Master speaking skills

Published January 31, 2011 in the Culpeper Star Exponent

They say not to mention religion and politics when involved in business discussions. This may be good advice. However, there is a common quality relevant to success that religion and politics share with success in business.  What could be such a powerful common thread in these diverse areas? An art that is somewhat confounding! It is something that escapes us unless we make a dedicated effort to master it. This is something that we often take for granted until we face the need for it. A skill that is treasured by those who master it and appreciated by those who benefit from it.

President Obama is a great example of having mastered this skill. In fact, regardless of your point of view, everyone agrees that he is a great orator. His public speaking skills can lift partisanship from divided to United as Americans. The content is of course a vital part of the discourse, and yet, his ability to communicate thoughts, plans, strategy, and vision are inspirational.
It is said that the skill in early Greece and Rome were so important that youth were often sent to work with master orators in order to perfect these skills. Demosthenes, a famous statesman of Ancient Greece, is said to have practiced speaking over the sound of the waves along the seashore to improve his speaking skills. This is an almost proverbial extreme and yet an example of the dedication required for improving public speaking skills.

Why is public speaking so feared? I believe that public speaking is one of the most misunderstood skills. We see speakers on TV, in the movies, and at the podium and they sound great…. usually. What happens when we are invited to speak regarding an area of interest? What happens when we are asked to play in a round of golf? The answer is …. It depends! When was the last time that you played golf? Are your clubs up to par… do you have the proper attire? These are all important parts of your golf “game”.

When it comes to public speaking, the questions are very much the same. When was the last time you spoke? Are your skills up to par? Are you focused on you or your audience? Much like a golf swing, a speech delivery is much more effective when you are relaxed and confident. In other words, you need the right tools to be adequate, you need practice to be good, and you need feedback to be great.

It would be perfect if there were a group of public speakers that would gather to challenge each other to speaking greatness. They would need to meet regularly, offering an opportunity to deliver speeches in a “safe” setting. The meetings would need to be structured, quick, and orderly. They would need to be encouraging in learning different speaking skills, from basics to advanced entertainment. Sound good?

Check out the Culpeper Toastmasters and sharpen your skills if you considering public office, moving your career in a new direction, or taking sales to a new level in the new year. Relaxed, Confident… Fun

Jim Charapich President & CEO
Culpeper Chamber of Commerce & Visitor's Center

Town-county agreement brings us opportunity

Published January 24, 2011 in the
Culpeper Star Exponent

 

They were calling for snow; it was dark and cold outside, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello to the South, James Madison’s Montpellier to the East, George Washington’s Mt. Vernon to the North, when leaders from a small community, Culpeper, Virginia, met to commence an epic milestone for the people that they represent. Their place in time, a confluence of experience and providence setting the stage for a moment of remarkable leadership and courage.

Many had tried in the past and felt the sting of drawbacks, as if there were inevitable barriers to success. Though the drawbacks seemed as if they were failures, in truth, they were a foundation, a path that could be followed toward finding a solution. Despite the fog of the past, there were those who persevered, in the vision that had laid the foundation of progress, with an enduring fortitude for success.

The County Board of Supervisor Tom Underwood read the motion for the Board of Supervisors, the motion seconded without delay; Chairman Chase called the vote, Ayes All. Councilman Dave Lochridge read the motion for the Culpeper Town Council, motion seconded without delay; Mayor Coleman called for the vote, Ayes All. 16-0 was the count, yes we support moving forward with the Joint Town and County Water & Sewer agreement. Rarely are there cheers in a public meeting of the Town Council or the Board of Supervisors. However, this was no ordinary evening – as if the Culpeper team had just scored the winning touchdown in a regional championship, the crowd cheered with heartfelt congratulations!

There are a few steps forward and there are details to be worked out. However, we are on the right track. An agreement would support opportunities for job creation and economic improvement. We face external challenges that are significant with competition for jobs from very focused regional and global sources. Now is the time to take inventory of our joint Town & County strengths and find ways to leverage them for our best result.

We are very proud of the Culpeper Board of Supervisors and the Culpeper Town Council. We are especially appreciative of the leadership of the Town Manager Jeff Muzzy and staff, and The Culpeper County Administrator Frank Bossio and staff. Our investment in the Water & Sewer issue has been a challenging with many hours contributing to current solutions. We now have an opportunity to build on this success by devoting our resources to emerging issues.

