Mary's Corner
Happy Fall! I trust that each of you found some of that work-life balance we all strive for—seemingly easier to take advantage of in the summer months. I always get the “school’s out” sensation when summer comes and just look for excuses to put my toes in the water. However, my summer was filled with lots of meaningful work as well—thanks to you.
I did keep the promise I made to myself to see some of the West and took a driving trip solo through the glorious San Juan Mountain range in Colorado through Gunnison and Montrose to Telluride, Durango, Taos and Santa Fe. I caught up with many wonderful friends (old and new) along the way…and did some fun dancing on Canyon Road.
My breath left my body at every curve in the road. What beauty surrounds us, in this otherwise chaotic world we live in! It was completely restorative for me to be alone and find some space after the sadness of losing another brother, just prior to my trip, earlier in August – and a colleague and dear friend at the same time.
I thought about something I had read recently by J. Krishnamurti, which I want to share with you:
“Space is necessary to have silence, for a mind that is practicing, struggling to be silent—is never silent. But when it sees that silence is absolutely necessary—not the silence projected by thought, not the silence between two notes, between two noises, between two wars, but the silence of order—then in that silence, truth, which has no path to it, exists.”
Please keep your eyes open – to see the beauty that is around us. Find that space in your own lives in which your truth can be found.
Wishing you a fantastic Fall — a particularly beautiful time of year.
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of Katrina. These people will need our support for years to come. Let’s not forget them.
Mary
In Memory
Joseph Gerard Mayotte – my beloved brother
Donations can be made in memory of Joe to:
The Daniel Haskell Esq. Trust
1776 Jackson St.. Ste. 520, Denver, Co. 80210
This year we will donate your gifts and matching funds from the Speech Fitness Institute® to the important research so needed for people with Developmental Disabilities and Autism.
A special thanks to the Hillmans for your generous contribution.
My thoughts and prayers are with the entire family on the recent passing of “daddy” , William Lord, at 90 years of age. He was simply, a great guy.
Bruce Eswein—beloved colleague and dear friend
My heart goes out to his family, especially his children, Tom and Liz.
Condolences to my dear friend Stephen Greenwald and family on the passing of your Father. Sending you two arms.
_______________________________________________________________________
Help for Katrina Victims
Housing is urgently needed among Hurricane Katrina survivors. If you have a vacation home, spare room or even an extra bed—especially if you live within reasonable driving distance of the affected areas—you can post your offer of housing at www.hurricanehousing.org. No matter where you live, you can make a world of difference to a person or family in need.
Inspiration
of the Month:
"Don't be too proud to take lessons. I'm not."
– Jack Nicklaus
By Jenn Holl, Editor and Speechwriter for MM+A
Gold and rusty leaves aside, it just wouldn’t be fall without the image of students, after a summer full of long, lazy days, lining up once again for the school bus. As nature beds down for its winter nap, students perk up for the start of another school year.
But going back to school isn’t relegated to the student set. As Jack Nicklaus points out in this issue’s Inspiration of the Month, it’s never too late to take new lessons, and now is an important time for even the most seasoned executives to learn something new. The American workplace is on the verge of exciting new changes, and with these changes comes the opportunity for all of us to go “back to school.”
A new generation is beginning to enter the professional sphere. They’re dubbed Generation Y, the MTV Generation, Echo Boomers or the Millennium Generation. But no matter how you slice it, the 60 million strong born between 1979 and 1994 make up the biggest piece of the American pie since the 72 million Baby Boomers who parented them. At more than three times the size of Generation X, their immediate predecessors, Generation Y offers not only vast marketing opportunities, but new lessons to be learned in the workplace as well.
Size isn’t the only factor that separates the echo boom from earlier generations. For the first time in American history, one in three is not Caucasion. One in four grew up in a single-parent home. It is estimated that by 2008, 70 percent of new entrants into the workforce will be women, people of color and immigrants.
Companies that intend to grow along with this new generation will have to reach out to these changes, specifically in promoting the diversity that this generation embodies. For most of us, diversity was not on the course roster in business school. The importance of workplace diversity has only surfaced in the past decade or so, and for that reason, there is still a lot of confusion as to exactly what it’s all about.
Diversity, as a concept, is about more than skin color and gender; in the workplace, it involves creating an atmosphere that respects and includes differences, recognizing the unique contributions those differences can make. Failure to create such an atmosphere means, at best, the unintentional silencing of new ideas and points of view, and at worst, discrimination.
With the oldest tier of the most diverse—and second-largest—generation in history entering the workplace, it is more important than ever for corporations to educate themselves and institute practices of diversity. Generation Y understands the concept and is perhaps the most socially conscious of all generations. Polls of recent graduates indicate that they demand this same understanding of their employers, often passing on higher-paying positions in order to work in diverse environments that promote acceptance.
Not only is this generation entering professional life, but they are beginning to enter the realm of grown-up investments as well—from computers to real estate. Embracing diversity then becomes important not just for the future of the workplace, but for target consumers as well.
