I'm very excited about 2010!

How about you? I'm ready for some new exciting things to take place in the New Year and I have great anticipation for what's in store. Because of my passion for and research into natural health, which I touched on in my last blog, I've decided to pursue the business of educating and sharing the benefits of therapeutic-grade essential oils and products. If you live in Central Ohio, see my personal invitation below to come to one of my "Home Foot Spa Gatherings" - it's a fabulously relaxing and informative hands-on experience with some of the oils in my home. I'd love to see you there!

This new business (along with my speaking/training business) will allow me to "practice what I preach" regarding customer service and leadership - and that thrills me! I was able to share some of that information at a recent hands-on educational session I conducted on Subconscious Selling Strategies for the Promotional Products Association International EXPO in Las Vegas last week. I really enjoyed my time with those folks!

Speaking of customer service, here are three new tips for your organization from my 107 Tips for Developing Customer Loyalty booklet:

•  Instill a customer service "culture" within your organization by sharing positive front-line employee stories and special service examples with all employees.

• Get outside media attention when your employees display extraordinary service. The employee will gain acclaim outside of your organization and the public becomes aware of these special acts.

• Involve employees in policy making since they will be the people to implement the new policies (i.e., new fees, etc.). Management should periodically do the employees' work so that they understand the impact of procedure or policy changes on the employees.

One of the Most Versatile and Practical Essential Oils

Peppermint oil was the first essential oil I was introduced to. It is absolutely amazing and it has worked for every person I've introduced to it (including those on chemotherapy who found it worked far better than the anti-nausea prescription they had been given).

A cyber-stroll through the National Library of Medicine (PubMed) turns up just under 100 abstracts of scientific studies on peppermint essential oil. These studies resulted in fascinating conclusions about this remarkable oil. Please let me know if you'd like my entire research article (4 pages of the most common uses) including references.

Surprising Effects

Peppermint oil applied topically for tension-type headaches was studied in a randomized,
placebo-controlled, double-blind study at Christian Albrechts University in Germany (Badia et al., 1990). The conclusion? "Peppermint oil seems to be a harmless and effective treatment for tension-type headaches." University of Kiel researchers also found that peppermint oil and a mixture of peppermint and eucalyptus oil reduced headaches. (Ref. 1) The same study showed peppermint to be effective in reducing emotional irritation, depression, and apathy (inactivity).

A 2003 study conducted at Wheeling Jesuit University found that peppermint improved clerical productivity. (Ref. 2) Participants showed marked improvement in a card-sorting task as well as in typing accuracy and typing speed. The researchers concluded: "These results suggest peppermint odor may promote a general arousal of attention, so participants stay focused on their task and increase performance." It's also great for athletes - my son's entire Cross Country running team smelled the Peppermint oil prior to running and the team won their conference and regionals this year!

Don't Forget the Tummy!

For a small child who may have a tummy ache, an expectant mom experiencing morning sickness, or a person with "non-ulcer dyspepsia," peppermint is a traditional help Researchers at the University of Exeter's Department of Complementary Medicine looked at seventeen clinical trials, including nine studies involving peppermint and caraway constituents of herbal medicine products, and reported that 60-95 percent of patients reported improvements in symptoms. (Ref. 8)

Finally, please keep in mind that most oils you can purchase at a natural foods store contains only about 10% essential oil and the rest are fillers - this is all that is required by the USFDA. I've tried other oils and they didn't work for me. I only use and recommend Young Living Essential Oils as they are guaranteed to be 100% therapeutic-grade A oils. You can order as a customer at www.youngliving.com by using my #1076662. Better yet, give me a call and I can tell you how to order wholesale (24% discount).

Home Foot Spa Invitation

        You Are Personally Invited To a

Relaxing Home Foot Spa Gathering!

You will learn how therapeutic grade essential oils

can change your life by experiencing a pampering foot spa*!

