Key Witness in Zimmerman Vs Martin Trial Helping or Hurting? | The Guardian Express

All of America can see how Ms. Jeantel’s past as well as more recent online experience has affected her current ability to be a totally credible witness for her deceased friend. Now would be a great time to see how your online experience has affected your brand.

Key Witness in Zimmerman Vs Martin Trial Helping or Hurting? [Video] | The Guardian Express

How To Host A Killer Business Event

A great way to gain new customers is to host an event for your business.

Professional development has exploded over the past few years into a billion dollar global industry. I challenge you to find a position that doesn’t require you to independently increase your skill set. The days of coasting through life upon the waters of ease are gone. Organizations are holding their staff to higher standards and looking for a return on their investment.

Chances are, with this paradigm shift in place you will end up either hosting or attending some sort of event. We call them by different names; workshop, presentation or conference. No matter the label, it is a gathering that can potentially change your perspective. As a coach and speaker I have attended and hosted my share of events. Along the way I have noticed what makes a powerful, life changing affair as well as what turns out to be a serious waste of time.

How to Host A Killer Business Event

If you are in a field where events are par for the course, I would love to share my personal insight on what we have done at my company, New Direction Coaching Associates, to have some of our most successful events. As the C.O.O. the task is usually mine to ensure our attendants leave inspired. Here are some of my trade secrets:

• It all starts with your guest list: The real secret to an awesome event is to create a ‘buzz’ of exclusivity. Where most make their first mistake is by inviting everyone they know on Facebook. Wrong! You have to strategize at the onset to discover who should, and should not be invited. If you plaster everyone’s wall with your event info, it loses its essence.

• The right venue and set up is critical: The plan is to promote an intimate event that allows your company to touch lives. To do this, your venue should be heavily considered. Size, location and accessibility must be at the top of your list. Also consider the general layout of the room. Creating a flow towards products and speakers is a must.

• Music sets the atmosphere: Think about this; when people are leaving your event, what mood do you want them in? Your background and main stage music will make it happen. I cannot believe how many skip this process. You can’t bring your boom box or iPod and expect to be taken seriously. Great events start with great sound and great music. Set the mood and the folks will get the message.

• Edify people and keep your staff upbeat: Your attendants hear everything. So a complaining staffer will certainly get their attention. Just as you use music to create a mood, remind your staff to adopt the ‘Disney’ principal of customer service. This means, we are all a part of the big production so we have to keep our game face on.

• Timing is everything: Start on time and end on time. This sends two vital messages to your attendants. First, it says we are professional and credible. Next it shows you have respect for their time. As people gather and appropriate music is playing (at an appropriate volume), there should be a build of anticipation for the main event. Nothing sends the wrong message like every session of a conference running off schedule because it started late.

Nothing can leave such an impression as a brief pause to learn and collaborate with others. Far too often we are forced to glean whatever we can and scrap the rest after attending professional development. So if you are thinking of hosting an event or have in the past, take these tips to heart. From a person who has crisscrossed the country and seen the inside of too many hotel conference rooms, details matter. Begin today a better planning process and look forward to a happier audience.

© 2013, Cherese L. Jackson. All rights reserved.

The FLOTUS Shows Us How To Handle A Heckler!

By now, everyone has had the opportunity to view and give commentary on the viral video of the First Lady of the United States setting a heckler straight during a recent fund raising effort. What has been surprising is how both Republicans and Democrats alike have agreed that First Lady Michelle Obama was in fact within her rights. Beyond her iconic status as the first African American first lady, style maven and all around phenomenon, Michelle Obama seems to be a caring wife and mother. Who could have thought the only thing to cause a bipartisan agreement across party lines is a feisty mom who took control of an uncomfortable situation

From her days in Chicago as a community affairs director for a prominent local hospital, Mrs. Obama had gained a reputation for being straight forward and not taking junk. Her colleagues and even some rivals have said her mannerisms and professionalism is something they would never question. Whether you like her personally or not, most seemed to have a respect for her dedication to her community, husband and especially her children.

What FLOTUS Can Teach Us About Handling Unruly People

• Separate the person from their tirade: Often we are unsuccessful in defusing someone because we take it too personally. People do what they do for their own apparent reasons. To deal with them, you have to separate the two. It is usually safe to say the ‘Hurt people…hurt people’.

• Do not wait for someone else’s solutions, create your own: Mrs. Obama came up with an instant remedy for the situation. She said I can talk and you listen, or I can leave you with the floor to speak. She was not rude or ruffled. She made the decision to take herself out of the equation.

