SOLTERRARE

Archive for the ‘Communication’ Category

Have you been to one of those presentations where you thought you just had to go away? The presenter was showing you dozens of slides. You could not identify any structure in it.

Your presenter probably did not use mindmaps to outline and present his or her information. Today, we have a look at how mindmaps will help you to get things clear for your next presentation. Even if you already created your presentation and you think it needs work (before the end of the day)!

Here are the 4 steps in using mindmaps for your presentation.

Step 1: Create an outline of your presentation

I assume you already have a general idea of what you will be speaking about. This is of course important.

This first step helps you in outlining your presentation. You can do that by creating a mindmap on either a large sheet of paper, a whiteboard or on your computer.

Put the topic in the middle of the mindmap. Then, you use free association to get ideas of what you want to discuss. Ask yourself questions like:

 

What is the purpose of the presentation?>/li>
What do I want my audience to learn or hear?
What is it they need to do after the presentation?
What does my audience know already?
Why was I asked to present my thoughts and information on this topic?

 

The main thing you should understand is Read the rest of this entry »

Today in business you don’t get what you ask for—you get what you negotiate. You see, everybody wants to know “What’s in it for me?” So for you to get what you want, you’d better be prepared to answer that question for the people you do business with by learning negotiation mastery.

I have had a good deal of success in negotiating opportunities lately, especially since I am not known as a master negotiator. I have negotiated raises that were 5 times what was offered, negotiated an executive level position worth thousands more than in the job description with triple the job security, and bartered online services worth hundreds of thousands of projected income for my company. How did a novice like me accomplish these things and learn how to negotiate in business? Here are 10 ways to successful business negotiation that I use:

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT…AND WHAT THEY WANT

How simple this sounds, but how difficult to implement. You need to know specifically what it is you want from the transaction or negotiation. Don’t wait for the other party to state their position to determine what yours is going to be. If you want a raise, how much? A commission for click-thru sales, what percentage? Write these things down as a wish list of all the things you do want before you begin negotiations. If not you may look back and find you were coerced into accepting terms for things you didn’t need to begin with.

In order to counter effectively and find how your value matches the other side’s needs, you first need to know what those needs are. Again, be very specific in terms of dollars, percentages, times, etc. Power negotiators will read into specifics and discover unstated needs, things that tap emotions like in-company political victories.

BE PATIENT

Lack of patience on your part can make you look like an amateur and kill a deal. Ed Brodow, author of Negotiate with Confidence, says that your patience can be devastating to the other negotiator if they are in a hurry. The reverse is true for you. Conceal self-imposed deadlines that reveal to your adversary that you might be had a little easier to meet a timetable. “Never accept the first offer”, says Brodow. “They will be more satisfied if you reject the first offer — because when you eventually say “yes,” they will conclude that they have pushed you to your limit.

KNOW YOUR CUT N RUN POINT

One of the biggest problems with auctions for the purchasers is that people get whipped into an enthusiastic frenzy during the process and bid, and ultimately purchase, something at a much higher price then they would have ever considered possible. They fail to know their ceiling bid. This can happen in negotiation too. You must know your fallback position or cut-and-run point. What’s the bottom line amount you will accept? Read the rest of this entry »

