An article on negotiations in another meetings publication offered information on how both sides sometimes pad the numbers. A salesperson might quote a rate higher so there is room for negotiation. This and other tactics are used between meeting planners and suppliers. Perhaps we have come to love the game "Haggle" so much that we have lost sight of the value of straight talk, setting accurate prices and paying what an item is worth. Paying the lowest possible price at anyone's expense has become the rule of the day

Why do we feel the need to play negotiation games? The result of years of merchant/haggler interactions is a lack of trust on both sides. We have created an us versus them environment. Suppliers see meeting planners on one extreme as wanting something for nothing. Planners see suppliers on the other extreme as greedy and overpriced. Adversarial relationships seldom result in a win-win resolution. The upshot is usually two parties who have compromised, given up something they wanted, and now resent it. This resentment results in negative comments to others in the industry and a loss of future business. The score in the end? Lose-lose.

Granted, this is not the outcome of all negotiation situations. It is, however, a condition in much of society today. Fear, mistrust and selfishness are the attitudes of the day in far too many negotiations. Negotiation will always be a part of human interaction. Rarely does one's needs and desires match perfectly with another's ability or desire to provide them. What would happen if we simply approached a situation by telling the truth, asking for what we want and then being open to negotiation?

Consider how different it would be if the interaction began from a win-win perspective. The meeting planner calls a hotel and says, "I guarantee a minimum of 10 rooms. We may need a maximum of 25 per night for four nights. Our budget is $35 per person per day for the meeting. We will have a minimum of 15 attendees and a maximum of 50. These are my dates. Can you do it within our budget?" This would be "telling the truth" and "asking for what you want." The salesperson now has the opportunity to look at the numbers and offer the hotel's best options within or as close to those parameters as possible or decline the business if it's just not possible. The hotel and the meeting planner both stand clear on what they want. If the group really wants this hotel, the planner can begin exploring options, changing requirements or schedules with the cooperation of the supplier. This can be done since the planner knows all along the supplier will continue to offer the best options in response to the planner's direct and honest requests. This relationship is bound for success. Even if the planner cannot use the facility because of budget restrictions, this planner will speak well of the cooperation and honesty of the salesperson. The praise may even possibly inspire business from other planners.

I can hear planners now, "How can I be sure the hotel won't charge me $85 for a $75 room if I tell them that's how much I have to spend?" Or the hotelier, "What is to keep them from 'nickel and dime-ing' me to death with little extra requests?"

A friend told me the story of selling a piece of real estate. He told the buyers that his bottom line price was $164,000 and nonnegotiable. They came back with and offer of $150,000. He told them, "No sale. You didn't listen to me. The price is $164,000 - not negotiable." He was ready to walk away from the deal. He was straight and honest with them up front, but they didn't believe him and tried to negotiate anyway. They ended up buying the real estate for $164,000.

One is never too young to learn how to see what is and is not negotiable. My daughter is none. Since she was very little, I would tell her what was negotiable and what was not. She has been taught to ask honestly and directly for what she wants. When I know there is no room for negotiation in discipline, boundaries or activities, I simply say to her, "It's not negotiable." She doesn't bring it up or ask again. She knows she has the bottom line of the situation and responds accordingly.

Perhaps if the other person was approached, whether it is planner or supplier, with the initial information of "I've put together my needs and options. This is what I want. This is what is open to negotiation. I want to trust that you will give me your best options to meet my needs. I don't want to play 'haggle' with you, but I do want to have clear and up front business with you," it just might work. It does work with the Saturn company. Saturn cars are sold under a "No haggle" policy. People who want Saturn cars know they pay the listed price and they know they are getting value they can trust at a fair price. Saturn researched what people wanted in buying cars and "no negotiation" was near the top of the list. Trust seems to be the name of the game because when there is trust, prices are not inflated and no one is "nickel and dimed" to death. When there is trust, there is cooperation, success and long-lasting business relationships. In Positive Power Plays (see below), I encourage direct, honest, clear communication with specific requests and answers in the negotiation process. A willingness for both parties to leave the interaction satisfied is also important. While there may be adjustments to the original requests and desires, there is not a sense of compromise. In our society, compromise often means giving up or trading off reluctantly - "Well, all right, if I have to, I guess I can....." Compromise of this kind always leaves us dissatisfied and can lead to resentment and revenge (sometimes overt and sometimes subtle sabotage). It is important to know your acceptable bottom line and stick to it so you don't sell yourself out in the negotiation or hurt yourself or others later. In fact, compromise, the verb, is defined as "endangering the reputation of." We need to go back to its root form which is "a mutual promise." If the compromise reached is one with which both parties are satisfied and they mutually promise to keep their part of the agreement, then relationships are nurtured instead of endangered.

