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How to Overcomethe Top Ten

Negotiating Tactics

Time For YourAnnual CheckupKey Questions forSmall Business Owners

Published by The Bull & Bear Financial Report • © September 2005 • www.TheBullandBear.com

By John Patrick Dolan

Everyone uses negotiationtactics to get what they want,whether they’re haggling over theprice of an item in a garage sale ordiscussing potential salary with afuture employer. Most of the time,when you enter a negotiatingsituation you can expect the otherparty to use certain maneuvers totip the scales in their favor.For example, you can expect apotential employer to offer you lessmoney than they are actuallywilling to pay to give themselvesnegotiating room. And a buyerwill usually act surprised atyour stated price, no matter howreasonable it may be, to pressureyou into lowering it.

Everyone uses these tactics, butthat doesn’t mean that negotia-tions can’t be fair. Some tactics areacceptable, while others aredownright sleazy. Tactics are partof the process, and you can usethem and still maintain yournegotiations on an honest level. Inother words, the use of tacticsdoesn’t necessarily mean trickingor manipulating people. Sometactics are simply tools to expeditethe negotiation process; others areused to take advantage of the otherperson. To be successful in salesand business, you must be able todifferentiate between the fairand unfair negotiation tactics soyou can use the good ones toyour advantage and deflect the

questionable ones. Consider thefollowing ten negotiation tacticsand the methods you can use todeflect them:

Tactic #1: The Wince. Thewince can be explained as anyovert negative reaction to some-one’s offer. For example, you mightact stunned or surprised whenyour negotiating counterpartnames their terms. This tactictells your counterpart that youknow your limits, which isn’tunder-handed or dishonest. Andwincing at the right time canpotentially save you thousands ofdollars. Keep in mind that whendeals are negotiable, your counter-part will start high.

Of course, you won’t always bethe wincer. Many times, especiallyin the sales profession, you’ll be onthe receiving end of the wince. Inthis case, you can counter with thenext tactic.

Tactic #2: Silence. In thenegotiation process, silence can beyour strongest tool. If you don’t likewhat your counterpart has said, orif you’ve made an offer and you’rewaiting for a response, just sitback and wait. Most people feeluncomfortable when conversationceases, and they start talkingautomatically to fill the void. Almostwithout fail, your counterpart willstart whittling away his or herposition when you use this tactic.

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As the weather improves, manypeople are eager to get outside andin shape, but companies also canbenefit from a little conditioning.Robert Half Management resourceshas identified 10 key questions forsmall business owners to addresswhen conducting their annualbusiness checkup, and offers tip formaximizing personnel resources.

“Small business owners facedwith tight deadlines may put offaddressing certain issues, such asupdating obsolete accountingsystems, but delaying key projectscan result in lost time, money andproductivity,” said Paul McDonald,executive director of RobertHalf Management Resources.“Companies should view slowerwork periods as an opportunity toevaluate current processes andprocedures, identify ways toimprove internal controls, anddetermine if adequate staffingresources are available forupcoming projects.”

McDonald, an expert in projectand staff management, posesthe following 10 questions tosmall business owners who areinterested in maximizing produc-tivity:

1. Is it time to update yourfinancial systems? Outdatedfinancial systems can hinderbusiness performance. Manycompanies that postponed majorsystems initiatives in the past arenow making them a priority.Before undertaking these tasks,identify a project manager tooversee the budget and timeline,

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XECUTIVE'S DIGESE TA TIMELY DIGEST FOR BUSY EXECUTIVES


EXECUTIVE'S DIGEST

Great salespeople connect withothers on a deep, emotional level.Mr. Shmooze-the title character ina compelling new book by RichardAbraham-shows us how to buildstrong, emotion-based, profitablerelationships even as the worldbecomes ever more impersonal.

Cell phones. E-mail. Virtualmeetings. While these tools havemade it easier to connect withprospects and colleagues instantly,they’ve made it harder to, well,connect. You know, connect in adeep, meaningful way. Somehow inour quest to provide more, faster,better information, we’ve lost sightof the truth that people are people,not computers. And ironically, it isour emotions, not our data, thatdrive a transaction. Even the mostwell-written business e-mail can’ttouch that part of a person thatfeels pride when her son makes atouchdown or joy when she hits thehigh note in O Holy Night.

That’s why sales consultantRichard Abraham wants to bringback the lost art of shmoozing.That’s right. Shmoozing.

“Shmoozing is all aboutinteracting with people in a waythat creates feelings of warmth,goodwill, pleasure,” says Abraham,author of Mr. Shmooze: The Art andScience of Selling ThroughRelationships (The RichardAbraham Company, 2002, ISBN: 0-9741996-0-5, $19.95). ‘Just thefacts, ma’am,’ doesn’t go deepenough, emotionally, especiallywhen your product or service is acommodity. The best news is thatwhen you create joy for a living,you don’t have to ‘sell.’ People wantto do business with you because,in the process, you make them feelgood about the relationship andabout themselves. It happens asnaturally as breathing.”

Abraham’s book conveys hislucrative philosophy in the form of

The Lost Art of Shmoozing:Five Ways to Revive an Oft-Neglected Skill

a story told from the point of viewof an intern working with “Mr.Shmooze.” This larger-than-lifecharacter—a real-life composite ofthe greatest salespeople the authorhas encountered in his owncareer—amazes the narrator as hesails through his unconventionalbusiness meetings spreadinglaughter, humor, and even joy.

