Chadons Chat

Updated Web Site + Cool website

2009-10-28T09:45:00.000-05:00

Updated http://www.chadons.com/ to more accurately show services offered by company.

Services are now listed as

Conquering Goals - for those individuals/organizations that want to move forward

Developing Stars - is the training/developmental arm of Chadons

Terry Talks - is for speaking engagements and workshops.

Also check out a website called www.wordle.net . This is a great place where you can make your very on wordle (word puzzle). To the left is comments made about my presentations using wordle.

Updated White Paper on What Motivates People

2009-09-28T15:01:00.000-05:00

Happy to announce that the White Paper on What Motivates People has been updated.
Chadons also is offering two workshops based on this innovative concept around motivation.
The first workshop is management-centric entitled Motivating Your Workforce as well as a second workshop is employee-centric titled What Motivates Me?
Two outstanding workshops for any organization.
To download the free white paper, go to http://chadons.com/stuff/whatmotivatespeople.html

Powerpoint Tips

2009-08-21T13:50:00.001-05:00

Have to give a powerpoint presentation?
Here's some tips...

1. Powerpoint should support your presentation, not you supporting your powerpoint. What that means is that if everyone is paying so much attention to the powerpoint and not you, that doesn't work well.
2. You should have no more than 5 short bullet points per slide. More than that makes the slide to busy and too hard too digest.
3. You shouldn't turn your back and then just read the slide. Your powerpoint should be supportive of your talk, not you just reading it.
4. A tip is to angle your laptop so that you can see it as you talk. That way you can glance at that to ensure that it has moved to the next slide.
5. Buy a presentation clicker. A decent one can be found around 50 bucks and its a smoother transition for your talk then you stopping what you are saying, walking back to your laptop, clicking on the mouse/pad to move to the next slide, looking up to see that its moved and then resuming your talk.
6. Be creative, but not too creative. Sometimes a comic can break the ice and make a point. But the comic should be somewhat relevant and appropriate. Powerpoints that have a lot of flash, whistles, noise, transitions, scrolling information can be distracting. A little is ok, but again shouldn't distract from you.
7. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. One, because your presentation will just be smoother, but also because as you rehearse, you may feel the flow is choppy or not good, so you may reorganize or adjust the slides to ensure a more comfortable flow to your talk. And a more comfortable flow ensures a more comfortable speaker. And that's one of the most important things for any speaker to be!

My new book is now on Amazon.com!

2009-08-17T13:07:00.000-05:00

Relationship Networking 3.0 is the how to guide for B2B networkers. I have been fortunate enough to speak and do workshops around this great book. It's a small book, about 60 pages geared for us ADD types, but loaded with tips, concept and great ideas for networking effectively. It can now be found at Amazon.com as well as through my website.

Thoughts on the Economy

2009-06-25T08:50:00.000-05:00

Certainly, one of the most significant bellwethers in most peoples minds today is the unemployment numbers. We won't start feeling more comfortable until we see those numbers go down. We won't REALLY start feeling comfortable until we see ourselves, our friends and family returning to the workforce with REAL jobs.
However there ARE other areas that can be looked at to spot where we're headed. Two of them are advertising and training.
The reason being is that these are systemically the first two to go when an organization is starting to get worried or in trouble.

I can't write about advertising and while my observations about training are anecdotal, there is positive news on the horizon.
As someone fairly connected with the training world in the Chicagoland area, discussions with colleagues show an uptick in companies contracting for needed training. And that's a good sign.

In my case, as a coach, speaker and trainer, while I have seen a decline in my more traditional skill development programs, I have been providing services in the more "additional skills" arena or "traditional with a twist".

An example of "additional skills" is that my most frequent speaking/workshop programs have been on Business Networking for those people that network to get clients. Other topics that have been popular in seminar or workshop format has been Effective Communication and Motivating the Workforce (which I have published a white paper on my website).

In the traditional with a twist, I have brought subjects to organizations such as Creating Customer Loyalty, Relationship Selling and Stress and Time Management. All important subjects and certainly available, but I've offered the same subjects from a different perspective or outlook. It's exciting to have people come up to you afterward and tell you that they "get it" now.

The additional change in training that has seemed to really resonate in these times has been the Strategic Roadmap/Moving Your Business Forward Workshops where we have helped entrepreneurs, micro and small business owners, not for profits look beyond today's challenges creating a vision and goals for the upcoming year.

The Strategic Roadmap (often thought as Strategic Planning Lite) has been used more and more with struggling departments and not for profit volunteer boards. The response I get back from facilitating workshop, helping them create those goals, responsibilities and vision has been uniformly, strongly positive.

Organizations, departments, etc. are desperately looking for paths forward and Strategic Roadmap seems to have provided that service for them.
So looking at the trends in training I certainly don't feel we're out of the tunnel yet, but I do sincerely believe that not only have we seen the light at the end of the tunnel, but we can be sure that the light is true light and not the train coming to run us over!