More than any other factors involved in creating successful negotiations are the basics of honesty and integrity. People need to be able to trust that what a person says will match the intention and then the results. Combine that with a sincere desire for a win-win solution and cooperative communication and no one will lose. A healthy, long-term business relationship will then be established.

POSITIVE POWER PLAYS
Skills for conflict resolution and negotiation

TELL THE TRUTH: NOTES
1. Realize that there is no absolute truth about the circumstances - the problem is different positions of thinking and feeling = Your "truth" isn't their "truth" and doesn't have to be in order to resolve the problem
2. See the situation from their position - understanding it doesn't necessarily mean you have to agree with it
3. Use "I" statements instead of the generic "you" - Don't blame - that will prevent the other person from feeling attacked and attacking you in return
4. Be aware of their feelings - don't react to emotional outbursts - Don't defend yourself. Take a deep breath and listen, then reflect back to them what you heard. IMPORTANT - keep reflecting back the message and ask them if that is what they meant. Be sure you understand the communication.
5. Speak to be understood. This is not an argument or debate unless you make it so.
6. Be willing to apologize. Apology does not mean admitting you were wrong or that you intended to hurt. Apology allows the other person to save face and it diffuses the emotions. Acknowledgement that there is a problem also diffuses emotion.
7. Attack the problem - Support the person. This sets up "cognitive dissonance" which disassociates the person from the problem.

ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT:
1. Decide ahead of time what you want. Know your best option and state it as an "I want" rather than an "I don't want" - be specific - be able to describe what it would look like to have what you want
2. Be flexible - give yourself options
3. Look for mutual gains and win/win solution
4. Focus on the future and give up the past
   • AVOID "make wrongs" (If you hadn't done this stupid whatever, we wouldn't have this problem....)
   • AVOID "get evens" (sometimes we decide what we want based on a way to punish the other person)
5. Tell the problem before the solution - then the other person will listen instead of developing their objections or counterattack
6. Acknowledge their interests and needs when stating your solution/wants
7. Decide on your bottom line and the least desirable option that is still acceptable to you - know your worst option
8. Request, don't demand

BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE
1. Recognize that a successful relationship is more important than winning the battle or getting your way
2. Separate people from the problem - work together for a solution
3. Focus first on the desired result, rather than how to achieve it - figure out the "how" after you agree on the result
4. Explore options without judgment - be creative - be committed to mutual gain and win/win
5. Be open to reason and closed to threats
6. Determine objective criteria for making decisions - "I'll cut the cake, you choose your piece first"
   • agree on standards that are mutually acceptable
   • use a facilitator or objective third party if necessary
7. Invite criticism and advice, and then LISTEN to it - don't defend
8. Assume good will on their part
9. Questions generate answers - statements generate resistance
10. Be willing to give them what they want - that gives them room to feel that they can win, and makes them less defensive

As infants our emotional energy flowed freely, like a mountain stream. Each time some "Don't feel" message came in or we experienced pain when we expressed our emotions, we put a boulder in the stream. It wasn't long before there was a dam in the stream. The water (emotion) stopped flowing and the pressure built up behind the dam.

