Sheryl Roush Speaks at CalSAE Regional Luncheon May 13

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Sheryl Roush Speaks at CalSAE San Diego
Regional Luncheon May 13

International speaker Sheryl Roush is the San Diego Region Luncheon keynote speaker this Wednesday, May 13 at CalSAE – the California Society of Association Executives – at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Mission Valley, San Diego, CA.

Communicating and Connecting
During Critical Times

This keynote session is designed for senior management and experienced sales team members. In the current environment of changing economics, expanding technology and increasing work life demands how much would even one new technique be worth to improve your communication skills? 

This presentation will assist in reviewing your own communication techniques while outlining the critical elements of connecting with others – including members, employees and peers. It will also assist you in leading and maximizing communication efforts in your organization! Cut through the noise and get to the point in this fun, high-level, interactive session! 

Topics covered include:


SPEAKER INFO:
Sheryl Roush, CEO of Sparkle Presentations, Inc., is an internationally top-rated presenter, known for her high-energy, high-content, how-to presentations. Her programs rekindle the spirit, raise the bar and create excitement. Sheryl has over 30 years of expertise in communication, is a 12-time published author, and has presented over 3,000 programs in nine countries with rave reviews and results. Toastmasters International honored her as only the third female in the world to earn their prestigious Accredited Speaker award, out of 4 million members in 93 countries. Sheryl is receiving their highest honor in member service, The Presidential Citation, at their International Convention this August. As a conference presenter, she has spoken alongside celebrities including: Olivia Newton-John, Geena Davis, Jane Seymour, Joan Lunden, and Art Linkletter.  And business giants including: Robert G. Allen, Southwest Airlines’ CEO Howard Putnam, Suze Orman, and the Gallup Organization’s Marcus Buckingham. Some of her clients include: hotels, law firms, real estate, housing, retail, tourism, HR, associations and small business.
www.SparklePresentations.com


Luncheon Registration opens at 11:30am and is open to non-members, $50

Crowne Plaza Hotel
11:30am – 1:30pm
Peacock Room
2270 Hotel Circle North
Mission Valley
San Diego, CA 92108
Phone: 619-297-1101

Stress At Work

Heart of a Woman in Business| 2 Comments »

Stress At Work

Listen to an excerpt of
Stress, It’s All In The Mind
 
by Cliff Simon and Patricia Stewart at
www.AurorisEntertainment.com

 

Benjamin Franklin once said, “ In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.” With apologies to Mr. Franklin, he forgot to include stress. Every person feels stress at some time during their life. Often, we see it as a bad thing. We commonly see our stress caused by a host of irritating hassles over a period of time, or an ongoing, difficult situation. Stress affects different people in different ways. Something that causes you a great deal of stress may not affect your friend or coworker in the same way.

Job stress is much like any other form of stress, but can often be more difficult to deal with because we are very aware of being on display at our jobs. We are under pressure to look and act professionally. If you have handled stress at home in ways you would not comfortably handle stress while at work, then you may have also lost your coping mechanism. This, in itself may cause more stress.

What causes stress at work?

•    Control – I once was a team leader in a group home for disabled adults. I loved my clients and the people I worked with, but I, and many of the other team leaders did not feel supported by the supervisors or our employer. We felt that we had a great deal of responsibility but little control or decision-making authority. This placed us at greater risk of stress and burnout. Individuals in this situation can often develop medical problems due to chronic stress.

•    Increased responsibilities – Unexpectedly, my employer laid off half of the team leaders at the various group homes and arranged for those remaining to each take responsibility for two residences instead of just one. I had just been given double the workload. I had no choice but to accept the new duties. Increased responsibility can also be difficult for those of us who have problems saying no to added duties. If this sounds like you, it is important to work on how to say no without feeling guilty.

•    Competence – With my increased workload and greater stress level, I began to doubt my competency to do my job. I also was insecure about my future with my employer. If they could lay off so many people, could they not also get rid of me? Job security and feelings of lack of competence are major sources of stress for many people.

•    Clarity – An important source of stress for me was the lack of clarity in my job. With the change in the organizational structure, my duties would change wildly from day to day. There seemed to be little purpose or structure in the company. Rather than formulate a plan or goal and stick with it, the organization seemed to follow whatever belief system was popular. A rudderless ship is a stressed ship.

•    Communication
– Do you enjoy going to work every day? Do you know what is going on in your department or the company as a whole? If there is poor communication and you do not feel that you can express your concerns, and more importantly, feel listened to, then you will experience stress. Communication was nonexistent with my employer.

•    Support – When my father passed away, instead of a supportive environment at work, my employer behaved as if my father’s death was very inconvenient for them. I was given three days off, then I was expected to return to work and perform my job as normal. I felt unsupported and unvalued. The stress I felt was making it more and more difficult for me to feel satisfied in my job.