“We are on the planet together,right now, working, struggling,laughing, crying, every day,”Abraham writes in Mr. Shmooze’sunforgettable voice. “I love thesepeople and I want them to knowit. Every time! Everyone makesdecisions about who will be theirfriend, who will be their partner,who they will take a call from, and,in business, who they will buy frombased on two basic sensations:pleasure and pain. If they associateyou with pleasure, you win!”

While this book is aimed atsalespeople, its principles apply toalmost anyone who communicateswith prospects or current clients.They also apply to anyone whowants to win friends, influencepeople, find a new job, or climb thecorporate ladder. (We all “sell” insome capacity-therefore we shouldall “shmooze.”)

So what can you do to transformyourself into a “Mr. Shmooze”?Abraham offers the followingwords of wisdom.

• Figure out what reallymatters to the prospect. (Hint:It usually has nothing to dowith the business at hand.)Capitalize on the opportunityto enter the prospect’semotional world. Mr. Shmoozehelps his client see that hisprospect’s passion in life is his son,a talented golfer. Rather thansimply inviting the prospect to playgolf, he should invite the prospect’sson. Then, Mr. Shmooze brain-storms with the client to come up

with ways to make the outingreally spectacular-incorporatingshirts and golf balls imprintedwith participants’ names, animpromptu group lesson from apro, and videotapes of everyone’sswing, mailed a week after theevent. “The point is that by payingclose attention to your prospectsand clients, you can figure outwhat really drives them,” saysAbraham. “You’ll find cluesin the photos in his office or thethings he brings up in casualconversation. The key is, be alert.”

• Practice the art ofelevation. In every interaction,seek to elevate the prospect’sexperience to a memorable levelthat goes above and beyond theordinary. Let’s briefly revisit ourgolf story. You’ll notice thebasic idea (a day of golf) is notearth-shatteringly unique. But Mr.Shmooze’s version contains detailsthat “kick it up a notch.” A run-of-the-mill salesperson might wellhave come up with a golf outingand a gift of golf balls. But byincluding the client’s son andpersonalizing the golf balls, theouting is elevated to an exhilarat-ing new level. Likewise, the book’s“Dinner à la Shmooze” chapterdemonstrates how a businessdinner becomes an event to re-member when it’s elevated with asurprise car wash service, a gift ofwrapped steak knives, and severalice-breaking games that havepeople bonding like mad.

• If you’re thinking thedinner story is over the top,price-wise, relax. You canshmooze without spending afortune. Abraham admits that“Dinner à la Shmooze” is a bitexaggerated-but its purpose is onlyto get you thinking about themyriad of opportunities that existfor value-added schmoozing. There

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are plenty of ways to elevate aclient or prospect’s experiencewith you that don’t cost much, ifanything. You can call him on hiswedding day or attend hisdaughter ’s soccer game. (Bothexamples are from Mr. Shmooze.)Or if you discover that your clientloves Thai cooking or Afghanhounds-based on books or photosyou saw in her office-you cane-mail her a link to an Asian recipewebsite or send her a book onexotic dog breeds you found onclearance at the bookstore. Thesesmall gestures can make a bigdifference. “I have a colleague whocalled on a prospect who happenedto be a huge Chicago Cubs fan,”relates Abraham. “After mycolleague left the meeting hehappened to walk by a storewith a Cubs tie in the window.Naturally, he bought it andovernighted it to the prospect.It’s very likely that that $20expenditure, plus postage, wonhim the account.”

• Do your fol low-upshmoozing immediately. ReadMr. Shmooze and you discover inthe very first chapter that, theminute the protagonist leaves ameeting, he’s on his cell phone withhis assistant asking her to sendthings to his clients, prospects, andcolleagues: Braves tickets, realestate license class schedules,articles from the Internet, and soforth. In proper schmoozing, timeis of the essence. “There’s a graphwe show clients that illustrates therecency effect,” says Abraham. “Itshows that within a week a poten-tial buyer has forgotten 90 percentof what a salesperson shows her.And in fact, a lot is forgotten in thefirst 24 hours after a meeting. Butif you send someone a book or a tiethe very next day, you go a long

way toward overcoming that effect.Plus, if you make it standardprocedure to do your follow-upshmoozing right away, you won’tforget to do it.”

• Don’t limit your schmoozingto “people who matter.”Everyone matters. Read the bookand you’ll notice that Mr. Shmoozeshmoozes everyone, not justpotential clients or people withmoney. He generously tipsbartenders, gives expensive cigarsto carhops, gives restauranthostesses cosmetic gifts. Why?Because these are the people whocarry out those all-important “littledetails” that elevate the entireexperience to a higher level. Byshmoozing service people you notonly motivate them to do a good jobfor your prospects, you set inmotion a “compound interest”effect that can benefit you in thefuture. “You don’t know who thewaiter’s parents are, or, for thatmatter, what the waiter himselfwill be doing when he gets out ofcollege,” reflects Abraham. “And itreally doesn’t matter. You can’tbuild goodwill with too manypeople.”

By now you may be thinking:isn’t all of this shmoozing a little,well, manipulative? That’s thewrong question, says Abraham.You’re going to be interacting withthese people anyway, so why notdo it in a manner that makes theirlives a little better? What’s not tolike about accentuating thepositive? The best news of all isthat, in a time when so manypeople suffer from the all-work-and-no-play syndrome, shmoozingis a form of play. It’s as fun forthe shmooz-er as it is for theshmooz-ee.