Good luck and good fortune in everything that you do!

Webinar Schedule

2008-10-28T10:39:00.000-05:00

Upcoming in November

Business Networking 101 -FREE!
6 Steps to Making the Sale - $25.
Go to http://www.chadons.com/ for more info or to register.
Download file to get full schedule!

2008-10-21T15:30:00.000-05:00

Announcing CHADONS Webinars!

These are 30-45 minute seminars for any entreprenuer and small business owner. The next couple of months you'll see rolling out topics like Business Networking 101, Managing Stress, Why Businesses should consider Strategic Planning, Delivering Outstanding Customer Service and much, much more!
And the cost is only going to be 25 bucks! And the Business Networking 101 is FREE!

So a whole lot of learning is coming to you straight from your computer.

To check out what's going on, check out Webinars at www.chadons.com

2008-10-09T10:22:00.000-05:00

A whole lot of things are going on at CHADONS!

We are having a Webinar on Business Networking 101 - what you should be doing when you go out and business network. It will be held on Oct. 16 at 4pm and is only 25 bucks!
To find out more, click here.

Check out my new article entitled The 3 Keys to Happiness at ezinearticles.com

I have just published a white paper on the very important subject of What Motivates People.
Click on the subject, head to my website and download for free this paper.

Several new seminars are being offered by CHADONS, one entitled "Managing Stress"

We have also come up with a great Time Management Program for the individual or for small groups here in the ChicagoLand area, helping each person to manage their day better.

B2B Xpo coming in October!

2008-09-15T13:50:00.000-05:00

There is a new type of event for the Small Business Owner and Entrepreneur happening in the Chicagoland area this fall and it’s called B2B Xpo.

It’s not like any other Expo you’ve ever been to. It’s mission is not to display or sell products or services, but give Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs the opportunity to sit down with experts that service Small Business Owners and find out their challenges and offer advice on how they can better their own business.

It’s new and it’s happening in Lincoln Square the afternoon /evening of Wednesday, October 22, 2008.

To find out who are the knowledge experts and other information, you can go to www.b2bxpo.org!

What about those business cards?

2008-08-20T14:01:00.000-05:00

Everyone should have an up to date business card. And have enough available. It seems like every single networking event I attend there is always someone who has forgotten them. Which certainly makes it difficult for me to contact them!
An easy fix is to take a baggie, put in a big chunk of your business cards and drop it in the center console (or glove box or trunk) of your car. That way when you realize you're out, you can just replenish from the baggie!
A simple easy trick to keep you networking professionally!
To get some other tips, read my article on business cards.

Before you network, make some goals

2008-07-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

The biggest failure that most networkers do (or rather don't do) centers around setting some goals before you go out and network. People show up, bump into other people. Certainly talk to some people that they know and maybe 1 or 2 that they don't know, pick up a few business cards and then they are done. Networking like that only can be considered "effective" if you get lucky and hit a hot prospect.
Instead I suggest you create some goals. Whether it's meet 5 new people, collect 6 business cards, talk and deepen a relationship with 2 people you've met before, or any range of goals. If you do, a couple things are going to happen, you're going to push yourself out into the group more, converse with new people more and if you meet your goal, you're going to feel better about having gone to the networking event.
Create goals, be more effective, feel better about the time spent. A very cool way to spend your time!

Know Who's Coming to the Networking Event

2008-06-26T15:11:00.000-05:00

If you can, find out who's coming and commit to meeting several of them listed. You can chose to do it be their name, company or any other piece of information. Try and meet people that have jobs or businesses that you know nothing about and when you meet them, just have them explain what they do. Are there people coming that might help your business? Search for them at the event.
The whole idea of "tagging" someone to meet them at the event is to get you moving. You will be more likely to circulate and not hang around with just people you know. You will also give yourself the opportunity to meet new people, new businesses and new industries. This will also be a great conversation starter...."I noticed that you were coming and I was curious as to what your company does". They'll certainly appreciate the fact that you made a special effort and of course, will be more than happy to fill you in allowing you to gather information about their company.
By also creating a goal to meeting some people (and achieving it!) you also make the networking event a more positive experience for you.

Chapter 1 of the business networking e-book Networking 2.0

2008-06-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

The chapter title is called "Know Thyself" of Networking 2.0.
I look at two different areas. The first being whether you are an extrovert or an introvert (or somewhere in between) There is a common misconception that if you're an introvert, you can't be a good networker..all that schmoozing and stuff! But its actually further from the truth than you think. Introverts can actually be very good networkers, they just have to do things a bit differently. Same with the extroverts, who need to change their normal behavior to be more effective.
The other area to watch for is your energy. If you're not in the mood, chances are you would just sit or stand in a corner when you should be networking. I give a few tips on what you can do to get that energy up and have a good time at the networking event.