Sometimes the water splashes over the top of the dam. When we've had a bad day and the frustration has built up inside, and the mashed potatoes are lumpy, we blow up! Loudly complaining, screaming or crying, we direct all our anger at the cook. The cook, while perhaps needing a reminder to mash the potatoes more, didn't deserve the explosion we directed that way.

Or we keep it all bottled up inside and get upset stomachs, irritable colons, or colds - or sometimes it explodes inside us with more serious illnesses.

Dams are rivers are built with a special gate that allows the pressure to be revlived when it gets to be too much.

We need to build our own pressure relief gate so that we don't hurt ourselves or others. One way to do this is to have a specially designated "Worry Day" or "Angry Day."

On that day, we wear a button that says "This is my Angry Day/Worry Day" so that those around us know we are going to be expressing our emotions fully and freely - and they can give us the space to do it.

Usually when someone is angry around us, we either get angry back or try to fix it. On other's Angry Days, we can listen to the anger and be empathetic "Yeah, I know what you mean" "I can see why you are angry" "I'd be angry too if that happened to me" Most importantly, we listen and validate that it is safe to express anger.

On a Worry Day, we can listen to the person's fears or sadness, let them cry or talk it out - again without trying to fix it or give advice. "I can see why you are concerned" "Sounds like you are really worried about that" "I'd be worried too fi that was happening in my family" A simple empathic message lets the other person express their feelings safely.

Another fun way to let the feelings out is for everyone to have the same worry/angry day - or assign a special meeting for everyone to worry/be angry together. Then when the energy has run its course and the pressure is off, we can close the pressure gate again and get back to daily living.

I learned about worry days a long time ago in a seminar about money. It was suggested to us that we have one day a month that we worry about money, paying the bills, etc. Then we could spend the other 29 days a month creatively making money and enjoying life. So I took the teacher's advice.

I sat in my office on my worry day complaining out loud about how there never was enough money, I didn't know how I was going to make it, etc. I forgot that my house guest ws in the next room and could hear everything I was saying!

Later that day we went to a local burger shop for dinner. As I ordered, she said, "If you don't have enough money for dinner, I can loan you some." I was schocked and replied, "No way! My treat!" As we ate, I asked her why she thought I needed money. She quietly answered, "I heard you in your office. It sounded like things were really bad, so I thought I'd offer to help." I laughed and explained to her about worry days. We both laughed alot over our chocolate malts!

My money worry day allows me to focus on the positive, creative, playful part of my life on all the other days. I enjoy my worry days now and I find I spend less and less time in worry on those days.

Andrew was a self-made Midwestern millionaire whose net worth when he died was over $30 million, yet he lived with a constant and urgent fear that at any given moment he could be poor again, so he lived in a one bedroom apartment, owned one car, and wore simple clothes, and rarely enjoyed the money he had.

A talented artist from St. Louis, Sue had trouble selling her work. She found that she could only sell just so many paintings and then not be able to sell anymore until she was almost broke. Her parents had come from Europe and worked as servants for a very wealthy, selfish, greedy family. Sue's father often talked about how money destroyed love and corrupted people. Subconsciously, Sue's beliefs about money prevented her from selling her work and accumulating wealth.

James has been employed at the same manufacturing company for 12 years. He is considered a dedicated, hard-working employee, often volunteering to work overtime. He earns a decent salary and three weeks of vacation a year. He and his wife work hard to save money to give themselves and their two children pleasures. However, in the last twelve years James has never taken his well-earned vacation. He gets so caught up in "earning a living" that he forgets to live!

Danny is a University of Wisconsin college student, living on her own, independent of her parents. She doesn't have a steady job, yet she manages to pay her rent and bills, feed herself, and still be able to buy and do many of the things she wants. She doesn't let money (or lack of it) get in her way. She believes that if she needs it, the money will somehow come.

Why is it that so much of our behavior revolves around our attitude toward money? Why is it that you could make $10,000 or $10 million a year and still not be content with your life, and yet others can live with the one dollar in their pocket and still seem to do everything they want? What is this stuff called money anyway, and why do we let it control our lives so much?