“It surprises people to learn thatselling is not about manipulatingor talking or even persuading,”says Abraham. “It’s about giving.So in its purest form, shmoozingis simply making people’s livesbetter. And here’s the key: theuniverse is set up in such a waythat when you help others, theywant to help you in return. Soschmoozing, in this context, is a

Lost Art ofShmoozing

beautiful thing and a heck of a lotmore fun than being clinical andordinary. Try it. You’ll find that notonly is it profitable, it’s rewardingon a very deep and personal level.There is no better way to live.”

Editor’s Note: Mr. Abraham ispresident of The Richard AbrahamCompany, a company he founded in 1981.He became interested in the dynamics ofthe selling process through his involvementin the development and marketing of over$1 billion of commercial real estate.

Today he continues to conduct extensiveresearch and advises organizations thatwish to better understand the art ofrelationship-building and the science ofselling. You can e-mail the author [email protected].

Mr. Shmooze: The Art and Science ofSelling Through Relationships (TheRichard Abraham Company, 2002, ISBN:0-9741996-0-5, $19.95) is available atbookstores nationwide and major onlinebooksellers. For more information, visitwww.mrshmooze.com.

Most people have one technologytool they can’t live without. Forfinancial executives, it’s the cellphone. In a nationwide survey ofchief financial officers (CFOs),cell phones topped the list as themost indispensable portable tech-nology device, with 44 percent ofthe response. Laptop computerscame in close second, cited by 39percent of executives polled.

Similar surveys in 2002 and1999 also found the cell phoneto be CFOs’ tool of choice, as46 percent and 51 percent ofrespondents, respectively, said itwas their favorite electroniccommunication device. Laptopsranked second, with 33 percent ofthe response in 2002 and 26percent in 1999.

The surveys were developedby Robert Half ManagementResources, the world’s premierprovider of senior-level accountingand finance professionals on aproject and interim basis.

Cell Phones StillReign Supreme


EXECUTIVE'S DIGEST


and consider the impact oninternal personnel during theimplementation, integration, andstaff training phases.

2. Does your company havea 3-, 5- and 10-year businessplan? Short-term planning won’tyield long-term results. Determineif you have the appropriateintellectual capital to drive yourcompany’s future growth. Forexample, if you are preparing tolaunch a new product or service orexpand into a new market, makesure you have an expert on handto determine if projected growthplans are attainable.

3. Is your business secure?E-mail viruses, worms, unautho-rized systems access and datatheft are among the manythreats that can leave a companyvulnerable. Businesses shouldhave adequate security systemsin place and technical supportstaff available to implement thenecessary safeguards. Firms alsoshould regularly update employ-ees on new policies andguidelines for protecting thecompany’s systems.

4. Are business costs undercontrol? Even with an improv-ing economy, companies arelooking to maintain sensibleoperating budgets. In a recentsurvey by Robert Half Manage-ment Resources, 45 percent ofchief financial officers said theyanticipate employee healthcareplans to be the biggest costincrease to their companies in2005. Prior to the annual budgetreview process, brainstorm waysto help offset rising healthcareand other general businessexpenses.

5. Are you adhering tocurrent accounting bestpractices? Consider how your

existing financial team canenhance its knowledge of bestpractices in accounting procedures.Identify key staff members whocan benefit from attendingindustry conferences or trainingcourses. They can learn how yourbusiness measures up to similarcompanies in areas such asfinancial reporting, tax planning,systems, cost accounting, inventorymanagement, strategic planning,procurement and payroll.

6. Have you experiencedanother taxing season? Stateand local taxes can be particularlycomplex when a company operatesin multiple jurisdictions. Evenwhen businesses file for taxextensions, they should havequalified accounting and financeprofessionals in place to identifysavings opportunities and makesure all necessary paperworkis in order. Bringing in projectprofessionals to augment full-timeaccounting employees can ensureall deadlines are met and helpprevent staff burnout.

7. How do you rate on thecorporate governance scale?Terms such as “corporategovernance” and “internal control”give cause for all businesses todetermine how they are affected byregulations such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, HIPAA, the USAPATRIOT Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Companies thatencourage cross-departmentalcooperation and collaborate withoutside advisors are in a betterposition to effectively addresscorporate governance issues thatmay impact their businesses.

8. Are you holding onto yourbest people? As the economygains momentum, don’t besurprised if you top performers getother offers. Offering competitivecompensation packages, as well ascreative benefits, will help your

organization recruit and retainthe most qualified employees.Recognizing individual and teamaccomplishments on a regularbasis will also help instill staffloyalty.

9. Are you losing marketshare to competit ion?Continually stay abreast of newsor developments from similar firmsin your local market. Ask clientsand business associates how theyfeel the company measures up tothe competition and solicit ideas toimprove the firm’s products,services and customer satisfactionratings.

10. Has your companybeen a victim of fraud?While small businesses are notrequired to establish an internalaudit function, many bring ininternal auditors on a full-time orproject basis to work withaccounting and other departmentscompanywide. These professionalcan implement checks and balancesto help firms improve internalcontrols and better detect andprevent fraud.

McDonald added that smallbusiness owners should look totheir best assets – their employees– to solicit new ideas on how toimprove processes, cut costs andincrease productivity; “Enlistingyour best people in the decision-making process enables them todirectly contribute to the successof the company and gain freshperspectives on recurringproblems.”

