Colette

Ned’s Note:

You have heard it before, this week try and be the person your dog thinks you
are, but this time try it with other people.

 Meet a new person every week with 52 Talk Up.  I imagine by
now everybody has either had the game played on them or they’ve played the game
on someone else of 52 pickup.  That’s
where you take the poor unsuspecting child with a deck of cards and you say, “Have
you ever played 52 pickup?”  And they say, “No”, and you flip the cards all over the floor.  It’s really kind of mean in one sense.

Well this is 52 Talk Up.  Meet and talk to a new person, once a
week.  That’s 52 people a year, 52 meaningful conversations with someone new, not an old friend, but somebody new. Don’t have a big agenda when you meet them. Meet them anywhere you can, take some time.

When I was a little boy I can remember my father and mother used to make me go up and introduce myself to people they knew.  We’d go out to a restaurant or some social event and they’d say, “go over there and introduce yourself to that person; stick your hand out, stand tall, hold your chin up, tell them who you are, talk to them!” This is one of the best lessons I ever learned, no one is a stranger to me now.

My colleague and friend, Andrew Sanderbeck, in Waynesville, NC, teaches a great method for a conversation mostly in a professional setting but you could use it anywhere, a party, social, a completely non professional, it doesn’t’ matter.  He calls it the FORD Method for having a conversation.

When you meet someone new ask them about their Family, then you might ask them about their Occupation, what they do for a living, and then talk to them about what they like to do for
Recreation or fun as he says.  Last are dreams, what are their dreams?  Where do
they want to go?  What do they want to do? What things might be good   for them?
Now you’ll formulate all these questions in your own vernacular so it sounds sincere and honest and authentic from you.  But following the FORD Method is a great way to get going.  It’s a question based
conversation.

Closing

This is an excerpt from Simple & Easy an audio CD Ned Parks published in 2007. If you
to purchase the full version of the CD contact Ned at ned@nedparks.com

Ned’s Note:
One thing is for sure, if you think you can’t do it, you won’t do it. So, what are you self-sabotaging this week?

Ned’s Note:
This week, walk, run, play racketball, bike, ride a horse, do anything that is away from the office and the couch.

Ned’s Note:
Have you sat in your employees’ or students’ chairs lately? You might want to give it a try before you write that next memo.

Ned’s Note:
This week, give credit to what and who carried you here.

General George S. Patten

Ned’s Note:

Are you going to stop micro-managing this week, or are you an out-of-control
control freak?

Ned’s Note: This week, listen and become aware. It is the first step toward improvement and change.

Ned’s Note:
This week, think about how much force you use to get others to come along. Now, think again. And one more time. Okay, maybe you will use a little more leadership this week instead of forcership. (I just made up that word.)

Ned’s Note:
Well, they will ask for a treat and some love, but I know what Mr. Eliot meant when he said this. The question I have for you this week, who among your friends will you judge?