ly/FWSweeps

"That's What You Get for Waking Up in Vegas"

Honestly, I wasn't going to make much of an effort to shake things up on my business trip to Las Vegas this week. I like PF Chang's Kung Pao Chicken that much! Luckily, PF Chang's is one of my clients and I knew that the Planet Hollywood Casino location installed a few of the textiles I sell there. So I decided to check it out, convincing myself that a new location to eat my usual home-away-from-home dinner would suffice as adventurous. As I meandered thru the mall to get to the restaurant, a very jubilant young woman jumped to my side from her kiosk and lamented on the fact that my finger nails were bare. "Why don't you make your nails pretty?". Instead of the long story, I just replied..."I don't know." "Come here and I will make them pretty for you." She did the most amazing thing with these nail polish stickers! She had so much enthusiasm that I couldn't help myself... Did you know about Incoco, the new Revolution in Nail Polish? Check them out at www.incoco.com. Sold!

Dressing Appropriately for Work

For the last five years my work wardrobe has been in a state of flux. The uncertainty begins with the fact that I moved from the corporate and conservative Midwest to the more laid-back and casual Southwest. In addition, I've been in and out of a maternity wardrobe (and the "in transition back to normal" wardrobe that follows) twice in three years. My beautiful collection of three-season wool suits are long gone and traded in for....well, that's just it... I am still navigating how to dress in this climate of perpetual summer and a more casual business environment. I'm a sales professional in a creative industry, which means I have more choices when it comes to my wardrobe selections. Honestly, I find the amount of choice overwhelming as it only increases the chances of going wrong. I admit, I miss the ease of dressing in suits. Aside from the fit or styling details that show it's age, you really can't go wrong. The jacket and bottoms are the canvas...add flare with a cute top, colorful shoes, and great jewelry. Easy-peasy! This is not a post to fish for compliments on my current outfits, nor is it a sly way to get myself nominated for a TLC What Not To Wear episode....however, I would totally participate if I was! If you are also challenged by today's business casual dress code, you may find the article below a good road map for dressing appropriately for work:







He Said, She Said: Dressing Appropriately for Work - Careers Articles
image via this article at jobs.aol.com

"All Joy and No Fun"...do parents really hate parenting?

A good friend, and fellow working mom, directed my attention to the article below from New York Magazine. Do you hate parenting? I wouldn't necessarily say I hate parenting. I think "hate" is too strong of a word to describe the emotionally exhausting, sleep depriving, stressful work that is only part of the act of raising children. I will say, however, that my patience for parenting sure has waned since the temperature here has risen above 105 and the dew point seems to be stuck at 55 degrees (that means it's humid here in the desert), thus keeping the kids inside and underfoot. Why don't they play together? ...Seriously..., I'm asking you all,... why won't they play together in their awesome play room?! My children are close in age -20 months apart. Many people told me when I was pregnant for the second time, so soon after my first baby, that it would be fine. They told me they would be each other's best friend. Well, they don't seem to be best friends yet - not even close. I can't leave them alone for more than 5 minutes without my daughter, the youngest, screaming in tears after my son has surely done something naughty to her. I witness them kicking, hitting, biting, and sitting on each other all the time. Tears are aplenty around here...most often it being the kids who are crying. On the other hand, my son is the only one who can make my daughter laugh...like real deep down belly laugh. It's those moments, and of course, many, many, many others that bring me the most joy and confirm that having kids is worth all the work...dark circles under my eyes included.

All Joy and No Fun

"Is that my water or yours?"...

Do your palms start sweating at the thought of participating in a business lunch or dinner? Donna Pilato's article below gives you great pointers on table manners for a business lunch or dinner. Memorize the handy chart here and you'll never mistakenly swipe your neighbors roll again!

http://entertaining.about.com/cs/etiquette/a/tablemanners.htm

image via: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/making-sense-of-businessdinner-table-settings.html

Travel for work? Try a few of these ideas on your next trip:

I tend to be a creature of habit and always do the same things when I travel to my work destinations: I check into the hotel, eat dinner at Pei Wei or PF Chang's (my husband doesn't like Asian food and my son is allergic to soy so I don't get to eat this stuff at home), go back to my room, get into pj's, watch non-animated TV (my kids are 3yrs and 19 mos.), fall asleep to the news. I know - boring... I probably lost you at "eat dinner". Check out Kristin Edelhauser Chessman's suggestions to break out of business travel boredom:Beat Business Trip Boredom - Entrepreneur

My next business trip is Tucson next week - what could I do to shake things up?...stay tuned for an update!

Business Etiquette...a nice reminder.

Hopefully you have already mastered these ten tips as they seem common sense to me, but for those of you who need a refresher (I can admit there is one or two I could work on), I share this article below ...

Ten Business Etiquette Tips

image via: flickr - pinetree4

LinkedIn...a good business tool?

LinkedIn is a great tool for me to stay in touch with clients and network with potential new ones. This is just one of several social media outlets I participate in to deliver my personal and corporate brand out into the market. Are you active on LinkedIn? I'd like to know...take the poll on the right side of the screen. Sometimes I wonder, "How much of an impact is participating on LinkedIn making on my business and how can I maximize it's potential?" The article below offers some really great suggestions on how to get your profile started and how to optimize LinkedIn as a business tool. I've implemented several of the suggestions, including utilizing the TripIt application. Now I can share with my connections my business trips. I hope to see more of you on LinkedIn and the next time you see that I'll be in your city...let's connect!

LinkedIn Best Practices for Business

image via: flickr - CoreIncorporated