It’s Not Possible To Listen And Talk At The Same Time
Let’s face it; it is simply not possible to listen and talk to your colleagues at one and the same time.
Working on your listening skills to the point of perfection is likely to be one of the best assets you have to offer your organization. This skill alone will take you further in life than practically anything else you can think of in connection with how you connect and communicate with other people.
Instead of listening to what someone has to say in an uninterested manner, try actually engaging your mind in the conversation which is taking place. Give serious thought to what the other person is saying to you and if you find yourself drifting away from what he or she is saying, focus your concentration on that person’s lips and watch as they mouth the words.
Make sure you break your gaze every now and again as staring at them looks strange and may lead to awkwardness between you.
Whilst someone is talking to you, make a mental note of what they are saying. If you are not sure about a particular point, when they have finished speaking ask them to clarify the point in question. This shows the one speaking that you are listening to what he or she has been saying. A good speaker will always give you the opportunity to ask any question at specific intervals throughout the conversation.
If you decide to make written notes, don’t attempt to do this verbatim. It is practically impossible for you to write down every single word of the conversation and get the exact meaning of what the person is trying to say. You are too busy writing to be listening to what is said.
Piggybacking is a technique you can use to continue the conversation if you do not have a great knowledge of the subject being discussed. An example of this is when your assistant is describing something technical to you about his or her computer which you have no knowledge about, or interest in, whatsoever. When your assistant says to you that the RAM needs upgrading, simply ask why it needs upgrading. This open ended question requires an answer with more details.
The response can then be used for you to continue the discussion even further and you will appear to remain in control of the conversation at the same time.
Listening skills are not acquired overnight. They take time to develop. If you actively look people in the eye and show an interest in what they are saying by repeating little snippets of what they have said, this shows a genuine interest in what they are sharing with you. Overall this gives you far more credibility with others and your relationships will go from strength to strength.
Tags:
Business Success,
Personal Growth,
Personal Success,
Self Improvement
Source: Personal Success
Standard Mileage Rate Deduction Increase July 1st, 2008
Here is some great news for real estate agents come July 1st:
Starting July 1, 2008, the standard mileage rate for business miles is being increased to 58.5 cents per mile. The rate is currently at 50.5 cents per mile. Over the years, the IRS has somewhat tried to keep up with increasing fuel costs, but they’re probably a little behind at this point.
The standard mileage rate is important because it’s used by a lot of businesses to reimburse employees for their miles driven for company purposes. Self-employed people also use this rate for their business mileage. via WalletPop.
Other Posts You May Be Interested In:
Post from: The Real Estate Bloggers
Standard Mileage Rate Deduction Increase July 1st, 2008
Source: Real Estate
Using non-OEM Cannot Void Warranty
Myth: If you use compatible replacement parts such as ink, toner, printer drums, et cetera, the manufacturer or service technician can void their warranty.
Fact: This is a common misconception! U.S. legislation enacted in the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act, Section 108, and the Sherman & Clayton Antitrust Act prohibits manufacturers from voiding your warranty if you use non-OEM parts unless they can prove the part or supply damaged the product. In plain English:
“Tie-In Sales” Provisions
Generally, tie-in sales provisions are not allowed. Such a provision would require a purchaser of the warranted product to buy an item or service from a particular company to use with the warranted product in order to be eligible to receive a remedy under the warranty. The following is an example of prohibited tie-in sales provision: In order to keep your new Plenum Brand Vacuum Cleaner warranty in effect, you must use genuine Plenum Brand Filter Bags. Failure to have scheduled maintenance performed, at your expense, by the Great American Maintenance Company, Inc., voids this warranty.
So save money purchasing non-OEM parts and supplies, you’re covered!!
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Local Virtual Helps Spread the Word About The Benefits of Real Estate Virtual Assistance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Millbury, Massachusetts – Cynthia Papia of Office To-Go is pleased to announce that she is now affiliated with the International Real Estate Assistants Association, also known as IREAA. Together, they hope to raise the level of awareness of the real estate virtual assistant industry.
Hardly a passing fad, the Virtual Assistant industry grows stronger and stronger each day and is estimated to have some 20-30,000 professionals with businesses in the field. Virtual Assistants (VAs) provide administrative and marketing support remotely via technology such as the Internet, email, fax and phone often to small businesses around the globe.
In real estate, a VA can offer relief from such time-consuming activities as listing coordination, lead generation and management and transaction coordination, allowing real estate professionals to do what they do best – buy and sell property.
For more information about Office To-Go or Cynthia Papia, visit www.officeto-go.com. Go to www.IREAA.com to learn more about this association.
About Office To-Go
Launched in January 1992, Office To-Go specializes in providing virtual administrative support, real estate virtual assistance, desktop publishing, custom business cards and graphics to small and mid-sized companies, realtors, entrepreneurs, SOHOs, and executives. Visit the website at www.officeto-go.com.