When:  Tuesday, February 9, 7- 9 pm

Where:  Patti Hathaway's Home

Learn how to:

•  Restore a calm and balanced mood and enhance mental focus!

•  Stop a cold and flu before it makes you sick!

•  Ease pain and depression!

•  Relieve allergies and headaches!

•  Increase your energy level and stamina!

R.S.V.P. Required by  February 1.  We only have spots for 8 guests. You are welcome to bring a friend - just RSVP so we can plan accordingly.

Please call:  523-3633 Or email:  patti@thechangeagent.com

             We Can't Wait for You Join Us!

Make it a great week!

Patti Hathaway, CEO

Business Advisor & Author

The CHANGE AGENT
1-800-339-0973
email: patti@thechangeagent.com
web: http://www.thechangeagent.com

As I reflected on the recent college visit I made with our youngest son Drew, I began to assess why I enjoy doing college visits so much. It's the passion I experience! No doubt I loved all four years I was in college (as well as my 2 years in graduate school) so I would naturally be drawn to college students right? But it's more than that. What I saw reflected in our visit was not just a passionate student tour guide (I mean those are the only kinds of students the college would hire right?), it was the passion for learning and digging deeper that I saw in the department chair and in the engineering students we interviewed. I saw that passion spark excitement in my son for working and pushing himself harder in his final two years in high school so he could have the same thirst for hard work when he goes to college.

What about you? What gets you excited? What are you passionate about? I find the more I learn and the deeper I dig into a subject area, the more re-energized and passionate I become about how to use that content. For me, hands-on practical training works best for me. I'm in a 2-year program right now that has really changed my life with the knowledge I'm learning and what I'm applying from it. Interestingly enough, next month I'm doing my first webinar for a client so I'll be curious what I think about that option after I personally experience it from the teaching end.

On the other hand, I also am passionate about doing Internet research when I'm learning about a new area. There is so much to learn at my fingertips! I've become an expert in the college selection process as well as how to earn athletic college scholarships. What I've learned works and it's paying off for our family and many others.

More recently, I've been researching how to use therapeutic grade essential oils instead of traditional medicine and I'm passionate about what I am learning and using as a result. As an example, I've successfully replaced Bryan's Attention Deficit Disorder and Anti-Depression meds (for the last 6 years) with essential oils - it's costing much less, and more importantly, Bryan is happier and healthier as a result! I'd be happy to share my research with you.

Here are some additional tips regarding managing your job that fit in nicely with my theme this month on passion, research, and learning. They come from my 93 Tips for Managing Change booklet:

• In order to "let go" of old tasks and processes, you will need to implement strategies to improve the organization's  business process. Eliminate bureaucracy by identifying the unnecessary administrative tasks, approvals, and paperwork and eliminating them.

• Eliminate duplication by finding and eliminating the identical activities that are performed in several places or at different points in the process.

• Simplify your job processes and procedures by suggesting ways that you could reduce the complexity in your department. List ways you could make your paperwork more uniform.

Let me know how I can be of service to you. Have a terrific Fall!

Patti Hathaway, CEO
Business Advisor & Author
The CHANGE AGENT
1-800-339-0973
Local: 614-523-3639
email: patti@thechangeagent.com
web: http://www.thechangeagent.com


 

Ah summer in Ohio! I enjoy being outside in the warmth and sunshine so I've decided to plant tomatoes again this year after seeing Bryan chow on my sister's homemade salsa. How else will I use that salsa maker gizmo I bought at the Ohio State Fair years ago? I also have an amazing recipe for Greek Salad dressing that both boys rave about (email me if you want the recipe). How I love all the fresh vegetables and fruits this time of year.

Here's a bonus gardening tip for this summer. After weeding some flowerbeds without gloves last week, I got poison ivy. Best solution I found is Fels Naptha bar soap found in the laundry detergent section of some stores. Immediate relief for about a dollar. I'm hoping you don't have to use this tip!

