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SPREADING CONTAGIOUS ENTHUSIASMTM |
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In This Issue:
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November 2008
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Quotations of the Month
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Where in the World Is Barbara?
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News at Barbara Glanz Communications, Inc.
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Idea of the Month -- Make a Thanksgiving Tree
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Article of the Month -- "The Impact of our Words"
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A THANKSGIVING IDEA FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS
Are you looking for a creative, meaningful way to appreciate your employees and / or your customers this Thanksgiving?
Send their families a copy of "The Simple Truths of Appreciation!"
THANKSGIVING SPECIAL:
BOOK $12.00 (Retail $15.95)
BOOK WITH DVD $15.00 (Retail $19.95)
One of my new books is titled "The Simple Truths of Appreciation - How Each of Us Can Choose to Make a Difference." There is so much negativity and cynicism all around us today that people are desperate for positives and hope and a focus on goodness. I find that everyone can seem to share what is going wrong but have difficulty coming up with what is going RIGHT, so we need to become more positive, grateful people, focused on what is good in our lives.
The #2 thing people want from their jobs is "Full appreciation for the work they have done", yet 65% of the workers interviewed said they got NO appreciation for the good work they did all last year. Isn't that sad?
The other need we are seeing in the workplace is a desire for employees to have more connection between their families (home life) and their work life. When Baxter Labs did a worldwide study asking their employees, "What can we do to make it better for you?", the answer most received was that they wanted to be recognized as "whole human beings with a life outside of work." I am seeing this over and over in my work in corporate America.
Finally, new research from Gallup says that only 12- 15 % of our American workers are giving their very best to their jobs. 8 - 10 % are burned out, but that leaves 75 - 80- % just doing enough to get by. I believe that is primarily because they do not feel a sense of purpose in the work they are doing and they do not feel valued by the company.
SO, MY IDEA WOULD COMBINE ALL THOSE NEEDS, and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to do this. I would like to suggest that companies purchase copies of my book, "The Simple Truths of Appreciation," and send them to their employees' homes as a Thanksgiving gift, thanking the families for sharing the employee with them and for all their sacrifices to help them do their very best work. I think it is a gesture neither the employee nor the family will ever forget.
The book is a short book with lots of beautiful pictures, and it is filled with stories, both personal and business, of people who are making a difference through appreciating others. Even non-readers are enjoying it, so it would be a book for the whole family.
Another idea is to also send it to all the organization's best customers to thank THEM for their business.
I am always trying to think of creative ways to encourage people that they CAN make a difference. This book, containing some simple strategies of how to remember to appreciate people, like putting five pennies in one pocket at the beginning of the day and each time you appreciate someone, moving the pennies to the other pocket with the goal of not ending the day without having moved all five pennies, can help make this spirit of appreciation actionable. And that is what we need more of in this hurting world!
THANKSGIVING SPECIAL:
BOOK $12.00 (Retail $15.95)
BOOK WITH DVD $15.00 (Retail $19.95)
To order books, email us at bglanz@barbaraglanz.com or call us at 941-312-9169 for quantity discounts.
ACT SOON AS THANKSGIVING IS NOT FAR OFF! Special runs November 1-November 30.
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"Make a Thanksgiving Tree", excerpted from "CARE Packages for the Workplace -- Dozens of Little Things You Can Do to Regenerate Spirit at Work," Barbara Glanz, McGraw-Hill 2006
THE IDEA:
It doesn't just have to be the month of Thanksgiving that we share our gratitude and appreciation for blessings in our lives. One of the ways to keep "an attitude of gratitude" in the places we work is to make a Thanksgiving tree.
THE IDEA IN ACTION:
* Many years ago I created a Thanksgiving tree for our home. I took a large manzanita branch, sprayed it gold, and secured it in a base of plaster of Paris. Beside it, I kept a basket of small plain cards with holes punched in them, another basket of pieces of colored yarn, and some pens.
The tradition in our family is that the month before Thanksgiving, the tree is placed on a table in our living room, and as the month goes on, each family member writes down things for which he or she is thankful and hangs them on the tree. We always laugh remembering that when Erin was in second grade and they were studying the Pilgrims, she wrote, "I am thankful I don't have to kill the turkey before we eat it!"
We also encourage guests in our home to participate. Th children's friends have always enjoyed writing something on the tree, and even the mailman used to stop in during the month of November and add his thanks! At the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day we read the cards from the tree as an affirmation of our blessings. Then we save the cards from the year before, and we read those as well. It is a wonderful way to remind us of all the goodness in our lives and reinforces the importance of sharing our appreciation.
TIPS FOR IMPLEMENTATION:
An organization could use this idea in a work area, a cafeteria, or other gathering place to encourage employees to focus on the good things happening each day, especially in these tumultuous times. It also promotes communication and teamwork as others read the information shared on the cards. If the tree is kept up all year long, it will be important to remove the cards on a regular basis to make room for others and to encourage continual appreciation.