• Remember that a heckler can never take your place: The next time someone snaps on you, whether publicly or in private, do yourself a favor and remember your place of authority. Just because you have a critic, does not mean they can remove you from your position. Know your own self-worth and power.

Fast forward a few years and national campaigns, and Mrs. Obama is one of the world’s most recognizable people. In fact, Time magazine has voted her the fourth most influential woman on the planet. As she stood to deliver her support at a fund raising effort for the DNC, an activist for gay and lesbian rights began shouting her frustrations. What is ironic is her husband President Obama has weathered much flack for his open support for gay and lesbian equality in the workplace, the military and marital status. It is evident our 44th president will go down in history as the most supportive president for gay and lesbian rights.

As the heckler became more heated (watch video below), Mrs. Obama made it clear she was not going to deal with being interrupted. She is quoted as saying, “One thing I do not do well is this.” What she was referring to was being interrupted during an obviously inappropriate time. All politicians and their spouses are fully aware of how to deal with hostility when they are on the campaign trail. What was unexpected about this whole ordeal was this was a friendly fund raiser.

The political pundits across the networks have unanimously declared Mrs. Obama was right in responding. She offered to leave the event if the heckler absolutely needed the platform. But she again made it known that she was not going to attempt to talk over a rude person. With the crowd squarely behind her, the heckler was escorted out and the first lady was free to finish her speech. Now that’s class!

© 2013, Cherese L. Jackson. All rights reserved.

Started From the Bottom Now we're Here!

Life Coach Early Jackson shares with the graduates and others from the subject:  Vision & Process (We started from the bottom now we're here)

Started From the Bottom Now We're Here - 2

Life Coach Early Jackson shares with the graduates and others from the subject:  Vision & Process (We started from the bottom now we're here)

Started From the Bottom Now We're Here - 3

Life Coach Early Jackson shares with the graduates and others from the subject:  Vision & Process (We started from the bottom now we're here)

Hope Is Not A Strategy

We can have hope. However, hope is not a plan of action.

by: Cherese Jackson

Several years ago while working hard in corporate America I began to realize two significant things. First, we live in a society who has become accustomed to microwave speed success. And last, we are more ‘feelings’ dominated than ‘purpose’ motivated. With this mixture it’s no wonder most businesses see a high employee turnover rate and even in our personal relationships, there seems to be a revolving door. To truly understand why this phenomenon has become the norm, we must recognize that simply hoping for better will never take the place of preparing for better.

If you conduct a survey of the people in your circle of influence you will no doubt hear many dreams, desires and wishes. What you will find lacking is a date or plan attached to those lofty hopes. That’s because we are a society obsessed with mission statements but very little mission accomplishments. There is a gulf between how we realize our potential and how to make it manifest.

Hope is not a strategy.

In the psychological world, human behavior and success are measured in terms of our ‘Locus of Control’. A ‘low’ Locus of Control means that person believes their success or failure heavily depends on the actions of others. But a ‘high’ Locus of Control is the exact opposite. For that person success or failure rests entirely on themselves and how they behave. With this in mind, the latter person is more likely to move beyond hoping into a state of planning. These people know that if their destiny is to be fruitful, they have to get up and work for it.

Here are a few traits of folks with a strong Locus of Control:

• They are usually coined by friends as an over achiever: Every group has one. The guy or girl who is usually missing from most events due to their ‘hustle’. They work a couple of jobs, always have big dreams and are vocal about how successful they will be. You know it’s just a matter of time before they really strike it big!

• Excuses don’t seem to be in their vocabulary: There are some friends you can complain with and others you know to avoid with negativity. High L.O.C. people don’t respond well to sad stories or pity parties. They are the ones who yell for you to get off your butt because the world doesn’t owe us anything. They strongly resemble a drill sergeant.

• They actually walk the talk: Now there’s a rarity, someone who does just what they say they will. It is amazing how easy it has become to be a ‘social media’ icon. If you get a couple thousand followers on Twitter or fifty ‘likes’ on Facebook, you are a celebrity. The problem is, you’re only a celeb in your own mind! Authentic people spend their time ‘doing’ far more than they are ‘saying’.

We all have hopes. These are the things we gaze off into space on lazy afternoons. But for real issues and real needs we must move pass a nostalgic fuzzy feeling about our future into a serious time of planning. Things will not just happen. Things must be made to happen. When you and I are ready to elevate our lives, we take our hopes and fashion them into well-crafted plans of action.

© 2013, Cherese L. Jackson. All rights reserved.