With both boys home for the summer (they are working part-time), I thought some tips on   attitude would be helpful for all of us. These will not only help you at work but also at home. I hope you find these tips from my 107 Tips for Developing Customer Loyalty booklet helpful:

• Look for the opportunity to be a problem-solver with your next customer. Consider those customer challenges to be an opportunity to show your value to the customer and your company.
• Try to make your customer feel better for having been with you. Look for the humor in each situation. Challenge yourself to get each of your customers to smile at least once during your interaction with them.
• Be a "gimper" for your customers. A gimper is someone who puts on extra special touches on the furniture they are making. Do a little something extra for your customer when they don't expect it.

We're excited to start the college lacrosse scholarship process for Drew as I researched the teams and colleges and put together his Athlete Fact Sheet. He and Jim have put together his Highlight DVD which we are sending to his top college choices this week. Drew earned 3 major awards this season and broke two high school records as a sophomore. He's excited to be going to a recruiting camp next weekend in Baltimore.

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A Resource for Anyone in a Relationship

A counselor friend of mine recommended a book to me that I have found to be the best self-help book that I have read in years (and I read a lot of books!): I Don't Have to Make Everything All Better. The authors explain a powerful technique for improving one-on-one communication that involves careful, empathetic listening to another person's feelings without judging, criticizing or attempting to solve his or her problems. The authors demonstrate this technique's startling effectiveness in a variety of situations and provide readers with valuable coaching and specific responses. I found it immensely helpful as a parent and wife. This is a book I will continue to refer back to time and time again. Check it out at your library or buy a copy at amazon.com link:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0140286438?tag=thechangeagent&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0140286438&adid=0608EF1BW9RDRSKY5ZDX&

Enjoy your summer - I hope you take the time to relax, spend time with your family and friends, and read a book or two!

Patti

It's spring in Ohio and I love all the blossoming trees and flowers! This is a photo of an early Magnolia blossom from Innis Woods Metro Park which is about a half mile from our home. It's always enjoyable to go for a walk there in the spring.

The blossoms are a reminder that after the deadness of winter, spring is always around the corner. It is also how I choose to think about life - when I have gone through times of difficulty and challenge; it is usually followed by learning and growth. 

On to my message... For this post, I've decided to share four tips on how to manage your boss from my booklet "93 Tips for Managing Change." Managing your boss is becoming more important with the shaky economy. I hope you find these tips helpful:

• Identify information important to a new leader in your organization. Determine what format your boss would most appreciate this information. Proactively obtain and provide this information to your boss as a way of partnering with him or her.
• Seek feedback on projects or assignments before a potential miscommunication can occur and mistakes become a crisis. If you are not clear about what your supervisor wants from you -- ask questions.
• Ask your boss and others for positive (not just negative or corrective) feedback.
• Learn to "whine with purpose" to the people who impact and determine change in your organization. Ask the person for permission for you to give them some feedback on the proposed change. Use the DASS script to plan what you will say to them rather than reacting in anger.

             Describe the problematic decision or change
             Acknowledge how you feel about the change and the impact on the team
             Specify a solution
             Share with the person how this new plan will benefit him/her

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Are you on FaceBook or Linked In? Let's connect. You can find me on LinkedIn at: http://tiny.cc/2iHf1 or on FaceBook at: http://tiny.cc/kHOlZ

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A new Favorite Resource:

I've had such great results from a fitness program that I've been doing since January that I'm going to pass the information on to you. My friend and speaking colleague, Zonya Foco and Movement Training Expert, Sherry McLaughlin put together a $15 DVD called the "Movement Training Program for Everyday Fitness." The benefits I've enjoyed include stronger back (less pain) and core, flatter stomach and tighter butt. I've tried many different programs but none produced such good results.

The program is based on five Key Movement Facts: (1) You were designed to be symmetrical. (2) You were designed to move in three planes of motion. (3) Muscles only learn the lessons we teach them. (4) Pain (with age) is not inevitable. (5) It's almost always about the butt.