We have an opportunity to find solutions to reducing foreclosures, shoring up real estate values, bringing our tax revenues to needed levels. We have an opportunity to focus on the potential for another reservoir, strengthening our water supply for future generations. We have an opportunity to support our schools and teachers, providing additional resources in enhancing the education of our youth. “If it is going to be it is up to me” – Brian Tracy – It is up to us to move us forward. Great job TC and BOS…

From here to shining seas

Published in the January 20, 2011 Culpeper Times -"Made in the Piedmont" monthly column

What do the Olympic Games, the Titanic, and Oil from the Gulf of Mexico have in common? More importantly what do they have in common with the Virginia Piedmont? It is interesting to find that many of our neighbors, friends, and family are part of global events in ways that are surprising.  The Virginia Piedmont is rich with manufactures of world class products. There are times that we drive by a facility and just take it for granted. We say “Oh that is XYZ” but we never really know what they do, what they make, and where the products go. “Made in the Piedmont” will go behind the scenes to bring the best of our area to a new appreciation.

When we talk about economic development, we often think of attracting new businesses to our area. However, there is no better way to build our local economy than to recognize and support our existing businesses. They are the companies that have supported our tax base and provided employment for decades. They are community partners ready to support our schools, clubs, and civic organizations. Why are they here, why do they stay, what is it about our area that is attractive? “Made in the Piedmont” will help to answer some of these questions.

One such story is Tyco Electronics/  Rochester Wire & Cable LLC , located in the Town of Culpeper, Virginia. The layout and architecture of the facilities are reminiscent of stately corporate offices with beautifully manicured grounds and colonial brick buildings, a warm facade to a very technical and sophisticated manufacturing facility. The facility has been in Culpeper since the 1940’s, however, Tyco Electronics/  Rochester Wire & Cable LLC originally started life in 1794 in Maryland making ropes out of manila and other fibers for sailing ships.

The plant converted from making synthetic ropes to industrial cables in the 1940’s in order to meet the needs of the military.
Today, the company operates a 400,000 square foot manufacturing facility that makes state of the art cables, employing approx 175 employees as a major employer. The facility is situated on 43 acres with easy access to rail and truck routes. Many of the products are shipped to the Port of Virginia in Norfolk, Virginia, and destined for foreign markets.

The names of the cables that are produced today are a good indicator of their technical sophistication. Names like Side Scan Sonar Tow Cables, Electro-Optic Tow Cables, Armored Mining Cables, Single Conductor CTD and Instrumentation Cables, ROV & Plow Umbilical Cables, Offshore Oil Cables, Coaxial Cables, TV Inspection Cables, and Multi Conductor Instrumentation Cables are just the surface of their technical nature. The manufacture of these cables requires expertise in special metals, coatings, and communications in order to meet the needs for very interesting uses. 

Recently,  an RMS Titanic, Inc  salvage expedition teamed up with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute to develop a three dimensional map of one of the most famous ship wrecks in history, the Titanic. According to P.H Nargeolet, quoted in a newsvine.com story, “Never before have we had the scientific and technological means to discover so much of an expedition to the Titanic”. Imagine… part of the technology used in this expedition were cables produced by Tyco Electronics/  Rochester Wire & Cable LLC to control devices for the research at these great depths and extreme temperatures. From 6,000 meters below sea level, Tyco Electronics/  Rochester Wire & Cable LLC is technologically equipped to meet these tough challenges. Each cable is designed, developed, and manufactured to rigid specifications tailored to the particular application. In this case, researching an historic event was made possible in part due to the talent, engineering, and quality produced at Tyco Electronics/  Rochester Wire & Cable LLC.

