I teach persuasion and influence because this is a skill we should have learned in school. We all persuade and influence for a living. In fact, did you know most CEO’s have a sales or marketing background? It is true. They had to master the world of persuasion and influence before they could lead a company.

Let’s see if you can answer the Persuasion IQ question of the week.

The brick wall of resistance thickens when you:

a)     List all the features and benefits.

b)     Don’t respect their time

c)      Become arrogant.

d)     B and C.

e)     All of the above.

Subtle things can cause prospects to subconsciously resist you and your offer. The answer to this Persuasion IQ questions is E. When you vomit all the features without asking questions, it triggers resistance. If you don’t respect them or you are perceived as arrogant, it triggers resistance. All the answers will trigger resistance. Let’s focus on arrogance since it is a perception, not a reality. The key is to come across as confident, not cocky. What is the difference between arrogance and confidence?

You may be wondering, “If a persuader seems overly confident, can’t that also hurt the ability to persuade?” The answer is a resounding yes. It is important that you do not come across as cocky or arrogant. How can you tell the difference? It’s all about the intention. Confidence is motivated by a sincere desire to serve-you can help make a difference, and you know you can do a great job. You know that you have the tools, resources, ability, and inclination to do the job that’s required of you. In contrast, cockiness is driven by a need to serve yourself, instead of serving others.

Deep down, cockiness actually reveals insecurity-the very opposite of confidence. The distinguishing feature seems to be intent. Cocky individuals seek approval, recognition, and honor from all the wrong sources, in all the wrong ways, and for all the wrong reasons. They are really looking for pats on their own back. Cockiness is self-centered, whereas confidence is people-centered. Cockiness is about the persuader and confidence is about the customer.

Cocky or arrogant behavior usually elicits these types of complaints:

*  He acted like he owned the place.

* She treated me like a child.

* She did not listen to what I wanted.

* He didn’t ask permission to . . .

* He blamed others.

* She did not own up to her mistake.

* He never answered my question.

* She always has to be right.

* He is arrogant and condescending.

If your audience senses any pride or superiority, the game is over, just the same as if you were not confident enough. It simply doesn’t matter if you say and do all the right things. If you turn people off, it’s a lost cause. If they don’t like you, they will not allow themselves to be persuaded by you. Here are some additional ways you can avoid the trap of seeming overly confident:

* Always be genuinely open to feedback or criticism.

* Be willing to listen-don’t always be the one talking.

* Admit when you’re wrong.

* Be honest about the strengths and weaknesses of your product.

* Never interrupt.

* Ask questions to demonstrate care and concern and to be sure you clearly understand your audience’s needs and wants.

* Use external credibility (testimonials, endorsements, referrals, etc.)

People who lack confidence will always struggle to effectively influence others. If you’re perceived as doubtful or underconfident, your audience will feel that way, too-about your product, about your idea, or about anything else you might ever try to present to them. Don’t panic if you don’t feel full confidence 100 percent of the time. Complete confidence in oneself takes experience, time, practice, and patience.

Persuade with Power

(Reprinted by Permission from Kurt Mortensen – http://www.persuasioniq.com/)

These words, said by Ron McCracken, a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in an Orlando Sentinel article, barely touched the depths of Marshall Polston, who seems out of sync with many young people his age. You can read the above link from the article here.

I watched for him to take pride in his accomplishments during the dedication of the Concord Cemetery last Saturday, looking for a broad smile that comes with the end of a job well done. In its place all I could find was humility until he posed with those who helped make it possible.

Marshall’s mother had only the greatest of respect for everyone at the City of Casselberry who worked with Marshall and all those who helped make it possible:

Roll Call of Honor: United States Army Co. B 2nd Pattalion, 124th Infantry – Casselberry Veterans Inc. – American Legion Post 53 – Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8207 – Combat Veterans Assoc. – Home Depot Foundation – the Hooker Family – Department of Florida Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War – Paragon School – United Daughters of the Confederacy – Boy Scouts of America Troop 6 of Orlando – Pvt. Amzi Harmon Company District 7 Sons of Veterans Reserve – Sons of the American Revolution – Lucious L. Mitchell Camp 4 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War – Gen. Eugene A. Carr Camp 5 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War – Gen. Wm. S. Harney Camp 8 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War – Dr. Phillips High School Band – St. Luke’s Methodist Church – Rifle Guard: Sons of Veterans Reserve – Sgt. Harvey K. Linscott, Pvt. Jeffery Chandler & Pvt. Chris Maniaci -

Photos by Mike Lucas of Southeastern Surveying and Mapping Corporation which supplied Marshall with the necessary surveys and research links to help him along in his quest for information.

