This summer has been exceptionally warm for the Northwest with record breaking highs.  It's been so hot outside that my horses are not getting enough entertainment running around. It's too hot to exert much effort. 

They were getting pretty bored just standing there.  For fun, I filled each of their 30 gallon water buckets then added loads of apples to them.  Have you ever watched horses bob for apples?

Horses sticking their head under water to get apples is hilarious.  They were pushing the apples to the bottom of the bucket but of course the apples just pop back up.  They tried pushing them against the side of the bucket, even sticking their lips out to try to gently pick them out of the water.  I was laughing so hard watching them I could hardly stand it.  They really enjoy the challenge and having something fun to do.

My 6 year old mare finally figured out that if she rocked the bucket hard enough by grabbing the edge with her mouth, she could slosh the apples over the edge.  Eventually, she figured it was easiest to dump the entire bucket.  The 21 year old mare stood to the side and waited until the 6 year old figured it out, and waited for the apples to roll out of the bucket directly to her. The easy route to the treat - just stand by and wait for them to roll into your lap.  She got very few apples.

Lesson learned: The smallest, simplest things can bring joy to life.  They played this game for days.  They whinnied every time they saw me and asked to play some more.  Fun is key to stress reduction and building relationships. 

The other lesson learned is there are hard ways and easy ways to solve a problem.  If you work at it long enough and think of your options, there is always a better way to get the job done.  If you wait for someone else to do the job, you won't reap much of the reward.

Here's a website that will help you see how things aren't always what you think they are.  I know this will amaze you when you see some of these fun visuals. http://www.patmedia.net/marklevinson/cool/cool_illusion.html

Until the next issue of eSharings, may you find ways to look at things from a different perspective to do the task at hand more effectively.

Warmly,

Ivy Meadors
High Tech High Touch Solutions

www.ivymeadors.com or www.hthts.com

425-398-9292

P.S. In two weeks we will be in San Antonio at the beautiful Hyatt Regency resort on the historic Riverwalk across the street from the Alamo networking and getting loads of valuable information at the Help Desk Professionals Conference.  I am personally presenting three sessions at the event and really want you to join me.

RESOURCES  (top)

Tools for Delivering Advanced Speeches

We are all speakers and communicators.  Everyone delivers speeches, whether one-on-one or to small or large groups.  There are key considerations in delivering a "speech" depending on the message you are trying to convey.  There are four primary types of speeches.

1. Inform: how-to’s, did-you-know, training

2. Entertain: motivational, funny

3. Persuade: sell an opinion; influence new laws

4. Commemorative: honor an individual

Most discussions easily fall into one of these categories.  It is helpful to determine what message you want to communicate in advance. You may need to adjust your delivery to get the action you want.

For instance, if you are trying to get additional resources approved, you may feel you need to "inform" the decision maker about the details to justify the need when the better delivery type may be a "persuasive" speech.

If you are instructing a child to do something, a "persuasive" speech may not be necessary to get them to do a task.  Instead, "informing" them what is expected and how to do the task might be more effective.

To be successful in communications, no matter which type of speech you are delivering, it is important to "own the platform."  The audience can be one or  a hundred, but "owning the platform" will ensure a more effective result.

At the HDP 2006 conference in San Antonio. I will be demonstrating how to "own the platform" and teaching many useful techniques for delivering and designing presentations. 

There will be a multi-page handout listing resources and additional information on presentation skills for those who attend the session.

Here are a few resources to help you with your next presentation:

• www.psalt.com/speeches.htm

• www.nsknet.or.jp/~peterr-s/public_speaking/speechtypes.html

• www.speakersroundtable.com/articles.html

• www.presentersuniversity.com/Courses.php

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