Editor’s Note: Robert HalfManagement Resources is theworld’s premier provider of senior-level accounting and financeprofessionals on a project andinterim basis with more than 100offices throughout North America,Europe, and Australia, and offersonline job search services atwww.rhmr.com.

Time For Your Annual CheckupKey Questions for Small Business Owners

ITRONICS INC.OTC BB: ITROE.OB

Contact:Albert G. Eykelbosh,

Manager, Finance

Toll Free: 888-795-6336

www.itronics.com

"Tree to Cup” Strategy Targets U.S. Gourmet Coffee MarketCoffee Pacifica, Inc. is a "Growers Direct" marketerand distributor in the United States and Canada ofPapua New Guinea grown, arabica green beancoffee. The coffee is well regarded by customersfor its uniqueness, consistency, and special flavorcharacteristics. Company shareholders are coffeefarmers who are paid a premium price for theirgreen bean coffee and benefit from ownership ofshares in a public company. This enables them tosustain their farms, the environment, and to providea reasonable standard of living for themselves, andeducation for their children.

GOLD’n GRO™ Liquid Fertilizer Increases Crop Size, YieldsItronics Inc. is the world's only fully integratedphotochemical recycling company. It providesphotochemical waste collection services, recoversand refines silver from the photochemicals,manufactures and blends liquid fertilizers -GOLD'n GRO® from the processed residual, andsells and distributes a line of liquid fertilizersdeveloped for specific applications, such as golfand lawn turf maintenance programs, vegetables,wine grapes, citrus and evergreens..

COFFEE PACIFICA, INC.OTC BB: CFPC

Contact:Lionel Gosselin

Toll Free: 877-318-9343www.coffeepacifica.com

Positive development continues on lightweight rotary engineReg Technologies, Inc. owns the worldwide rightsto the Rand Cam™ rotary technology. Its U.S.subsidiary REGI U.S., Inc. owns the U.S. rights. Thecompany's goal is to license the Rand Cam™technology and/or to participate in joint ventures to

manufacture specific Rand Cam™ applications. REGI U.S. licensee - RadianMILPARTS has built a 42 H.P. diesel engine for unmanned aerial applications.Reg plans to develop a Rand Cam™ generator for hybrid car applications, hasdesigned and built an air pump for fuel cell applications and an air pump forlumbar seats in automobiles, and has created a compressor for bus AC units.

REGI U.S., INC.OTC BB: RGUS

Contact:John Robertson, President

Toll Free: 800-665-4616Phone: 604-278-5996

www.regtech.com

Fleet of Companies Targets Multi-Billion Dollar IndustriesBad Toys Holdings, Inc. manufacturesand markets of custom V-Twinmotorcycles, street rods, and theircomponent parts thru dealernetworks and direct to retail

customers; and provides an array of Health Care services including ambulatoryemergency and non-emergency patient transport, wheel-chair van, stretchervan and related transport services. Bad Toys Holding, Inc., is comprised ofBad Toys, Inc., American Eagle Manufacturing Company, Inc., GamblerMotorcycles, Inc., and Southland Health Services, Inc., Vernon, Alabama,operates in seven states thru five operating subsidiaries.

BAD TOYS HOLDINGS,INC.

OTC BB: BTYHContact: Larry Lunan,

President & CEOPhone: 423-247-9560

www.badtoysholdings.net


FEATURED COMPANIES

New Technology Leads to Uranium Discoveries in Athabaska BasinCanAlaska Ventures Ltd. is a mineral explorationcompany concentrating on the exploration anddevelopment of Uranium, in the Athabasca Basin ofSaskatchewan, Canada. CanAlaska holds one of thelargest uranium exploration portfolios in the region,exceeding over 1.6 million acres (approx. 660,000

hectares). Recent exploration has centered on the properties adjacent to thetwo largest and richest uranium mine deposits in the world: McArthur Riverand Cigar Lake mines. CanAlaska is contracting airborne electromagneticsurveys focusing on the identification of similar deposits at depth.

CANALASKAVENTURES LTD.OTC BB: CVVLF

TSX.V: CVVContact: Spiros CacosToll Free: 800-667-1870Phone: 604-685-1870www.canalaska.com

Advances Multiple High Grade Gold Discoveries in West AfricaCassidy Gold Corp. is a gold exploration anddevelopment company. Cassidy's 100% ownedKouroussa Project in Guinea, West Africa, consists ofmultiple zones of high-grade gold mineralization hostedin the prolific Birimian gold fields. Aggressive drilling hadinferred 315,000 ounces of gold on the Sanu FilananZone. Several other zones, including the JJ, X-Vein,

Sodyanfe and KD-1 Zones, are currently being drilled as part of an overallstrategy to define and develop a gold mine at Kouroussa. The company isfocused on acquiring grassroot properties in new or underexplored areas whichhave potential to provide significant return on investment..Uranium Asset Spin Off Benefits Shareholders

GLR Resources is a Canadian-based explorationcompany with several exploration properties within itsportfolio with the most advanced being 100 percentowned Goldfields Project consisting of two open pittablegold deposits containing a global resource in excess of1,000,000 ounces of Gold. Projects include: its GoldfieldsProperty, an advanced gold project in Saskatchewanthat is awaiting completion of financing; activeexploration projects in Ontario and Saskatchewan; and

extensive property holdings in Kirkland Lake Gold District, Ontario and elsewhere.