Leonard Orr is a California-based money seminar leader who focuses his advice on the premise that money problems are more a matter of attitude than of income or expenses. Orr defines prosperity consciousness as "the ability to function freely and effortlessly in the world, with or without money. It is confidence in our ability to provide value and negotiate for what we want." He says money is not the answer. It is only means of exchange, relative at best to our ability to provide time and talent and, at worst, relative to the greed of the person who has what we want. When we realize this, Orr says we are free to form a "prosperity consciousness."

In the United States, our money is simply a piece of paper that we exchange for goods and services. It is a well refined barter system that allows us to get what we need from those who don't directly want what we have to offer. Money is really just a symbol of our time, talent and energy, even though the amount of money one person earns compared to another may have nothing to do with those factors. In truth it is a very relative system, and not necessarily a good indicator of how much we are worth. It is also curious to note that money is printed on the whim of the Federal Reserve. There is more money in circulation than there has been gold mined in the history of the world; and, in and of itself, money has no value. All of the money you have today could be worthless tomorrow.

Those thoughts are particularly frightening when we realize that we have given money the power to represent our self esteem and our worth, and we judge ourselves and others by how much or how little we have. We allow it to affect our happiness and satisfaction in life. Which person would you rather be if the economy failed and the banking system went belly-up? The millionaire whose net worth is now zero and is watching his worst fear come true, or the person who is happy and satisfied, able to make her life pleasurable regardless of her income or net worth?

Orr claims that a "prosperity consciousness" will guarantee that we will enjoy life regardless of our financial position, and be able to create wealth just in the process of doing what we love to do, creatively for a profit. Orr gave definition to the "Four Laws of Wealth" for developing this prosperity consciousness.

Phil Laut, author of Money Is My Friend and international seminar leader, expands on Orr's ideas and offers practical ways to put the Four Laws of Wealth to work for you. Laut advises, "Practice these laws and you will find yourself in a better financial position, emotionally and in your checkbook."

The Earning Law
All human wealth is created by the human mind, so work smarter not harder to get ahead. We are only limited by our willingness to use our creativity and take risks to create value. The problem is that most of us limit our thinking and don't get outrageous enough to do what is different or new and create value for others. Or we're like Sue the artist, and our beliefs about the evils of money keep us poor. For many people in recovery, the Earning Law is the hardest of all to master because addictions destroy self-esteem which is the core of our ability to receive or earn. Laut reminds us that we also must do what we love, "It's not easy to prosper doing work you don't like. Even if you earn a lot of money from work you don't like, it won't seem like much compared to what you gave up!" He goes on to say, "When people start doing work they love, most discover that their expenses quickly and drastically decline. Their attitudes about earning and spending begin to change."

The Spending Law
The value of money is determined by the buyer and the seller in each transaction. Become aware of your thoughts and feelings as you spend. Notice how you limit your spending based on what you think you can afford, and then pay more than is asked for something you really want. Watch how it challenges your beliefs about lack and abundance. These beliefs affect your ability to negotiate and get what you want, with or without money, so confront them and then begin to change them. If you don't do something about your spending beliefs, you may end up like James, unable to enjoy the living you worked so hard to earn.

The Savings Law
Accumulate a surplus from your income so that you realize that there is an abundance and integrate the idea that a part of all you earn is yours to keep. If you insist on continuously spending 100% of your income, Laut predicts you will always be broke regardless of how much you earn. As part of the percentage budgeting system he recommends, he suggests that you open several savings accounts for specific purposes and get disciplined and committed to savings as part of your money plan. This discipline can be a challenge to those in recovery, however it is very rewarding and reinforcing of our personal value and worth.

The Investing Law
Investing goes beyond savings for increasing wealth. It means spending capital in your name for the purpose of increasing your income. "These days the best investment you can make is to start a business of your own doing work you love," claims Laut. That business can start small and teach us many money lessons as it grows. An important rule to remember is never to put all of your money at risk and to return some profits to re-investments, some to celebrate your success and some to your income.

