Listening Leaders Archived Edition

November 29, 2006

LISTENING LEADERS® LAVISH THE LUSCIOUS GIFT OF LISTENING.

The wonderful celebration of Thanksgiving has passed and mortals everywhere face the annual hunt for the perfect gift for everyone who is privileged to be on “their 2006 Christmas and Holiday gift list.” As a successful “Black Friday” suggests, retailers are in for a profitable finish to their 2006 fiscal year. Yet, the majority of holiday shoppers continue to make their lists. Relax, for this issue of the Listening Leaders® Newsletter is intended to serve every Listening Leader® who has not yet begun shopping. Remember, you still have 27 days remaining!

To simplify the task of gift giving, retailers have produced catalogs covering gifts for every gender, age, and special interest. In the rare chance that you have not yet been inundated with hundreds of pounds of catalogs, that simply require recycling, you can just check out the internet. A simple web search for the “perfect gift” for any individual provides choices galore. For exercise buffs who like to drag themselves through shopping malls in search of individualized gifts that can be returned and/or exchanged with ease, opportunity abounds.

Even though George Eliot argued that “One must be poor to know the luxury of giving,” if your budget allows and money is no issue, check out a few items found in the latest Neiman Marcus catalog and web site.

For a gift that will last forever, simply select a Tuscany Membership in “The Club at Castiglion Del Bosco.” For only $3,800,000.00, your gift recipient will receive a Club Membership in Perpetuity which can be handed down for future generations to enjoy. Founded in the 12th century, Castiglion Del Bosco is nestled next to the ruins of a medieval fortress on 4,500 rolling acres. With 150 acres of vineyards and a winery famous for its Brunello di Montalcino wine; 6,000 square foot villas with private swimming pools; luxury vehicles; a 14,000 square foot spa and salon; gourmet dining, golf, tennis, hiking and biking trails, your membership gift provides unrestricted use of the 21 villas and a multitude of riches forever. If gifts in perpetuity are beyond your wishes, consider the Neiman Marcus alternatives.

For loved ones who like to travel, simply give them the “Virgin Galactic Charter Two Space” gift. Scheduled for private space travel in 2009, your lavish gift will allow six lucky individuals the opportunity to join a charter on SpaceShipTwo®. After they fly 10 miles high on a launching aircraft, SpaceShipTwo® will detach, fire its custom-designed hybrid rocket, and propel the six passengers 63 miles above sea level into the weightless majesty of space. After gliding back to Earth, it's off to Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island retreat in the British Virgin Islands for each new astronaut and a guest. Everyone will enjoy four nights of luxurious accommodations, all-inclusive festivities, and an exclusive celebration where Sir Richard will personally present each flight member with a set of Virgin Galactic astronaut wings. What a deal, and the cost of this gift is only $1,764,000.00!

If you have three sports fanatics on your gift list, you can bid for the Dream Package in an online auction sponsored by the Joe Torre Safe At Home® Foundation. 100% of the gross proceeds from this online auction are dedicated to breaking the cycle of domestic violence and making sure selected children have the kind of home they deserve, where they are safe, loved, happy, and healthy.

Be the high bidder and purchase the Dream Package, you and three sports fanatics will enjoy VIP travel, luxury accommodations at the Ritz-Carlton, and tickets to six incredible pro sports events: the 2007 NHL® All-Star Game in Dallas; Super Bowl XLI® in South Florida; the 2007 NBA® All-Star Game in Las Vegas; the 2007 Major League Baseball® All-Star Game in San Francisco; the 2007 US Open Tennis Championship Women's Final in Queens, NY; plus a bonus surprise event.

Amazing, but it gets much better. While at each event, your group will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share a private meal with a living legend from each sport. Talk Stanley Cup® prospects with hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. Get football insight from Super Bowl quarterback Troy Aikman. Ask basketball legend Magic Johnson how he perfected his jump shot. Discuss the finer points of pitching with Baseball Hall-of-Famer® Bob Gibson. Get Chris Evert to analyze the US Open Women's Final for you. Learn how to play that tricky hole at your favorite Arnold Palmer-designed golf course from the man himself. The very best part, 100% of the auction proceeds support a great charity created by baseball manager and former All-Star Joe Torre. Your gift for three can profoundly affect the lives of children and make their dream of being happy come true. With only one Dream Package available the suggested minimum starting bid is $250,000.00.

If you don’t have people on your list you would like to gift in perpetuity, or send into outer space, or are sports fanatics, you might have a car loving techno freak on your gift list. If so, just order a NM® limited edition BMW Individual M6 Convertible. Limited to only 50 cars in the United States, this incredible machine has a Formula 1™-inspired, V-10 engine capable of revving up to 8,250 rpm. Coupled to a seven-speed Sequential Manual Transmission with Drivelogic®, it can move from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.5 exhilarating seconds. There's the speed-sensitive variable-assist power steering and the independent M-suspension design providing the renowned M handling performance; the four-wheel BMW M antilock braking system; M-radial spoke cast alloy wheels; the on-board integrated diagnostic system; and more.

