Death's Doorway

My grandmother passed last week. She was 100 years young. So much time to live a good life, be a teacher to many, and to consider what happens in the after life. We all saw her hold onto life because she feared the unknown. Sometimes it was hard to watch how much she struggled to keep living knowing that some of it stemmed from her terror. It is the ultimate display of us fearing that which we know nothing about. One thing is for sure, when we stay with what is familiar, we feel comfortable. When it comes to personal development, we risk, however, becoming complacent. Comfort is good for a while; especially, if it comes after a period of learning something new. But, there comes a time when we need to go to the next level. Ask yourself where you are super comfortable and see if there is a ledge you can look over. What's possible? What's next? Gram finally stepped through death's doorway and I am sure she is much more relieved than she ever thought she could be. To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week (a separate weekly message), please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com.

At The Core

I couldn't help but be moved by Obama's speech in Tuscon January 13, 2011. For a man who has been considered even-tempered, he sure stood out as a man with emotion, care, and passion for his nation. This very essence of Obama is what made so many people believe in him as a presidential candidate. Certainly we cannot ignore politics, but we also must look at the core of who he is to remind ourselves to be our best selves. We all know that Obama is an outstanding orator. We know that he has all the right timing and pausing and inflections in his speeches. But, last week's speech was somehow much more connected to what he believed. This capability of linking our hearts to our words is more than theatrics. When it is related to who we are at our core, we stand the chance of being heard. We have the opportunity to be applauded, recognized and remembered. The good news is that when we speak from this true place, we don't mind if we are promoted, exonerated, or idolized. We just want to be heard, to have a conversation on the subject and do what we can to move our cause forward. What is at your core? To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week (a separate weekly message), please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com.

We All Need A Little Mother Teresa

When I was in my 20's, I wanted to save the world. "If I could only express it in poetry, theatre, music, song...then I could really help people," I'd think to myself. The problem was I didn't know how I wanted to help. I had a vague idea that I was good at listening and bringing out the best in others. I knew that however I could assist, it would be about the evolution of the human heart and spirit. I've been through many iterations of myself and what I considered to be my potential. If I had to write it down on a piece of paper and put it in a vault for my children to read, it might read something likes this: "I always wanted to be a Mother Teresa until I realized that I might have to miss a party or two. So, I decided that with all my compassion for human beings and all living creatures, I'd have to declare myself me. Me with the ability to observe and consider. Me with the desire to change and conquer. Me with the ears and heart of a mother and the strength and security of a father. Me, on my path with heart trying to help one person a day to feel, to give, to consider and to grow. The Mother Teresa in me guiding me to be the best me I can be." The point is that we all need to determine who we are on a deep level in order to participate in the change that occurs around us at every minute. Our communication requires this but most of all our lives require this. To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week (a separate weekly message), please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com.

Timing Your Communication

Lanartco’s tip of the week this week was about timing communication effectively. I wasn't able to find much on the subject on the Internet in the form of “tips”, so I decided to offer five of my own to consider when preparing for a difficult or critical conversation.

Avoid bringing up a challenging topic when:

1. You are saying goodbye to someone.
2. Your conversation partner(s) are under visible stress.
3. Someone has just lost a loved one.
4. You don't have the facts.
5. Someone is sleeping or just waking.

To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week (a separate weekly message), please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com.