By Irene Becker, CCTA Irene Becker is President of Just Coach It, a professional coaching firm specializing in effective living, leading and communicating at the speed of change. Please do not hesitate to contact Irene at irene@justcoachit.com, or to visit Just Coach It on the web http://www.allhottips.com First and foremost effective communication is essential to not only organizational success, but success in one’s personal life. Effective communication promotes interpersonal understanding and problem solving. I was hired to first do personal coaching with focus to be determined by each core team member, and the mandate changed to dealing the communication skills of each core team member and areas of communication that they wanted to improve. While we live in what has been deemed the information age, the preponderance of advertising, media and instruments of communication has perhaps dealing with staggering amounts of communication to absorb and less and less time to effectively use and improve our communication skills. Communication can not be measured by the amount of communication that is exchanged, but by how many messages are received, understood. Clear communication is key as we all filter verbal information through what we want to hear and are expecting to hear. It is important to always verify what the receiver of one’s message understands the message to be and to move away from personalizing questions that may arise, and focus on clarifying what one wants to communicate. Here are two major communication skills areas and three areas of speaking and listening that are key to effective communication. I) SPEAKING SKILLS A. Slowing down our though processes to understand the message B. Making our self understood C. Testing our conclusions about what is being communicated II) LISTENING SKILLS D. Listening constructively E. Getting the essence of the communication F. Exploring any disagreement that may arise as a result of the communication Let’s take a closer look at what makes good speaking and listening happen! A. SLOWING DOWN OUR THOUGHT PROCESS Slowing down our thought process is key to clearly expressing our opinion. Thought is a really rapid process. Our minds are capable of receiving, evaluating, interpreting and classifying thousands of bits of information simultaneously. Most of the mental digestion of our communication takes place unconsciously. As such while we are very aware of the results of our communication, we are not usually aware of the process. It is really important to delivery clear messages to the receiver of our communication. If we do not make sure that we are delivering both a clear message and also a reason for this message the receiver may not get what we are trying to say. Slowing down our thought process is key to clearly expressing our opinion because in order to clearly transmit our message the receiver must understand not only the conclusion we are stating but how we arrived at the conclusion. If we want our thought processes to be understandable to the receiver it is very important that we explain the basis for our message. B. MAKING OUR SELF UNDERSTOOD While making oneself understood in English to another English speaker sounds really easy it is not. While we all speak the same language the words that we use can have different meanings or none at all the receiver of our communication. We all know that it is important to clarify the meaning of technical terms to an outsider; we often forget that it is of equal import to make sure that the receiver understands the meaning behind our words. In the best of communication checking the message received is always a good idea because it allows us to make sure that the message that we are sending is the one that is received. While the person we are communicating may be listening they must also be hearing our meaning and not what they hear through their personal psychological, sociological filters. Our usage of receiver friendly vocabulary is also key because if the receiver does not consider the words we are saying to be of importance, of the vocabulary we are using does not speak to them personally we will lose their interest and attention. We have to always make sure that when transmitting information we are using words, phrases, images and metaphors that the receiver is accustomed to and that we are always checking that the receiver is following what we are saying, not what they are hearing us to say. We have to be responsible for the effectiveness of our communication and it starts with speaking the language of the receiver and making sure that what we are saying is clearly understood. C. TESTING CONCLUSIONS Encouraging others to ask questions about our conclusions does not weaken our communication effectiveness but rather strengthens the communication rapport between sender and receiver. Letting others in on the reasons behind our conclusions, encouraging them to ask questions and seeking clarification is critical to great communication. Each time we express our opinion there is an opportunity to also test what we are saying with the questions or reservations that the receiver may express. The more questions that arise, the better our conclusions will be. While encouraging the receiver of our communication to question what we are saying does not reflect the old business communication model, it is very reflective of a new paradigm, a flat versus hierarchical model of work and of communication. Engagement is key to our work, to our communication and certainly to the synergy of a team. Engagement cannot be accomplished without transparency in communication, which includes the opportunity to discuss points and conclusions. Discussing points on their merits rather than pushing a particular point of view can be greatly productive to team communication as if facilitates group engagement and synergy. It sets up a group dynamic that moves away from adopting the solution of the boss or team leader, but rather letting go of competition and embracing a team spirit that will give birth to the best solution coming forward. Also, this type of open discussing and testing of conclusions initiates team dialogue, open team dialogue that will serve to help the team reach solutions that would not have been possible by just taking the opinions of a single member of the group. D. UNDERSTANDING OTHERS Listening is not the same as hearing. Hearing means that we are physically receiving communication. In order to truly understand what a person is saying we need to have a clear picture of what the sender truly wants to convey to us. Communication is based on rapport, and rapport cannot be developed if we receive the sender’s message with a blank show of interest, a nodding head or a neutral face. The sender wants to be understood and in order to understand the sender we need to listen carefully and without judgment or drawing premature conclusions. In order to listen effectively we have to take pause and eliminate the thoughts we have that are distracting us from what the sender is saying. We will be able to understand the sender better if we not only focus on what they are saying but their tone and body language. Improving listening skills is one of the most important communication skills because in listening attentively and well we are enhancing both our ability to receive a message and also to respond appropriately and to continue to develop rapport with the sender. It means making sure that you listen without judgment, that you are a positive, recipient of the message and that you show the sender that what they are saying is important by focusing on them and also reformulating what they have said in our own words. If you do not have time to listen or to focus, it is better to postpone the conversation for a better time than to pretend that you are paying attention. E. GETTING TO THE ESSENCE While it is really important to ask questions of the sender to clarify their message, it is of equal import to be careful how we ask questions. No one likes to be grilled, interrogated, or examined with an overly critical and demanding eye. A calm but warm tone of voice, focus on the issues, and an apparent desire to understand what the sender is saying rather than judging or criticizing the message is key. Open ended questions are tools for clarifying the sender’s message as the elicit communication flow and allow the party you are asking the question of to remain relaxed, open and to see that you do not want to dominate or castigate, but rather to communicate. F. EXPLORING DISAGREEMENTS If disagreements are handled properly they can be a really important resource of information for any team. If handled properly they can be a source of new ideas, innovative solutions and greater rapport. Disagreements should never be ignored and every attempt should be made to explore disagreements with carefrontation rather than exacerbating misunderstanding or conflict. Disagreements can only be addressed when each party to the disagreement understands clearly what is causing the disagreement. Sometimes different people have different opinions, other times they start off with different information or interpretations. Often the disagreement is not about the issue at all but the manner in which a message was communicated or poorly expressed. Exploring disagreement means stepping away from judgment, from criticism and just focusing with the sender of the message on what caused the disagreement and why. The first step is always to determine the cause of the disagreement, clarify meanings of the words used and go through each step of the reasoning process. Exploring disagreements constructively is never about starting a blame game, never about challenging others, getting overly emotional or becoming critical and condescending. Disagreement can cement relationships, uncover new solutions and help both parties to learn and grow. While no one likes to address thorny issues the benefits clearly outweigh the risks. If we hide potential disagreements and do not explore how they can be resolved we are only planting the seeds of animosity and resentment. All organizational, business and personal relationships are founded on communication. Good communication is the seedbed for success. Move past communication obstacles and work to honing your communication skills so that you can COMMUNIGREAT! © 2004-2005 Irene Becker

By Irene Becker, CCTA

Irene Becker is President of Just Coach It, a professional coaching firm specializing in effective living, leading and communicating at the speed of change. Please do not hesitate to contact Irene at irene@justcoachit.com, or to visit Just Coach It on the web http://www.allhottips.com

First and foremost effective communication is essential to not only organizational success, but success in one’s personal life. Effective communication promotes interpersonal understanding and problem solving. I was hired to first do personal coaching with focus to be determined by each core team member, and the mandate changed to dealing the communication skills of each core team member and areas of communication that they wanted to improve.