Check out the free demo they have on Zonya's website: http://tiny.cc/bS6BM.

Let me know what you think...

Have a wonderful Spring!

Patti Hathaway, CSP & Business Advisor

The CHANGE AGENT www.thechangeagent.com

In light of the next two weeks of holidays, I have some suggestions on how to lessen the stress that often comes with the holidays.

Financial Strains
A recent survey found that finances are the most common cause of holiday stress. Buying gifts and paying for travel expenses can create a significant financial burden. Here's a quick tip that my extended family (my parents, siblings and spouses, nieces and nephews) are doing this Christmas. We are bringing a $10 gift for each member of our family. None of us really "need" anything. This inexpensive alternative doesn't put strain on those families without a lot of money but it still offers the fun of opening gifts. My Dutch (meaning really thrifty) family will certainly pride themselves on who got the most expensive gift for $10.

Free Yourself from Taking Offense
Consider cutting people slack by not taking offense at what they say (or don't say). It is so easy to be easily offended by family members because of our history with them. For example, when they make a sarcastic remark, choose to ignore it and not allow it to "tear flesh." Then, immediately forgive them. Years ago, my husband and I would spend our 6 hour drive home from my parents psychoanalyzing all the comments and what they "really" meant. It was a lot of wasted emotional energy. Keep in mind that when we don't forgive others we become bitter...and bitterness is a lot like a match in that it only burns the person holding on to it.

Forty Winks
Sometimes during the holidays we burn our candle at both ends. We need seven nights of good restful sleep. Some people need more sleep than others, but most sleep experts believe that adults need eight hours of sleep per night. Ongoing research is showing that when people don't get enough sleep, they build up "sleep debt." The debt accumulates night after night. If you get one hour of sleep less per night, after eight nights you have built up a sleep debt equivalent to one night's sleep. Sleep debt takes a toll on our motor and intellectual functions. William Dement, author of The Promise of Sleep says, "In the simplest of terms, a large sleep debt makes you stupid." It takes a toll on us in terms of work errors and can make us emotionally distant from our co-workers, friends, and family.

Another interesting point about sleep is that our body needs a regular sleep-wake routine. For those of us with daytime working hours, most of us go to bed at a certain time and we get up at a certain time. During the holidays, however, we tend to go to bed later and sleep in. Here's the problem -- if we sleep an extra hour beyond our normal waking time, we will be tired. It then takes our body forty-eight hours to recover from sleeping late. Let's say you normally wake up at 6:30 a.m.  However, on Saturday, you get up after 7:45 a.m. Because you slept in that extra hour plus, it will take your body literally two days or 48 hours to recover. You will feel tired. We often refer to Mondays as "Blue Monday." Perhaps that is in part due to the fact that we are still recovering from "sleeping in." 

 Sleep experts suggest you should get up within an hour of your normal waking period even if you go to bed later than usual. To make up for those later nights, consider taking a twenty-minute nap in the afternoon. To make up your sleep debt, it is best to go to bed earlier than to sleep later. Aside from the physical benefits from your sleep routine, imagine how much you can enjoy the quiet time in your house with no one awake. Forty winks can make a big difference.

 I hope that you will try one or two of these stress-busting tips. I wish you a most blessed Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa or whatever you are celebrating. May you experience health, happiness, and peace in 2009!

I was thinking I should share tips on change this month since we are in the midst of numerous changes; however, it is time for the customer loyalty tips instead. Before I do that, let me quickly catch you up on our changes - professionally, we have a totally redesigned website (check it out at: www.thechangeagent.com) and a new blog. My blog will replace this e-mail newsletter after this issue. In fact, if you visit my website you will see this newsletter as my first blog entry (including fun photos).