•    Significance – With the lack of acknowledgment from my employer, for the work I did, it became more and more difficult to take pride in my work or to find it meaningful. I hated going in to work every day. I was under such great stress that I was becoming ill. For my own peace of mind and for my health, I decided to quit my job. Later, I discovered that major sources of stress such as the ones above often lead to burnout. Employees can become unhappy and less productive in their work.

Job stress can affect your home life as well. While low levels of stress such as a jammed photocopier may not be noticeable, and slightly higher levels of stress can be positive, challenging you to act in a creative and resourceful way, high levels of stress are harmful and can lead to chronic disease.

What can you do about stress at work?

•    Talk to your supervisor. If you have a performance evaluation on a regular basis, use the time to clear up issues. However, if the issue is pressing, don’t wait. Arrange to talk to your supervisor as soon as possible. Don’t leave it up to others to begin a dialogue.

•    Manage your time well. Sometimes, issues between you and your boss, may actually be your fault. Be solutions focused. Leave your job at the office so you have some time to relax on your time off.

•    Unplug. You don’t have to be available to your office 24/7. That is a recipe for stress. Turn off your cell phone, blackberry and laptop. Voicemail and email are available so you won’t miss anything. Make the technology serve you. Don’t become a slave to it.

•    Know when to quit. If you are completely miserable at your job, and the above suggestions haven’t helped, maybe it’s time to change jobs. Research other similar jobs, or even a job you have never tried before. It is surprising how many skills are transferable between seemingly unrelated careers. Who knows, you may find that leaving that lousy job was the best decision you have ever made.

Stress is a fact of life for most people. While you may not be able to get rid of stress, you can look for ways to lower it.  Practice a work/life balance to maintain a healthier lifestyle and to reduce stress.

See which of these ideas work for you:

•    Exercise. Regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage stress. Walking is a great way to get started.
•    Write. It can really help to write about the things that are bothering you.
•    Change negative thinking to positive thinking. It’s possible that the other driver did not mean to cut you off in traffic. Give them the benefit of the doubt.
•    Do something you enjoy. A hobby can help you relax. Volunteer for a charity or do work that helps others. Feeling a sense of accomplishment can be a great stress reliever.
•    Learn ways to relax your body. This can include breathing exercises, muscle relaxation exercises, massage, aromatherapy, yoga, or relaxing exercises like Tai Chi.
•    Practice “being in the moment.” Use meditation, imagery exercises, or self-hypnosis. Listen to relaxing music. Look for the humor in life. Laughter really can be the best medicine.


-Patricia Stewart, Co-author of Stress, It’s All In The Mind with Cliff Simon, www.AurorisEntertainment.com

Listen to an excerpt of Stress, It’s All In The Mind  By Cliff Simon and Patricia Stewart at www.AurorisEntertainment.com

Life is far too short to be miserable.
Find ways to de-stress and relax that work for you.
Take a deep breath and find the positive things in life.

Time to Lighten-Up!

Heart of a Mother, Heart of a Woman, Heart of the Holidays, Humor, Tips & Trivia| No Comments »

Time to Lighten-Up!

Most people are so stressed today, doing our best to keep up with things, paying bills, handling tasks, taking ourselves too seriously. Too often we forget to take time, smell the roses, get outside and away from the computer, enjoy sunshine in our face, get off the cell phone, and just “be” or find the little joys every day. This serious of “stress” is the top killer today in our culture.

“A merry heart does a spirit good.” Children laugh at everything!  The average four-year-old laughs about 500 times each day… and their giggles are contagious! The average adult laughs only 10-15 times a day!

Research indicates that 15 minutes of belly-laughing a day gives the same stress-reducing effects as 6-8 hours of meditation, prayer or SLEEP!  Laughter is inner-jogging, or massage for the heart – lowering blood pressure, boosting the immune system, increasing creativity and problem-solving, creating better cooperation between people and improved safety. How can we lighten up?

Entertain yourself.
Put on funny or crazy slippers first thing in the morning, giggling when you put them on.
Notice the silly things YOU do throughout the day.
Wear something outrageous and out-of-style, (a hat, funny socks, cartoon bandages, silly panties) just because.
Take photos of you with your closest friends, pets or family, and have them on your desk at the office.

Be entertained.
Sit back and observe your pet… their nature, the funny little things they do which are cute.
Laugh at others, lovingly, observing absurd things people do.
Look at signs posted, how funny they read.
Next time your spouse does something that bothers you, pull back and find the humor in it instead.

Life is too short – to take it too seriously!

Sheryl Roush, Speaker, Author, www.SparklePresentations.com

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