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Articles by Ed Sykes

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32 articles by Ed Sykes · showing 32

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By Ed SykesApr 1, 20111 topic

Eight Customer Service Secrets to âJumpstartingâ Your Customer Service During Challenging Times!

Outstanding customer service is the key to creating a successful organization during any economic timeâ¦ but especially during challenging economic times. Itâs amazing how most organizations will invest millions, if not billions, of dollars on new computer systems, new displays, new phone systems, and new marketing campaigns to try to acquire new customers. The moment of truth comes, however, when the new customer has first contact with these organizations. If the customer

Primary topic: Customer Service

Customer Service

746 views

By Ed SykesApr 1, 20111 topic

Presentation Skills: How to Prepare an Outstanding Presentation in Thirty Minutes or Less (Seven Secrets to Giving the Impromptu Speech)

It's 2 p.m. and your manager walks up to you with that look on his face. He announces that the company president wants you to give a presentation to him concerning the high profile project you have been working onâ¦and he wants the presentation to start in thirty minutes. Now you have a look on your face as if you had just seen a ghost. No problem. The following are seven secrets to preparing an outstanding presentation when you have less than thirty minutes: 1. You Don't Ne

Primary topic: Public Speaking

Public Speaking

969 views

By Ed SykesApr 1, 20111 topic

Customer Service Skills: Check Yourself for Outstanding Customer Service

Recently, a business associate, Mike, mentioned that he was doing a show at a local university and stopped by the faculty dining hall to get lunch. He said that, while waiting on line, the service was poor. The line moved slowly, the counterperson was disinterested in what she was doingâ¦and it showed. It was not a pleasant customer experience. It was Mikeâs turn to order and the counterperson continued to show her disinterestâ¦no eye contact, moving like it pained her, a

Primary topic: Customer Service

Customer Service

873 views

By Ed SykesMar 26, 20111 topic

Success Techniques: Connect the Dots! Your Roadmap for Success

Recently, Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Computer and Pixar Animation Studios, gave a commencement address to the graduating class at Stanford University. He talked about creating passion, life and death, and âconnecting the dots.â The dots were events in his life, many challenging and many positive, which led to his many successes. He shared with the audience that being fired from Apple Computer, the computer he founded, he was able to step back and develop the idea for Pi

Primary topic: Motivation

878 views

By Ed SykesMar 26, 20111 topic

Motivation Tools: Have You Appreciated Someone Today? One Powerful Secret for Team Motivation

I invested some time with Mother recently and drove her to the hospital to visit with her sick sister-in-law, my aunt. While I was standing in the doorway, a nurse came by and introduced herself as Ruth and said âhelloâ to us and said âhelloâ to my aunt. This put a smile on my auntâs face. The nurse then introduced me to the other nurses working at the nursesâ station. She let me know that these nurses are hard working and good at their jobs. I couldnât agree wi

Primary topic: Motivation

891 views

By Ed SykesMar 26, 20111 topic

Presentation skills: Ten Quick Public Speaking Tips for Outstanding Presentations

Itâs that time againâ¦the monthly meeting. You break out in a cold sweat just thinking about it. Whether you present to your managers or your employees you are saying to yourself: What if I mess up?rn What if I repeat myself?rn What if the audience doesnât like what I say?rn What if I forget a part of my speech?rn What if I look nervous? Itâs okay! Youâre not the only one feeling this way. The Book of Lists states that the #1 fear is speaking in public. This fear is

Primary topic: Public Speaking

Public Speaking

1,194 views3.5/5 (2)

By Ed SykesJan 25, 20111 topic

How to Give an Acceptance Speech: Seven Presentation Secrets Learned from the Academy Awards

Academy Awards come and go, but one thing is a constant: bad acceptance speeches. You may never win an Academy Award, but you may be asked to give an acceptance speech for an accomplishment in your business, your career, your community, or your organization. Sometimes your acceptance speech will be for what you accomplished, or for what your team has accomplished. Will you be ready when it is your time to give an acceptance speech? The following are seven presentation secrets

Primary topic: Public Speaking

Public Speaking

1,315 views

By Ed SykesJan 25, 20111 topic

Presentation Skills: Dr. Seuss's "The Cat in the Hat" Will Help You Get Your Presentation Points Across!Â (Yes you can, here is the Three Step Plan)

I was recently coaching an engineer who wanted to improve his speaking skills.Â After videotaping him, we discussed his strong points and then his areas of improvement.Â Then we got to the area of vocal variety.Â Vocal variety is the quality of your speech that hold your audience.Â It is the combination of pitch changes, pauses, inflection, rhythm, and loudness in your voice that adds "color" to any conversation or speech.Â I suggested he try Dr. Seuss's "The Cat in the Hat."