CASSIDY GOLD CORP.TSX.V: CDY

Contact:James Gillis, President

Phone: 250-372-8222

www.cassidygold.com

GLRRESOURCES INC.

TSX: GRSContact:

Robert J. Kasner,President

Phone: 705-567-5351www.glrresources.com

Fast-Tracking World-Class Silver-Copper Project to ProductionMines Management, Inc., founded in 1947, is aUS mineral exploration and developmentcompany engaged in the acquisition, exploration,and development of silver-dominant mineralresource projects. The company's chief asset isthe Montanore Silver-Copper Deposit, one of the

largest silver occurrences in the world. The deposit is located in northwesternMontana, about forty miles north of the famed Silver Valley of Idaho, withinone of the world's most prolific silver districts. The Montanore deposit wasestimated by its previous owner, Noranda Minerals of Canada, to contain135 million tons of material grading approximately 1.9 ounces of silver and0.74% (15 pounds) of copper per ton.

MINES MANAGEMENTAMEX: MGN

Contact: Douglas DobbsVP, Corp. Development

Phone: 509-838-6050

www.minesmanagement.com


FEATURED COMPANIES


EXECUTIVE'S DIGEST

Talk Yourself Out of StressBy Dr. Bruno Cortis

Seventy-five percent of all ourproblems – both emotional andphysical – come from the samesource. If you could identify thatsource, would you want toeliminate it?

For most people, the answer isobvious. Unfortunately, fewpeople are able to identify thecore of their problems. And thosewho do typically don’t know thesteps to take to alleviate theirchallenges.

So what is the cause of most ofour problems? It is stress. That’sright; stress is the source of 75percent of all our problems and amajor epidemic in people’s lives.Finding ways to control stress isvital, because if you don’t controlstress, it will control you.

What Exactly Is Stress?The concept of stress isn’t new

to anyone. But few people trulyknow what stress is. Physicalstress is the depletion of the body’sresources by illness or exhaustion.The most devastating stress,however, is psychological and emo-tional stress. There are manysources of emotional stress: familyproblems, social obligations, lifechanges, work, decision-making,phobias, etc.

Emotional stress is powerfuland debilitating because it takesaway any sense of control we haveover our lives. And this feeling ofcontrol over our environment andour self is one of our most basichuman needs. If it isn’t met,emotional or physical illness canresult. For example, a number ofstudies directly link stress andheart disease.

The only way to combat stressand stay healthy is to create acomplete physical, mental andspiritual equilibrium within thebody. Although we used to believethat the mind and body were twoseparate entities, we now know

that all facets of our being areinterconnected. Everything thathappens to your body and yourmind affects your health and stresslevel in some way. Every thoughtyou have, every feeling andemotion you experience affectsyour longevity. That is why youmust take a total body approachto eliminate stress and balanceyour life.

Physical AndEmotional Stress Relief

If you want to reduce yourstress level and live a happier andhealthier life, use the physical andemotional stress relief techniquesoutlined below.

Physical Relief.Say No

The pressure to perform intoday’s world is intense. As aresult, people work long hoursand take on much more than theycan bear. They juggle multipleroles throughout the day andsacrifice sleep or personal timejust so they can get everythingdone. Saying “no” to a demand isout of the question, resulting inincreased stress, both at workand at home.

Unfortunately, for most people,saying “no” to another’s request isa challenge. They are anxious toplease others, so they put theirown needs aside. They fail torealize that no one can be on call24 hours a day, and that we allneed some personal time to restand rejuvenate.

The next time someonedemands more than you can give,remember that you have to takecare of yourself first. You simplycan’t handle everything. Say “no”gracefully while respecting theother person and letting him or herknow that you care. While you mayfeel some initial guilt for denyingthe request, that feeling willquickly pass and your stress level

will diminish.Listen to Your Body

Listening to your body helps youtake control of your stress becauseyou become aware of the signalsyour body gives you regardingcomfort and discomfort. Onceyou’re attuned to what your bodyis telling you, you can learn whichevents trigger stress and whichevents reduce it. Your body talksto you everyday. How often do youlisten?

The most common warning oftoo much stress is a conditioncalledangina.

Angina consists of chest pain ortightness in the neck, arms, jaw,and upper back that is the resultof a reduced blood supply to theheart. Other indicators of excessiveemotional stress are arrhythmiasor irregular heartbeat. In order tolisten to your body, you mustbecome responsible for your healthand your stress. Having trust inyour doctors or in medical tests isnot enough. The real solutionlies with you and with your ownawareness and responsibility foryour health. This responsibilitymay involve doing some thingsthat are difficult for you, such aschanging your diet, stoppingsmoking, learning to controlemotions, etc. Whatever change isnecessary for you, your body willtell you. You need only to listen.

Physical ReliefCommunicate

With Your HeartYour heart has an important job,

pumping 2,000 gallons of bloodthroughout your body each day.This merits the heart receivingyour attention. To reduceemotional stress, your heart needsencouragement, appreciation, andlove.

Start your heart talk, yourcommunication with your heart, byplacing your right hand over the

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EXECUTIVE'S DIGEST

Stress...Continued from page 8

left side of your chest. Become awareof your heartbeat. Stay in thatposition for a few moments. Soon you’llnotice that the heating sensationbecomes less forceful. It is as if yourheart knows that you’re in touchwith it. With your hand still overyour chest ask your heart to help yoube peaceful. Ask your heart to cre-ate an emotional shield that protectsyou from whatever the world aroundyou may be fighting with.

