As the holiday season of giving comes to a close, there’s still time to make donations to your favorite charities or buy yourself that special gift.

Take the hassle out of your holiday giving this year by donating books or coaching sessions from The Presentation Pros. 

As 2013 comes to a close, take advantage of our once a year two day special pricing on coaching. Our most popular coaching package is 5 hours of coaching for $500.00 but for December 30th and 31st only you can purchase 10 hours of coaching for the same $500.00. All coaching sessions take place via Skype. Whether you wish to donate to your favorite organization or are in need of brushing up on your own presentation skills this is a great coaching package.

To take advantage of this 2 day special offer for coaching click here.

To see our regular donation packages click here.

And don’t forget, it’s also a great way to get a last minute tax deduction. 

Simply purchase the package and fill out our contact form to get started.

On this December 25th 2013 whether you celebrate Christmas or another holiday, I want you to realize what a miracle you are. There are over 6 billion people on this planet and of that 6 billion there is not a single person absolutely identical to you. Even a supposedly identical twin is not exactly like you.

Just like the packages under the Christmas tree, you too are filled with gifts. The challenge is that most of you are not even aware of all the gifts you possess. Or you don’t identify some of your qualities as gifts.

There are really four kinds of gifts.  The gift you truly love, the gift that is comprised of several gifts that all go together, the gift that includes several items none of which go together and the gift you can’t wait to hide or get rid of as soon as the giver of the gift leaves. Let’s take a closer look at all of these.

Gift we love:
Like the package we open and know immediately that we love what’s inside when we see it, we can all identify at least one gift that we possess that we truly treasure. Perhaps you’re a great singer, dancer, artist, or you are great at organizing things, or you’re a great listener etc. Whatever this gift is, it is easy to identify because we are praised for this gift over and over. I have always been praised for my singing. People always ask me to sing at parties etc. and always remark on how much they love my voice. So this is a gift that I know I have.

Gift with many items that go together:
Perhaps you’ve received a scarf, hat and gloves or a teapot, sugar dish and creamer. It’s easy to see that these gifts go together when you see them together. But some of the gifts you have within yourself may not be as easy to identify as the ones in the package. They are there and while they usually support our bigger gifts, they are really gifts on their own. Examples of individual gifts that complement the singing would be perfect pitch, rhythm, intonation, and expression. They all support my primary gift of singing yet all are gifts in themselves. I could have perfect pitch but bad rhythm or great rhythm but be tone deaf.

Gift with many items but nothing seems to go together:
Perhaps you open a gift and inside you find hot chocolate, a thimble, a music CD and incense. They are all very nice by themselves but they really don’t go together. Like being considerate, organized, patient, caring. We often dismiss that these qualities are gifts. We assume everyone has them to one degree or another. I mean after all aren’t we supposed to be this way? Well, not everyone is considerate or patient or organized or caring. These gifts are all independent of each other and yet when you need to relax you suddenly remember that you can get a cup of hot chocolate, put on the music CD, light some incense and do some needlepoint. You all at once have everything you need to relax. Well just as that entire package is all there for you when you need to relax, you can pull together all your consideration, organization, patience and caring when needed as well.

Gift you open and can’t wait to hide or get rid of:
To your horror you open a paint-on velvet picture of Elvis or a grotesque nude statue that your brother’s girlfriend thought you would love because you were an art history major. You smile and thank them for their thoughtfulness but in the back of your mind you are wondering how soon you can hide them away or dispose of them entirely. Perhaps the qualities are: being critical, anal, controlling, chatty Kathy and more. You want to get rid of them and hide them away but what if it turned out they were really gifts in the right situation? I am very critical but I can pack a car in one attempt and edit with great ease. Perhaps you are controlling and use that gift to take charge in a crisis situation. Each of these supposed negative gifts become positive in the right situation.

Can you see how the gift you love might be negative? I often feel as though I am invited to parties only because they want me to sing for free. If I don’t sing they get very upset. Because of this, I often decline to even go. I am sure that is not the only reason I am being invited but that is how I feel in the situation.

Every gift has its time and place but you need every one of them to be uniquely you.