While we live in what has been deemed the information age, the preponderance of advertising, media and instruments of communication has perhaps dealing with staggering amounts of communication to absorb and less and less time to effectively use and improve our communication skills.

Communication can not be measured by the amount of communication that is exchanged, but by how many messages are received, understood. Clear communication is key as we all filter verbal information through what we want to hear and are expecting to hear. It is important to always verify what the receiver of one’s message understands the message to be and to move away from personalizing questions that may arise, and focus on clarifying what one wants to communicate. Here are two major communication skills areas and three areas of speaking and listening that are key to effective communication.

I) SPEAKING SKILLS

A. Slowing down our though processes to understand the message

B. Making our self understood

C. Testing our conclusions about what is being communicated

II) LISTENING SKILLS

D. Listening constructively

E. Getting the essence of the communication

F. Exploring any disagreement that may arise as a result of the communication

Let’s take a closer look at what makes good speaking and listening happen!

A. SLOWING DOWN OUR THOUGHT PROCESS

Slowing down our thought process is key to clearly expressing our opinion. Thought is a really rapid process. Our minds are capable of receiving, evaluating, interpreting and classifying thousands of bits of information simultaneously. Most of the mental digestion of our communication takes place unconsciously. As such while we are very aware of the results of our communication, we are not usually aware of the process.

It is really important to delivery clear messages to the receiver of our communication. If we do not make sure that we are delivering both a clear message and also a reason for this message the receiver may not get what we are trying to say. Slowing down our thought process is key to clearly expressing our opinion because in order to clearly transmit our message the receiver must understand not only the conclusion we are stating but how we arrived at the conclusion. If we want our thought processes to be understandable to the receiver it is very important that we explain the basis for our message.

B. MAKING OUR SELF UNDERSTOOD

While making oneself understood in English to another English speaker sounds really easy it is not. While we all speak the same language the words that we use can have different meanings or none at all the receiver of our communication.

We all know that it is important to clarify the meaning of technical terms to an outsider; we often forget that it is of equal import to make sure that the receiver understands the meaning behind our words. In the best of communication checking the message received is always a good idea because it allows us to make sure that the message that we are sending is the one that is received. While the person we are communicating may be listening they must also be hearing our meaning and not what they hear through their personal psychological, sociological filters.

Our usage of receiver friendly vocabulary is also key because if the receiver does not consider the words we are saying to be of importance, of the vocabulary we are using does not speak to them personally we will lose their interest and attention.

We have to always make sure that when transmitting information we are using words, phrases, images and metaphors that the receiver is accustomed to and that we are always checking that the receiver is following what we are saying, not what they are hearing us to say. We have to be responsible for the effectiveness of our communication and it starts with speaking the language of the receiver and making sure that what we are saying is clearly understood.

C. TESTING CONCLUSIONS

Encouraging others to ask questions about our conclusions does not weaken our communication effectiveness but rather strengthens the communication rapport between sender and receiver. Letting others in on the reasons behind our conclusions, encouraging them to ask questions and seeking clarification is critical to great communication.

Each time we express our opinion there is an opportunity to also test what we are saying with the questions or reservations that the receiver may express. The more questions that arise, the better our conclusions will be.

While encouraging the receiver of our communication to question what we are saying does not reflect the old business communication model, it is very reflective of a new paradigm, a flat versus hierarchical model of work and of communication. Engagement is key to our work, to our communication and certainly to the synergy of a team. Engagement cannot be accomplished without transparency in communication, which includes the opportunity to discuss points and conclusions.

Discussing points on their merits rather than pushing a particular point of view can be greatly productive to team communication as if facilitates group engagement and synergy. It sets up a group dynamic that moves away from adopting the solution of the boss or team leader, but rather letting go of competition and embracing a team spirit that will give birth to the best solution coming forward. Also, this type of open discussing and testing of conclusions initiates team dialogue, open team dialogue that will serve to help the team reach solutions that would not have been possible by just taking the opinions of a single member of the group.

D. UNDERSTANDING OTHERS

Listening is not the same as hearing. Hearing means that we are physically receiving communication. In order to truly understand what a person is saying we need to have a clear picture of what the sender truly wants to convey to us. Communication is based on rapport, and rapport cannot be developed if we receive the sender’s message with a blank show of interest, a nodding head or a neutral face. The sender wants to be understood and in order to understand the sender we need to listen carefully and without judgment or drawing premature conclusions.

In order to listen effectively we have to take pause and eliminate the thoughts we have that are distracting us from what the sender is saying. We will be able to understand the sender better if we not only focus on what they are saying but their tone and body language.

