######################################################## Simply Speaking...Selling Yourself & Your Ideas E-Zine Volume 8, August / September, 2005 Published by Lenny Laskowski Copyright LJL Seminars(tm), 2005 All Rights Reserved ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ LJL Seminars (tm) (203)375-5617 or Toll Free 1-800-606-4855 Fax: (800) 743-3314 www.ljlseminars.com ------------------------------------------------------- This E-Zine meets the requirements of the "Can Spam Act of 2003" (S.877), passed by President Bush on December 16, 2003 ------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: You are receiving this E-Zine because you have subscribed via our website or by email. If you did not subscribe, removal instructions can be found at the end of this newsletter. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Danger Zone: Ethics from my National Best Selling Book "10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking" (Chapter 6 - page 127-128) Copyright, Lenny Laskowski ------------------------------------------------- DANGER ZONE: Ethics In preparing for any speech it is crucial to develop and use your own material. It is unethical to use someone else's stories, data, or research and try to pass it off as your own. Using unattributed material is called plagiarism and is illegal. If you develop and use your own material, you won't find yourself on the wrong end of a lawsuit. If you do; however, find information or data from another source that supports your claim or ideas, you can get the author's permission in writing before you use the information, or if it's from a research study or prefessional journal you can attribute the information is a verbal citation in your speech. For example, "According to data by the Gallup Organization..." It is unethical to use other people's material (even something by a colleague) without - asking them - giving proper credit in the speech I continually receive requests from businesses, colleges, and authors asking permission to reprint one of my website articles In return I expect proper credit. In my career as a public speaker and author, I have experienced only a few incidences when an individual has actually taken my articles word for word and tried to pass them off as their own. This is not only unethical, but also in violation of copyright laws. Positive Performance: What You Need to Know About Plagiarism Northwestern University's "Principles Regarding Acadamic Integrity" defines plagiarism to its students as "submitting material that in part or whole is not entirely [the writer's or speaker's] own work without attributing thos same portions to their correct source." Plagiarisim occurs in many forms other than writing, such as art, music, computer code, mathematics, and scientific work. To help you, here are Northewestern University's guidelines for proper attribution. Guidelines for Proper Attribution As you plan a speech, you will likely draw from a vast pool of texts, ideas, and findings that individuals have accumulated over hundreds, even thousands, of years. What you call originality is actually the innovative combining, amending, or extending of material from that pool. The most helpful form of attribution is a citation where you give precise information about your source; where the material came from, the author's name, and the publication date. At times it is difficult to know what needs to be cited. Common knowledge or ideas that have been in the public domain and are found in a number of sources don't need to be cited. One example of a document that doesn't require a citation is the Bill of Rights. If you are in doubt, document. As someone who is learning to develop your own speaking style, you may want to emulate your favorite professional speaker and copy certain styles and techniques. Professional speakers, myself included, are very sensitive to having individuals use our personal stories in their seminar or keynote address. Develop your own stories than can relate to your message. - Learn when to give proper attribution. An attribution is neccessary in a speech when something you say might leave listeners in doubt about whom you are attributing the material to and for what reason. - Respect the source. Make sure your attibution expresses your appreciation for being allowed to borrow the information. For example, at the end of your speech you could say to the audience, "I would like to take this opportunity to thank Herb Johnson for his compelling work in the are of foster care in innner cities." NEXT ISSUE: Top Ten List: Infuential & Memorable Speeches in History ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ******************************************************************** HOW YOU CAN EARN $ 500 just for referring me !!!!!!!!!!!! ******************************************************************** ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ WANT TO EARN $ 500 FOR JUST REFERRING SOMEONE TO ME? Just email me their complete information, (name, email address, phone number, company name, company website, etc) and tell me you know someone who may be interested in having me provide one of my "in-house" seminars. Make the initial contact with them and tell them that I will be contacting them. Better yet, have them complete my services request form below: Ask them to mention your name in the comment section along their specific needs. If they end up actually booking a seminar with me, I will pay you a $ 500 commission once the seminar has been completed. ******************************************************************** WANT TO EARN A "FREE" SEAT IN ONE OF LENNY'S SEMINARS? Want to learn more from me? Why not bring me in to your organization or company for one of my popular "in-house" programs. If you don't have enough people "in house" for a group program? Just get at least five(5) other people together who are interested in a presentation skills / public speaking seminar (a maximum of 10 participants) and I will bring the program to you. Just for finding five(5) other participants, I will give "YOU" a "FREE" seat in this seminar. I will work with you to organize a location and date which is convenient to you and the other participants. Just contact us by completing my "Request for more information" form by taking the link below and letting me know you have a group of colleagues who are interested in a program and you would like to know more about attending FREE: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Lenny's book, "10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking" is currently on the National Best Seller List for Non-fiction books and is the hottest selling book on Amazon.com for public speaking. To own your own copy today by take the link below: The book is also available as an Audiobook. Click on the link below: Lenny's book is now available as Mem-Cards: - An exciting deck of 28 cards which provide the key nuggets from Lenny's book. To order a set of these exciting cards, Click on the link below: ************* SEMINAR SPECIAL ******************************** You still have time to obtain a copy of my "Simply Speaking...Selling Yourself & Your ideas" seminar on CD. This complete six hour seminar is a "LIVE" recording of my popular one-day seminar for ONLY $ 197.00!! (Regularly $ 297.00) This four CD set comes complete with a professional workbook. Follow the link below and find out how you can save an additional $ 100.00 off this already incredible low price. --------------------------------------------------------------- Until next issue! - Lenny Laskowski :-)