You are here on this planet to manifest your greatness and to share your gifts with others. There is only one YOU. When you are depressed, when you feel unloved, when you feel that you are not special, when your self-esteem is low, remember:

You are the only person on the planet that possesses the specific mix of looks, talents and skills that you and only you have. YOU ARE SPECIAL! In the entire Universe there is only ONE…YOU!

Use the God given talents you have to help yourself and others.

This holiday season as you are busy wrapping up all the gifts you are giving to others spend some time treasuring, nurturing and sharing the gifts you inherently possess.

The package that is YOU, will be the best present you give this season. You are truly the miracle of Christmas. Happy Holidays!

Debbie Darling, ©2013 The Presentation Pros

The holiday season is upon us once again. Is it my imagination or does it come around faster and faster each year? There will be business parties to attend, gifts to buy, cards to be sent, donations to be made-the list goes on and on. How do you juggle your day to day business pressures with the added pressures the holidays bring and still maintain a calm, professional presence?

While this is the time of year for fun and festive celebrations, remember that you still want to convey a professional image.

The key to a successful office party is having a good time while maintaining your credibility. First things first-what should you wear to that office party? Make it simple and classy. For women, nothing gaudy, low cut, too short or holiday themed. 

Going from office to office party can be as easy as changing up your accessories and donning a pair of heels. Look for easy ways to bring some fun into your business attire and yet maintain your professional image. Scarves are a great way to add some holiday colors. Slip out of your blazer and add a lovely wrap instead. Add a bit more makeup and you are good to go. For you men it's as simple as wearing a red tie to celebrate the festivities. Forget those cutesy ties with the reindeer or elves on them. Opt for classy and traditional.

Before you go to the party make sure you have a list of potential topics to discuss to break the ice. You do not want to discuss business. This is your opportunity to get to know your employees and or co-workers better. Don't choose any topics that could create a potential argument. As we all know politics and religion are out of bounds. Ask open ended questions that require a response other than "yes" or "no" and be sure to listen more than you talk.

Don't run the risk of losing your credibility by drinking too much. You don't want to leave the party with a lampshade on your head or come alone and leave with the boss or secretary. I don't want to make you nervous but remember you are being watched at all times. If you're an employee you are being watched closely by management and if you are management you are being watched just as closely by your employees.
 
Your behavior across the board is speaking volumes for you at all times so have fun but be aware. Never post a picture on any social media of anyone at your office party for any reason unless you have the permission of all parties involved. Never gossip or speak unfavorably of any of your coworkers in public. I assure you no matter how discreet you think you are being, you will regret it.
 
When it comes to handling yourself always step into the other person's shoes before you make a decision you might regret later.

Be sure to thank whoever hosted the party and all those in the wings who helped to make it a success. Continue to show your professionalism by thanking them with a hand-written note. I know it takes a bit more time but the message it sends is well worth the effort.

Speaking of notes and cards, make sure you buy quality. Your reputation is on the line. If you are sending holiday greeting cards to your business associates make sure you include a short handwritten message and always sign your name, even if your name is printed on the card. Always be sure to hand-write the address on the card or note and include titles such as Mr. John Smith vs. John Smith.

Gifts. To buy or not to buy that is the question. If you wish to give a gift to your boss let everyone pitch in and make it a group gift. Don't make it too extravagant and definitely do not make it too personal. Making a gift to a direct report is nice but if you do it for one do it for all. Choose non-personal items such as gift certificates, theater tickets, restaurant certificates, food items etc. If you wish to exchange gifts with your co-workers have a holiday grab bag so that everyone is included or else choose a time after work when you can get together with the few coworkers you wish to exchange gifts with. In this way no one feels slighted. Edible gifts are always a good bet.

When giving a gift to a customer or client call their company's HR Department to check on their rules regarding gifts. Avoid potential embarrassment by sending a gift that the customer or client is not able to accept. Make sure that if you receive a gift from an outside source that you let your management know about it as well.

This is also the season where many companies like to make charitable gifts. With regard to this, Emily Post states: "Many companies show their appreciation by giving a donation in the recipient's name. This is a win-win solution. The recipient is glad to be recognized; the company taking the donation makes its appreciation known; and both companies contribute to the greater good of society."

The Presentation Pros has many wonderful packages to choose from.  We look forward to helping you choose the right package for your charitable donations.

Debbie Darling, ©2013 The Presentation Pros