Executive Club Newsletter

August 2008

New Community Resource:

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

by Jeannette Beck

Thursday
August 21 Champaign Country Club
11:30 a.m.:  Registration and Networking
11:45 a.m.:  Buffet Opens
12:15 p.m.:  Mtg/Program

The quote by Dr. Suess “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go” exemplifies the philosophy of The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Illinois. Kathleen Holden, Director of OLLI will present the August program. She will talk about OLLI and what it offers to the community.

OLLI is supported by the Bernard Osher Foundation, and is part of a national network that recognizes learning has no age limits. Through a rich array of lifelong learning opportunities, members are inspired to take a fresh look at themselves, their world, and the possibilities that await them.

OLLI at Illinois is a member-led community of peers. It provides its members with a number of special "perks" and will offer them exciting courses, a wellness program, and educational trips, as well as small-group discussion opportunities, a meeting place and special events.

Think of it... no tests and no grades, just learning for the joy of it, among friends!

Source: OLLI Illinois Website

Registrations are due by noon on Monday, August 18. Please indicate if you are bringing a guest. Contact the Treasurer with questions about registration. Register online now!

Pre-register online and send a check for $15 to ECCC, P.O. Box 61, Champaign, IL 61824-0061 OR pre-register online and pay on day of luncheon.

*Remember, there will be a $5 late fee for reservations received after the Monday Noon deadline. Attendees with late or no reservations will be permitted to attend as seating is available.

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Who Packed Your Parachute?

President’s Message

by Jayne DeLuce

The timing was perfect to come across this excerpt from “Aim for the Heart” by Tom Mathews. I’m fortunate to work with some folks, whom I’ll refer to as “quiet leaders” since they do so much work behind the scenes without a lot of fanfare, especially during a time of chaos, excitement, and trepidation within UI Campus Recreation! Reading this excerpt reminded me to take a moment and thank these people – often! Perhaps you have folks in your organization for whom you could do the same? Have a good week – and see you at the August 21 meeting!

Who Packed Your Parachute?

As a leader, do you honor and appreciate the power of WE? Do you stop to thank and recognize the members of your team? Do you consistently show an attitude of gratitude?

I recently read a great story about Captain Charles Plumb, a graduate from the Naval Academy, whose plane, after 74 successful combat missions over North Vietnam, was shot down. He parachuted to safety, but was captured, tortured and spent 2,103 days in a small box-like cell.

After surviving the ordeal, Captain Plumb received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit and two Purple Hearts, and returned to America and spoke to many groups about his experience and how it compared to the challenges of every day life.

Shortly after coming home, Charlie and his wife were sitting in a restaurant. A man rose from a nearby table, walked over and said, "You’re Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"

Surprised that he was recognized, Charlie responded, "How in the world did you know that?" The man replied, "I packed your parachute." Charlie looked up with surprise. The man pumped his hand, gave a thumbs-up, and said, "I guess it worked!"

Charlie stood to shake the man’s hand, and assured him, "It most certainly did work. If it had not worked, I would not be here today." Charlie could not sleep that night, thinking about the man. He wondered if he might have seen him and not even said, "Good morning, how are you?" He thought of the many hours the sailor had spent bending over a long wooden table in the bottom of the ship, carefully folding the silks and weaving the shrouds of each chute, each time holding in his hands the fate of someone he didn’t know.

Plumb then began to realize that along with the physical parachute, he needed mental, emotional and spiritual parachutes. He had called on all these supports during his long and painful ordeal.

As a leader, how many times a day, a week, a month, do we pass up the opportunity to thank those people in our organization who are "packing our parachutes?"

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Art, Conversation & Dessert

September 11, 2008

by Laura Frerichs

Enjoy beautiful artwork, intellectual discussion of art, delectable pastries and take home a handmade ceramic mug!

ECCC invites you to a reception and educational event on Thursday, September 11, 2008 from 5:30-7:00 pm at the Parkland Art Gallery.

The event begins with appetizers, pastries and coffee to be enjoyed in a handcrafted ceramic mug that you choose. These ceramic mugs were created by a Parkland art student or faculty member. Carolyn Baxley, Owner of Cinema Gallery in Urbana, will discuss being in the business of art and how to collect art for your home & office. Lisa Costello, Parkland Art Gallery Director, will discuss the gallery and current exhibit by faculty.

The cost is $25 (this includes your mug!) for ECCC members, if you bring a prospective new member as your guest the cost is $5. Please RSVP on the ECCC website or by contacting Laura Frerichs at lauraf@fox-companies.com.

The Parkland Art Gallery is located in the center of the campus. We suggest using the M parking lots. Enter through any door and follow the ramps uphill to the highest point, where the gallery is located. For a map of the parking lots go to http://www.parkland.edu/welcome/maps/parkinglots.pdf. Using this map go between the M and P buildings past the outdoor fountain and into the building. Make a left when you come into the building and the gallery is on the left. The gallery windows overlook the outdoor fountain area.

We hope you will be able to come to learn more about art appreciation, view a wonderful exhibit of artwork by Parkland faculty members and then take home your own piece of art.

