Schuetz

The lifeblood of your business organization is your hard-working employees. Without them, your company would come to a crashing halt. It is a sound investment to provide training seminars for them. With an increase in knowledge comes greater worker confidence and increases in employee performance, which will affect your company's bottom line in positive ways. There are many types of seminars available, including sales seminars and accounting seminars, both of which would improve efficiency in those divisions. There are many national seminars available, which offer beneficial training, but the problem can be the cost if your desired trainer lives across the country or even in another country. One way to provide excellence in employee training without breaking the bank is through the use of online training. Online classes work very well for employee training for several compelling reasons.

Because the use of the Internet, you are not limited in your selection of trainers for your seminars. Outstanding nationally recognized speakers and trainers provide online training in addition to live seminars. They can speak and expertly address any training need you may have. You will discover online training that covers such topics as mentoring, ethics, interpersonal and leadership skills, negotiation, team building, public speaking, business writing and even time and stress management, which can be appropriate for every employee. However, if specialized training is required, you can find expert trainers ready to teach your employees new skills in the areas of human resources, health care and industrial training, accounting, management and so many more.

Because of the online method of delivery, any training you provide your employees is available to all who have Internet access. Online seminars, or webinars, can be live and recorded. The benefit of a live webinar is that they also often come with a telephone number, so that you can call in, making for an interactive experience. The advantage of a recorded webinar is your employees' ability to replay it as many times as they wish, which will help improve retention and comprehension of the material presented.

The scheduling of a live on-site seminar can be complicated, especially if you want all of your employees to attend. You would need to essentially shut down the business for an entire day or even more in order for your employees to participate. This is not the case with an online class, and especially if it is recorded. You could have certain divisions attend in a group setting, and rotate through all of your divisions so work can still continue.

Jonathon Blocker is nationally recognized for training new managers in vital leadership skills and increasing the productivity of sales teams. His seminars help to develop the leadership skills of your workforce. Investing in communication skills training for your employees and managers is a sensible business decision. The great deal of flexibility available when the content is online will help more of your employees take advantage of the training without shutting down operations completely in order to do so.

There are generally two types of people who seek out swim help for their triathlon swim (and become Tri Swim Coach subscribers!):

A) Novice. This person hardly swims. They have not done a race yet or have done one but floundered. They may sink when trying to kick on their side. Or they may not be able to swim at all!

B) Advanced Beginner/Intermediate: This person has done a few races but feels like they don't "get" the swim portion. They feel like they don't have the endurance and feel wiped out after a long swim.

Both A & B types should spend some time on the basic drills: kicking on your side and shark fin drill. These will help to improve your balance in the water, which ALL of us, as humans, need to work on.

However, A-types should spend more time on these basic drills. Keep practicing until you feel more balanced in the water. Use Zoomers fins at first. Take a whole month to master these drills if you have to before moving on to more advanced drills and swimming sets.

B-types should move on to more advanced drills after working on the basics for a week or two. The focus should shift to Fist drill and Fingertip Drag to further improve stroke technique. At this point you can start mixing in some swimming.

Here's a general sample training program for each type:

A-Type Triathlete (Novice)
14-week training plan for next race.

Weeks 1-2: Side kicking and shark fin drills (no swimming!)
Weeks 3-4: Practice the more advanced drills with some swimming mixed in (75% drills, 25% swimming)
Weeks 5-6: Drills combined with swimming (50% drills, 50% swimming), while building yardage slowly.
Weeks 7-10: Work on building up yardage, and on some interval training (75% swimming, 25% drills)
Weeks 11-12: Continue to build yardage, and work on intervals (80% swimming, 20% drills)
Weeks 13-14: Taper. Back off intensity and yardage (80% swimming, 20% drills)

B-Type Triathlete (Advanced Beginner/Intermediate)
12-week training plan for next race.

Weeks 1-2: Start with basic balance drills and move to more advanced drills, slowly adding in swim strokes (80% drills, 20% swimming)
Weeks 3-6: Build yardage. (75% swimming, 20% drills)
Weeks 7-10: Peak training. Keep building your yardage, and lowering your intervals. (90% swimming, 10% drills)
Weeks 11-12: Taper. Back off yardage and intervals. Focus on technique. (90% swimming, 10% drills)

Keep in mind, never sacrifice technique for speed! If you feel your stroke is slipping or if you are not ready to advance to the next level, keep hammering the drills! There is no hurry!

The above are very generalized training plans. You will have to be the judge and adjust accordingly for your level and your goals.

The upcoming interactive log product will help organize your plan further, but you can start now with the plans and drills in the Complete Guide.

Happy training!

Kevin operates the website Tri Swim Coach, a resource for beginning through intermediate level triathletes looking for help with swimming. The site features a free email newsletter offering tips and articles on triathlon swimming. Kevin has also written an electronic book titled The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming which is sold on his website in downloadable form.

Texas is one of many states with thousands, possibly millions, of its residents suffering from chronic pain. Overall, chronic pain will affect between 15% and 33% of the U.S. population every year, and cost the nation $70 billion in medical charges, lost working days, and workers' compensation -- more than cancer and heart disease combined.

