Expand Your Comfort Zone

Are you one of those people who go to the same restaurant and order the same food every time?  Most of us do this, at least occasionally.  It’s comfortable, easy and we don’t have to think because we know we like this item.  I’m guilty of doing this myself.  If my husband and I are going out to eat I know what I am going to order before we even get there.

Almost two years ago I stepped out of my comfort zone.  I quit my full time job making a very good salary without another job.  While deciding where to apply for another position, I stepped out of my comfort zone further and started my own company.  For years I have wanted to start my own business.  I went from wanting to own a consignment store, to wanting to own a specialty gift basket store, and the list went on and on.  Now was my time to do it!

I just want to mention I took baby steps when I stepped out of my comfort zone.  I wasn’t ready for a giant leap yet.  I started a company doing basically the same thing I have done for years.  But now I would be my own boss of my own company.  I wasn’t sure if I was sick in my stomach from the excitement or fear.  But a year and a half later, I am still in business and doing well. 

What’s next?  Since I have expanded my comfort zone, I want to step out a little further and push myself a little more.  I am taking my business in a different direction and adding different ways to generate revenue to my company. Again, it is scary but I can do it. 

Are you comfortable in what you are doing or are you happy doing what you do? There is a difference.  Once I sat and listened to someone complain about how much he hated his job.  "Look for something else" I told him. “What do you want to do” I asked?  "I can do a lot of things" he replied.  "But what do you want to do" I kept asking.  He didn’t have an answer.

I’m not advocating quitting your job without something else lined up or having another income source.  But while you are deciding what you want to do, take baby steps to get there.  If you want to start your own business in a few years, you may want to do market research or take a class on starting a business.  If you want to do something different, try learning some new skills.  Before you know it you will wonder why you were so intimidated to step out of your comfort zone.

Abraham Lincoln once said “I will study and prepare myself and someday my chance will come".  This is great advice, be ready for when your chance comes. 

What baby steps will you take today?

 
Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

 
Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes You Need to Say "I Don't Know"!

I was sitting in a training class when one of the participants asked a question.  The trainer very confidently looked at her and answered the question.  That is the way it is supposed to work, right?  Someone asks a question and the trainer or subject matter expert provides an answer.  In this case the answer was wrong.  I looked over at my co-worker sitting next to me, he leaned over to me and said “I don’t think that is the right answer, it doesn’t make any sense”.


When the class was over out of curiosity we researched the answer.  The trainer was blatantly wrong!  Obviously he did not know the answer so he made something up.  What do you think that did to his credibility with us?  It destroyed his credibility.


I have taught over 300 classes and there have been times when someone asked a question that I did not know the answer.  It happens to the best of us.  You can be an expert in what you are teaching or presenting and a question comes out of left field and you wonder how someone could come up with such a question.


In some of the cases you can say, “In my opinion or I think” and give your answer and that is a suitable answer for the type of question being asked.  Never should you make up an answer to make yourself appear to know everything.  No one can know everything!


I have found the best course of action in these cases is honesty.  Just say “I don’t know, but that is a great question and I will find out the answer for you”.  I have never had anyone say to me you don’t know what you are talking about.  People understand and are usually patient to get the correct answer, they want to know the correct answer. 


Now to keep your credibility, don’t forget to let everyone know the answer.  If it is a small class, you can email the answer to them if you need more time than a break to do some research.  If it is in a larger setting, you can refer people to your social media accounts and tell them you will post the answer on a specific day.  What a great way to also increase traffic to your social media accounts!  Not only will you gain more followers, people will respect the fact you took the initiative to find the answer for a participant.


I think most of us have been in a setting where the “subject matter expert” talked around the question but did not really say anything.  Sometimes you just need to say “I don’t know”.

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise



 Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

 Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Am I a Trainer, a Presenter or an Actress?

Besides Trainer, Presenter, or Actress, I can add other labels to the title of this blog.  A Facilitator, Speaker, Teacher….the list can go on and on.

You may be wondering what acting has to do with anything.  Am I acting like I know what I am talking about?  No, that is not what I mean.  When I say I am an actress in front of an audience I mean that I step out of being just Denise to being engaging Denise to my audience.  I learned this many years ago and have always kept this in the back of my mind.

Let me give you an example.  Twenty years ago I was a Tupperware lady.  At this time you had to order Tupperware from a Tupperware representative.  We didn’t have online ordering, probably because we didn’t have online at the time.  There was no website.  I would drive all over and conduct Tupperware parties for my hostesses.  I used to have a great time and lots of fun doing this.  I had a sign on my display that said “I get paid to party at work”.