The Cleansing Law
Another principle of prosperity could appropriately become the Fifth Law of Wealth. Catherine Ponder in the Dynamic Laws of Prosperity talks about the importance of making room for the new and good to enter our lives. The Cleansing Law is about cleaning up and cleaning out - because a cluttered life, physically or emotionally, leaves no room for new things or creative ideas to enter. Redefining your thoughts about money, clearing out the unwanted things in your life, handling resentments and upsets so they are resolved, are very important steps to getting the wealth you want in your life. Sound like some of the twelve steps? Those principles seem to work in many areas of life - why not apply them to money?

Immediate gratification. The American society is programmed for a pill to take away the headache, a candy bar for instant energy, a credit card so you can buy what you want right now (never mind that you have to pay for it for months or years to come!). We want what we want and we want it when we want it.

We forget that the world is made of cycles and processes. The lilac bushes needed a season to settle into the earth and send down roots. Nature gives us the wonderful example of seeds needing to build root systems before they sprout above ground and grow into the vegetable, herb, plant, or tree they were meant to be.

When you want to become more of Who You Were Meant To Be, have you been pulling up the roots, replanting in what you thought might be sunnier spots, only to find that you aren't getting the blossoms you yearn for? Perhaps it would be best if you want more of what you can be to take the time to nurture a root system.

Get grounded. Take quiet time in your life to be with yourself. Develop your own root system of knowing who you are, what you believe, what you want. Journal your thoughts and emotions so you can reflect on what you think and feel. Explore through books and seminars the possibilities and potentials available to you. Talk with friends.

Make sure that you are not operating out of anxiousness, frustration, anger, stress or fatigue. The choices we make at emotional times are often not thought out, well processed through our "root system" and therefore don't usually reflect Who We Were Meant To Be. They tend instead to reflect the chaos of the storm going on around us. Allow the storm front to move through and move on. Just notice the emotions, feel them at the moment. There is no need to take action, other than to protect yourself if necessary from the elements that might be dangerous to you. When the storm has passed, the calm settles in. Review what has happened.

Give it all time to process within you before making decisions to sprout into the new business, relationship, home or whatever new directions you are choosing. The Chinese bamboo, Moso, takes several years to build it's root system before ever appearing above ground. However, it's root system is so strong that it will grow to 60 to 75 feet tall in the five years following it's appearance. The bamboo will grow to eight inches in diameter and is a strong and powerful plant.

Gib Cooper is a bamboo gardner. He offers this old bamboo gardner's saying for us to ponder.... The first year they sleep. The second year they creep. The third year they leap!

The target market is so much more diversified and changeable. With a corporate "in-house" seminar, there is a captive audience (sometimes much harder to please because it's not a matter of the audience wanting to be there). With the association annual event, there is at least a specific audience with a strong interest in attending. So in planning a public event, the work begins with a choice of topic and target market - deciding on feasibility first. If you are beginning a business of planning and promoting seminars, study the market carefully - find out who is doing similar seminars in your area or in a similar market. Obtain their brochures (subscribe to one or more business magazines and you'll get lots of mailings on business related seminars).

Study the brochures - what are they selling? for how much? what does the fee include? who are the speakers? And then, if you can, check out the hotel on the day of the seminar. Did it actually run? How many people attended? What were their comments as they stood in the halls during coffee breaks?

The larger nationwide seminar promoters send out millions of brochures, selling twenty seminar dates around the country (looks impressive and saves on separate printings for each city) for an average return of 1 to 2 percent. Can you afford those kinds of direct mail costs?

The more targeted your market, the higher the return on direct mail soliciting. Still, you will need to provide a stimulating topic, known or highly credentialed speakers and reasonable prices to get people to attend. The more personal your topic, the more personal contact will be required to enroll people in the seminar.

Personal growth seminars, especially the intensive weekends which often range in price from $250 to $400 and up, require one to one sales situations. In this case, person to person is more effective than telephone sales for the actual enrollment. Telemarketing is good for qualifying leads and free evening seminars are also good for introducing people to the concepts of personal growth.