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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS BARBARA?
SEPTEMBER
3 Disney Leadership Conference, Anaheim, CA
5 Planned Parenthood, San Jose, CA
8 and 9 Disney Leadership Conference, Orlando, FL
10-13 New York City
14-15 Ken Blanchard's Lead Like Jesus Board Meetings
16-18 Grand Junction, CO
19 SHRM Nebraska, Omaha, NE
25 Governor's Conference on Tourism, Gaitlinburg, TN
25-27 Guideposts Advisory Cabinet Meetings, Seattle, WA
28-October 4 Portland, OR
OCTOBER
5-6 Seattle, WA
12 American Society for Healthcare HR Administration, Austin, TX
20 Giant Food Stores, Gettysburg. PA, Brooks International
21 The Melting Pot, St. Petersburg, FL
23 Hold, Human Capital Forum, Quito, Ecuador
27 Campus Stores of Canada, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
NOVEMBER
2-8 Hold, Latin America HR Forum, Montevideo, Uruguay
13-16 Guideposts meeting, Master of Ceremonies, Naples, FL
DECEMBER
6-8 San Diego, CA
9-10 Kaiser Permanente, San Diego, CA
11-16 Portland, OR
18 Hold, Norfolk Southern Group, Atlanta, GA, Premiere Speakers
JANUARY
8-10 Hold, Certified Contractors Network, Naples, FL
22-25 Mastermind Group, Naperville, IL
26 Hold, Governor's Conference, Cheyenne, WY
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THE IMPACT OF OUR WORDS
It was nearly midnight when I walked in the door to my condo on the beach, feeling totally exhausted and completely burned out. I had flown all over the country speaking-32 flights in six weeks, with a total of only about 6 days at home during that whole time. Although I love my job and the mission of my speaking, this time it just seemed "too much." Most of my friends have retired, and I had just found out that two of my kids were out of work, and here I was beating myself up, both mentally and physically, traveling and working!
I remember thinking, "OK, Lord, I know this is a gift You have given me, and I know I have asked You to put me where You want me to be, but how much longer do You want me to keep doing this? I am tired and I want a 'real' life like everyone else. Am I REALLY making a difference?"
As always, I came home to at least 3 feet of mail, 2000+ emails, and piles everywhere in my condo since I am never here to sort through and straighten out! As I began going through the interminable piles of mail about 1:00 am, I came across a padded envelope in the stack. I opened it and found a book titled, "The Good Grief Club - A True Story About the Power of Friendship and French Toast" by Monica Novak. I was curious - I did not remember knowing anyone named Monica Novak.
As I opened the book, I saw a handwritten inscription that said, "In loving memory of Gavin Ward Glanz." Gavin was our second child who died at birth, and rarely does anyone ever mention him. Below that was another inscription:
Dear Barbara,
I thank God for leading me to hear you speak on the radio ten years ago. Not only did you inspire me, but you've touched the life of every person who will ever read this book. Thank you for your passion and dedication for making this world a better, more caring place.
Many blessings,
Monica
Even more curious, I turned to the acknowledgements. Here is the first paragraph:
"The journey of writing this book began ten years ago when I was awakened in the middle of the night with an urgent sense that I should write down the details of this story. I didn't know then why it would be so important. One year later, while driving home from Indiana to Illinois, I came upon a late-night AM talk radio program being broadcast from Minnesota, featuring author Barbara Glanz. As she talked about her own books, she encouraged people, like me, who had a story to tell but were mentally stuck because of a lack of formal writing education or experience. So, first and foremost, I need to thank Barbara and my unseen "angels" for getting me on this road and keeping me behind the wheels with constant guidance and inspiration."
Oh, my, talk about God sending a direct message! This was exactly the affirmation I needed - to KNOW without a doubt that my message IS making a difference,...and even after ten whole years! I have written Monica, but the truth is, I have absolutely no recollection of ever doing a radio talk show in Minnesota...and that would have been in 1998, just three years after I started my company when I was a relatively new speaker and author.
The amazing lesson I gained from this precious experience, besides a beautiful new friendship and a heartfelt, compassionate book that will touch anyone who has lost an infant, is that we never ever know the impact our words might have on someone else. What a blessing as well as an awesome responsibility every time we open our mouths!
I wonder...how many times do we receive encouraging messages from above that go right over our heads? For me, this affirmation was a gift from God that I need to keep on with my mission, no matter how tired I am or how difficult the travel is or how long I am away from home. I KNOW I am where He wants me to be, and I am grateful.
To learn more about Barbara's work, go to www,barbaraglanz,com. To order Monica's book, go to monica.novak@comcast.net.
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© Barbara Glanz Communications, Inc. 2008. All Rights Reserved.
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