Power Up Your Communication Force Field

Laura Mixon Camacho - 05/19/13
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Ever wonder why people don't get what you're saying? Or they don't remember (supposedly) what you told them? Or they interpret it in a way that happens to be more convenient to them that what you originally meant? Your communication is far more than the words you say or write, it's part of how you are perceived by others, aka who you really are. That's why a huge part of the power of a message is who says it; it's your communication force field.

 

Your communication force field is managed by the way you interpret what is going on in your life.

 

 In 2002 I was teaching communication courses at East Carolina University, a job I started in 1997. I met a colleague, an ex-cop turned communication instructor whose real name I still remember, but we'll call him Bob. I met Bob on multiple occasions (at least 6 times!) and each time it was like Groundhog Day; he not only never remembered my name, he never even remembered meeting me. My communication force field at that time was weak, especially outside my home. I did not feel confident as a communications instructor at the university and I was much more focused on communicating with my children and my students.   Read more »

Real Communicator Series #4: A Pharma Training Legend

Laura Mixon Camacho - 05/10/13
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Anyone related to the pharma CRM (Customer Relationship Management) training business on the East Coast (or maybe the entire country) knows who Janet Fenn is. For the rest of you, she is Director of Training services for LPW Training Services. Her background includes Corporate Education, Compliance, Risk Management and Human Resources!

 

1. What do you love most about your work?

Establishing a plan and seeing it through to successful execution. When the plan comes together, it's a work of art. Read more »

The Truth About How Your Communication Forms Reality

Laura Mixon Camacho - 05/05/13
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I've been imagining Ben Franklins raining down on me for years now and so far it hasn't happened. But reading all the research coming out about brain rewiring, I decided to do an experiment, for the sake of the Mixonian community. If you read much here, you know I like gardening but I'm not that successful at it (yet.) March a year ago, my dad and my son planted (in my yard) 8 beautiful camellias. 5 are still standing and 1 doesn't look so good. About 3 weeks ago I decided I needed to plant 5 hydrangeas on one side of my back yard. But I didn't want to buy them, I wanted to manifest them. (Frugalista to the core!)

 

So it took a few weeks. Read more »

3 Ways Making a Presentation Is Like Having a Party

Laura Mixon Camacho - 04/28/13
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People often ask me for tips to make their presentations better, or how to feel more confident when speaking in front of a group. Finally I saw how for those of you who love to give parties have a great advantage in delivering messages to a group. If you enjoy entertaining, you must be a whiz of presentations! The key elements are the same.

 

You can think about these elements of giving a party, or making a presentation.

 

1. You're the Event Planner, even if you hire an Event Planning Pro.

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Be Inspired, Be Savvy Reading List

Laura Mixon Camacho - 04/26/13
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For those who asked, and everyone else, here are 5 of my recommended reads for 2013 so far. I put links to Amazon for your convenience.

 

1. Search Inside Yourself by Chade Meng Tan. 

  Read more »

Real Communicator Series #3....It's an Attorney!

Laura Mixon Camacho - 04/22/13
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Today you get to hear from an attorney, my friend (from high school!!!) Bill Ellard, a partner with Cushing, Morris, Armbruster and Montgomery, a corporate/business law firm based in Atlanta. Bill graduated from Duke University; University of Georgia School of Law; enjoys tennis and golf, also day-hikes in the mountains; he's married to Mary-Elizabeth Ellard, a veterinarian. Bill is unusual in that he has suffered physical problems that inhibited his ability to talk for several years. He wrote, "My initial reaction is, as far as communication goes, don’t be like me."  Be inspired by what Bill has to say about communication.

Real Communication: Voices from Corporate America #2

Laura Mixon Camacho - 04/17/13
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Hi there. Today features our second Real Communicator, Sally Hamilton, HR Director at Metrics, Inc. (a pharmaceutical company) in Greenville, NC. Sally was one of the first employees of the Metrics, which opened in 1994. The company was just bought by the publicly-traded Mayne Pharma of Australia.

 

1. What do you love most about your work?

Well, a paycheck and benefits is most appreciated. The interaction with so many people can be a lot of fun - it can also be very frustrating.

  Read more »

The 7 Questions that Solve Any Problem

Laura Mixon Camacho - 04/14/13
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See, I told you communication was more important than you thought! This tool involved intrapersonal communication. That means communication with yourself, where, you probably have your most fascinating conversations! Here's how it works. Good questions lead to new perspectives. New perspectives result in higher levels of thinking. Higher-level thinking is what solves your problem!

 

The underlying assumption, is....every problem has a solution. The kicker to that is that the solution is totally different from what you thought it should be, or even what you wanted it to be. (Hint: the solution is usually simpler than what you thought!)

 

There's an example after the questions to show you how this process works. These 7 questions you can use to coach yourself to solve a sticky situation, move forward on a project, to drop some burden without guilt, to take better care of yourself or just to enjoy your life more. They are in sequential order and I suggest you answer one at a time.

  Read more »

Real Communication: Voices from Corporate America

Laura Mixon Camacho - 04/05/13
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Hi there! Today you're getting a treat -- the chance to know how successful folks who work real jobs in real companies  (that's our working definition of "corporate America") deal with communication issues at work. Our debut in this series, Real Communication: Voices from Corporate America, features Kim Wright-Brown, Sales Manager at Comcast in Charleston. She's been with Comcast for nearly 20 years and moved into sales from advertising and marketing. Her team covers sales to businesses in the Charleston area.

  Read more »

Why the Journey of the Jedi Listener Matters

Laura Mixon Camacho - 04/04/13
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So far, exactly not one single person has inquired how to become a better listener, must less a Jedi Listener. Undeterred, (out....standing in the field), I will share with you the massive-and-yet-secret benefits to really listening to what people want you to understand. Like no other, this skill can transform you. Truth is, most people are terrible listeners. Are you listening?

 

I've always considered myself a superior good listener. And yet when I can summon the courage to take a real look at my failures learning experiences, I've messed up in many relationships (including a marriage,) classrooms and even lost business because I assumed I knew what someone was trying to tell me, but I didn't really get what was underneath the words being said! In some cases I "knew" that what someone was saying wasn't that relevant to me and simply pretended to listen. Read more »

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