It’s not what you know, but who you know. Our net worth is closely related to our network. The more people you know the greater opportunities you’ll have.

THE POWER OF INFLUENCE jeffrey benjamin

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Everyone needs to influence the thinking and actions of others. And much of this influencing goes on in ordinary conversations with family, friends and customers. Jeffrey Benjamin, author and founder of Breakthrough Training™ shares how you can use the power of influence.

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“Before I speak, I have something important to say.” Groucho Marx

3 REAL LIFE HABITS FOR SUCCESS ® MASTER YOUR COMMUNICATION

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to improve our quality of communication. Here are 3 tools you can use to enhance your quality of communication.

1. COMPLIMENT THE IDEAS AND WORK OF OTHER PEOPLE. It’s been said that you can’t take a step up if you are busy pushing others down. Acknowledge your friends and peers when they do a great job. Too often people don’t compliment others for their contributions. It takes only a few seconds to offer an accolade or a few kind words of appreciation. Tell your kids that you’re proud of them, thank someone for his or her keen insight, praise a diligent co-worker, tell your spouse you appreciate his or her work. Others are much more likely to help you if they feel their efforts are noticed.

2. LET OTHERS CONFIDE IN YOU. Allow others to reveal in confidence their innermost thoughts, concerns and dreams. The best managers, the best family members and the best of friends are people we can trust in sharing our thoughts and feelings. When people are confiding in you, remind them that what you talk about is 100 percent confidential. Maintain your code of confidentiality.

3. GIVE CREDIT WHEN CREDIT IS DUE. Cite your sources, publicly applaud the ideas of others and recognize the people in your life that have helped you. A deep sense of admiration and respect is built when a person gives credit to others. The opposite occurs when a person claims all the credit for him or herself; people will go out of their way to sabotage another out of severe lack of respect.

THE ART OF IMPROVISATION mike bonifer author of GameChangers

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Jeffrey Benjamin speaks with best-selling author Mike Bonifer. Improvisation is not just for stand up comedians and actors, it is for anyone who wants to improve their business & personal communication skills. Bonifer has worked with The Walt Disney Company, Universal Studios, DreamWorks, Frito-Lay, Merrill Lynch-Japan, Mountain Dew, Franklin-Covey, Hot Topic, Smithsonian Online, News Corporation, CIT, and a host of smaller, innovative companies.

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3 REAL LIFE HABITS FOR SUCCESS ® 
IMPROVE YOUR PUBLIC SPEAKING

Public speaking is often associated with fear, anxiety and stress. On the flip side it is associated with confidence, leadership and opportunity. Most people would rather jump through rings of fire than give a speech. Just the thought of speaking in public can create sweaty palms. Here are 3 habits to improve your public speaking.

1. USE AN ATTENTION GETTER. Light a fire under your audience. Gain attention by telling a quick joke, asking a question, offering a famous quotation, sharing a story or citing a statistic. Use this technique whether you are speaking to an audience for three hours of thirty seconds. An attention getter allows you to focus the mind of your audience. Ultimately, it draws your audience in to listen to what you have to say.

2. ORGANIZE YOUR MAIN POINTS. This is the central content of your message. Avoid making your audience decipher your key points or ideas. Every great written or verbal presentation is well organized. This makes it easy for your message to be understandable and increases your listener’s faith in your expertise. Take a few minutes to jot down your main or central ideas before offering them to others. Shorter presentations should contain less main points. Avoid packing too many main points into your presentation.

3. ASK FOR FEEDBACK. At times we are so blinded by ego that we fail to see our own dysfunctional behavior. Ask your friends, family and business associates, and of course your audience, to give you suggestions on how you might improve your communication. Encourage them to give you honest insight. Let them know that you value their perspectives and opinions. This can also be achieved by having your audience fill out an evaluation form. Be sure to follow their suggestions. You can also video or audio record your presentation and review it to see how you can improve. Major sports teams video record the game so they can review and improve.