Featuring a shimmering, exclusive shade of Ruby Black exterior paint, accented with Piano Black trim elements, the cabin, offers 16-way power sports seats wrapped in a custom Gold Brown shade of supple BMW Individual merino leather. Music lovers will enjoy the 11-speaker Surround Sound stereo and six-disc CD changer.

Your gift includes an exclusive European adventure including two business class tickets on Lufthansa® from New York to Munich, gourmet meals, and luxurious accommodations for four nights. Your gift will provide "behind the scenes" access to BMW culture and have the opportunity to meet with the engineers and designers who were involved in the creation of our 2007 BMW Individual M6 Convertible. All for only $139,000.00. Oops, scratch this gift. Unfortunately, this limited edition of 50 cars completely sold out in a record 1 minute 32 seconds and is no longer available this year.

If perchance these suggestions do not pertain to anyone on your gift list, we offer a better idea. For the primary challenge of giving truly meaningful gifts lies in the process of determining what the “ideal gift” might be for each individual on your list. For as Pamela Glenconner suggests, “Giving presents is a talent: To know what a person wants and to know when and how to get it and give it.”

For Listening Leaders®, the process begins and ends with careful listening. Although many potential gift recipients provide little direction or help with the proverbial response, “I don’t need anything,” observant listeners create individual wish lists for others throughout the year. For some, the opportunity lies in determining what others actually need; for some the secret lies in discovering the gift others expect to get; for some the fun resides in finding the ultimate gift others would like to receive. Constant and conscious listening results in the perfect individual list.

In addition, giving the gift of “Guaranteed Everyday Listening” is the ultimate luscious gift. It fits and serves individuals of every age, gender, economic, religious, and political orientation. Budget, color, size, and style matters little. It has no adverse caloric impact. It requires no batteries or special wrapping. There will be no missing pieces. Although the gift of listening can be reciprocated, it cannot be exchanged. Most important, the “gift of listening” is the ultimate gift for anyone and everyone who needs, expects, or desires to be listened to.

Lavish it on everyone who is privileged to be on your gift list.

LISTENING LEADER KNOWLEDGE NUGGET: Listening Leaders® Lavish the Gift of Listening Throughout the Year.

When smart Listening Leaders® have gifted everyone on their list, they will be wise to make one additional gift ─ that is the gift of listening to themselves.

Although timely at any period of the year, our long-time International Listening Association colleague, Dr. Bob Bohlken, provides everyone a marvelous poetic holiday gift. Inspired by Peter “Dale” Wimbrow’s 1934 classic “The Guy in the Glass”©, often mistakenly referred to as “The Man in the Glass,” Dr. Bob Bohlken crafted a most laish gift entitled: “Listen to the One in the Mirror.”© Read it, repeat it, memorize it, and share it, and it will serve you in enduring ways. In short, it is a timeless gift that will provide anyone and everyone a multitude of positive returns.

“Listen to the One in the Mirror”©

“When life’s choices come your way, Listen to what others have to say. But when all is said and done, Look into a mirror and listen to the reflected one.

When temptations are laid at your door, And promises are yours to take. Discuss the consequences and more, But listen to the one in the mirror for your own sake.

You may fool the world throughout the years. Others may admire you as you pass. But you’ll suffer heartache and tears, If you don’t listen to the one in the glass.

It is you alone who makes your choices. No matter what others may say or do. You may listen to other voices, But the voice of the one in the mirror is true.”

LISTENING LEADER TIP OF THE WEEK: Polish your mirrors and gift yourself.

GOLDEN CIRCLE LISTENING LEADERS QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

It is more blessed to give than to receive ~ Bible, Acts 20:35
The greatest gift you can give another is the purity of your attention ~ Richard Moss
If a person gives you his time, he can give you no more precious gift ~ Jean Cocteau
The manner of giving is worth more than the gift ~ Pierre Corneille
From what we get, we can make a living; What we give, makes a life ~ Arthur Ashe
It is the privilege of greatness to give great enjoyment with trifling gifts ~ Nietzsche

A LISTENING LEADER GIGGLE:

Beyond the act of giving great gifts lies the importance of properly receiving gifts, especially during the Christmas season. At a significant Karpov – Kasparov World Chess Championship, several chess enthusiasts were given the gift to observe as “Special Guests.”