Blogging is new to me as an author and I'm looking forward to the ability to add an entry whenever I choose to rather than relying on someone else to send it out (because of my lack of tech expertise). I will also be able to post links to articles I think might benefit you. As a convenience to you, you will be automatically transferred to the new system and will receive an e-mail from feedblitz@mail.feedblitz.com, which is our new subscription service.

Regarding personal changes, we dropped our oldest son Bryan off for his first year of college at Wingate University near Charlotte, NC. It's a wonderful school and we are praying for Bryan as he adjusts to his academic schedule and playing lacrosse at the college level. Jim is figuring out what he wants to do in the work world as he is starting to apply for jobs after working with me for 12 years. Drew is a HS sophomore and is running Cross Country instead of playing football this fall. He has worked really hard to earn his varsity letter in both Cross Country and Lacrosse (he earned his lacrosse letter last spring - as well as earning "Best Varsity Rookie" for the team).

Along with continuing to speak and conduct training, which I love, I'm taking a weekly class in Breakthrough Biblical Counseling for my own personal development. It's a great learning experience and I'm excited to see the connections to my leadership and communication topics. I had the terrific opportunity to speak at a Women's Retreat last month on the topic of parenting and I'm facilitating a "Parents of Teens Discussion Group" at our church. I'm just beginning to explore the possibilities of writing and speaking more on this topic.

Well, time to move on to my tips for developing a better attitude when dealing with our customers. Perhaps you could consider how to apply these tips to your personal life as well (where it can sometimes be more challenging than work)?

*  Forgive customers who make insulting remarks about you or your company's service. Know that they don't know you personally and are merely upset about their situation (see the funny sign below as an example of what will upset customers).

* Keep in mind that your next customer has no idea of how the last customer just treated you. Take a deep cleansing breath before you pick up the next phone call or ask to serve your next customer. Make it a new, positive experience for yourself and your customer.

* Encourage your co-workers if their last customer has just mistreated them. Give them one of your smiles if they have none left of their own. If necessary and possible, offer to relieve them for a quick break.

Don't Try This a Work...

I found this photo on flickr.com recently and it made me chuckle. This is a great example of what will upset a person. Would this sign entice you to become a customer or walk away? Always think about your future customers as well as working hard to keep your current customers loyal ones.

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Patti's Personal Pick on the Web:
I recently read a really inspiring book for teens - Do Hard Things - by twin brothers Alex and Brett Harris. It is a book about teenage rebellion against low expectations which is what I'm trying to instill in our two boys. The Harris brothers have a blog that I subscribe to and enjoy reading. Here's the link to their website: www.therebelution.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Make it a great week!
Patti

I am a big fan of The Ohio State University's football coach Jim Tressel. He recently wrote an excellent book called The Winners Manual. It's an quick read and has  excellent content. Lots of motivational stories, poems and examples. Great for businesses, teams, and families. I typed up a couple of excerpts that I plan to give to my boys when the time is right. Here's one of my favorites:

Dream Big

If there were ever a time to dare,

to make a difference,

to embark on something worth doing,

it is now.

Not for any grand cause, necessarily - but

for something that tugs at your heart,

something that's your aspiration,

something that's your dream.

You owe it to yourself to make your days here count.

Have fun.

Dig deep.

Stretch.

Dream big.

Know, though, that things worth doing seldom come easy.

There will be good days.

And there will be bad days.

There will be times when you want to turn around,

pack it up, and call it quits.

Those times tell you that you are pushing yourself,

That you are not afraid to learn by trying.

Persist.

Because with an idea,

determination, and the right tools,

you can do great things.

Let your instincts, your intellect,

and your heart guide you.

Trust God.

Believe in the incredible power of the human mind.

Of doing something that makes a difference.

Of working hard.

Of laughing and hoping.

Of lazy afternoons.

Of lasting friends.

Of all the things that will cross your path this year.

The start of something new brings the hope of something great.

Anything is possible.

There is only one of you.

And you will pass this way only once.

Do it right.