Improving listening skills is one of the most important communication skills because in listening attentively and well we are enhancing both our ability to receive a message and also to respond appropriately and to continue to develop rapport with the sender. It means making sure that you listen without judgment, that you are a positive, recipient of the message and that you show the sender that what they are saying is important by focusing on them and also reformulating what they have said in our own words. If you do not have time to listen or to focus, it is better to postpone the conversation for a better time than to pretend that you are paying attention.

E. GETTING TO THE ESSENCE

While it is really important to ask questions of the sender to clarify their message, it is of equal import to be careful how we ask questions. No one likes to be grilled, interrogated, or examined with an overly critical and demanding eye. A calm but warm tone of voice, focus on the issues, and an apparent desire to understand what the sender is saying rather than judging or criticizing the message is key.

Open ended questions are tools for clarifying the sender’s message as the elicit communication flow and allow the party you are asking the question of to remain relaxed, open and to see that you do not want to dominate or castigate, but rather to communicate.

F. EXPLORING DISAGREEMENTS

If disagreements are handled properly they can be a really important resource of information for any team. If handled properly they can be a source of new ideas, innovative solutions and greater rapport. Disagreements should never be ignored and every attempt should be made to explore disagreements with carefrontation rather than exacerbating misunderstanding or conflict.

Disagreements can only be addressed when each party to the disagreement understands clearly what is causing the disagreement. Sometimes different people have different opinions, other times they start off with different information or

interpretations. Often the disagreement is not about the issue at all but the manner in which a message was communicated or poorly expressed.

Exploring disagreement means stepping away from judgment, from criticism and just focusing with the sender of the message on what caused the disagreement and why. The first step is always to determine the cause of the disagreement, clarify meanings of the words used and go through each step of the reasoning process. Exploring disagreements constructively is never about starting a blame game, never about challenging others, getting overly emotional or becoming critical and condescending. Disagreement can cement relationships, uncover new solutions and help both parties to learn and grow. While no one likes to address thorny issues the benefits clearly outweigh the risks. If we hide potential disagreements and do not explore how they can be resolved we are only planting the seeds of animosity and resentment.

All organizational, business and personal relationships are founded on communication. Good communication is the seedbed for success. Move past communication obstacles and work to honing your communication skills so that you can COMMUNIGREAT! © 2004-2005 Irene Becker

Team building exercises have undergone a negative shift in image in the past but are now surfacing as an essential part of any serious business. A strong team who know they can rely on each other will outperform others in all areas. With trust in the team and fellow colleagues, employees at all levels will perform at their best.

Why Team Building Is Important

The benefits for the different stakeholders must be present for any team building effort to be successful. All parties need to be committed to the process and take it seriously. Try to think of the ‘team’ as having the following stakeholders:

* The customer
* The business
* The team leader
* The individual team member
* The team as a whole

By realizing and considering each stakeholder you can then begin to see that team building training play a large role in the organization. The actual team building activities can be based on any activity in which team members rely upon each other in a trust situation or bring them together in a spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding. Obviously you can’t take your customers out team building but if your staff have undergone team building activities, and your senior staff are well versed in team building training, then the customers will benefit as well.

Team building training is important for any business management to understand and to get the best from their team situation. Activities may be planned at a weekend away, a week at a resort, or even something simple every Friday night. Good team leaders will know and recognise a potential team building opportunity and take advantage of it.

How Team Building Works

Team building can work on all levels for all business sizes. Project managers may need to work together to get a large organization involved or it may be a business owner with two or three employees. By bringing these people together and putting them into a situation or relaxed fun where they might rely on each other for support gives them a new perspective on colleagues and the company.

Once a rapport has been established, and activities enjoyed, the flow on effect back at work continues. Workers who may be in different departments may never meet in the day to day running of a large business. The opportunity to meet and get to know one another in a less formal environment puts a positive spin on the team and they are more likely to consider that person or department when decision making or recommending purchases to customers.

The customer benefits from the familiarity between departments and can see staff ready to go out of their way to assist them to find what they need. The team then works together for a successful sale, even if in another department.

Actual team building activities can involve large efforts that might cost a lot of money, or less costly but effective activities. Once in the situation team members are made to rely on each other. This might be a simple exercise of trusting that people you have never met before will catch you when you fall, or it may be a full scale weekend in teams of paintball. The most important part is the trust building and the reliance on each other as a team to succeed.

Examples of Team Building Activities

Team building activities might include:

* Team sports days
* Design an outfit catwalk day
* Novelty race days (egg and spoon, sack race etc)
* Prepare a menu, cooking challenge
* Camping/survival challenges
* Sailing
* Amazing race style challenge Read the rest of this entry »

Investing in Africa requires a certain level of business maturity and sophistication (see African investment part 1: Africa is an opportunity to get investment right, on this website) that goes well beyond pure financial erudition.

The primary reason is that investing in Africa means investing in communities rather than markets. For one thing, markets in Africa tend to be tiny, because of the vast geographical, cultural, and political differences that separate one country from another and, in some countries, such as Nigeria, one region within a country from another.