When the Olympic Games took place in Beijing, China, the world watched every event as if it were next door. The clarity of the images was sharp and we simply turned on our computers or TV’s to watch the athletes compete. In order for part of this to occur the images were communicated thru cables that traversed the Ocean floors from the US to China. The communication cables were produced and laid on the ocean floor by Subcom a sister company in the Tyco family . Components of the cables were made at the Culpeper plant.
Tyco’s new technologies have focused on optical fiber for data transmission. The Tyco Electronics/  Rochester Wire & Cable LLC’s STEEL-LIGHT® was developed to meet the challenges posed by harsh environments and rigorous operational scenarios. Cables utilizing the STEEL-LIGHT® product meet the hydrostatic pressures encountered at full ocean depth and endure the mechanical stresses imposed during the repeated flexure affiliated with dynamic systems. Sounds amazing…

We recently watched as the oil was flowing from a broken oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. The work to solve the problem took a great deal of ingenuity. Yes, the cables communicating with the robotics at the ocean floor from the top of the oil rig and used to close the leak were cables made by Tyco Electronics/  Rochester Wire & Cable LLC.

These are just a few of the ways that our local products made at Tyco Electronics/  Rochester Wire & Cable LLC are being used for global solutions. However, the most interesting part of the story is that the products are being made by our friends, family, and neighbors here in the Piedmont of Virginia. Pride in the employees of Tyco Electronics/  Rochester Wire & Cable LLC … wow – yes. Their work is amazing, cool, and so important to our world. It is great to know that they are “Made in the Piedmont”!

Best regards,
Jim Charapich
President & CEO
Culpeper Chamber of Commerce & Visitor's Center

E-Squared program helps students stay a step ahead

Published January 17, 2011 in the Culpeper Star Exponent

"It Drives America” and it is right here in Culpeper. We have worked to develop the program year after year for close to a decade.

The program development is as much a testament to our community as the program itself. The leadership of Career Partners, Inc. has been a steady force in bringing business and education together in order to encourage our high school students to understand business principles.

The E-Squared program is recognized throughout the state with high regard by business, government, and educational leaders for its unique community collaboration and entrepreneurial focus.

As I watched the latest film regarding the story of Facebook, one scene reminded me of the E-Squared program. The scene was staged in the office of the President of Harvard University. Two students were making their case regarding ownership in Facebook. The president looked at the students and said something like “every student at Harvard is trying to invent something. Our students prefer to create their own wealth, rather than work for someone else to obtain it.”

E-Squared operates by the very same principle in many respects. The students are asked to work with a team of other students to create a product and win a panel of faux Venture Capital judges that their project is worth funding.
The concept seems simple and yet it is very complex. Through some very talented leadership of educators, business, and government leaders in Culpeper, the students are offered a detailed program toward this result.
Over 50 business leaders are involved as judges and subject matter experts during the program. Our school educators in the Career and Technical Department of the Culpeper County High Schools weave the program thru a class curriculum beginning in January and culminating in a final competition in April. This is a challenging process. It requires discipline, creativity, and a lot of courage by the students to make such presentations to business leaders.

The E-Squared competition has a big reward for the student team that wins the competition. Each of the four to six team members of the winning team is offered scholarship dollar commitments of up to $5,000 each this year. The funds that are on the line total up to $30,000. The scholarships are funded 100 percent by contributions from local business. A tough economy has not been able to hold our business community back from supporting this program. This is a huge commitment and evidence that our business community is very interested in the success of our youth. 

As I pointed out, Hollywood ascribes such high value to entrepreneurship in the Facebook Movie - Harvard University setting.

Culpeper has positioned our high school students to stay a step ahead of their peers at the high school level by learning the basics of a business plan, marketing plan, financial plan, and public speaking. With nearly 160 students participating in the program this year, the competition will be very exciting.
The 2011 E Squared program officially kicked off last week, go to www.ESquaredCulpeper.com for a robust description of the program.

Jim Charapich is the President/CEO of the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce.  jcharapich@culpepervachamber.com.

Challenge: Lose 20 lbs. before May 1

One of my passions is fitness. Thus, I am a certified Spinning instructor and teach at local fitness facilities. As I researched goals and resolutions for this past week's Spinning class, I found that weight loss was a primary goal and a common New Year resolution. However, I also found that in many cases the resolution is short lived. Thus, I have decided to study the issues surrounding weight loss and throw down a challenge to loose 20 lbs before May 1st, 2011. This year I have framed the process differently than I have "unsuccessfully" in years past. What am I doing differently?

