Just Think The way you conclude a speech really does matter. Imagine Patrick Henry winding up his famous address like this: "As for me gentlemen, give me liberty or give me death!"
"Thank you."
Avoid ending any speech with these weak words.
Source: The Working Communicator
Need a Read? Corporate Celebration, by Terrence E. Deal and M.K. Key (1998, Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc., San Francisco). "Human energy is fueled in large measure by ritual and celebration," begin the authors of this new book. "Always has. Always will be." Celebration also plays a central role, they say, in reinvigorating and reinspiring corporations, and those companies that speak to the hearts and spirits of their employees will receive much back in return. Deal and Key divide corporate gatherings into seven categories, including recognition celebrations and just plain old fun events, with case studies from companies ranging from Ben & Jerry's to IBM. The book provides a heaping dose of philosophy, but an equally large helping of real-world examples and hands-on good stuff.
NewSensation Paradise on a grand scale Seeing a model of the new Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas last fall, we were struck by the sheer scale of this project. It has an 11 million-gallon marine habitat (the largest "aquarium," if you will, in the world) with 100,000 sea creatures, a life-size Mayan temple, a re-creation of the lost city, and a 70-foot-high lobby rotunda with 50-foot-high sculptures. Let alone the 2,300 rooms and 38 (that's right) restaurants. Now, this $80 million vision of Sol Kerzner, developer of South Africa's Sun City, has become reality, along with Atlantis' new 86,000-square-foot conference and exhibition center, which just opened at the end of April. MCI will be the first company to use the facility, for a 1,300-person incentive program. Many, many more to come, we're sure.
BookMark Looking for a training program on designing an innovative organization? Dealing with difficult people? Or how to sharpen negotiating skills? It's worth the time to check out seminarfinder.com, one of the more comprehensive collections of training and educational seminars on the Web. Visitors can search by city or subject, and seminar companies can post their seminars as well (once they become "members.") A special feature lets you enter your e-mail address and receive info directly about upcoming seminars in your areas of interest.