Chronic pain can be induced by a variety of situations, including work-related injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, neurological disorders, joint disease, migraines, and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Most chronic pain is located in the back, hip, and/or shoulders. Particularly with the proper health insurance coverage, however, these conditions can be effectively treated and, if not cured, at least managed. Texas is filled with clinics and doctors specializing in pain management -- from Austin, to Dallas, to Houston.

While acute pain can be beneficial -- warning, or forcing, us to stop an activity before we injurey ourselves further -- it is quite different from chronic pain. Acute pain occurs on a temporary basis, such as when spraining an ankle, or even when breaking a bone. Pain is considered chronic when it has occurred either continually, or intermittently, over a period longer than six months.

One of the major frustrations with chronic pain is that so many in Texas, and across the United States, do not respond to treatment. Because many of the cases are work-related injuries, valuable workers in cities like Houston, Dallas, and Austin are being lost. Even the strongest medications don't always work, and physicians are still not sure why. According to Dr. Zena Quezado, chief of the Department of Anesthesia and Surgical Services at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, it could be due to genetic makeup. Different enzymes metabolize these medications, and not everyone has the same enzymes, nor do they work in the same way. Varying levels of pain are also reported after the exact same procedure or injury.

Such conditions of chronic, seemingly untreatable pain can lead to anxiety, fear, depression, lack of activity, and unemployment. Its management, then, is arguably one of the most pressing health issues today throughout Texas and the rest of the United States.

While treating the various aspects of pain, including the psychological aspects, are critical, the following will focus on the major holistic forms of physical (versus psychological) treatment for chronic pain. Many health insurance policies will even cover certain treatments with the right referrals. Much of the information has been adapted from Prescriptions for Natural Healing by James F. Balch, M.D., and Phyllis A Balch, C.N.C. As always, consult a qualified health practitioner before undergoing any treatment.

(1) Acupuncture

Most acupuncture treatments performed in the United States are on victims of chronic pain, many of them back pain sufferers. An ancient Chinese practice, acupuncture is based on the belief that energy (or chi) flows through the body along certain pathways called meridians. When the flow of that energy is disturbed, unbalanced, or otherwise obstructed, pain can result. The focus of acupuncture treatments for pain, then, is to return the normal flow of energy, thereby reducing, or eliminating pain. This treatment has no known side effects, is found to be quite relaxing for most patients, and is often accompanied by herbs based on formulas thousands of years old.

Most Westerners are not accustomed to believing in a medicine that bases its principles on the flow of unseen energy, but, whatever one's personal beliefs, acupuncture seems to work. Even the National Institutes of Health reported acupuncture as "beneficial" for chronic and acute pain. Further studies have indicated its effectiveness for carpal tunnel syndrome, and that it may increase immune response, as well as stimulate the production of endorphins, a natural pain killer produced by the body. In China, certain surgeries are performed with acupuncture as their primary form of anesthesia.

(2) Chiropractic Care

Spinal manipulation is considered a "proven treatment" for lower back pain by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Though chiropractic care is effective for many conditions, treating disorders of the back and spine are, by far, the most common reason for seeking out such a practitioner.

Chiropractors focus on the spinal cord itself, believing that, if the spinal cord is able to relay unadulterated signals to the brain and other organs, then healthy function can be maintained throughout the body. Through careful adjustment of misplaced vertebrae, the spinal cord can regain its usual impulse signaling. This enables the body to restore normal nerve function -- thereby reducing or eliminating pain, and heal itself of other ailments.

(3) Massage therapy

Massage is a specific type of body work, and focuses on the manipulation of muscles and soft body tissues. It works through the promotion of muscle relaxation, by increasing circulation in the lymphatic system (thus reducing inflammation), breaking up scar tissue and adhesions, promoting blood flow and, in the case of sinus problems or certain migraines, by promoting drainage of the sinuses. For back pain sufferers, massage therapy may be instrumental in managing pain without, or with fewer, medications. Strong anecdotal evidence, obtained from thousands of practitioners' experiences, suggests that massage therapy may also help to realign tissues, tendons, and vertebrae.

Deep tissue massage is designed to release chronic muscular tension, and is generally applied with a fair amount of pressure on the affected area. There are numerous forms of massage, however, and, with so many choices, it may be best to do some research first. Look up a reputable natural health site online, or visit your local library.

(4) Herbs

Herbs are often classified in a separate category from Western medicines, and for good reason. Herbs are plant-based remedies, with no artificial or laboratory ingredients. But herbs and Western medications operate on the same principle: that, through the ingestion or application of certain substances, a desired effect may be achieved. Some herbs are very strong, or should not be taken with certain conditions, such as high blood pressure or allergies. Certain herbs, though with promising research results, are also controversial, such as marijuana. Though believed by many in the medical community to be highly effective in managing pain, it is still illegal in most states. Therefore, treat herbs as medications and never use them without consulting a knowledgeable health practitioner first.