First, as I prepared for my Spinning classes this past week I called my class - Resolutions 2 REVolutions: How big is your WHY? The more that I think about the WHY, the more I have come to respect the WHY part of the formula? Goals and resolutions are great and yet, will they be enough to bridge the challenges in achieving them? NO, It is essential to have as many answers to WHY as there are fears, doubts, and obstacles to the challenge.

In fact, as I peel away the WHY looking for THE answer - I find that it takes a powerful WHY to sustain the motivations. If your goal for 2011 is weight loss, what is your WHY? How BIG is it? Will you be motivated to stay on goal to better health through a responsible weight loss plan? WHY? 

As I suggested, a responsible plan is essential to sustaining a healthy weight loss strategy. Weight loss is not simply about losing weight, it is about a healthy lifestyle, including exercise and smart food choices. In addition to establishing my WHY, part of my plan is to take advantage of "Drop It! The 2011 Healthy Living Challenge" offered by the Culpeper Regional Health System and Germanna Community College.

The program is a 12-week Healthy Living and Weight Loss Challenge. Registration begins Saturday, January 15, 2011. To register, complete the registration form at CulpeperHealth.org, return it to the Powell Wellness Center, and weigh-in by Saturday, January 29, 2011, or register and weigh-in at the Health Fair on Saturday, January 29, 2011 to be held at Germanna's Daniel Technology Center here in Culpeper.

What can your weight loss do for the community? Your weight loss during the 12-week challenge will benefit allied health and nursing programs in our region up to $50 per pound according to CRHS (a great WHY, plus there are prizes to win....). For each pound participants lose, a designated amount will be donated to these programs on your behalf! At $50 a pound, the 2010 12-Week Healthy Living Challenge raised $156,610 with a total of 3,132.2 pounds lost by 275 participants who completed the challenge.

Business offices can also participate as a group for some friendly competition with other businesses. The Culpeper Chamber of Commerce office is ready to sign up and looks forward to any challengers....

Form a SMART plan for resolutions

Published January 3, 2011 in the Culpeper Star Exponent

 

“Great actions are not always true sons of great and mighty resolutions.” Samuel Butler (1612-1680).  In other words, resolutions need action to be meaningful off spring of our intentions.  I have enjoyed reading the resolutions of my friends on Facebook, some of which are the normal popular “resolutions”, some are fun, some are truly inspired, some are simply poetic, and others… I worry about, LOL.

In researching the most popular resolutions, I found a list published by Uncle Sam at USA.gov as follows:  1) Drink Less Alcohol, 2) Get a Better Education, 3) Get a Better Job, 4) Get Fit, 5) Lose Weight, 6) Manage Debt, 7) Manage Stress,  8) Quit Smoking Now,  9) Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, 10) Save Money, 11) Take a Trip, 12) Volunteer to Help Others (think United Way). These are all good. They may even be great if they apply to you. What would it be like to have great resolutions become a mighty reality?

There are many definitions for the word “resolution”. According to Wikipedia, there are definitions for resolution that relate to Law, Logic, Debate, Music, and many others. My favorite in the context of New Years is not the one that Wiki suggests for New Year resolution – “a commitment that an individual makes at New Year's Day”. Rather, my favorite is the definition for resolution that relates to measurement, specifically “image resolution” – “a measure of the amount of detail in an image”.

Our resolutions are really images of what we would like to see in our future. Therefore, our resolutions are more like images. If the image is vague and unclear then the path to success is blurry and success is unlikely. However, if you define a very detailed mental picture of each New Year resolution, then success is more likely. One way to turn your resolutions into a personal improvement revolution is to picture your goal in a SMART image frame.

What is a SMART frame: First revolutionize your resolution with Specific’s – what does it look like – really spend some time here. Have fun with it. Write pages and pages, brain storming the specifics. If a resolution is weight loss – how will it feel to fit into those smaller clothes in your closet? How will it feel to have more energy? When will you look great? Next, make it Measureable. Is there a phone app to make it easy? Is the goal Attainable? You know your potential…. Make sure that it is Realistic. And finally, is the goal Trackable?

Follow the acronym for each goal to revolutionize your results this year with Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Trackable framed goals.  Upgrade the megapixels in your mental camera and picture clear details of your actions to personal improvement this year.

We love New Year’s Resolutions. We feel like the slate is clean and we have a new beginning. Take advantage of the momentum, frame the picture, focus the lens… Action!!!!