Primary topic: Public Speaking

Public Speaking

1,035 views

By Ed SykesJan 25, 20111 topic

Seven Secrets for Creating Outrageous Success in Your Life!

By now you may have heard the ultimate success story: the âman with the golden voice.â Ted Williams, a homeless man had a very special talent: he has the beautiful voice of a radio announcer and voiceover professional. Yet, he fell on hard times, took drugs and alcohol, lost his job and family, and resorted to living on the street and taking handouts on a busy street corner. Then, one day a videographer who had heard about the man with the golden voice, interviewed Ted Wi

Primary topic: Success Principles

Success Principles

875 views3/5 (1)

By Ed SykesJan 25, 20111 topic

Customer Service Starts with a Can Do Attitude: Five Secrets to Winning, Creating Repeat Customers

Let me share with you the following customer service story on how you can outperform your competition and win customers every day. On our road trips to New Jersey to facilitate a motivation program for a client, Joy and I make it a habit to order food from a particular fast food restaurant. Although the food is not nutritious, it tastes good and is so famous that there was a movie made about the adventures of two people searching for this restaurant (Hint: Harold and Kumar ar

Primary topic: Customer Service

Customer Service

1,227 views

By Ed SykesJan 25, 20111 topic

Career Advice: Four Secrets to Creating Successful Job Opportunities

Soon after I graduated from college, I moved to New York City to find fame and fortune. I was in a great relationship, found a great job working in Manhattan and I was feeling on top of the world. I was going places! But then it happened. My girlfriend broke up with me and the company let me go due to reorganization. In only a few days, my world was shaken. I applied for job after job with no results. My money was running low and my rent was due. I didnât know what to do.rn

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

829 views

By Ed SykesJan 25, 20111 topic

Stress Management: Five Ways to Reduce Environmental Stress - Part One

Life is stressful enough without allowing the physicalrnenvironment - air quality, lighting, noise, and otherrncontrollable factors - to intensify day-to-day stress.rnEspecially in the Fall and Winter is where you experiencernless daylight and more mood swings. The great thing about environmental stress is that in mostrncases we can control what is in our environment that isrncausing the stress. Take these five steps to eliminaternenvironmental stressors that might cause stre

Primary topic: Stress Management

Stress Management

945 views

By Ed SykesOct 24, 20091 topic

Five Stress Management Secrets for Challenging Times: How to Use Stress for Your Career Success

The way we handle stress is always a factor in our success in challenging times. Unmanaged, stress can hold us back from being successful Once managed, stress propels us to new levels of success. When you learn how to manage stress, you benefit in the following ways: * Improved health and decreased incidence of diseasern* Improved moodrn* Improved memory and thinking rn* Improved sleeprn* Improved relationshipsrn* Reduced absenteeismrn* Improved productivityrn* Improved workp

Primary topic: Stress Management

Stress Management

981 views4/5 (2)

By Ed SykesOct 24, 20091 topic

Are You Singing Your Song of Success? Five Secrets to Following Your Dreams and Achieving More Success in Your Life

Recently, Susan Boyle, an unemployed forty-seven year old single woman from the small village of Blackburn, Scotland decided to compete in the television program, âBritainâs Got Talent.â She did not look like the typical âstar qualityâ contestant. So, when she first walked out on the stage, the audience and judges started laughing and giving her cynical looks. Then she sang. The audience and judges were instantly won over and she continued to the next round of compe

Primary topic: Self-Esteem and Self Confidence

Self-Esteem and Self Confidence

1,228 views3.3/5 (4)

By Ed SykesOct 24, 20091 topic

Five Powerful Customer Service Secrets to Growing Your Business During Challenging Times

We are all faced with challenges during these changing economic times. How we overcome them and what leadership we provide will make the difference between success and failure. The secret weapon for being successful during this changing time is customer service. Outstanding customer service will make you stand out from the competition and make your organization successful. Whether your organization is for profit or non-profit, a private or government agency; or a big corporat

Primary topic: Customer Service

Customer Service

1,215 views5/5 (1)

By Ed SykesOct 24, 20091 topic

Ten Presentation Skills Secrets to Outselling the Competition

Usually, you have one opportunity to present your organizationâs ideas, products, and/or services to the audience. You work on the account for months and the presentation is your big moment. You speak to an under enthusiastic, yet polite audience; they thank you for your presentation and say they will get back to you. Unfortunately, after the presentation you learn that they went with another vendor. What Happened? It amazes me how often we see presenters with only one oppo