Business seminars are more easily sold by direct mail. Although once again, if you are dealing in a higher ticket item, one to one sales and telemarketing are important to increasing your enrollment.

So, you've decided on a topic and target audience. It's six months out from the seminar date - there's a lot to be done NOW! Don't make the mistake of thinking you can do it all in a month or two. Last year, I coordinated the annual Woman to Woman Conference (over 2500 attendees with 200 workshops). We started in September of '83 to plan and prepare for the October '84 conference. The larger the event, the more advance work is required.

SIX MONTHS OUT:
1. Determine topic, audience and location
2. Prepare a budget and determine break-even point and desired goals
3. Find speakers (this may take several weeks to complete)
4. Find and obtain mailing lists for your target audience
5. Design brochure and begin work with artists and copywriters
6. Plan your publicity - remember that magazines, trade journals, etc. have timelines three to four months before publication date
7. Secure a hotel and negotiate a contract
8. Prepare a detailed timeline for the next six months

During the next three months, all the details related to the above steps will be handled. This includes everything from obtaining press kits from speakers, to writing press releases and negotiating articles and interviews - to getting a final layout and proof of the brochure so it's ready to print.

The details of planning a high quality, professional seminar are immense. Confirming speakers, their room set-up needs, their audio-visual needs and printing needs (hand-outs) can be a major task in itself.

Then there is the mailing. Do you have all the lists? Will you mail the same piece twice? (Multiple mailings to the same list can increase your return to 5% or more.) Or will you do an advance general program or notice of event followed by a full registration program? Will it include a cover letter or be a self-mailer? And be sure to allow enough time for the arrival of bulk mail.

Three to two months out from the event, the mailings begin. Logistics need to be confirmed with the hotel. Find out if any weddings, parties or other noisy events (like remodeling) are planned for areas near your meeting room.

THREE - TWO MONTHS OUT:
1. Confirm hotel logistics, including menu, room set-ups, sleeping rooms
2. Order name badges, ribbons, signs, etc.
3. Order registration folders
4. Confirm intervies with media and any arrange for paid advertising
5. Confirm speakers, send brochure/program and verify all details
6. Hire a photographer (if you want action shots for your next brochure)
7. Reserve audio-visual equipment and learn how to use it or hire qualified people

Perhaps one of the most important details is to plan for delays. Something always goes wrong! If you've started your work with plenty of lead time - an illness of the artist or information lost in the mail won't do you in.

Review your timeline regularly (at least weekly) to be sure you've got the details covered. Keep a log of registrations so you can see at a glance how you are doing. Your pre-registration date should be about three weeks prior. A discount on pre-registration should be substantial enough to encourage advance registration. The three weeks out timeline gives you a chance to revise your plan if registrations aren't surpassing your break-even point.

One month out from D-day. Detail is now of primary importance as all of the smaller and vital pieces fall into place.

ONE MONTH OUT:
1. Confirm, confirm, confirm. Speakers, audio-visual staff and/or equipment, hotel logistics (finalize menu, room set-up, etc.)
2. Prepare name badges, registration packets, hand-outs.
3. Send confirmation notices or packets to attendees
4. Implement plan B if necessary to increase registration (telemarketing, special mailing, whatever it takes to get attendance up)
5. Prepare supplies box with all the miscellaneous supplies (see table 1)

Assuming you have enough registrants to surpass your break-even point, now you need to focus on the 'day-of' details. Many of which will need to be confirmed the day before. Much of the detail at this point has to do with familiarizing yourself with the hotel room(s) - everything from lighting outlets to microphone and easels. Know who to call on the hotel staff for heating/cooling problems. Know the fire exits and emergency procedures. Hopefully you will never need them.

The big day has arrived. You arrive at least one hour or more prior to starting time. Make sure the hotel has your seminar properly posted on the marquee in the lobby. Put up your signs and set up the registration table. Double check the room set-up and test run the equipment. Try the sound system and get a level check.