There will be over 75 vintage cars provided by the Orlando Bow Tie Club. Bring your chairs, picnic baskets, blankets and lots of friends and come over to enjoy a rockin’ evening at this outstanding lakefront venue. For more info, call 407-262-7700 Ext. 1127.

The Basics: Alligator’s are usually known to be solitary animals but hey happen to look out for mating during the springs when the water become warm.They look out for their mates by engaging themselves in making low bellowing sounds in order to show their presence in water and also by sending vibrations through the water.

At what age do alligators start to mate?

Alligators start mating when they are 8 to 13 years old (they live an average lifespan of 50 years, some up to 70 years), when they have reached a length of 6 to 7 feet (1.8-2.1 meters).

When do alligators mate?

Alligators mate during spring when the weather starts getting warm. A female will lay a nest of about 30 eggs, of which 1-3 males produced the eggs. The number of male and female offspring is determined by the temperature of the next: the warmer nests produce more males.

The adult females tend to reproduce with the same select males, and after the babies hatch, they exhibit extensive parental care, partly to keep their offspring from getting eaten by adult gators.

The study of how the mating habits of alligators, “who have a face only mother could love,” is important to studies of radiation and reproduction in humans. The Savannah River in South Carolina is “one of the places where they made nuclear materials for weapons,” according to Travis Glenn, a researcher at the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.  “Reactors built there in the 1950s and 1960s had some “oopses,” he said, and released some radiation into the environment. A large section of land was contaminated, and mountains of material had to be removed. That’s why they study the mutation of generations of alligators born into that habitat. What’s the difference between Alligators and Crocodiles?

Alligators are found throughout much of the southeastern United States, and a few crocodiles live in the southern area of Florida. Gators tend to be shy, and usually retreat when a human approaches, but crocodiles can be very different.

“The principal differences between alligators and crocodiles are behavioral,” Glenn said. “Crocodiles are like alligators on crack. They are hopped up, aggressive animals.”

Publisher’s Note: If you’re in a boat or kayak, keep your feet inside and stay away from heavily wooded shorelines. A golfer in Lake Wales, Florida was recently attacked and could have been killed when a gator lunged for him and dragged him off as he was trying to remove a stray golf ball from a mirky pond.

Since ancient times, gardens have provided humans with a source of food, art, expression, and enjoyment.  In recent years, the home garden has been losing its important place in our everyday life.  In hopes of reviving interest in gardens, Simple Living Institute, Inc. (“Simple Living”) is pleased to offer a Garden Start-Up as one of our  core programs  focused on education and sustainability.

Tomato Sweet Potato and Eggplant are nourishing, delicious, and simple to grow.

The program is quite simple.  A  “host” (school, church, community center, park, or other public entity) simply sets aside a plot of land and grants permission for use to its school children, church members, community members, etc.  Simple Living can then lead your group through the garden start-up steps, which begin with choosing a theme for the garden.  Themes can include Fruits & Vegetables, Ornamental, Cacti, Florida Native Plants, anything the group would like!

Timeline: The Garden Start-Up is accomplished with the Host group and Simple Living working together in two educational sessions, each one week apart:

• Week One: Site Preparation (measuring/mapping the site, weeding, and turning the soil)

• Week Two: Planting (plant installation, watering, and maintenance instruction)

Once the garden is in, the Host group maintains the Garden.  Simple Living is available for support in the form of answering questions and recommending solutions to problems.

Cost: Garden Start-Ups are performed for  free  by  Simple  Living  as  a  public  enrichment  program. However, depending on the theme of the garden, some cost for plants and materials may be incurred by either the Host group or Simple Living, or  both.    This  is  best  determined  on  a  case  by case basis.  When adults make up the host group, it is generally easiest for each adult member to purchase one plant for the garden.  When kids make up the host group, it is best to get a budget from the host, or allow Simple Living to gather seeds and plants for the garden.

Past Sites: Bithlo Community Center, Kids’ Gardening Program, Bithlo, FL; Threshold Development Center, Orlando, FL; Frangus Elementary School, in partnership with The Karma Project, Orlando, FL; Lake Formosa Community Garden, Orlando, FL; Sunrise Elementary School, Orlando, FL

Contact Information: If you are interesting in coordinating a Garden Start-Up for your site, please contact us by email at info@simplelivinginstitute.org, or by phone at 321-228-4310.