During a break in the action the chess enthusiast guests gathered in the lobby of the hotel and began to brag in an ungrateful fashion. Loudly one proclaimed, “I could beat Karpov with no problem.” Another enthusiastic chess guest, responded, “I could beat both of them at the same time.” Another chimed in, “That’s nothing, I could beat both of them at the same time, blindfolded!”

On it went, until the hotel manager who had listened to the ungrateful comments long enough, threw all of them out of the hotel, with the parting shot, “Get out all of you ungrateful wretches, and don’t every come back.”

As the chess enthusiasts left and wasted their gifted opportunity to watch the finishing match, a bystander asked the hotel manager, “Why did you throw them out?”

“Because,” the angry manager replied, “At this special time of the year I hate to listen to chess nuts boasting by an open foyer!”

Be grateful when you give or get.

LISTENING LEADERS KUDOS

Congratulations to Listening Leader Certified Facilitator Sidney Yuen who delivered his first Workshop that attracted leaders from India, Japan ,Korea, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

BECOME CERTIFIED TO TEACH LISTENING LEADERSHIP IN YOUR ORGANIZATION. You will become fully equipped to deliver a unique and proven Workshop that provides practical and measurable results. For certification details, go to www.ListeningLeaders.com

ORDER YOUR “LISTENING LEADERS WORKSHOP ‘IN A BOX’. You don't have to wait for the next live Listening Leaders® Workshop! We now have the entire workshop in a format that you can take at your own pace in the comfort of your own office or home. For details, go to www.ListeningLeaders.com

WE ARE LISTENING and invite your action:
Together, we can change the listening attitudes, skills, and knowledge of leaders throughout the world. We appreciate and invite your assistance in expanding our listening leader’s connections. Eight simple steps in advancing this important movement include:
Listen, and lavish others with the gift of listening
Forward this newsletter to your children, grandchildren, friends and colleagues. More important, invite them to Subscribe to the “complimentary and weekly” newsletter by going to www.listeningleaders.com
Send us your listening leader insights, examples and stories.
Start a Listening Leaders Reading and Discussion Group. Invite your Librarian to purchase our Award winning LISTENING LEADER book.
As meeting, conference, and convention attendees spend the bulk of their time listening, please let others know of our availability to Keynote Conventions and customize Listening Leader Workshops.
Invite us to identify specific needs for listening development of leaders in your organizations.
Ask about our proven listening leader training programs and our customized in-house train-the-trainer strategies and our new Certification program.
We can help, we are committed, and we are listening.
Listen, Lead On & Make Today Count! – Manny & Rick
__________________________________________________________________

LISTENING LEADERS: THE TEN GOLDEN RULES
TO LISTEN, LEAD & SUCCEED

By Dr. Lyman K. Steil
& Dr. Richard K. Bommelje

Publisher: Beaver’s Pond Press
(ISBN 1-59298-073-2)

A pioneering book that directly connects listening with leadership.Based on more than 50 collective years of work with listening leaders throughout the world, Dr. Steil and Dr. Bommelje have created 10 practical, proven, and priceless rules to enhance everyone's listening and leadership success. Although outstanding leaders are outstanding listeners, most leaders have neglected the development of their listening attitudes, skills and knowledge.

“This is the most significant book ever written on listening and leadership and will profit leaders at all levels in all types of organizations and enterprises.” Dr. Ralph Nichols, Father of the Field of Listening

ORDER YOUR COPY at www.ListeningLeaders.com or www.amazon.com

Listening Leaders is a weekly e-mail newsletter for people who understand the value of Listening Leadership in their life.

It is brought to you by
the INTERNATIONAL LISTENING LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
We welcome your comments, suggestions and questions.
Please e-mail: ClientServices@ListeningLeaders.com.

Also, please visit our website: www.ListeningLeaders.com

Join our Golden Circle of Listening Leaders who are spreading Listening Leadership attitude, skills and knowledge worldwide! Forward your copy to anyone you believe will benefit from reading The Listening Leaders!

COPYRIGHT AND REPRINTS
Reprint permission is granted when the following credit appears: "© International Listening Leadership Institute. Reprinted with permission from ‘“The Listening Leaders Newsletter,' a weekly Internet newsletter”. For your own personal subscription, go to www.ListeningLeaders.com"

PRIVACY STATEMENT
Your e-mail address is absolutely confidential. We will NEVER give, sell or share your address with anyone.

Subscribe Cancel Update

Dr. Lyman K. (Manny) Steil
25 Robb Farm Road
St. Paul, MN 55127
651-483-3597
LKS@ListeningLeaders.com Dr. Richard K. (Rick) Bommelje
8530 Amber Oak Dr
Orlando, FL 32817
407-679-7280
RKB@ListeningLeaders.com

© 2007 by International Listening Leadership Institute.
All rights reserved

[ListeningLeaders]