Sit back, take five deep breaths and relax. Get in a cheerful mood to great registrants and speakers. Remember, something is bound to go wrong. However, you have done such a fantastic job of preparing this event that you can handle anything.

When the day is over, distribute evaluation forms, thank the attendees for being there and acknowledge the speakers. Then, when everyone is gone, go have a drink - you deserve it!

Good seminar planning involves evaluation by you, as well as by the participants. What when wrong, what went right. Do this in the next day or two and revise your timeline for the next event. Keep notes as you do along of what you can improve, add or delete from your plans.

If you are considering the busines of seminar promoting, keep in mind that it means running many events in a year and juggling the different stages of planning as you go. It's a difficult business and a very rewarding one. Knowing that you were responsible for making a difference in someone's life - because they received education through your event - is the best reward you can get. However, making a profit at it isn't a bad runner-up.

PATRICIA CLASON's experience spans ten years on both sides of the meeting world, as both a speaker and a meeting planner. She is the owner of Great Ideas! Speakers Bureau and Meeting Planning Consultants, as well as the Center for Creative Learning, a firm specializing in training and human resource development which produces professional and personal growth programs open to the general public.

Many people approach procrastination like a cold, looking for the Vicks 44 or Contact as a quick fix. The most important question about procrastination is not how to fix it, but instead why do we do it? All of the fix it answers provide, at best, temporary solutions to the immediate symptons. Seldom do they cure the cause so it isn't a recurring disease.

Procrastination is a "dis-ease" in our lives in that it creates upset, frustration and anger. In some cases, it slowly eats away at self respect and confidence. In other cases, it is like a common cold, a mild discomfort and irritation that is accepted as a part of life. Fortunately, the causes of procrastination are not as evasive as the cause of the cold. First, let's separate the reasons from the causes.

The reasons we procrastinate are abundant -
.....the task is unpleasant or over whelming.
.....we really want someone else to do it (and if we wait long enough they will).
.....to gain sympathy for our position of overworked and underpaid (the more we don't do, the more we have to do, the more we have to complain about).
..... we're over-committed and can't do one more thing.
.....we operate better under pressure, so last minute deadlines get us moving
.....no one said when it had to be done, so whenever. . .
....."I got so many phone calls, I just didn't have time."
.....and on, and on, and on . .

Under all of these reasons are just two causes for the behavior of "putting off." The first is fear > Fear of what will happen after we complete the task, such as . . .
......they'll find out I'm not good enough for this job because my work isn't up to standards.
.....if I do it once, I just might be expected to repeat the results and I don't know if I can.
.....I'll be responsible for. . . following through, success, failure, etc. . . . and I'm not sure I want the responsibility.

To find out if fear is the cause, simply ask yourself the question, "What will happen if I finish or acccomplish this task?" Listen and be honest with yourself about the answer. Then talk with someone about your concerns and get support and encouragement for handling the situation.

The second cause is anger. It is usually old anger at controlling parents or other authority figures who told us what to do, when to do it and how to do it when we were small or too intimidated to talk back. It felt like being out of control of our lives and resulted in anger, resentment and a determination not to let anyone ever control us once we grew up.

The question to ask here is "Who am I angry at?" Myself, for overcommitting? (That one can also be closely connected to a fear of saying no and getting disapproval.) Am I angry at my boss or spouse--who seems to always be telling me what to do, when to do it and how to do it?

Once again, an important part of the solution is to talk to someone about the feelings. Often, you'll realise that they have nothing to do with present time and the immediate task and your perception of the situation will change. Then your attitude toward the task will be one of enthusiasm or at least a willingness to get it done.

Many books have been written on this subject containing hundreds of fix it solutions. However, I believe that the key is uncovering the cause and communicating the feelings. Then, you can create your own fix it solution tailored to the situation. My experience has been that being aware of the cause allows me to catch the "cold" before it starts--and ounce of prevention is worth a pould of cure--by noticing the feeling I have when I take on a project or agree to an action. That's the time to tell the truth about what I feel and what I really want. Now that's a whole other article, "How to Tell the Boss NO!" P.S. If you are already in the throes of the procrastination "cold" and are looking for the "Contact" quick fix, here's a few suggestions: Take action--do something, anything to get you started, even if it is on something that seems unimportant. Get a sense of completion and accomplishment on something and let that gradually build up your enthusiasm or determination to tackle the biggie.