Such changes require new lessons. In response to the rapidly evolving professional world, MM+A has expanded its offerings to address these changes. Earlier this year, we brought on Mariela Hernandez, an expert in Hispanic markets—now the largest minority group in the country. Recently, we added Jennifer Brown to the MM+A roster, who specializes in Diversity Awareness.
Just as our natural landscapes change this fall, so too will the culture of the American workplace. We can meet these challenges head on by following the lead the kids set for us this time of year: by opening up to new lessons and heading back to school.
Profile: Putting a Face on One of Our Own
Jennifer Brown, Associate
Whether she is leading a roundtable of Fortune 500 senior leadership on change advocacy, speaking on behalf of a prominent gender and human rights organization to working mothers, or singing a solo at Lincoln Center, Jennifer has strived throughout her career to find and appreciate the extraordinary moments in life, and just as importantly, to lead others to find their own. Jennifer incorporates her experience in a variety of industries, from retail to insurance to non-profits, in her work as a consultant and trainer for MM+A.
Her approach focuses on creating safe yet challenging learning environments which allow participants to move beyond the ordinary, into explorations of strengths and unique attributes, new skills, and confidence-building for the challenging road ahead. Jennifer writes and collaborates with Mary Mayotte on developing groundbreaking programs in the areas of diversity, customer service, listening skills and leadership.
A graduate of Middlebury College, Jennifer spent several years early in her career running programs for the national non-profit City Year, a community service organization for young people. She has broadened her advocacy consulting to include corporate clients and frequently partners with non-profits like the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition and Out / Equal. Through these partnerships, she helps guide dialogues with senior human resource and diversity leaders aimed at developing policies that build inclusive work environments through greater awareness around gender, sexual orientation, and other diversity characteristics.
In addition to her workplace fairness consulting, Jennifer holds a graduate degree in Organizational Development and Training from Fordham University, and she has honed her training and development skills in a variety of companies. She most recently directed the learning and development team at Tommy Hilfiger, where she engaged in all levels of the business through her leadership of major initiatives ranging from the company’s first “Great Place to Work” project to the research and design of “Tommy University.” Previous to Tommy, she developed and delivered training programs internationally on management, sales, and presentation skills with the Willis Group, the third largest insurance brokerage in the world. She has collaborated with Mary in evolving many of our own programs with Speech Fitness®.
Jenny’s love of training stems from a love of performing. She is a “triple threat” and holds a second graduate degree, in opera, from the Manhattan School of Music. She has traveled the world with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, “hoofed it” Off-Broadway, and recorded jingles for Norwegian Cruise Lines and several hit shows.
TA DA!!
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ruben Santiago Hudson on 7!!! Emmy nominations and two wins (outstanding lead actress S. Epatha Merkerson and outstanding casting for a mini-series or movie) for Lakawanna Blues!! We are so proud of you, Ruben!
To Andrea Nierenberg on her new book, Million Dollar Networking: The Sure Way to Find, Keep and Grow Your Business (Capital Books)
To Dalma Heyn on her new book, Drama Kings: The Men Who Drive Strong Women Crazy(Rodale Press)
Best Wishes to James Humphrey on your move to BestLife magazine-a Rodale publication
Ivette Sanz on your new independent status!We know you will continue to excel in all you do.
Happy New Baby!!!
Julie Oddo
Allie and John Sullivan and to proud Grammie Annie
Pamela and Bob Moorhead
Katy Brown
Kristin Albani
Candace Bond McKeever
EXPECTING:
Debra Sierchio
…TWINS!!!
double TADA to Letena and Rahsan Lindsay
X-tra Special Birthdays
Mark Nestor—welcome to the club!!
John Cook—still doing triathlons at 70 (hard to believe). Impressive!!!
Wedding Bells!
Congratulations to my goddaughter Meredith Smith and Ryan Van Ness
We enjoy hearing about all of your successes—please keep us up on YOUR news.
RESOURCES YOU CAN RELATE TO
Beyond Culture
By Edward T. Hall
A Practical Guide to Working with Diversity: The Process, the Tools, the Resources
By Joy Leach
Beyond Race and Gender: Unleashing the Power of Your Total Workforce by Managing Diversity
By R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.
Mary’s Pick of the Month
Telluride’s fantastic Peaks Resort and Golden Door Spa.
Don’t miss the LaStone massage and Golden Door gift shop. A fantastic place to regenerate and soothe the body, mind and spirit with the absolute warmest, nicest, most helpful and welcoming staff.
Thank you for your extraordinary hospitality!
Mary’s Link of the Month!
THE RELAX DECK
Calm your mind, body, and spirit with these beautifully illustrated cards, each containing an inspirational message and a meditative exercise. Companion to the successful book Learn to Relax, and drawing from universal symbols, these meditations lead you on a soothing journey, helping you find peace and fulfillment—in yourself, in others, in nature, and in daily life.
Special Announcement – The SPEECH FITNESS INSTITUTE® is proud to announce its association with Vail Leadership Consultants and the SFI Consultants (SFIC)
Vail Leadership Consultants based in Colorado’s front range, focus our collective expertise on four major areas:
-Vail Leadership Institute’s (VLI) “Inside-First” Leadership
-Organizational Alignment
-Transition Management
-Crisis Management
Vail Leadership Consultants assist clients in developing the organization, policies, communications, training, monitoring and correction to implement the requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley regarding ethics; as a result our clients achieve the high market valuations demonstrated by firms with strong ethical reputations.