There are growing but limited links, by road, rail, air, telephony, or Internet among the various countries. So moving goods to and from their production areas is not easy. A trend is developing in which countries with a common interest establish an economic community by means of which they can share one another’s facilities and jointly build up some trading power. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) was formed in 1992 and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has evolved from its position as a replacement in 1994 of the Preferential Trade Area (PTA) to having significant regional market influence.

But, in general, creating large, influential markets remains difficult for African countries.

Like it or not, therefore, investing in Africa frequently comes down to investing in communities. And that means thinking about approaching the mechanism of investment from a different perspective, without sacrificing the financial fundamentals. In its way, investing in communities is more of an intellectual than a financial frontier for investors. It’s actually remarkably interesting work.

The crucial factor, of course, is that communities are not businesses. As a rule, they don’t have balance sheets or audited accounts. Mostly, though, they do have assets and capital – in the form of natural resources, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial spirit. Their needs are basic, as in food, shelter, schools, roads, clothing, and communication capabilities. So, they constitute a market in which demand far outstrips supply.

They don’t run like businesses, but they are conduits to business opportunities.

Platinum and poverty

A case in point is Musa Capital’s work with the 30 000-strong Bakubung Ba Ratheo community that lives in a small town close to Sun City, home of the annual Million Dollar Golf Classic set in the spectacular surroundings of a dormant volcano and casino resort.

The community has chosen to govern itself by its traditional conventions, under South Africa’s Traditional Leadership and Framework Act 41 of 2003, which allows for the country’s diverse population to maintain local traditions while still acknowledging national law.  The Bakubung Ba Ratheo’s traditions include having a hereditary royal family, headed by a king (kgosi), being governed through a broadly representative traditional council (which encourages the participation of women at the council level), and the holding of communal land.

The Bakubung Ba Ratheo’s communal land just happens to sit on top of some substantial platinum deposits. Historically, however, the Bakubung Ba Ratheo, like other black South Africans, have been subjected to hundreds of years of political and economic oppression.

So, in spite of their access to platinum minerals, the Bakubung Ba Ratheo have lived in dire poverty.

In 2005, a South African junior mining company, Wesizwe, bought from the Bakubung Ba Ratheo their mineral rights in return for the promise of building a mine that would provide the Bakubung Ba Ratheo with some 3,000 jobs on their own doorstep. The Bakubung Ba Ratheo would also hold 117 million shares in Wesizwe, thereby participating directly in an ongoing wealth creation project.

The difficulty was that tangible proceeds from the deal would accrue to the community only once the mine was in production – and that could take anything up to 20 years.

However, the community was in dire need of money – for roads, houses, the means to pump potable water to homes, education facilities for its children, care facilities for its elderly, and employment opportunities for everyone.  Twenty years was too long to wait.

How to have your cake and eat it

So, the community went looking for financial advisors. In a competitive selection process, Musa Capital won the mandate which was to:

permit the community to realise some immediate cash benefit from the asset it was holding in order for social and infrastructure programmes to be implemented;
accomplish this first objective while still allowing the community to participate as a shareholder in Wesizwe so that it could realise any potential upside of the shares;
diversify the community’s asset holdings away from a single investment;
and shield the community from the inevitable dilution that would occur to its shareholding during the capital raising that Wesizwe would have to do in order to fund its development efforts.

Musa put extremely sophisticated ‘global’ finance to work in a situation where most of the beneficiaries of our work had neither a computer nor access to one.

As the Bakubung’s shareholding constituted over one fifth of Wesizwe and the shares were, generally, illiquid, selling their shares in the market was not a viable option. It would have resulted in a significant depression of the stock price, thereby negatively affecting both other shareholders and the company’s ability to raise capital. Selling the shares in the market would also not accommodate any of the other aims.

Our recommendation to the community, approved by the Traditional Council and the Kgosi, was to create a structure that would permit the community to “swap” its shares in Wesizwe in exchange for cash and a shareholding percentage in a vehicle that would hold not only the Wesizwe shares transferred from the community but also additional Wesizwe shares that were acquired from other parties – thereby  increasing the community’s influence. The original intent was to accomplish this through one transaction but, as things turned out, because of market realities and counter-party needs, the transaction was ultimately accomplished in two steps.

The two transactions resulted in a net effect of converting the community’s 117 million Wesizwe shares into a shareholding interest of approximately 60% in a company that held 143 million Wesizwe shares, along with a realisation of in excess of US million in cash for the Bakubung, plus additional capital for later share subscription at Wesizwe.  Some of the cash has been placed in a diversified portfolio of investments and used to fund the community’s economic development entity (BEDU), which is now in its third year of providing socio-economic benefit and infrastructure development to the community.

Had Musa not been successful in its solution for the community, as of April 2011, the original shareholding of the community would have been worth approximately US million, and the community would have had no significant cash assets. Instead, the community now has a shareholding, cash, and investment portfolio that is worth approximately US0 million.

Providing comfort for the institutions

Musa arranged the funding for one portion of the structure from an international investment bank, via a derivative product called an Equity Linked Note (ELN), which is, in essence, an advance of cash by one party (in this case, the investment bank) to another party (in this case a special purpose vehicle established for the transaction) in exchange for the right to participate in the “upside” of a certain quantum of equity shares (in this case 70 million Wesizwe shares).