Within your heart is an infiniteintelligence that is sensitive toyour needs. So pose a question toyour heart or discuss a problemthat’s causing you stress. Yourheart will reciprocate with theproper answer. By doing this, youare telling your creative mind toquiet down so you can uncover newsolutions to your problems. Themore you become aware of yourheart and what it tells you to do,the less stress you will experience.You will achieve a sense of peace

and calmness knowing that youare doing what is best for you.

Clear Out thePast Clutter

Just as you do a spring-cleaningof your house, you should also do aspring-cleaning of your heart towipe away the old memories andmessages that are causing youstress. This is important, becausethe way we feel from moment tomoment, the way we behave, andthe actions we take are allconditioned to how we feel inside.

Negative feelings that we harborfrom our past - feelings of loneliness,low self-worth, sadness, worry, andfear - cause a great deal of emotionalstress in our adult lives. It’s similarto carrying a weight on your back.The weight becomes heavier andheavier. You eventually have to walkbent over because the weight isexcessive, but you are still notwilling to let it go. As you clear outthe chatter, you let go of the weight;you regain a sense of peace and areable to walk upright again.

To discover the past chatterthat’s causing you stress, thinkback over your life and identify the

most painful experience you havehad - the one you thought youneeded to hide from the world.What was that mistake or event?What message did the eventtrigger in your mind? Acknowledgethe event, forgive yourself for it,and then release it and the accom-panying stress from your heart.

Stress-Free TodayIf you want to eliminate 75

percent of your physical andemotional problems, you mustfirst reduce the stress you feel inyour life. By practicing the self-communication strategies explainedabove, you can take the steps to talkyourself out of daily stress. Whenyou do, you’ll gain a sense of balanceand inner peace that enables you toaccomplish more, enjoy life, and liveyour dreams.

Editor’s Note: Bruno Cortis, M.D.,is a cardiologist with a major interestin Spirituality and Health. Heauthored two books, The SpiritualHeart and Heart & Soul. He deliversspeeches and seminars across NorthAmerica. You can visit Dr. Cortis atwww.BrunoCortis.com or e-mail himat [email protected] or bytelephone at 708-366-0117.

Executives Surveyed SayEmployees Spend Nearly anHour a Day on PersonalInternet Use.

Checking sports scores orsending instant messages tofriends may seem inconsequential,but time spent online on personalactivities adds up. Executivespolled said they believe employees,on average, spend 56 minutes eachday on non-business-relatede-mail, instant messaging andInternet use at work. And whilesurfing the Web may seem like aguilty pleasure, it’s not a secretone. Nearly two-thirds of thosesurveyed 64 percent said theirorganizations monitor employeeInternet activity at least somewhatclosely.

The national poll includesresponses from 150 seniorexecutives – including those fromhuman resources, finance andmarketing departments – with thenation’s 1,000 largest companies.It was conducted by an independentresearch firm and developed byAccountemps.

Executives were asked, “Onaverage, how many minutes eachday do you think employees spendon non-work-related e-mail,instant messaging and websurfing?” The mean response was56 minutes.

“Many people are unaware thata permanent record exists of theirInternet and e-mail use at work,”said Max Messmer, chairman ofAccountemps and author of

Managing you Career forDummies“ (John Wiley & Sons,Inc.). “Most organizations activelymonitor web use by employees toensure it complies with establishedcorporate policy.”

Messmer added, “Staff membersshould familiarize themselves withcompany guidelines for Internetand e-mail use. Employees arerepresentatives of their firms andall communication, includinge-mail and instant messaging,should be professional. This alsoimplies to the use of companyresources to visit web sites.”

Editor’s Note: Accountemps theworld’s first and largest specialized staff-ing service for temporary accounting,finance and bookkeeping professionals -of-fers online job search services atwww.accountemps.com.

Is That Work-Related?


EXECUTIVE'S DIGEST


So what if you find yourselfnegotiating with a person whounderstands the importance ofsilence as well as you? Rather thanwasting time in silence, restateyour offer. Don’t make suggestions;just repeat your terms. Thismaneuver forces the other personto respond, and more often thannot, they respond with a concession.

Tactic #3: The Good Guy/BadGuy Routine. This sleazy tacticis often used in movies, where twodetectives are interrogating aperson who’s just been arrested.One detective seems unreasonableand inflexible, while the other triesto make it look like he or she is onthe suspect’s side. This tactic isdesigned to get you to make con-cessions without the other sidemaking any in return.

If you find yourself in a goodguy/bad guy situation, the bestresponse is to ignore it. Recognizethis game for what it is, but don’tplay along and don’t allow the goodguy to influence your decision. Thebest technique is to let yourcounterparts play their game,while you watch out for your owninterests.

Tactic #4: Limited Authority.This tactic is a variation on thegood guy/bad guy routine, butinstead of two people working overyou, the one person you’re dealingwith tells you that he or she mustapprove any deals with an unseenhigher authority. Sometimes, thishigher authority exists, but othertimes your counterpart will createthis figure to gain an edge in thenegotiation process.

So just because your counter-part tells you, “It’s out of myhands,” don’t automaticallyassume the person is being honest.In this type of situation, twooptions exist: one, ask to dealdirectly with this so-called higherauthority; or two, test the limits of

your counterpart. You may findthat although the other person hasused this tactic to force you intobacking down, if you keep at himor her, you may get what you want.