Primary topic: Public Speaking

Public Speaking

1,386 views3.5/5 (4)

By Ed SykesSep 12, 20091 topic

Change Management: Seven Change Management Secrets to Creating a Winning Culture of Change

Change is occurring all around us everyday. Most changes are small and go unnoticed by us. Think about your daily ride to work and notice what changes are taking place over the course of a week: possible changes in traffic patterns, new stores opening, weather patterns, etc. Each day we adapt to the changing situations without even thinking about it, and we achieve our goals. The organizations we work for are going through change to adapt to a very competitive marketplace. Mo

Primary topic: Leadership

1,043 views3.2/5 (5)

By Ed SykesSep 12, 20091 topic

How to Recession Proof Your Job: Ten Job Secrets for Career Success!

Economic times constantly change and organizations adapt to these changes. For you to find career success, you must be pro-active about your job. What are the career secrets of those who soar to the top in their careers no matter what the economic environment is in the world? rn rnThe following are ten career secrets you can use to ârecession proofâ yourself and find career success no matter what the economic situation is: 1. Find Out What Your Organization Needs for Care

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

756 views

By Ed SykesSep 12, 20091 topic

Career Advice: Five Career Advice Secrets for Being the Perfect Employee Everyone Wants on Their Team â Part 2

The following are five career advice secrets for being the perfect, motivated employee that everyone wants on their team, putting your career on the fast track, and creating great relationship with management: 1. Be Enthusiastic rnBe known as an employee who has a great attitude and is enthusiastic about his/her job and work. Enthusiasm is contagious and spreads quickly in the workplace. Just the opposite, constantly whining and complaining deplete valuable resources of energ

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

793 views

By Ed SykesSep 12, 20091 topic

Five Secrets to Becoming the Perfect Employee That Everyone Wants â Part One

With ever increasing deadlines, decreasing resources, and changing workplaces, sometimes it can be challenging to be a good employee, much less a perfect employee. The employee who can rise above the everyday problems and embrace challenges will be the person that every employer wants. The following are five secrets to being the perfect employee everyone wants: 1. Respect. Respect others with whom you work everyday. What is respect? Respect comes in many different forms. The

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

928 views

By Ed SykesSep 12, 20091 topic

Career Advice: Three Secrets to Telling Your Story for Career and Life Success

When was the last time you received a job promotion? You are doing a great job at work but everyone else seems to get the promotion you want. You may even start making excuses as to why you are not getting the career promotions you deserve. Well, I ask you the following question: Did you ever tell your story? The following career advice story will show you how to put your career on the fast track: Recently, I was facilitating an oceanfront retreat for over two hundred employe

Primary topic: Career Transition

Career Transition

995 views4.6/5 (5)

By Ed SykesNov 25, 20081 topic

Jump Start Your Employee Motivation: 10 Secrets to Empower Your Team

One of the important keys to employee motivation is to empower your employees to be successful. An empowered employee leads to the following benefits:nn* Increased creativityn* Increased productivityn* Increased teamwork and motivationn* Increased initiativen* Increased ownership of workn* Reduced employee turnovern* Reduced human resources situationsn* Better work environmentn* Increased results for your organizationn* Increased career opportunitiesnnThe following are ten mo

Primary topic: Motivation

1,136 views

By Ed SykesNov 25, 20081 topic

Leadership Starts with Tough Decisions: Five Leadership Skills for Outstanding Team Building

Leadership starts with tough decisions. Let me share with you my recent leadership challenge and the leadership secrets you can use in any team building situation for great leadership results.nnI have the honor and pleasure of volunteering for many groups and causes. In many situations, I am called upon to lead as chairperson or co-chairperson. Recently, I had the honor of co-chairing an event that involved leading and motivating a team of volunteers to work together for a su

Primary topic: Leadership

1,009 views

By Ed SykesJul 14, 20071 topic

Five Secrets to Creating a âGoalâ Medal Life â Part II

Recently, Joy and I had the pleasure of speaking at a conference of Educational Office Professionals in Baltimore, MD. The other speakers included Ms. Deborah Phelps, mother of six-time gold medalist in the 2004 Summer Olympics swimmer Michael Phelps, and Agatha von Trapp, the 91-year-old daughter of Captain and Maria von Trapp, the family on which the movie âSound of Musicâ was based. To say the least, there were a variety of subjects discussed that day.nnAs I listened t