In the second transaction, through an arrangement with a South African funding partner, a further structure was implemented that resulted in the transfer of the community’s then remaining 73.63 million shares for a cash consideration of US million, a shareholding interest in the company that purchased the community’s remaining shares, as well as purchasing the special purpose vehicle. The objective was to have a total of 143.63 million shares residing in this final company – in which the community has a beneficial ownership of approximately 60%.

Within a span of three years, the community became three times wealthier than it would have been without the transaction – and has infinitely more liquid capital as its disposal.  Importantly, the community has also diversified its wealth base so that it won’t be fully reliant on the mine once its comes into production in five to seven years.

In addition to its liquid wealth, the community now has a substantial shareholding in a new platinum mine that will be run and backed by new Chinese majority shareholders that have a vested interest in bringing the mine into operation.  The community wins, big time. And, the local, national, and regional economies win.

The point being that, if you’re prepared to innovate, it is entirely possible to invest in communities rather than businesses.

 

If you’re unable to manage your debts simply by cutting your expenses or you don’t find it favorable to consolidate your bills and reduce the interest rates, Schryver Law Group suggest you, to go for a debt negotiation program. Whether you have mounting credit card bills, payday loans or medical bills, a debt negotiation program can help reduce your outstanding balance so that you find it easier to repay and get out of debt.

What is debt negotiation?

Debt negotiation or debt settlement is all about negotiating with your creditors or collection agencies (CAs) in order to reduce your outstanding debt balance. The purpose is to make your creditors accept payment up to 40-60% of what you owe while the rest is forgiven.

What debts can be negotiated?
Debt negotiation is applicable to debts such as:
Unsecured credit cards
Medical bills
Payday loans
Personal loans
Store cards
Bounced checks

Student loans can be negotiated if they are not insured by the Federal Government.

When should you go for negotiation?

Negotiation may not be a debt solution for all. It depends upon the individual situation and the amount he owes. Here are the 6 situations when you can opt for debt negotiation.

You cannot make payments for past 3 months
You’re in hardship such as job loss or medical emergency
Creditors are threatening to file a lawsuit
The account is sold off to collection agency and they’re harassing you
You cannot make use of debt consolidation program
Bankruptcy seems to you as the only debt relief option
What happens in debt negotiation?

Negotiation is offered by settlement companies which communicate with creditors and debt collectors in order to reduce your outstanding balance. Creditors agree to negotiate depending upon the status of your delinquent accounts, your total debt amount and the age of the debt accounts. Here are the 6 steps in a debt negotiation program.

Debt counseling: A debt negotiation or settlement company will offer you a free counseling session. Herein a counselor will review your situation to find out if a debt negotiation program is suitable for you.
Realistic budget: The company will help prepare a realistic budget for you in order to free up cash flow so that you can pay off your bills after negotiation. The budget gives a clear idea of what you can pay and how much the company needs to negotiate on your behalf.
Calculate program term: The company will review your income and set the program term for 2-4 years depending upon how much funds you can accumulate for debt payoff.
Trust account: The company will create a trust account (bank account) for you. Instead of paying creditors, you’ll have to deposit a monthly payment into the trust account. This continues till the funds accumulated are enough to start the negotiation.
The trust account does not earn interest. But it is insured by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) for an amount up to 0,000. You will receive monthly statements of all transactions on your trust account and the funds available for negotiation.
Negotiation with creditors/CAs: Negotiation starts off when you’ve saved about 50% of your outstanding balance into the trust account. The amount negotiated depends upon the creditor/CA and the money you owe.
Settlement offer: The negotiation company will not settle the debt without your approval. Once the creditors (or CA) accept a reduced settlement offer, the company will request them to send you the offer in writing. Based on the offer, you’ll make a lump sum payment to your creditors from the funds in your trust account. Your debt is thus settled at an amount lower than what you owe.
How do you benefit from negotiation?
Debt negotiation offers you the following benefits.
Reduced balance: Negotiation helps to reduce your outstanding balance so that you can pay off bills faster than you’ve ever thought possible.
Lower payment: Your monthly payment to the negotiation company is comparatively lower than what you’ve been paying your creditors.
No extra charges: Negotiation helps you to avoid paying extra charges like late payment dues or over-the-limit charges (for credit cards).
Avoid harassment: Your creditors and collection agencies may stop making harassing calls for debt repayment.
Negotiate account status: The negotiation company may negotiate with your creditors/CAs and try to get the account reported in your favor. This is to make sure that the account status on your credit report is “Paid as agreed” or “Settled” etc. The purpose is to minimize the negative impact on your credit.
How much do you pay for negotiation?

Debt negotiation fees depend upon the number of credit accounts you have, the amount you owe and the money you can save through negotiation. Some companies may charge 25%-35% of what you save.

Does debt negotiation hurt your credit? Read the rest of this entry »

You have a charismatic personality, a sensational voice, great body language, and you look smart. Above all, you have high IQ on a vast array of topics. In short, you have everything that is required to get tv presenting jobs. But, believe it or not, all this can’t assure you of a bright and promising career in TV as a presenter. If you wish to make it to the glittering world of TV, presenting your favourite TV show, you need to constantly hunt for advertisements, news and information that state – presenter wanted. The more you know about openings for tv presenting jobs, the more are your chances of getting the job for yourself.