I noticed when I wasn’t feeling well or in a bad mood the sales of my parties reflected this.  Since I made a percentage on the Tupperware I sold, this was an issue.  It took a few unsuccessful parties before I realized something.  I had a moment of clarity:  the hostess and her friends didn’t care if I was having a bad day, going through a difficult situation or not feeling well.  They were there to have fun, socialize with their friends, and buy Tupperware.

An audience feels the same way.  They want to be engaged.  Think back to the last presentation you sat through and thought to yourself this speaker would rather be anywhere else.  How did you feel as a member of the audience?  You gave up your time and money to be there and the speaker didn’t engage, motivate you, or even want to be there.

I’m an actress in a sense that I perform in front of my audience, classroom, and colleagues.  I’m not over the top with drama or wild with hand gestures.  I am positive, energetic, and engaging.  The audience would never know anything about how my day was going or how I felt.

How do I know this is true?  While giving a speech at my local Toastmaster club, I started to get a migraine.  My migraines cause me to have visual auras which means the room changes colors, flashes of lights (similar to strobe lights), and waves run in front of my eyes.  I kept right on delivering my speech without any reaction even though I could no longer make out the faces of the audience.  When I sat down someone commented that I am always smiling, positive and in a good mood.  They had no idea I was in the middle of a terrible migraine while delivering the speech.

Yes I am a Trainer, a Presenter, and an Actress!

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

 Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Did the Light Bulb turn on?

Did someone ever say something to you and you felt the light bulb go on over your head like in the old cartoons?  All of a sudden you got it!  Wow you thought, that is so true or now I understand it completely! 

This has happened to me a few times.  Someone said something that resonated with me so much I have added to my mantras and it has shaped me into the person I am today.

One time was in my very first college course.  It was an Accounting I class.  I don’t know why I picked Accounting I as my first class when I decided to return to school while working full time, but I did.

The professor told a story about when he was in the military and his commanding officer gave him some advice.  He told him to take advantage of everything available to learn while he was there.  If they offer a knitting class (he actually used knitting as an example), take it.  You never know when this knowledge will be useful.  "No one can ever take away the knowledge you have learned and knowledge is power".

This experience was too many years ago to tell you how many, but I always kept that in the back of my mind.  If someone was offering a free webinar, I signed up for it.  If there was workshop that was in my price range, I signed up for it.  I read books with subjects I didn’t know anything about and articles not necessarily in my industry or in my area of expertise to gain additional knowledge.   

So what’s the point of this blog you may be wondering?  Following this mantra has encouraged me to be exposed to subjects that normally I would have skipped or been intimated by.  This philosophy has given me an endless supply of speech material and now an idea for this blog.

I don’t remember that professors name after all these years, but I wish I could to tell him what an effect that story from his military career had on one nervous student sitting in the first row.

By the way, I passed Accounting I and went on to take several other Accounting classes.  I may not ever use the theory of LIFO/FIFO, or cost accounting, but no one can ever take that knowledge away from me.

What is the mantra that you follow?  How has it impacted you?

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

 Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Going Back To Basics - Brainstorming

When I was getting ready to write my bi-weekly blog, I realized I could not think of a topic this time.  Normally I have a few ideas and I can sit down and write something fairly easily. 

I ended up going back to basics and using a time proven technique for me...brainstorming.  During my first college writing class, the professor told my class how to break through writer's block by brainstorming ideas.  Just take out a piece of paper and jot down any idea that comes to your mind.  Do not pay attention to how crazy it might sound to you or if it fits the criteria of what you are trying to accomplish.  I have used this process many times over the years especially if I was trying to come up with a speech topic.

With my tablet (actual paper not an electronic device, I said I was going back to basics) and pen in hand I sat down and started scribbling ideas for my next blog.  I started with professional ideas such as coaching, leadership and your personal brand.  I kept going and let my brain loose to go where it wanted to go.  I started writing students going back to college, going out to eat and ordering the same thing every time, crazy videos people post on FaceBook and even meeting from the original television series, Batman, Robin and Catwoman at Steel City Con in Pittsburgh. 

If you need to come up with topics or ideas and have a mental block, try this old technique.  Go back to basics and try to brainstorm, you will be surprised what you can come up with once you let your creativity loose.  I came up with the idea of writing a brainstorming blog during this process.

What process do you use when you have writer's block and need to come up with an idea?

You may be wondering what did I do with my list of crazy thoughts while brainstorming?  The funny thing is now I have four or five new ideas for future blogs outlined just from this activity.  Even the ideas that seemed useless, crazy or unlikely in a professional blog will make an excellent addition to future blogs.  Even Batman & Robin, don't believe me...stay tuned to the same blog channel, the same blog...well you know the rest!

