Mark McCool - Tips for Affirmatively Saying "NO"

The social life of the common human being is dictated by enormous interactive conversations which involve a lot of pleasantries and are followed by requests or offers. Now depending upon the various bearings and situations a person may be associated with, sometimes (actually quite often) these requests or offers are very hard to accept.

But due to the obvious sense of etiquette, it is often very difficult to do so and yet seem comfortable. Hence we keep feeling deep inside ourselves that if only there was a better way to say. We sometimes feel that there is a need for some really effective ways of saying such a NO. Good news is: there are some actually effective ways to do so.

Cordiality is an important and almost an imperative quality to possess these days. It helps us to converse and be heard at the same time. People pay more attention to constructive and respectable conversations, hence sometimes there is empathy. So the foremost point that must come to our mind when we think of saying a “no” to somebody’s offer or request is the need to be cordial in making such an expression.

Calmness and tranquility within us, sets the tone of our expression in a very acceptable position. So it’s advisable to deliver such a “NO” with a calm, tranquil yet firm and determined voice. There is something in the delivery of the message which always seems to work for some and fails for others which is exactly what the point suggests.

Honesty is a very credible quality to exhibit, simply because it’s rarely seen nowadays. So if you choose to share the truth behind your negative reply, people find it easier to converge with your views.

The primary focus, if kept strictly upon capturing the attention of the audience, can yield the desired results. These are all just ways to maximize that.

If you want more information on improving your social life and communication see Mark McCool. He has a passion for helping people to achieve what they desire for.

How Body Language Communicates the Unspoken

The position and movements of the head play a huge role in indirect communication. Learning to decipher these signals is useful to read a person’s thoughts and feelings correctly.

• Lowering: Lowering the head and chin is a defensive ducking posture adopted in response to a threat. It may also be a sign of exhaustion or boredom. A lowered head with lowered eyes indicates submission, respect, insecurity or coyness, while with raised eyes it indicates flirting or defiance.

• Raising: Raising the head from a lowered position shows interest, while a sudden raise upwards indicates a question. A head raised to the ceiling may signify boredom or an intent focus on sound. A head thrust forward shows aggression.

• Tilting: A sideways or forward tilt to the head indicates curiosity, interest or doubt. It is also a sign of flirting. A tilt with a backward motion shows suspicion. The carotid artery in the neck gets exposed when the head is tilted, which may express vulnerability and encouragement.

• To and fro motion: Nodding shows agreement or approval, with the strength of the nod indicating the depth of agreement. Shaking the head sideways, on the other hand, signals dissent or censure. Nodding when listening to someone is an encouragement to continue, while shaking the head indicates a difference of opinion. A nod is also used for emphasis.

• Rotating: Rotating the head may indicate a stiff neck or boredom. It is also a gesture of dismissal or ignoring a person.

• Pointing: A head pointed steadily at someone shows interest in them, while a pointed twitch is used to subtly point out something to someone.

Correct head and body language helps you consciously send out the right kind of signals and communicate effectively with others

For more information about Body Language Communication visit - Mark McCool's Profile

Importance of Having a Purpose/Goal

Your goal in life helps you to plan decisively your course of actions and work out strategies to reach it. The joys you get at reaching your goals are unbounded and wholesome. They spur you further towards greater heights. Just as any journey that is undertaken aimlessly proves to be an insipid and drab affair, journey in life must also be tagged with a goal for it to be challenging and meaningful.

Short term goals

Immediate priorities that lay before you should be set as the short term goals. But as a cardinal rule achievable and practical goals alone should be set as goals, more particularly the short term goals. The goals could be on the personal, academic or business front. The next step after setting the goal is to plan how to achieve your goal and work towards it.

Long term goals

Long term goals help you to plan ahead meticulously. The long term plans help you to work steadily towards achieving your objectives by improving your faculties, qualifications and capabilities. Mostly the short term goals are tuned to meet the demands of the long term goals. By coordinating the goals you could hasten your success that much more easily.

Career goals

Career goals help you progress in your careers. It ensures that you do not stagnate and grow to your fullest potential. You could again have short term and long term goals for your career plans. The career goals help you avoid complacency at work, which enable you to scale the peaks.

Goals give us direction to life. But while setting goals you have to be practical and should set goals with clarity of mind. Goals have to be very specific in nature, without being abstract. And above all you have to work tirelessly towards fulfilling the goal.

For more details regarding this topic, see Mark McCool profile, supporting healthy and motivational Living.

4 Tips to Communicate Confidently in Meetings

More than 41% of people across the world have fear of speaking in front of a gathering especially when there is a business meeting. Such a fear can be very obviously noticed from the body language of the speaker. Accelerated heart rates, sweaty palms, loss of memory and breathing difficulties are the most noticed symptoms. Most leaders would have experienced such a feeling every time they get to speak in meetings before a crowd of people.

• This fear or anxiety is quite normal and can be worked upon to reduce or even remove altogether. The first and foremost step is to acknowledge the fact that the feeling is normal and you are not the only person who goes through this problem. Besides this important element, there are other aspects you can consider to remove the fear to address.
• When you know that you have to address a group in a meeting or conference, ensure that you have prepared and rehearsed well. Having an elaborate and technical speech put down and memorized does not serve any purpose. Instead, relate to the need of the speech and put that down by way of coherent flow of thoughts. This should be practiced but not memorized.
• Just before you enter the conference hall, practice breathing exercises. These exercises when properly executed will help in reducing the fear by 15%.
• New and strange places or people attribute to the stress factor. Socializing with them will offer a sense of confidence to you.
• Be prepared for any reaction that the crowd may give. It could be in the form of questions as well. Most of us commit the mistake of jumping into conclusions before the question is aimed at us. Instead relax, absorb the question and then provide a suitable answer.

Once you realize the fact that you are not a loner when it comes to fear of anxiety, the other areas can be subsequently worked upon.

If you would like further information on communicating confidently and to overcome your fear among people, please consider Mark McCool.