Finding out where a
tv presenter is required is really not a problem anymore. With the advent of the Internet, you simply need to make a few clicks to find where presenters are required. There are numerous websites that list tv presenting jobs online. TV production houses, producers, and directors, and casting agents post tv presenting jobs openings online to get response from hundreds and thousands of aspiring actors from across the world.

Mostly, online listings of tv presenting jobs provide complete details regarding the job such as the sex of the presenter wanted (male/female), his/her age, acting skills that the tv presenter should have, total acting experience that the actor must possess, nature of the show for which the presenter is wanted, any specific knowledge that the presenter must have to present the show, the duration for which the tv presenter would be required to work every day, and the salary that the tv presenter would receive.

All these details are of great help for interested actors and artists looking for tv presenter jobs. One can evaluate all the pros and cons of the tv presenting jobs, determine one’s own acting capabilities and skills against the given requirements, and then take a well-informed decision. Most importantly, you can apply to as many tv presenting jobs as you want or attend all of the casting auditions for tv presenter jobs to maximise your chances of getting the right job.

You can also post your resume online to get noticed by directors/producers/casting agents looking for tv presenters. By doing so, you can save yourself from the trouble and hassle of finding where presenter is wanted. Tv presenting job opportunities would come to you on their own.

To know where tv presenter is wanted or where casting auditions are being held for tv presenting jobs, please visit castingnow.co.uk

[

 

This document is all about understanding teams and team building training; the purpose of team building activities; why corporate team building events can be effective; planning a team building strategy; building creative teams.

Why have a team building activity or event?

This is a phrase we hear a lot these days: ‘we need some kind of teambuilding activity’. Corporate team building events are on the increase: everyone seems to be having them these days. But are they living up to expectations?

See, from our point of view, often the people talking about team building don’t really know what they mean.

The reality is, that many, if not most, team building activities don’t work. They should. All that thought, effort, money, planning should make your team building event exciting, worthwhile and productive.

It’s as if we all know that teams are good. We understand the sum of the parts thing, but we don’t quite know how to make a team work in the way we’d like it to, so we think, ‘My team isn’t working as well as it could; a team building will sort it all out.’

Why a team building event?

When people say they want a team building event their picture is of this perfectly working group of people. But they don’t take the time to pin that picture down and really get clear what the issues are. If they did that then their team building activity would certainly help them get their team working more effectively.

So, before you can even tackle the ‘how’ you need to tackle the ‘why’.

Here are some questions that will help you clarify ‘why a team building event’.

Do you want people working better together?
Do you want to set new team goals and agreements?
Do you need to iron out communication difficulties that have crept in?
Do you want a jolly – to reward the team for being terrific?
Do you simply want to get everyone’s creative juices going and brainstorm new ideas?
Do you need to set clear parameters and boundaries so everyone knows what’s expected of them?
Do you want to inject some fresh enthusiasm and energy into a group that’s been working too hard and may have lost sight of the goal posts?
Have the goals posts moved and you need to let everyone know that?

Benefits of team building activity

A good corporate team building event Read the rest of this entry »

Everything in life is a compromise; everything in life is a negotiation. We all seem stifled by the word and implications that surround negotiating. Yet what most of us do not realize is that we have been negotiating since we were born. From the time we wanted a bottle or refused napping our education in negotiation began. In fact, research for this article illustrates that 43% of the American workforce changed jobs since 2006. And, the divorce rate in the United States hovers at over 53%.

 

However, we become increasingly befuddled by negotiation. We hold strong beliefs that negotiation is meant to be a battle. We begin negotiations on the defensive and seek to end them in a similar manner. The most vital idea to comprehend about negotiation is its definition. Negotiation is nothing more than an exchange of ideas and values between two or more parties with different interests. Conceptually negotiation is a communication and critical thinking exercise inducing creative problem solving. This article seeks to address ways in which you can negotiate and still move away with your credibility and friendships in tact.

 

The best concept for understanding negotiation is to indicate what it isn’t. We first need to debunk the myths.

 

Myth: Negotiation is Read the rest of this entry »

1. Remember that a presentation to senior executives  is not a speech

In a speech you may use rhetorical devices and even humor. A presentation to senior executives is a more serious event, with these executives needing precise information in a condensed form and in a limited time period.

2. Know the informational needs of your audience

Why are you giving this presentation to this person/group at this time?  What pressing informational problem does this group have for which you can provide a solution? Talk to the senior person’s assistant and or secretary if possible. Get as much “inside information” as you can elicit, including idiosyncrasies of the executives, such as buzz words that turn them off, views about PowerPoint (bullet-points or slides filled with bells- and -whistles). Frame your questions to these assistants as a means to help their boss, not to help you. After learning as much as possible–probably in a short time frame—on the needs and problems faced by this senior person, adapt your presentation so it addresses this problem. Show the Return on Investment (ROI) and, if possible a cost-benefit analysis Remember that a presentation is to be focused on solving the needs of this senior person and his/her organization.

3. Learn the receiving style of the most senior recipient

Prior to the presentation, learn as much as you can about how the senior person processes information, and if he/she has the habit of interrupting with questions. Some people will wan to linger on a PowerPoint slide, others may have a distinct dislike of the program. Most people receiving presentations can be characterized as “bottom liners” or “analyzers. The former does not want data-heavy, PowerPoint laden presentations. The later has an insatiable need for information. Woe betide the presenter who does not fit his/her approach to the particular senior person.