Primary topic: Goal Setting

878 views

By Ed SykesJul 14, 20071 topic

Bad Customer Service Is Not So Funny: Five Secrets to Giving Outstanding Customer Service

The following story tells how a customer experience went from funny to sad in less than 24 hours, and five secrets to creating an outstanding customer experience.nnRecently, Joy and I were invited to go to a local comedy club. It was one of those clubs where you eat dinner while listening to the comedians.nnWe had a very enjoyable evening with our hosts. The comedians were funny and the meals were delicious. The server gave us our check for the meals and, after perusing the b

Primary topic: Sales Training

986 views

By Ed SykesJul 14, 20071 topic

How to Set Boundaries and Say No (How to Achieve More Success in Half the Time)

We are constantly bombarded daily with requests for our time.Â While helping others can be very rewarding, at the same time we can feel distraught about constantly obligating ourselves to others while not fulfilling our own needs.Â We can feel distressed about constant commitments to do things we simply donât have the time, energy or desire to do.nnAt times, we may immediately feel the urge to say no, but instead lose our courage, and concede yet again.Â The question is why

Primary topic: Communication Skills and Training

Communication Skills and Training

953 views

By Ed SykesJul 14, 20071 topic

You Mean I Need to Promote Myself to Get a Promotion? 5 Promotion Secrets to Get the Job You Want

Time and time again I hear the following from students in my career advancement workshops:nnâMy work speaks for itselfâ¦I shouldnât have to tell anyone about my skills.ânâWhy did they hire from the outside, I am already doing whatâs required of that position?ânâWhy did they get the job, I have more skills and experience than they do?ânâHow come my name is never mentioned when promotions come up in conversation?ânnThe answer isâ¦you need to promote your s

Primary topic: Career Development

Career Development

904 views

By Ed SykesJul 13, 20071 topic

Outstanding Presentations Start in the Mind: Five Presentation Skills Secrets for Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety

Public speaking presents such a challenge for many people. In the Book of Lists, public speaking anxiety and making a presentation constitute the number one fear; the fear of dying is number two. Like the old saying goes, “People would rather be in the grave than make a presentation.” You see people sweat, shake, and quiver while they are speaking. Sometimes, employees bypass promotions, and business owners bypass business opportunities rather than give a presenta

Primary topic: Communication Skills and Training

Communication Skills and Training

786 views

By Ed SykesJul 13, 20071 topic

Motivation Techniques 10 Action Steps to Motivate Yourself to Great Accomplishments

Let me ask you this question, "Are you motivated to achieve great accomplishments in your life?" The following are ten action steps you can apply today to achieve more success in in your life:nn 1. Positive Affirmations nOur subconscious mind is a wonderful tool for success or failure. It will do what we tell it to do. It all depends on what thoughts we feed it. So why not feed your inner mind with only positive thoughts. The following are some examples of positive affirmatio

Primary topic: Motivation

1,070 views

By Ed SykesJul 13, 20071 topic

Leadership Techniques: Seven Secrets to Being the Leader Everyone Wants to Follow

In this changing, challenging, and competitive workplace, we can’t overestimate the importance of good management. Good managers will consistently motivate you to perform at higher levels of productivity. Bad managers will drive you crazy and eventually out of the organization. Managers with poor skills will frequently produce the following results:nn1. Decreased productivityn2. Increased turnovern3. Increased absencesn4. Increased human resources mediation situationsn5

Primary topic: Leadership

944 views

By Ed SykesJul 13, 20071 topic

Five Steps to Creating a "Goal" Medal Life - Part I

Olympics come and go. As always, it is an exciting event with its dramatic twists and turns, exhilarations, surprises, and disappointments as these great athletes performed at their peak in front of millions, if not billions, of fans for the glory of representing their country and possibly receiving a gold medal.nnYou, too, can experience the same excitement in your life. What are you doing now to achieve your “goal” medal? What are you doing to realize your goals

Primary topic: Goal Setting

912 views

By Ed SykesJul 13, 20071 topic

Coaching: How to Succeed in Half the Time Using a Personal Coach

I love watching the top sports individuals and teams; especially, the ones who consistently year in and year out maintain the highest level of excellence. What is the common factor of these successful individuals and teams? Great coaching! Great coaches analyze the talent they presently have and work to maximize the athlete’s strengths, while minimizing or eliminating the athlete’s weaknesses. This makes the individual and team better at what they do; while, at th

Primary topic: Career Coach and Career Coaching

Career Coach and Career Coaching

893 views

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