If you would rather get your hands right into this, there’s an Introduction to Permaculture Class on the Simple Living Calendar this Saturday. If you’re not sure what permaculture is, try this link.

Closer to home, you can find a u-pick farm in Geneva, Winter Springs and Oviedo. So look for other events or adventures to do at the same time, then swing by the u-pick and take home edible souvenirs from your outing.

Here’s a list of all the u-pick farms in Central Florida.

Earth Fest 2012

Note: Unfortunately, one man will be sorely missed. Mike Barr, of Keep Seminole Beautiful, who passed away in early February. His organization co-hosted Earth Fest last year, along with Friends of the Parks and the City of Casselberry.  For those who what to read more about Mike, here’s a clip from an excellent article on this mega volunteer and champion for the environment in SemDem.com - if you want to read the full article.

“Mike had a special ability to work across party lines to educate, inspire and motive people to protect our water, our wildlife and our natural areas. Despite his passion – or more accurately, because of it – he never let partisanship get in the way. More than any other environmental leader, he had the ability to reach out to and draw in those who might otherwise have never been involved. In today’s hyper-partisan world, that alone made him special and helped make Keep Seminole Beautiful one of the most effective environmental organizations in Florida.”

In his honor, Friends of the Parks are doing a Mike Barr Clean Up Day today at Secret Lake Park. Go by and see what people can do when they join to make the environment better for everyone.

Here’s a chance for YOU to be active in bringing a new business to Casselberry. Trader Joe’s has opened its first Florida store in Naples.  Let’s “besiege & beseech” them to open a new one in Casselberry. I know someone pushing for the Lake Nona location, but I like my hometown. Check out Trader Joe’s website.

To get a Trader Joe’s here, go onto their website and fill out their “Location Request” form. I suggest that in the Comments section you include information like the opportunities in our town (everyone loves the great location and small town atmosphere) – and WHY YOU LIKE TRADER JOE’S and/or would want to shop there. 

Here’s the link to request our location: http://www.traderjoes.com/about/location-requests-form.asp<http://www.traderjoes.com/about/location-requests-form.asp>

Also, here are some recent articles in the Orlando papers about Trader Joe’s:
Feb 22, “Hollywood woman (in Broward County) on a mission to bring Trader Joe’s to South Florida”, http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-02-22/news/sfl-resident-petitioning-trader-joes_1_trader-joe-new-pembroke-pines-store-hollywood-woman

<http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-02-22/news/sfl-resident-petitioning-trader-joes_1_trader-joe-new-pembroke-pines-store-hollywood-woman>

Jan 31, “West Palm  Beach woos Trader Joe’s”, by Andrew Abramson. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/classified/jobs/education/pb-trader-joes-20120131,0,3021663.story<http://www.orlandosentinel.com/classified/jobs/education/pb-trader-joes-20120131,0,3021663.story> 

Here’s a link to the Last Ride –  It’s really amazing.  I’ve enjoyed watching the skill of these young Evil Knevils, but this is not a sport for the front yard in a residential neighborhood, regardless of the fill issues.

The jazz concert will begin with the sounds of EEZ (too easy) featuring ANDREWLUVat 6 p.m. This local band blends elements of Soul, Smooth Jazz, Pop and more for a unique and refreshing musical experience. This dynamic entertainment package makes it “too easy” to groove from old school to new and we are sure you’ll agree this is one of the most exciting show groups in Central Florida!

This FREE event, sponsored by the City of Casselberry and 102.5 WLOQ Orlando’s Smooth Jazz will engulf jazz lovers in the innovative, contemporary sounds of recording artists of Marion Meadows and Paul Taylor. Special guests will include Joe McBride and Joey Summerfield. Get your picnic basket packed, call your friends, load up the kids – there’s something for everyone here. Art, jazz, and good friends to share them with.

The jazz concert will begin with the sounds of EEZ (too easy) featuring ANDREWLUVat 6 p.m. This local band blends elements of Soul, Smooth Jazz, Pop and more for a unique and refreshing musical experience. This dynamic entertainment package makes it “too easy” to groove from old school to new and we are sure you’ll agree this is one of the most exciting show groups in Central Florida!