Tactic #5: The Red Herring.This technique comes from foxhunting competitions, where oneteam drags a dead fish across thefox’s path to distract the otherteam’s dogs. At the bargainingtable, a red herring means one sidebrings up a minor point to distractthe other side from the main issue.Effective and ethical negotiatorsgenerally agree that this tactic isthe sleaziest of them all.

When your negotiation processis bogged down with a minorproblem, and your counterpartinsists on settling it before they’lleven talk about more importantissues, then you are probablydealing with a red herring. In thiscase, use extreme caution, andsuggest setting the issue asidetemporarily to work out otherdetails.

Tactic #6: The Trial Balloon.Trial balloons are questionsdesigned to assess your negotiatingcounterpart’s position withoutgiving any clues about your plans.For example, you may ask yourcounterpart, “Would you considertrying our services on a temporarybasis?” or “Have you consideredour other service plans?”Essentially, these types ofquestions put the ball in yourcounterpart’s court, and the nicepart about them is they aren’treally offers. They allow you togain information without makinga commitment.

When you’re on the receivingend of a trial balloon question, youmay feel compelled to answer itthoroughly. To maintain your edge,resist this temptation and counterwith another question. Forexample, if someone asks, “Wouldyou consider financing the houseyourself?” respond, “Well, if I did,

what would your offer be?”

Tactic #7: Low-Balling. Low-balling is the opposite of the trialballoon. Instead of tempting you tomake the first offer, your counter-part will open the process with afantastic offer. Then after youagree, they start hitting you withadditional necessities.

For example, say you see an adfor a product priced lower thanother stores. But then after youagree to buy, the sales representa-tive uncovers the hidden costs,such as shipping or installation. Inthe end you probably pay morethan you would have at anotherstore listing a higher price on theproduct. To avoid falling victim tothis tactic, ask your counterpartabout additional costs beforeagreeing to any deal.

Tactic #8: The Bait-and-Switch. Similar to low-balling, thebait-and-switch tactic should beavoided. Your counterpart may tryto attract your interests with onegreat offer, but then hook you withanother mediocre one. This tacticwill almost always burn you,unless you can recognize it. If yourcounterpart were really able tooffer a genuinely good deal, theywouldn’t have to resort to bait-and-switch.

Tactic #9: OutrageousBehavior. Outrageous behaviorcan be categorized as any form ofsocially unacceptable conductintended to force the other side tomake a move, such as throwing afit of anger or bursting into tears.As most people feel uncomfortablein these situations, they mayreduce their negotiating terms justto avoid them.

However, the most effectiveresponse to outrageous behavior isnone at all. Just wait for the fit todie down before reacting, becauseemotional negotiations can resultin disaster.

Continued on page 11

How to Overcome the Top Ten Negotiating Tactics


EXECUTIVE'S DIGEST


Tactic #10: The WrittenWord. When terms of a deal arewritten out, they often seemnon-negotiable. For example,when was the last time younegotiated a lease, or a loan, oreven a service contract that wastyped up in advance in an official-looking document? You probablyassumed these deals were non-negotiable, and for some reasonmost people make the samemistake of accepting terms thatappear in writing.

The best defense against thistactic is simply to questioneverything, whether it appears inwriting or not. You’ll inevitablyrun into some standard, non-negotiable documents, but it neverhurts to ask questions. You may besurprised how many contractsactually are negotiable whenchallenged.

Better Negotiationsin the Future

People have used these tennegotiation tactics for years, butthat doesn’t mean they are alwaysfair. So before you rush into yournext negotiation situation, makeyourself aware of these tactics andhow they affect the process. Whenyou learn the uses and defenses ofthese negotiation techniques, youcan reach more mutually beneficialagreements and win more sales onbetter terms.

Editor’s Note : John PatrickDolan is a highly praised conventionpresenter, member of the NationalSpeakers Association SpeakersHall of Fame, and author of thebest selling book “Negotiate Likethe Pros.” His offices can bereached at 1-888-830-2620, or by emailat [email protected]. Youcan also visit Dolan's web sitewww.negotiatelikethepros.com forpreview video and complete bookinginformation.

NegotiatingTactics Fraud artists are using

counterfeit cashier’s checks, moneyorders and other checks to trickvictims into sending money. Manyof these scams involve offers thatarrive by mail or e-mail or that arein connection with Internet sales,warns the FDIC.

“The volume of fake checksreported to the FDIC in the lasttwo years has increased dramati-cally,” said Michael Benardo,manager of the FDIC’s FinancialCrimes Section. “The increase isdue in part to crooks using ad-vanced copying and printingtechnologies to produce authentic-looking counterfeit documents.”

Here are some examples ofcommon scams:

• You get a cashier’s check inthe mail along with a lettercongratulating you for having wona lottery. Then you’re asked to sendmoney to process your claim or toprovide confidential information toopen an account at “their” bank toreceive your winnings. If you don’tremember entering the lottery, thisis probably a scam aimed at obtain-ing your money or personalinformation that can be used tocommit other frauds.

• You receive an e-mail or faxfrom a stranger saying he or shecan’t get a large sum of money outof a foreign country because it hasbeen “frozen” by the government.You’re told that with your help – andmoney to pay up-front expenses orthe temporary use of your U.S. bankaccount – the stranger will give youa check once the funds are recoveredfrom abroad. Of course, the moneyyou send will likely be gone, yourbank account could be drained if yougive them your account number, andany check you receive is most likelyworthless.