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ECCC Annual Bus Trip

Wednesday, October 8

by Hope Wheeler

Only 13 spots remaining! So sign up right away for this year’s bus trip.

On October 8^th we will be heading to downtown Chicago for a morning of shopping followed by a trip back to Cadillac Palace Theatre to see the U.S. Premiere of Dirty Dancing.
Driving will be left up to the Monticello Bus Service so we can sit back, relax, and enjoy each other’s company. Breakfast will be provided on the way up, and we will have wine and snacks on the way back. Departure will be, without delay, at 7:30 a.m., and we will arrive back in Champaign between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m.

Currently we are only accepting reservations for ECCC members. If spots are still available closer to the event date, the opportunity will be opened up to guests. The cost of the trip is $100 per person if registered by September 1; after September 1, the cost will increase to $120. If you have signed up already but have not paid, please send your money in right away to keep your spot reserved. I look forward to hearing from 13 more members. Do not miss out on this great trip!

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Member Profile

Linda Ayers

Linda Ayers is CPA at Clifton Gunderson in Champaign. She grew up in Tulsa, OK. When asked what her most vivid memories of childhood included she said an Arkansas River flood. She was in elementary school at the time and the children had to put the furniture & books up off the floor. At home her family moved all their furniture over to her grandmother’s house & sandbagged. She remembers practicing the piano, standing up, with a mattress behind her. The water did not get in their house, but it created a lake in their street that all the kids played in.

Linda favorite activities include gardening, especially flowers, spending time with her grandchildren, skiing and traveling. She likes listening to oldies particularly the 60’s because it brings back good memories. She enjoys movies that end on a positive note and especially enjoys musicals. You may not know that Linda was an elementary school teacher (2nd grade) prior to obtaining her accounting degree & CPA. She taught in Oklahoma and in Fisher, IL. Another interesting fact is that she is a voting member of the Cherokee tribe.

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July Speaker Summary

Art of Public Speaking

Last month we learned from Jody Littleton, Parkland College’s Executive Director of Community Relations and former communications faculty member about speech anxiety and how to deal with it.

There are several causes of speech anxiety. The number one cause of stage fright is worrying that you will be a failure and look foolish in front of others. Speech anxiety could be based on a negative experience speaking in public that you had when you were younger or the belief that your speech has to be perfect. Some people are anxious because they don’t have enough practice or knowledge of how to give a speech. Others may be at ease in some situations but in others they might be nervous.

There are several techniques you can easily use to help reduce your anxiety. A very easy one is to remember to take some deep breaths. When you become excited your breathing usually becomes shallow which causes your heart to race as your body prepares to go into flight or fight mode. If you spend several minutes taking some deep “belly” breaths it will help you calm your emotions, physical sensations, and can improve your concentration and energy level.

Another technique is to retrain your mind to think positively about public speaking. If you notice that little voice inside your head making negative statements about the speaking event such as “Everyone will see how nervous I am!” counter it with a positive coping statement such as "My audience will not notice my nervousness, focusing on nervousness takes away from my concentration.”

Mental rehearsal is another valuable technique to help you prepare for your speech. Mental rehearsal is based on the idea that our body responds to what our minds tell it. If you have positive images of the speaking situation then we will have positive feelings and anxiety will be limited. The mental rehearsal process begins with you being in a comfortable position closing your eyes and taking three deep abdominal breaths. Then begin mentally picture in as much detail as possible, yourself as the speaker preparing and delivering the speech. Remember mental rehearsal DOES NOT take the place of real rehearsal.

Physical exercise is an established method to reduce stress. You may use exercise to reduce your stress in general but may not have thought of it as a way to reduce anxiety before a speech. A study was done showing 10 minutes of vigorous bicycling prior to speech caused the speakers to experience fewer physical symptoms, disfluencies, and negative moods than speakers who did not exercise. So take a short walk, run up and down the stairs or do some stretching exercises before your speech!

One area that causes a lot of anxiety for people is talking to the media. As in any speaking situation the more prepared you are ahead of time the less anxious you tend to be. Here are some tips you can use to prepare to speak to the media:

Be prepared ahead of time for questions and stick to your planned responses. The media can only print or air what you give to them.

State your point and STOP talking- Reporters may try to use silence to make you uncomfortable and say too much. Make your point, add a piece of supporting material and then STOP. Use KISS (Keep It Short Simple)

Be careful with agreeing to paraphrased statements – a reporter may try to put words into your mouth and get you to agree to a more controversial statement. Counteract with “What I actually said was…”

Focus on positives. Conflict is news; the routine isn’t. Reporters often frame their questions to bring out the conflict in a story. State your position in positive terms; don’t repeat any negative words in the reporter’s question.

Do not respond to hypothetical questions.

Say no comment gracefully by using this process:

I can’t discuss that. Here’s why I can’t discuss that.... This is what I can discuss.

A reporter’s first responsibility is to readers, viewers or listeners. An interviewer has a job to do and it’s not fair to put a media friendship to the test.

Be friendly, but don’t be lulled into flippancy or forced humor. Assume everything you say to a reporter (even in a social situation) may appear in print.