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

 
Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

 Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

 

Your Body Speaks - Part 2 Touching & Space

When I say nonverbal communication, what comes to mind?  Hand gestures, eye contact, body movement or facial expressions?  These are all forms of nonverbal communication.  Often people forget about two other aspects of nonverbal communication:  touching and space.

Touching is a form on nonverbal communication that involves physical contact with another individual.  Touching can be a powerful form of communication, however, should only be used in an appropriate situation.  Let’s look at the difference between a personal and a professional environment to illustrate the point of touching.

Acceptable touching in a professional environment may include a handshake or a pat on the back.  In many cultures, shaking hands is frowned upon.  I belonged to a Toastmasters club where a woman would not shake hands with a man due to religious beliefs. Make sure you consider the other person before making a gesture such as a handshake. 

In a personal setting, acceptable touching may include a hug to give someone comfort.  We often hug when we are happy to see someone or to tell them goodbye.  Another acceptable form of touching in a personal setting would be hand holding.  Perhaps you want to give someone encouragement or calm their fears.  Different scenarios in professional and personal settings should be considered before any touching occurs.

Personal space is another form on nonverbal communication.  Take a second and consider how you feel when someone stands too close to you if you are having a disagreement with them.  Would you feel threatened?  I know I would!  The first thing I would do is to take a step back to increase the space between us.  What if your boss leans over your shoulder when you are sitting at your desk to try to read what you are working on, wouldn’t this make you feel uneasy?  In addition to making you feel uneasy, depending on the gender of the boss, the employee and the amount of space, this may be considered an issue with human resources.

In a professional environment make sure you give someone the appropriate space.  If the CEO comes over to speak with you about your work or a mistake you made, would you stand nose to nose with him or her?  Of course not, you would have a distance between you that makes both of you feel comfortable while giving the CEO the respect that is needed.  If you are the supervisor correcting an employee, you may feel the need to stand close especially if you need to speak softly to avoid other coworkers overhearing the conversation.  Before you do this, think about what the employee may feel:  threatened, cornered, or may be trapped.

Over 75% of what we say is through nonverbal communication.  Be aware of what you are saying and how it is being perceived by others.

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise

Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

 Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

 

Is a Picture worth a Thousand Words?

A picture is worth a thousand words!  We have all heard this expression.  But is this true?  Is Visual Imagery that important when you are writing or giving a presentation?

Yes it is very important!  I was once at a Toastmasters Conference listening to the keynote speaker telling a story of a farmer on his tractor plowing the fields.  He gave such details the audience could actually see the farmer doing his daily chores.  How do I know the audience could visualize what the speaker was saying?  Because at the end of his speech he asked the group of 100 people if they remembered what was the color of the flannel shirt the farmer was wearing.  The audience responded by yelling, yes of course we do.  When the speaker asked what color was the farmer’s shirt, half of the room said red and half of the room said blue.  There were also a handful of people who shouted out different colors. 

You may be saying to yourself, well Denise he must not have been that good of a speaker for people not to remember what was the color of the farmer’s shirt. He didn’t paint the picture very well you may also be thinking.  You will be as shocked as I was when I tell you he didn’t mentioned at all the color of the farmer’s shirt.  Everyone in the room was shocked and surprised!  We all had a different picture of the farmer as we were watching him plow the fields in our minds, but we all had a picture of the farmer and that was the point he was trying to make with this audience.

If I were telling you a story about a quiet walk through the park in the fall season and said the park was so empty and quiet I could hear the leaves blowing, you would have a picture in your mind.  But what if I took it to the next level and described the park more visually:

“Silence was everywhere in the park.  It was like a blanket of quietness was placed on the park.  Beyond the bushes you could hear the rustling of the dead leaves that fell off the old maple trees.  It sounded like someone had a large broom and was sweeping from side to side.”

The first description of the park painted the picture, while the second description brought that picture into focus in High Definition like most of the new television sets on the market today. 

A picture is worth a thousand words.  By using the correct words you can bring the picture to life for your audience. You don’t need to use many words, just make them descriptive.

Get the picture?

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise


Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

 Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Stop Eating the Hors D'oeuvres!

I recently came across an article I read a few years ago, “Stop Eating the Hors D’oeuvres & Talking to People You Already Know” by Larry Lewis who was at the time of writing this article President of Total Development, Inc. and affiliate of Sanders Sales Institute.  The article lists steps for being successful at networking events. 

This reminded me of my first networking event that I attended in 2007 for PAPEN (Pennsylvania Professional Employee Network).  I walked into the room and didn’t know a single person.  The majority of attendees were men and I didn’t even know how to start networking.

The first thing I did was go over to grab a cup of tea and a plate of cheese.  This strategy gave me time and the courage to plan my next steps and figure out how to do the whole networking thing!