Eat the elephant one bite at a time--analyze the project and break it into small tasks which you can do, one at a time. This again builds a feeling of completion and success which builds determination and enthusiasm. Reward yourself for accomplishments--create a list of rewards, from free to expensive, all the things that you want to do for yourself. Give yourself one on the completion of a task you've been putting off.

One of the biggest challenges about time management for those who are unemployed, self-employed or self-directed, is the motivation to take action when faced with fear.

Procrastination is very often a result of fear of the result of what might or will happen when we take the action. Fear of interviewing or applying for a job - What if they don't like me? What if I am rejected again? What if I get hired and I can't really do the job? What if I don't make their standards of performance? We aren't used to identifying it because in business, we don't often talk about emotions. The bottom line is fear, somewhere on the spectrum of concern to worry to anxiety to terror.

The usual response to fear is flight, fight or freeze. Most often, when the fear comes from within, we flee or freeze. We don't usually fight against ourselves. We find something else to do, some other busyness to occupy our time, anything but the task we most need to do.

My best advice to the procrastinator is to ask the question "What am I afraid of?" and then tell a trusted advisor, your coach or a good friend what’s going on. They can help you walk through the fear by identifying it and the possible outcomes. Almost 95% of what we fear or worry about never comes to pass! When we know what we are avoiding and why, we can take simple, small steps to face it and accomplish our goals.

1. Do a reality check - What is the likelihood the last outcome will actually happen?
2. Do a resourcefulness check - And if it did happen, what would I do then?
3. Do a reference check - If it did happen, what would that really mean about me, if anything?
4. Check the past - Has that outcome ever happened before? What impact did it have in the bigger picture of my life?
5. Future pace three, five, ten years out - what impact would that outcome have on my life three, five, ten years from now? Would it truly make any difference?
6. Present time - What one simple action could I take right now that would move me out of apathy or inaction into taking control of the situation?
7. Do It!!!
8. Still in that energy of action and after successfully completing one step, make a list of what you need to do next and when you will do it.
9. Communicate that list to your coach, advisor or friend and set up accountability support for continuing to take action.

Online training services like The PricewaterhouseCooper Virtual University and The Employee Training Institute offer cutting-edge convenience to both employers and employees.

Patricia Clason, Director of The Center for Creative Learning, says allowing employees to learn at their own time and pace, rather than forcing them into a rigid schedule, can be the determining factor of whether or not an employee participates in a training program at all. "If Internet training utilizes as many learning intelligences as possible ... and teaches principles so that students can apply them to their unique situations, then Internet learning can and will work," she explains.

Experts say Internet-based training will not likely replace the classroom environment, but can act as an effective learning tool. Traditional classroom training continues to be the choice of many major U.S. corporations, and observers note that one key to success with this approach lies in continuing education. Clason suggests that ongoing classes, which allow employees to express feedback on the learning curve, are more effective than "one-shot" sessions. "Employees then have a chance to combine on-the-job experience and classroom feedback from peers and experts," she explains.

However, new research reveals personal experience wins hands down over seminars and workshops as the best way for employees to develop expertise and good judgment, say Barry Scheckley and Marijke Kehrhahn, professors of educational leadership at the University of Connecticut. They've spent 10 years studying how businesses can help employees grow, and say time and time again employees tell them that experience is the best teacher. Classroom sessions are useful, say Scheckley and Kehrhahn, but they normally don't provide the information employees need to do their jobs.

Clason agrees with the professors' theory. "Experience is the best teacher because it usually impacts a person on all learning levels," she says. "If you are comparing lectures to experience, experience wins hands down." Clason reminds, however, that the most effective training approach will vary from person to person.