4. Draft Backwards so you achieve a “Bottom line Up Front” approach

We have learned to write and speak in a 1-2-3 structure: (1) Introduction- (2) Body- (3) Conclusion. For presentations, this is counterproductive: In contrast to reading a memo, audience members do not have the luxury of going back and reading again what they missed the first time. When you initiate your draft with your conclusion, then your presentation will be focused on merging your objective with your audience’s problems, interests and concerns. Place your conclusion on a card marked (3), then develop an introduction that signals the audience that you know its problems and will be offering a solution. Place this on a card marked (1). Finally, place your supporting arguments on a series of cards marked (2A), (2B), etc. You can have sub-points listed parenthetically. Having them will help if you must go to a “Plan B” presentation (See #  7 below.)You may even deliver your conclusion first, then tell the audience you will now show  the process you used to come to this conclusion. Remember, in a presentation, the object is to deliver actionable information needed by the audience.Using the “bottom Line up front” approach facilitates providing such information to the audience.

5. Conduct as many “Murder Board” simulations as possible

The “Murder Board” is a rigorous practice session, similar to a flight simulator used for training pilots how to deal with in-flight emergencies. Select no more than four people to be your simulated audience, appointing one of them to role-play the senior person. Share with them all the intelligence you have gained on the group/person to be briefed. These four people will then role-play your audience. Their comments, questions and criticism help you correct your style of delivery, find the gaps in your knowledge, and anticipate questions and objections. Prior to convening this Murder Board (a term with origins in the military), practice solo with a tape recorder and, if possible, a video camera. These tools should also be used in the various Murder boards.

6. Stand erect, avoid “uh’s” and “you knows,” devote most of eye contact to the senior person, but look at others as well.

Your credibility depends on a number of factors, the most important being your perceived (by the audience) expertise on the issue being briefed. This expertise, however, can be undercut by a slouching posture, repeated use of those abominations of the English language note above, and excessive reading of notes and avoidance eye contact. Look at the senior person, then look at another person, then look again at the senior person, then to another person, etc. By so doing, you show that you know who is the boss, but you are also including others in your presentation.

7. Have a “Plan B” presentation ready

The time you were told you had for your presentation could be reduced at the last minute, yet the information is still required. Consequently, it is wise to have a “Plan B’ presentation ready. Say you have been told you have fifteen minute to deliver you presentation, but when you arrive, you are told you have only five minutes. If you have anticipated this occurrence–and you should because it is likely to happen—you should have a shortened version of your presentation. If you have used the above 3-1-2 system, you will probably had sub-points to your “2s.” Eliminate the sub-point listed parenthetically, and you reduce the detail/time of your presentation, but you retain the coherence. It advisable to have a reduced PowerPoint program on a separate flashdrive..

8. Be a “minimalist” with PowerPoint

“Death by PowerPoint” has become an oft-used phrase, and with some justification The ubiquitous program can make or break a presentation. The advantage of using it is that most people are visual and can absorb information that is graphically presented. The disadvantage is that the slides can become a crutch, and excessive use of these slides, with all the bells and whistles, can be distracting and confusing. The bottom line is to not have the wonders of PowerPoint remembered, but the substance of your presentation forgotten. When preparing a presentation, edit  the slides so you use a minimum. As a rule of thumb, for a twenty minute presentation, have no more than ten slides.

Two pointers on how to use PowerPoint so it reinforces your message through the  visual avenue to the brain. First, bring the bullets onto the screen one at a time. If you have, say, five bullets, and they come onto the screen at the same time, audience members will scan down, perhaps being attracted to one of them, and therefore not listening as you address the first bullet. By bringing the bullets on one at a time, you focus the audience eyes and ears at the same place. Second, it is not necessary to have words or graphics on the screen continually. When you want to give the audience a break, hit the “B” key, and the screen goes black. Hit it again, and the slide comes back on. If you want to jump forward to a slide, or backward to review one already shown, hit the slide number, then enter, and the desired slide appears on the screen. This means, of course, you must have a numbered list of the slides.

9.  Be ready with a “Final Arrow,” but use with caution

Most presentations end with the senior person saying “Thank you.” If you notice that the senior person and the others are in a good mood, and not looking to leave immediately, think that you have an arrow in a quiver which is a reduced version of your “3″ conclusion. While you are closing your laptop or picking up your notes, you can say “Thank you, and let me just reiterate….” Do not say, “Thank you and I would like to add one more thing….”. By using a word such as “reiterate,” you send the signal you know your time is up, while at the same time you are repeating/reinforcing your principal message.

10. Conduct a “post-presentation” analysis

Our instinct after completing a challenging presentation is to breath a sigh of relief and relax. Big mistake. Within minutes, sit down with a note pad or tape recorder and record the questions asked, the reaction of the audience to your presentation, your impression of your performance, etc. Don’t wait until the next day. Short-term memory is precisely that, and you will remember only generalities. The immediate analysis will provide specifics. Transfer this specific information to your database, and you have an excellent head start to use in the Murder Board leading to your next presentation.