The Award-Winning Monthly Resource for Professionals

##################################################
OUTCOME FOCUS REPORT
Circulation 14,000
Vol 38 - November 27, 2002
Publisher: Anne Warfield
contact@impressionmanagement.com
888-imp-9421 or 952-921-9421
http://www.impressionmanagement.com
c) Impression Management Professionals 2002
##################################################


A special welcome to our many new subscribers from PMI, AFP
Marketing Seek, World Wide and SelfImprovementNewsletters.com and
our many other signup partners.

By subscription only! 

Welcome! Use as a training tool: Present the situation to the group and
have them brainstorm how they would best handle the situation. Then share
the Outcome Focus answer and see how it relates or differs from solutions
the group found.

Go ahead and pass this to friends. If you receive this from a friend and
you want to receive your own copies, just email
mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com ** and put "Add me" in the
subject line. 

To remove yourself from this list see bottom of this email.

=================================================

IN THIS ISSUE
=================================================


1) What's In The News
2) Outcome Focus Situation/Solution
3) Anne's Aha/Guest Article
4) What To Watch For Next Time 
5) Resources To Learn More


=================================================

1. What's In The News?
=================================================
2003 Outcome Focus Seminar's 

For a list of Anne's 2003 Seminars follow this link:

http://www.impressionmanagement.com/coaching.phtml

Learn to communicate, present your ideas, thoughts, products 
or services so people WANT to listen to you. You will learn how people
see you, how they hear you, how to say your message and how to deliver
your message.

Learn to manage the Circle of Communication!

If you are interested, please email me and I will provide you with all the
details.

mailto:Paul@imp.us.com 

=================================================

2. Here's This Months Outcome Focus Situation/Solution 
=================================================

How to change people's perception of you 

SITUATION: Dear Anne, My specific question is: how can you "un-label"
yourself?

I was in charge of part of a huge system implementation project last year,
and somehow "managed" to get labeled as a 'bitch' by the end of the
project.

One program manager -I will call him Sam--(I believe this person is a
strong Connector) insisted on committee decisions, and 'everybody is
happy' update at meetings. Bad news was not accepted, and not supposed to
be shared or addressed.

I am a strong Producer with a weaker Networking side, and provided timely
updates, impact analysis and risk assessment, as I thought any good PM
would have done.

Sam resented any 'negative' comment of mine that reached the executive
level, and put a lot of effort into discrediting my concerns and me.

Sam is no longer with the company, and I completed my part of the project
successfully, and was recognized by the executives for it. Yet, the label
remains.

I am still referred to by some execs as 'the project bitch', and I can see
how that hurts the reputation of my department and my people.

I need to do something about this, and "un-label" myself.

Can you give me advise on this? I don't expect a quick fix, and I am
willing to work on this no matter what it takes.

Thank you very much in advance for any help you can provide.

OUTCOME DESIRED: You want to change the perception people have of you as
you feel this negatively impacts the team as well as you. You desire to
be viewed as confidant, competent, and a team player.

HOW TO HANDLE: Changing a reputation can be a tricky business so I am glad
you stated right upfront that you are willing to do what it takes to
improve the situation. Since people are looking right now for you to be
brisk, abrupt, and pushy they need to see that vision shattered before
they will be wiling to drop the "bitchy" label.

First you need to ask yourself some questions:
1) Do I tend to state things stronger than they need to be in order to get
my point across? If so you are probably making people feel that it is
your way or the highway.
2) Do I tend to phrase things so people can feel that I am being
judgmental? If so, you need to realize this will automatically make people
feel defensive and resistant to you.
3) Do I let my passion for getting to the end result get in the way of
remembering that there are individual people that have a stake in this as
well?
4) Do you take the time to get to PERSONALLY know the people you are
working with or do you dive right in to what you need from them?

BEST PHRASED: Remember that most people never do anything to you; rather
they do things to protect themselves.

Right now you are doing things that make people feel ultimately that the
"end justifies the means". In order to change this you need for people to
see that you care about them as individuals and that you do have
everyone's best interests at heart.

With all the tips I am giving you the most important thing is that you can
do them sincerely. This means you have to do some rewiring of how you see
things so that you present and talk to people from a positive and
proactive angle. If you just try to "pacify" people they will feel it and
resent it. You, in turn, will come off as "fake".