About the International Real Estate Assistant Association
The International Real Estate Assistants Association (www.IREAA.com) is comprised of several experts in the business of supporting real estate professionals. Together, they possess the skills, background, experience and knowledge to help current and aspiring real estate assistants make their services highly sought after by agents and brokers.
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10 Easy Ways to Green Your Office
If you’ve never heard of Ideal Bite, you should take a look. It is absolutely refreshing and, yes, sassy! This is one newsletter I make time to read every day.
Ideal Bite offers bite-sized ideas for light green living – ideas for real people who lead busy lives and want to make small changes that add up to big results. Our Daily Tips cover everything from biodynamic wine to eco-pet products to organic cosmetics. The secret sauce? A spoonful of “incremental environmentalism” combined with a keeping-it-real attitude.
The mission of Ideal Bite is to create a more sustainable world by connecting enlightened companies with responsible consumers who are ready to make small changes that add up. Ideal Bite is a sassier shade of green.
They have a great list of 10 easy ways your office can be green, and save money and your footprint on the planet’s resources. Download the PDF — it’s nice enough to frame!
Ideal Bite’s Top 10 Ways to Green Your Office - download the PDF, print it (on scratch or recycled paper), and post it in your break area.
Don’t Get Ripped Off
Before buying a service or product, check the vendor’s reputation at RipoffReport.com. Ripoff Report® is a worldwide consumer-reporting Web site and publication, by consumers, for consumers, to file and document complaints about companies or individuals. While we encourage and even require authors to only file truthful reports, Ripoff Report does not guarantee that all reports are authentic or accurate. Be an educated consumer. Read what you can and make your decision based upon an examination of all available information.
Unlike the Better Business Bureau, Ripoff Report does not hide reports of “satisfied” complaints. ALL complaints remain public and unedited in order to create a working history on the company or individual in question.
Ripoff Reports cover every category imaginable! You can Browse the latest Reports, Search the Reports, or Submit your report now for FREE, by clicking on File Report. View over 1,000 different topics & categories you can file under.
Search the Ripoff Report before you do business with retail stores with bad return policies, checking & credit theft, rebate fraud or other unscrupulous business policies such as phony auto repairs, auto dealer bait-and-switch tactics, restaurants with bad service or food, corrupt government employees & politicians, police corruption, home builders, contractors, unethical doctors and lawyers, online stores that sell nonexistent products, deadbeat dads & moms, landlords & tenants, fraudulent employment & business opportunities, and individual con artists who scam consumers.
Get paid to recycle your cell phone
Did you know you can get paid for recycling? GreenPhone.com will pay you for your working cell phones and PDAs and do recycle (but not pay for) nonworking cell phones, PDAs and accessories. GreenPhone FAQs:
“GreenPhone helps you transform your drawer full of unused cell phones into something you’d rather have – like money! GreenPhone will pay you by check or via PayPal or Obopay – your choice…
You tell us what old (and not-so-old) mobile phones and PDAs you have sitting in a drawer or on a shelf around the house. We calculate the value of those phones (some PDAs have value too), and tell you what they are worth. You then send those phones and their related accessories like chargers and data cables in to us so we can inspect and test them. We can only pay you for working phones and PDAs, but we can recycle ALL mobile devices and accessories you send us, so don’t throw any away just because they aren’t valuable - they ALL have toxic materials in them. We triage, test and pay you for working phones per the terms of the user agreement. You can read it again here if you like.
GreenPhone pays you top-dollar value for your old cell phones because we have buyers for these phones all over the world. Those phones may be old to you, but will probably be the first phones our customers on the other side of the world have ever owned ;-)”
Another alternative is Cell Phones for Soldiers. They don’t pay you for your old cell phones but they pay for postage, or you can bring them to drop-off sites. This nonprofit program was founded by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist from Norwell, Mass., with $21 of their own money.
According to the EPA, in 2005 over 5.5 BILLION pounds of electronics, TVs, stereos, cell phones and computers were thrown away and a mere 12.5% was recovered for recycling. Free up some drawer space, be kind to the landfills, and turn in your old cell phones and PDAs!!!
P.S. My fellow VAs also mentioned some other great ways to recycle your phones and toner cartridges: PetSmart Charities takes cell phones and toner cartridges and proceeds help save homeless pets. Another VA donates her to her local battered women’s shelter where they are reprogrammed for women to make 911 calls.
Free Press by “Design”
I just finished a cookbook project for the nonprofit organization Dismas House and I didn’t get paid! That’s right. I found their request at VolunteerMatch.org seeking someone to design their cookbook. I have gained far more than my business’s name on the back of the cookbooks and website (and not the reason why I did this project) — I found a fantastic nonprofit organization with wonderful clients and staff and I was able to lend a helping hand doing something I enjoy.
I look forward to donating more time to Dismas House and wish them every success with their cookbook sales when they go to press next month.
