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Posts Tagged ‘Willow House’

Synergy

Posted in Entertaining at Home, Success Tips, tagged , , on July 22, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I absolutely promise this is the last post I’ll make (at least this week) about the Willow House Conference. Really, I promise!

But I had to share this thought about synergy. Have you ever been in a group that is excited about something and you can just feel the energy in the air? It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?

Websters defines synergy as “the interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.”

Do you have any idea how much synergy is created by a group of 1,500 people (98% of them sleep-deprived, caffeine loaded, excited beyond reason women)? A whole lot. So much, in fact, if you could capture it, you could power a small city.

These women (and few men) were so pumped up, so thrilled, so anxious to jump into the new business model announced last week, the room wasn’t enough to keep it contained. It spilled out in text messages, in phone calls, and onto the poor sales people and waitstaff with the misfortune of working within walking distance of the conference center.

It was awesome! Not only do I love seeing that excitement, I love being in the midst of it all and feeling the energy. It is like having the ability to take your worn-down battery and plug it into the energizer bunny. Wow! You are recharged and ready to go faster, better and longer than you’ve ever gone before.

Synergy is a fabulous thing. If you’ve never experienced it, I highly encourage you to get yourself into the place you can.

My thanks to Bill and Robin Shaw and all the staff at Willow House for making the event possible. For giving us stepping stones to reach for the stars and a road map for the journey ahead. For being visionaries, for being innovative and for believing in us! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Shanna

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Welcome to Willow House

Posted in Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, tagged , , , , on July 20, 2010| 2 Comments »

Last week, I traveled to Milwaukee for the first-ever Willow House National Conference.

To say it was amazing, fantastic, inspiring and fabulous doesn’t even do it justice.

Conference is a place to plug in and recharge, to network with great people who understand the concept of building relationships and helping one another, and to get great ideas to jump-start our businesses for the fall season.

While I was at conference, I noticed that what was offered by the corporate staff and other consultants was basically the same things we want to offer guests in our home.

A Warm Welcome

I don’t know about you, but I like to feel welcomed when I am visiting someone. A genuine smile and a warm hug or handshake goes a long way in making someone feel welcome. Even a  “hello, I’m so glad to see you,” when said honestly makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Acknowledge people in a way that says “I remember you, my friend.”

Servant Mentality

“Won’t you come in and make yourself at home?”

“How can I best assist you?”

“Is there anything I can offer you?”

All those questions, whether spoken or implied, mean that you are there to provide assistance and help to someone. I can’t tell you how many times I was offered care and support through similar words. When people come to your home, offer them no less. Let them know you are there in the moment to make them feel at home.

Encouragement and Acceptance

We all need encouragement and acceptance. Even if the words aren’t spoken, we need to know that other people accept us for who we are and support us in our pursuits. It is human nature. The people at conference have this down to an art. We can take a lesson from them. When people come to your home are they accepted and encouraged? Your job as a host is to make sure they are. A few words  spoken from the heart offering encouragement or acceptance can mean the world to someone.

Joy

These conference attendees know how to have fun. In class, at general session or even celebrating to a 1950s themed party, they celebrate, embrace joy and have a great time. When you  entertain guests, do you have a go-with-the-flow and enjoy the moment attitude or are you flustered and frustrated that things didn’t follow your perfect party plan? Learn to let go and enjoy the guests in your home at the moment they are there. They won’t remember if the bread got a little too toasty or the punch wasn’t the exact shade of pink you wanted or if the centerpiece candle refuses to stay lit. What they will remember is if you set the tone for a fun evening by surrendering your plans and just enjoying the evening and them.

Entertaining your Heart Out

Give it your best and then enjoy the results, whatever they may be. Laugh, hug, cry, smile, be present in the moment, dream for the future and celebrate what makes each person unique and special.

Happy Entertaining!

Shanna

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Discombobulate

Posted in Musings, Travels, tagged , on July 19, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Can't we all use a little recombobulation from time to time?

Word of the Week: Discombobulate

dis·com·bob·u·late

[dis-kuhm-bob-yuh-leyt]

–verb (used with object), -lat·ed, -lat·ing.

to confuse or disconcert; upset; frustrate: The speaker was completely discombobulated by the hecklers.
I just returned from the first-ever Willow House conference and let me tell you, I’m plenty discombobulated. My head is filled to overflowing with information. But the nice folks at the Milwaukee airport tried to help all of us conference-dazed consultants out by offering a recombobulation area. I thought it was pretty nice of them to be so thoughtful.
Seriously, though, I loved this sign that hung just past the security check point in Milwaukee. What a fun way to give people a place to get their shoes back on, their belts back in place and their belongings gathered.
I think, maybe, I need a recombobulation area at home. Do you think Hubby would go for a sign like that hanging above my office door?

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