Here are a couple of techniques you can use:
1. Pick a time in your day that is your "dead time." This is time that
you are not functioning at your best and brightest-a time when you need a
break. Use that time to chat with other people about what is new for
them. Save calls that you believe should have some warm conversation and
make those calls at this time.
2. Once you do this, jot down the personal information and store it
somewhere you can easily access again. I store mine in my ACT database. 
That way before I call a person I can quickly jog my memory on what is
going on in their life.
3. Rethink how you phrase challenges to people. Make sure you are using
Outcome Thinking so you can come from their perspective. In order to
check this out, find a confidant that you can role-play conversations with
to make sure you are speaking positively.
4. Invite different people out to lunch to get to know them better. 
5. Check out your office cube. Does it invite people in? Put a bowl of
chocolates on your table, put pictures up--show the human side of you.
6. MOST IMPORTANT, believe that others want to get to know the real you. 
Share that side of you and ASSUME that others are going to respond
positively. This will ensure that your body language is confidant,
relaxed, and conveys warmth.
7. With major stakeholders you may need to openly talk about your
reputation in order to shatter it. Example, "Sue, I know I have a
tendency to get so focused that I can drive things through without
thinking about the others on the team. I am working on changing that so
if I start to do that, please let me know." This will cause people to let
go of their old thoughts on you and look for new patterns of behavior.

Don't give up! You can change your reputation!

SPECIAL NOTE:

Send Anne your situation to be included in an upcoming E-zine.
mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com 

************** Want To Perfect Your Skills? *************

Order Anne's Book, Outcome Thinking: Getting Results 
Without The Boxing Gloves for $24.95.

http://www.impressionmanagement.com/products.phtml

Save $5.00 when ordering online. Just enter the Discount Code: IMP101
(all caps) when checking out.

=================================================

3. Anne's "Aha" 
=================================================

>>>>>>>>> The Giving Season <<<<<<<<<

The giving season is never out of style. There are so many people
who can use your help. This section of the newsletter is
dedicated to highlighting ways we can help others as we are
achieving our own success.

Toy Season is coming! http://www.internettoydrive.com/ is an
online resource for putting toys under the tree for kids whose
parents can't afford it. It's not too early to start thinking
about your Holiday Season giving. Even if you don't donate at
this time, you need to take a look at this site. Some great
effects!



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Quotable Quotes:

"You cannot be really first-rate at your work if your work is all you
are." Anna Quindlen

"Write it down. Written goals have a way of transforming wishes into
wants; can'ts into cans; dreams into plans; and plans into reality. Don't
just think about it - ink it. Anonymous

=================================================

4. NEXT TIME: Another situation submitted by you.
=================================================

Send Anne your situation for inclusion in the E-zine.
Email your situation to: mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com

=================================================
5. I Want More Resources So I Can Perfect My Skills
=================================================


Products: Outcome Thinking Book $24.95 *
Communicating More Effectively Book $14.95
(Body Language)
Body Language Video $99.95
Success Negotiating Audio Tape $14.95
GOALS Set $39.95

I WANT IT ALL: COMPLETE PACKAGE, Regularly $215. Special price for
Subscribers, $149.95, includes two free gifts.

Order Online: http://www.impressionmanagement.com/products.phtml

*SAVE $5.00 on Anne's Outcome Thinking Book
Type in the "Discount Code", IMP101 (All Caps)

=================================================

FREE ARTICLES AND BACK ISSUES
=================================================

We have many articles available for your publication, company newsletter,
etc. Articles can be viewed at
http://www.impressionmanagement.com/articles/

All you have to do is print the article in its entirety along with the by
line at top and the credits, and complete contact information at the end
of each article. I would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy too.

Email: mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com for a complete listing of
available articles.

Back Issues of the Outcome Focus E-zine can be viewed at
http://www.impressionmanagement.com/ezine/

=================================================


If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your
own free subscription, visit http://www.impressionmanagement.com to
subscribe.

PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.


=================================================

About Anne and IMP
=================================================


Anne Warfield, CSP*
President
Impression Management Professionals
7200 France Avenue South, Suite 224
Minneapolis, MN 55435
952-921-9421
888-imp-9421
952-921-9420 Fax
Email: mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com **
Visit us at: http://www.impressionmanagement.com 

"A true leader is not one you look up to because they are the best. A true
leader is one that draws the best out in you." Anne Warfield

*CSP- Certified Speaking Professional; a designation held by only 7% of
all speakers nationwide

Member of the National Speakers Association

<<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> 
Copyright 2002, IMP. Feel free to share information you learn. All we ask
is that you credit us as the source as everything we are putting in here
is copyright protected by our office.

Copyright note: Submission of an e-mail message or artwork affirms that
you are able to and have given Anne Warfield non-exclusive permission to
reprint the content of your message in all forms, electronic or otherwise,
in all languages throughout the world.

Privacy Statement: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.

If you received this from a friend and you want to receive your own
copies, just email mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com and put "Add
me" in the subject line.

To remove yourself from this mailing list, simply follow the instructions
at the end of this email.

or,

Forward a copy of this message to mailto:contact@impressionmanagement.com
with the word remove in the subject line.

<<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>>