For muscle spasms and cramps, angelica, black haw, cramp bark, kava kava, rosemary and valerian root are excellent choices. Hops, kava kava, passion flower, valerian root, wild lettuce, and wood betony also have muscle relaxing properties.

Relieve tension and nerve pain with blue violet, catnip, chamomile, gotu kola, licorice, rosemary, white willow, or wood betony teas. Use chamomile and licorice on a short-term basis only.

Capsaicin, a primary ingredient in capsicum (or cayenne pepper) can relieve pain through limiting the production of the vaguely named neural pain transmitter "substance P." Capsaicin can be taken orally, or used topically when mixed with a carrier oil or cream. Studies with capsaicin have been used to treat pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and cluster headaches.

Essential oils of jasmine, juniper, lavender, peppermint, rose, rosemary, and thyme can be used to relieve pain. Never ingest essential oils, and always apply topically with a carrier oil, such as jojoba or almond.

Chronic pain, though at times beyond frustrating, can be a manageable condition. With proper treatment, sound research, and good decision making, even most of the worst cases can at least be improved. If you suffer from chronic pain, be persistent about pursuing different types of treatment until you find one that helps. After all, you are the one experiencing the pain, and must therefore make the best decision regarding it.

How you take care of your body, and what conditions you effectively treat, will certainly affect your health as you age, and eventually your wallet as well. If youre a young individual who tries to keep informed and maintain a healthy condition and lifestyle, you should take a look at the revolutionary, comprehensive and highly-affordable individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for you. Visit our website, www.precedent.com, for more information. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly-competitive HSA-qualified plans, and an unparalleled "real time" application and acceptance process.

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com.

Youve established your company. Youve hung out your shingle, printed up those marketing brochures, and launched your website. You may even have found your first few clients. Now what?

You can certainly continue to build your business through referrals from those first few satisfied customers. But that takes time because consulting and training industries are essentially relationship-driven. To leverage your contacts and build your business more quickly, consider the advantages of partnering with established companies that have already developed a solid client base, a recognized brand, and a solid product or service. Build partnerships with these organizations to give and get leads, referrals, and introductions.

At NetSpeed Leadership, we offer a consultant partner program to allow independent consultants to affiliate with us. Essentially training consultants become our partners in reaching out to our prospects and clients. We provide regular sales leads, a high-quality website, web conference demonstrations, paid search advertising, marketing and sales support tools. We coach our consultant partners through the sales process, help them prepare proposals and support them through the training implementation. Consultants who affiliate with us consider us to be their strategic partner, helping them provide a level of product and service that they might not be able to offer on their own. In return they make training delivery fees and commission on sales.

One of our colleagues is a frequently published author and a recognized expert in his field. He was approached this year by a start-up training company that wants to develop an online training program using his content. He provides the instant name recognition, golden reputation in his industry, and the content. They provide the instructional design, marketing, operation, and sales resources. Hes thrilled because he has no interest in developing an online training program but he wouldnt mind the additional revenue stream. Theyre thrilled because their time to market is significantly reduced and they get a fast start with an established client base when the program is ready.

NetSpeed Leadership occasionally affiliates with organizations that complement our product and service offerings. For example, we recently launched a customer service training program and were now working with a strategic partner to offer a customer service dashboard that will allow customers to identify and track their service metrics. This is an enhancement to our product that we value but dont have the resources to develop internally. Our strategic partner hopes to gain access to our new clients, while we benefit from offering a sophisticated tracking system as a product enhancement.

In thinking about potential strategic partners, ask these kinds of questions:

What types of partners could enhance my product or service offering? For example, a human resources consulting firm might consider partnering with a compensation expert, or an independent trainer might partner with a larger training vendor.

What does my company have to offer a strategic partner? As a consultant you might offer to donate labor upfront to produce a product or service that would enhance your strategic partners business offerings (assuming, of course, that you would receive a portion of revenue down the road).

What strategic partners could extend my reach nationally? Perhaps youve developed a good client base in your region but believe that you might be able to develop your business in other parts of the country. In this case, look for partners of similar size that are operating successfully in their regions and see if you can build on each others regional business with complementary service offerings.

What strategic partners could extend my reach internationally? The world is growing increasingly inter-connected. There may be consultants or trainers in other countries that would be delighted to partner with you to open up their markets. You provide the intellectual capital, tested models, and operations support while developing business in a country or two that you might want to visit.

In any of these potential partnerships, you will want to ensure that your conversations are well-documented, that you sign non-disclosure agreements to protect your intellectual property, and that you conclude any agreements with solid legal contracts which spell out clearly your business arrangements. At the same time, trust your instincts. If you believe that your potential strategic partner is untrustworthy, for heaven's sake, don't move forward.

There is one final advantage of affiliating with strategic partners: the joy of collaborating with smart people to create great results!

Cynthia Clay is the President/CEO, NetSpeed Leadership (http://netspeedleadership.com), a training and consulting company that partners with independent trainers and consultants to bring top-notch blended learning programs to small and mid-sized organizations. NetSpeed Leadership welcomes inquiries from interested consultants who want to learn more about growing their businesses through strategic alliances. Visit our website to learn more: Consultant Partner Programs