DECEMBER 2007 LEARNING FLASH

Happy Holidays!  For this month only, we are joining the newsletters together to bring you the 12 Days of Christmas!  Thank you all for a wonderful year. We are looking forward to continuing fun, fast, flexible and measurable learning to energize success with you next year.

On the 1^st Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

            ONE Santa Clock  Click Here  to keep track of shopping days!

On the 2nd Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

            TWO laptops – buy one, give one.  Check out this amazing idea at

www.laptopgiving.org .  You can even pay with PayPal!

On the 3rd Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

THREE groups who would benefit from Christmas donations: teenage boys, girls and babies being cared for at the Covenant House in downtown New Orleans, an organization we visited and organized donations for during the Career College Association Conference in June this year.  The staff makes Christmas gift packages for all the residents - male and female. Donation ideas include:  knit gloves and hats, socks, full-size toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, disposable razors for men and women, lotion).  They also need unwrapped toys for babies and toddlers (beware of lead paint).  Ship your donations to Monica Chanel, 611 N Rampart St., New Orleans, LA 70112.  Please contact Carol Mason at cmason@russellmartin.com if you need our charge number for shipping.  

On the 4th Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

            FOUR ways to spend your budget before 2008 including:

1. Are you SURE you don't need your staff to work more efficiently and effectively?  Do your project sponsors and stakeholders know what they are really supposed to do?  Do your HR and training staff have the project management capacity to help with the company challenges in 2008?  Do you need to grow your IT middle managers into IT leaders?  Remember those projects that were supposed to be done by year end  need help jumpstarting some that are struggling?

2. Schedule 2008 consulting or workshops and pay now.

3. Avoid end-of-year travel and schedule webinars (workshops in small pieces).

4. Enroll now for the Leadership Alchemy Academy public retreat to be held at the nationally renowned Children's Museum of Indianapolis on January 29-31, 2008.  Use this link to register.  Here's what some previous learners had to say about the experience:

   Very Effective workshop!  The exercises were effective.  I learned a lot about myself and how I work and have tangible behaviors to focus on to improve/adapt.

   It was a privilege to attend this course.  I am excited to put concepts into place.  Thank You!!

Check out more ideas at www.russellmartin.com or contact Margie mbrown@russellmartin.com.

On the 5th Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

            FIVE Learning Objects to jumpstart the classes you need to teach next year. 

Each Learning Object is a self-contained, 60 minute module that can be used in a meeting, as a webinar or even individually. Remember, this includes the PowerPoint slides, complete Instructor Notes (explaining the Accelerated Learning design – 80% experience, 20 % lecture), and Supply List.

Banishing Burnout
Designing the Best Project Team
IT Customer Moments of Truth
Minimal Project Management
Thriving in Change and Transition

 

On the 6th Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

SIX football fields-sized automated pharmacy coming to Indianapolis.  Welcome to our leaders, project managers and friends from our customer Medco – we’re so glad you picked us.  Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels joined executives from Medco Health Solutions, Inc. to announce the company's plans to build the world's largest and most advanced automated pharmacy in Central Indiana, filling a growing nationwide demand for lower-cost medicines. The new 318,000-square-foot pharmacy, slated to open early in 2009, will cover an area equivalent to six and a half football fields -- bringing approximately 1,300 jobs to the state by its anticipated peak operation in 2012.

On the 7th Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

SEVEN silly Christmas jokes from my daughter Kristin…

Q: Why was Santa's little helper depressed?
A: Because he had low elf esteem.

Q: What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?
A: Claustrophobic.

Q: What do snowmen eat for breakfast?
A: Snowflakes.

Q: What do you call Santa's Helpers?
A: Subordinate Clauses.

Q: Why did Santa spell Christmas N-O-E?
A: Because the angel had said,"No L!"

Q: Why did the gingerbread man go to the doctor?
A: He was feeling crummy.

Q: Why is Christmas just like a day at the office?
A: You do all the work and the fat guy with the suit gets all the credit.

On the 8th Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

EIGHT Christmas Carols to play on your touchtone home, office or cell phone (seriously).  More songs at http://hometown.aol.com/fsufunkyb/songs.html

Contest: Encode your own song using your touchtone phone, send it to us and win fabulous merchandise!  Send your song to Carol at cmason@russellmartin.com. 

On the 9th Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

NINE is a number that is meaningful to both Kwanzaa celebrations and Hanukah celebrations.  Why?  Send your answer to Carol at cmason@russellmartin.com and win fabulous holiday prizes!

On the 10th Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

TEN Steps to Successful Project Management.  Order your signed copy of this popular book at http://russellmartinandassociates.stores.yahoo.net/10sttosuprma.html and receive a 10% discount and free shipping during December 2007.  Use coupon code DEC07.  Schedule a live or webinar 10 Steps workshop and receive a 25% discount if held in January 2008.

Schedule a seat in our 10 Steps for Successful Project Management public workshop scheduled for January 8th and bring a friend for ½ price.  This workshop will be taught by Lou Russell and will be held at the nationally renowned Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.  Click here to register.  Sign up quickly as participation is limited. 

On the 11^th Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

ELEVEN hilarious shopping tips: 

After Mr. and Mrs. Hackett retired, Mrs. Hackett insisted her husband accompany her on her Christmas shopping trips. Unfortunately, Mr. Hackett was like most men--he found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunately, Mrs. Hackett was like most women--she loved to browse. One day Mrs. Hackett received the following letter from her local store:

Dear Mrs. Hackett,

Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and may be forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against Mr. Hackett are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

2. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, "Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right way."

3. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&M's
   on layaway.

4. September 14: Moved a "CAUTION - WET FLOOR" sign to a carpeted area.

5. September 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began
   crying and screamed, "Why can't you people just leave me alone?"

6. October 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a
   mirror while he picked his nose.

7. November 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

8. December 6: In the auto department, he practiced his "Madonna look" by using different sizes of funnels.

9. December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled "PICK ME! PICK ME!"

10. December 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed "OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!"
                        And last, but not least ..

11. December 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited
    awhile, then yelled very loudly, "Hey! There's no toilet paper in here!"

On the 12th Day of Christmas, we’d like to give to you…

TWELVE, well, actually 23 thank yous to the readers who participated in our contest last month and our request to rank webinar topics.  Here are the results:

             Points:

46        Effective Coaching for Leaders

42        Teaching Project Sponsors to be Great Sponsors

                        40        Minimal Project Management for non-PMPs

                        33        Getting Things Done: Managing Multiple Projects

27        Writing to Communicate

27        Building Dynamic Presentations

                        23        Advanced Sales: Objections, Relationships and Customer Trust

                        11        IT Leadership

                          9        OTHER: 10 Steps to Successful Project Management 

  4        Developing Student-Centered Faculty and Programs

Stay tuned for additional webinars, and please share your requests with Margie mbrown@russellmartin.com or Leah at lcolville@lplusearn.com.  If we schedule your new webinar, you’ll receive a free seat!

Lou Russell 

President/CEO

www.russellmartin.com

www.lpusearn.com