• You sell an item over theInternet and the buyer sends amoney order for an amount morethan the agreed-upon price. Thebuyer instructs you to wire theexcess funds back. If you comply,you will most likely find out that

the money order is phony andthe money you wired cannot bereturned to you.

In these examples, if youdeposit or cash the check ormoney order it likely will not“clear” (be paid) when it is sentto the bank on which it issupposed to be drawn. And, thefraudulent check will likely bereturned to your bank andcharged against your account.Depending on the circumstancesand your state’s laws, you may beheld responsible for the entireamount of the fraudulent check.

In general, be very suspiciousof offers that seem too good to betrue. “Be smart and don’t betempted,” said Benardo. “Stopand ask yourself, ‘Why wouldsomeone I never met contact mefor help getting money out of aforeign country? ‘Why would astranger send me a big check forno apparent reason?”

When in doubt, Benardo added,“it’s usually best to walk away fromthe deal immediately.”

Warning: Don’t Be Fooled by Fake Checks

Trump’sCommandments

Donald Trump shared some oftime-tested rules for success to the6,000-plus crowd attending theAmerican Financial CelebritiesConference in Las Vegas.

Trump’s pearls of wisdom in-cluded 10 commandments ofbusiness success:

1) Love what you do.2) Find your passion.3) Never quit.4) Stay focused.5) Be paranoid.6) Momentum.7) Go against the tide.8) Get the best people and don’t

trust them.9) Be lucky.10) Work hard and get even.If someone screws you, screw

them back harder.”


EXECUTIVE'S DIGEST

Companies claiming to create “-synergies” in an effort to develop a“value-added” “paradigm” thatleads to new “solutions” may wantto be strategic in another way: notgoing overboard with clichéphrases and industry jargon.According to a recent survey, termssuch as these are among the mostoverused in the workplace.

The national poll includesresponses from 150 seniorexecutives – including those fromhuman resources, finance andmarketing departments – with thenation’s 1,000 largest companies.It was conducted by an independentresearch firm and developed byAccountemps, the world’s firstlargest specialized staffing servicefor temporary accounting, financeand bookkeeping professionals.

Executives were asked, “What isthe most annoying or overusedphrase or buzzword in theworkplace today?” Their responsesincluded:

• “At the end of the day”• “Solution”• “Thinking outside the box”• “Synergy”• “Paradigm”• “Metrics”• “Take it offline”• “Redeployed people”• “On the runway”• “Win-win”• “Value-added”• “Get on the same page”• “Customer centric”• “Generation X”• “Accountability management”• “Core competency”• “Alignment”• “Incremental”“Buzzwords and industry jargon

are a form of shorthand used by

people within a particular companyor profession, but they can beconfusing or even seem exclusionaryto individuals outside of that field,”said Max Messmer, chairman ofAccountemps and author of JobHunting For Dummies‚ (John Wiley& Sons, Inc.). “When these words areoverused, they can lose their impactaltogether.”

Part of the motivation to use

Buzzwords Gone BadSurvey Reveals Most Annoying Terms and Phrases in the Workplace

A recent study confirms whatout bodies have been telling us allalong – we run out of steam as theday wears on. Thirty-three percentof executives surveyed said 4 p.m.to 6 p.m. is the least productivetime of day for employees. Lunch-time, or noon to 2 p.m., came in aclose second, cited by 29 percent ofrespondents, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. wasin third, cited by 17 percent of re-spondents, and in fourth 15% ofrespondents cited 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.as the least productive time.

The national poll includesresponses from 150 senior executives– including those from humanresources, finance and marketingdepartments – with the nation’s1,000 largest companies. It wasconducted by an independent re-search firm and developed byAccountemps, the world’s first andlargest specialized staffing servicefor temporary accounting, financeand bookkeeping professionals.

“During a typical workday,employees must juggle meetings,deadlines, phone calls, e-mail,questions from colleagues andunforeseen interruptions,” accord-ing to Max Messmer, chairman ofAccountemps and author ofManaging Your Career For Dummies“

(John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) “Individu-als who are well attuned to theirwork habits and routine obligationscan better schedule their time andavoid suffering productivityslowdowns later in the day.”

Messmer offers the followingtips for avoiding the afternoon lull:

• Planning makes perfect.Don’t delay difficult activities untilthe end of the day, when yourenergy and enthusiasm my wane.Use this time to catch up on basictasks such as filing, responding toroutine e-mails, updating contactlists and organizing files.

• Get a breath of fresh air.Periodically stretch or take a shortwalk to refuel your energy. Enjoyyour lunch outside. Even a fewminutes away from your desk canhelp you recharge and be moreproductive.

• Food for thought. Missingmeals is a recipe for malaise. Nomatter how busy you are, remem-ber to make time for a completemeal midway through the day andnutritious snacks in between.

• Take a mental break.Putting work issues out of yourmind for even a few minutes canprovide the boost you need to finishthe day on a strong note.”

Coffee Run, Anyone?Procrastinators, Beware! Employee Output

is Weakest Late in Day, Survey Shows

buzzwords can be attributed todesire to demonstrate yourexpertise, but this can oftenbackfire. Added Messmer. “Eventhough the terms you use may beclear to you, other people mustunderstand them if you hope tocommunicate your point effectively.For instance, instead of saying aproject was a ‘win-win,’ explainwhy it was successful.”

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