VLI is a Colorado-based nonprofit organization dedicated to developing ethical and effective leaders with a focus on emerging leaders who “lead from the heart”.
For your next Executive retreat focused on renewing the commitment to ethical and effective leadership give us a call at the Speech Fitness Institute® toll-free for more information:
877-321-8935.
REMINDER
It’s fall…what better time to go “back to school?” Make the most of your next presentation or media appearance — sign up now for our Speech Fitness® Presentation Boot Camp and Media “Tune-Ups,” where we bring the Institute to you! Call 877-321-8935 or email us at info@speechfitness.com for details.
Training Seminars will be conducted once a month in New York City, Denver and Los Angeles.
Maximum number of attendees are capped at 6 people per trainer, to ensure focused and individualized attention. MM+A/Speech Fitness Institute's® time-tested philosophies and techniques are the cornerstone for all of its 2-day seminars.The seminar-pricing model provides an affordable option to group training.
$1500 (per person) includes 2 full days of training with twice the opportunity to see yourself on camera in different presentation scenarios covering a wide range of topics – from the exploration of performance technique, vocal exercise, and improvisation (thinking on your feet) to crafting and delivering targeted messages with our easy, time-saving approach all custom-tailored to the audience in attendance each month.
Does your organization need to learn how to communicate more effectively, as we all face the day-to-day challenges of an ever expanding culture of diversity? MM+A is proud to announce a new Diversity Awareness program, aimed at helping your organization appreciate diversity as a valuable asset.
Remember The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?” Well, when it comes to diversity in the year 2005, there’s an interesting and important twist on this rule being practiced by only the most successful managers and the most successful companies in the marketplace. Both individual contributors and managers who understand and practice this new rule are feeling more valued than ever in their jobs, and are creating teams where people feel understood and valued. Their results have skyrocketed.
Come learn from Jennifer Brown’s innovative approach to diversity as defined for 2005. Would it surprise you that diversity today is NOT …
- Culture – teaching people “what Asians are like” or “what women want”
- EEO affirmative action
- An absence of standards
- “white male bashing”
You will discover how today’s “modern workplace” is in fact still structured for “traditional” employees – white, married men with wife and kids at home – and is slow to adapt to the needs and desires of “non-traditional” employees, who are a mix of colors, ages, lifestyles, values, and ways of perceiving the world. The session will challenge traditional employees to ask themselves, “Am I clinging to the old system, which is becoming obsolete, and how am I adapting and being successful in the new system?”, and non-traditional employees to ask themselves, “Will I focus on blaming the old system, or will I become a positive agent for change in the new system?”
It’s up to all of us to create a new system that works equally well for everyone. Be a part of the solution!
Call 877-321-8935 or email us at info@speechfitness.com for details. Spanish Language Training Also Available
The SFI® BEAT
“Inspiring Expert Communicators”
Kickoff
your Fall/Winter sales season by leading your team out of the office
and into the great outdoors for The Speech Fitness Institute®.
Here we blend time-tested training techniques with a unique performance-based
approach. For over 15 years MM+A has helped prepare some of the most seasoned
professionals in every business through the use of a well-rounded mind,
body, and spirit approach to communications, leadership and team building.
Whether you're looking to re-engage an existing team, build team strength
with a newly formed unit, or just propel your team's performance to the
next level, SFI can 
answer
the call through a fully customized experience, designed to meet the specific
needs of your organization and its market challenges, all set in
the great "back to nature" environment of the Colorado Rockies
or a location of your choice.
Booking now for Fall and Winter 2005-06 Retreats
Click here for more information – www.speechfitnessinstitute.com
What is YOUR Biggest Communication Challenge?
Email us your communication challenge, and if we select your challenge
to report on in our next newsletter, you will receive a complimentary,
one-hour Executive Coaching telephone consultation with the Head Coach,
herself: Mary Mayotte.
Click here
Tell A Friend:
If you refer a friend or colleague who books a training or consultation
with MM+A, you will receive a 10% discount toward your own coaching services
with us.
Don't forget to visit our Website for a list of our services and to discover How MARY MAYOTTE + ASSOCIATES can address your communications goals at www.speechfitness.com.
Or simply call us directly at 212.772.1275/303-321-8935
We look forward to discussing your specific training needs.
We'd love to hear from you—Comments and suggestions are always welcome! info@speechfitness.com
The Balance Beam is a collaborative endeavor from the MM+A team:
Mary Mayotte, Head Coach; Eileen Winnick, Communications Coach/Account Executive; Jenny Brown, Associate;and Jenn Holl, Editor / Speechwriter.
As always at MM+A, we strive for communication excellence as we aim to inform. If you would like to be taken off our newsletter mailing list, please click here to "unsubscribe". As always we respect your privacy, and your information will never be used or distributed without your express, written consent.