Slowly, I left the Hors D’oeuvres table and walked over to a small group of people and started talking.  The first couple of conversations were tough.  I didn’t know what to say or what to ask.  By the end of the evening I think everyone in the room knew my name and what type of job I was looking for.

It was at that point I became a Serial Networker or Networking “Junkie”, and have never stopped meeting new people.  I love to meet new people and find out what they do.  Sometime I find they can help me with a business lead.  Other times I am able to help them.  I have even found people that I have no common business interests with or in their industries I have learned a great deal from.

Networking is about building relationships.  Don’t be afraid to pass up the Hors D’oeuvres table and meet new people.  Remember, it is not always who you know, but who knows you to be successful.

Networking is work and putting forth an effort, but the rewards are worth it!

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise



Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com

 Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng

 Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

Facebook Does Not = LinkedIn

I'm sure most of you have seen the graphic that states Facebook is not LinkedIn.  So what is the big deal?   Why can't you use the same posts for both social media platforms?

If you continue to use the same posts, you may end up losing some of your LinkedIn connections. I myself have un-connected with some connections on LinkedIn because of this situation.  If you are in the habit of doing this...take a moment and consider the following:

Facebook is for social activity with your friends, family, co-workers, etc.  In this case, I am referring to a regular Facebook account, not a business page. 

Facebook can be where you vent that you hated the series finale of Mad Men.  You can friend your high school chums or college buddies.  You can post that you think the Pittsburgh Pirates are in a slump because of pitching or the referee in last week's Steeler game must have had his eyes closed during that touchdown.   You can post your vacation pictures, your child's birthday party, where you are meeting your friends for drinks, or even pictures of your dog dressed up for Halloween. 

By comparison, LinkedIn is a more professional site.  You connect  (notice I didn't say Friend) with your business acquaintances, clients, or recruiters.  LinkedIn should be treated as a professional environment.  There are groups you can join about anything professional you can think of, in addition to job leads and networking opportunities.  You can even follow a specific company if you have an interest in them or want to someday work there.

You can brag about any new certifications, education or accolades you may have received.  There is a section to list all of your skills and qualifications.  You can even list that you are in a career transition if you are recently unemployed.

By the examples I listed, did you notice the difference between Facebook and LinkedIn?  They are definitely not equal.  If you can't discuss it with your boss, co-workers or mention it in an interview, it should not be on LinkedIn.

A word of caution...potential employers will look at an applicant's social media sites.  Including Facebook, so be careful what you post.


Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!

Denise


Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President

DG Training Solutions, Inc.

Website:  https://www.DGTrainingsolutionsinc.com



Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com



Twitter: https://twitter.com/deniseanng



Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc



LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni

 

Are you on the Cruise Ship or Waving as it Departs?

When I was single, I went on a cruise with some friends.  While this was over twenty years ago, I still have memories from a lot of the events that occurred during that week on the cruise.  I also remember the cruise ship departing while we stood, sipping our drinks on the deck waving to all the people on the dock.  They were waving back at us.  I was so happy.  I had an opportunity to be on a cruise ship headed for a week of adventures.  The other people on the dock may have been wishing they were on the boat instead of us.

Recently I was thinking about this memory and realized there will always be people who take advantage of being on the boat and those who don't take advantage of opportunities and miss the "proverbial" boat.

Are you a person who takes a cruise...or always seem to miss the boat and wave as it sails into the ocean?

I attended a large networking event a few months ago for Women in Business.  When I say a large event I mean 100-150 women in business.  I started networking and talking to a few women.  Two women still stick out in my mind. 

One woman was recently displaced by her employer six months prior to this event and the other woman was completely miserable in her job and wanted to move on to another company.  The first woman lived only 15 minutes away from me.  I told her I can make some calls and maybe help her find a position.  The second woman worked in an industry I just resigned from and I knew of openings that would be perfect for her.

Neither woman had a business card with her contact information.  I gave both women my business card and explained how I had these cards printed for less than twenty dollars!  I told them to email me their information and resume.  I also told them to connect with me on LinkedIn because I have a large number of connections and these connections might be helpful in their job search.  I have yet to hear from either woman!

I can picture these women waving as the cruise ship departs and saying how lucky the passengers are to be on the boat. Is it luck that some people are on the boat and some are not?

Think back, have you missed the boat?  Luckily most cruise ships announce their departure.  It may not be too late to catch up to that ship.  If you missed it, there will always another one leaving the dock in the near future.

Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!!

Denise


Denise Ann Galloni, Owner and President
DG Training Solutions, Inc.

https://www.dgtrainingsolutionsinc.com

Email:  dgtrainingsolutionsinc@gmail.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/deniseanng

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DGTrainingSolutionsInc

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/deniseanngalloni