Find out more at www.chadons.com/EBook

Talked to some youth today

2008-05-16T15:09:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago, I received an email from a high school asking me to come and talk during a “career day”. I chose not to reply because I just didn’t think it was a good fit for me as a business coach. I just didn’t think I had a valid message for these young people for their career day. About 1pm of the day before the event I got a call. I explained the circumstances, yet the coordinator assured me that “how” I got to where I was today was a valid message. I acquiesced and scrambled to make it happen since I strongly believe that supporting our young adults is an important activity for any adult.

So I went. I was given a schedule that I would talk 3 different times to different sets of kids, sorry young adults in a classroom and off I went.

It was a disaster.

Or not. I have no clue. And probably never will have. I do know that by the end of the 3rd group, I could wring out the shirt from me sweating so much!

The kids were loud and proud. There were about 30 to a group and they were busy chatting with their friends. I had no control. OK, I’m not a parent, so yeah I was racing down the rapids in a sinking boat without a paddle.

The topic that eventually got traction was reactive on my part. It was about respect, it was about being responsible for their own behavior because they aren’t children any more. I asked them what careers did they want and warned them that their behaviors, not necessarily others could prevent them from achieving their dreams and hopes. And as a business coach, it would be not be good thing or a smart thing to exhibit behaviors that might shut doors of opportunity before they even had a chance.

I also talked about adults. like teachers and parents and yes even a certain business coach would like to help them to succeed, but they had to meet us half way. I made it clear that I understood that I was a white guy standing in front of a class of black kids, and I wasn’t sure what that meant, except that I didn’t care about skin color, what I did care about was them having the opportunity to be who and what they wanted to be. And that there would be a whole lot of people thinking the same way, willing to help, willing to support, but they still had to help us help them and it started now. I guess it was frustration on my part, I guess it was tough love. I honestly don’t know.

But they listened. Or more accurately they were quiet. Whether they listened or not as I mentioned before, I have no clue. And what happened, by no means was their fault.

I freely admit that I was wrung out and while the school graciously offered me lunch before I headed out, I just needed to find some quiet place and think.

And I think back to a conference I attended in DC last year sponsored by IBM that was on Global Leadership. It consisted of mucky-mucks from IBM and some other Fortune 100 companies, medium and small businesses (I guess small business was my niche). It had academia from major schools, public schools and not for profits. One of the subjects that blasted thru the conference where emotions ran high was our educational system, our kids and were we preparing them for the future. From the business perspective, it was a pretty strong feeling that we were falling (and have been for some time) behind.

I then recently attended a conference here in Chicago, held by DePaul centered on Global Learning, somewhat the same idea and scope and I was curious to check it out. This conference was more Chicago based with the people attending and certainly was much heavier academia with a light scattering of business people (like me!). And interestingly enough many of the same concerns were brought up at this conference as at the previous unrelated one.

But in both cases, it seemed like everyone wanted to stay in their own boxes. The business conference seemed to look at the learning problem as something the academic’s need to resolve. And the academia conference was looking at how learning (even though the main speaker talked about “social learning”, where we learn from a wide range of sources today) could still fit into the Bachelors/Masters Degrees boxes. After spending time with the kids today (and other times) I’m looking at the fact that we are still primarily teaching the same subjects for the most part the same way (with some computer add ins) even though the world today is a much different world.

So what IS the answer for the youth of today to get ready for the challenges of tomorrow? I admit, I don’t have a clue. What I do know is that all these different groups, academia, business, government and so on, not only don’t appear to be on the same page, I don’t think we’re reading the same book!

People observed me frustrated about what happened today and were concerned if I was ok. That’s a nice thought, but not a concern of mine. What I was concerned about was that I was given an opportunity to help the youth, perhaps provide them some insights so that they can successfully create their own future. That was my concern, still is and I don’t know if I achieved that with my “tough love” presentation.

So perhaps I failed these kids today. But I look at the conferences I’ve been to and the experiences that I have been having lately, and I think there is an awful lot of people, programs and agencies that are failing our kids today. And that doesn’t comfort me to be one of the many. It doesn’t comfort me at all.

Networking E-Book Updated

2008-04-07T19:34:00.000-05:00

Now introducing Networking 2.0. The primary update in 2.0 is where I talk about the two types of networkers, the hunters and the farmers. Since there are strengths and weaknesses to both, I introduce the explorer type of networking. Being an explorer when you network takes in the best of both and makes the networker be more productive! You can find out what I'm writing about at http://www.chadons.com/ebook.html and download a free sample of Networking 2.0.

New E-Book out!

2008-03-11T07:01:00.000-05:00

Announcing the new E-Book Networking 101..and then some. The purpose of this 30+ page book is to give individuals who network for business a leg up in effective networking.

As a business coach that does extensive networking I see the vast majority of people who attend these events not being very effective. They stand around, talk to people they already know, and then calling it a night.

With just a little preparation, setting some goals and building some good basic communication skills, the networker can be significantly more effective when they go out and mingle.

Find out more and get a free first chapter of Networking 101..and then some at http://www.chadons.com/ebook.html