Will You Leave A Legacy? by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

What problems do you solve for others? Who do you help?

Benjamin Franklin was our oldest and perhaps wisest of the Founding Fathers, at 70 years of age, when he signed the “Declaration of Independence”.   

 Ben Franklin was one of 17 siblings. He was the fifteenth and “youngest son” of Josiah Franklin, soap and candle maker, and his second wife Abiah Folger Franklin. Ben had 9 full siblings and 7 half siblings. At an early age Ben became an excellent reader and did well at the “Boston Latin School”. When Ben was 10, his father ran out of money to send him to school.  So Ben came to work full time with his father at the soap and candle store. When he was 12, Ben was apprenticed to his older brother, James who taught him newspaper publishing.

When Franklin was 20 years old, he developed his character by creating a system of “Thirteen Virtues” to live by. “1. Temperance 2. Silence. 3. Order 4. Resolution 5. Frugality 6. Industry 7. Sincerity 8. Justice 9. Moderation 
10. Cleanliness 11. Tranquility 12. Chastity 13. Humility”  

Franklin’s “13 Virtues” are timeless. These are the virtues that molded Franklin into a strong thinker and role model for the future. He worked on one virtue each week. Benjamin Franklin said, “Tho’ I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I was, by the endeavor, a better and a happier man than I otherwise should have been if I had not attempted it.”

We all need “virtues” to live and strive for!

At twenty-two years of age, Franklin opened his printing shop and his newspaper, the “Pennsylvania Gazette”. His newspaper was both well read and profitable and later his book “Poor Richard’s Almanack” became a best seller in the colonies. In Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey he became the official printer, printing documents, laws, and money. He also helped begin newspapers in Connecticut, New York, and in the West Indies.

Ben Franklin everyday of his life wanted to make the lives around him better. He asked himself two questions daily.

Every morning he asked himself, “What good shall I do this day?” Every evening he asked himself, “What good have I done today?”

 Every day Franklin took that first step to make someone else’s life better. When Franklin saw a need he filled it. He built the “First Lending Library in America”, the “First Fire Department in Pennsylvania,” establishing the first hospital, “Pennsylvania Hospital”, and when he saw families suffering from losing their homes to fire he helped establish the “Philadelphia Contribution for Insurance Against Loss by Fire.”  When New Jersey had a problem with counterfeit money, he developed “a currency with anti-counterfeiting techniques”. Ben Franklin enjoyed helping others solve their problems. The legacies he created have lasted over 240 years.What legacy will you leave for the next generation?

So what are the three questions you should ask your self each day?

1  1)   What virtue will I work on this week? Remember, it is never too late to grow and change. http://www.thirteenvirtues.com

    2)   Just as Benjamin Franklin asked himself each morning, ask yourself, “What good shall I do this day?” 

3  3) Every evening ask yourself Benjamin Franklin’s question, “What good have I done today?”

By helping others you will have great satisfaction and leave a lasting legacy just as Benjamin Franklin did.

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, John Maxwell Team Member, Certified World Class Speaking Coach, sought after speaker, business owner, teacher, researcher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your business successful. She writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly article & Musical Tips Blog" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show". Her book "Leadership On A Shoestring Budget" is available on Amazon or Kindle. Contact Madeline Frank for your next speaking engagement at mfrankviola@gmail.com

"Your Three Step Process for Solving Your Problems" by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

How do you solve your problems?  Do you know the three-step process for solving your problems?

When I served as Area Governor for Toastmasters, I taught a class on “Finding New Members!” I asked my Toastmaster’s class to raise their hands and share their stories of “why they joined Toastmasters?”

One Toastmaster told that after he completed Medical School and residency, he applied for a hospital job. He went for the interview but “His tongue was tied up! He suddenly could not answer the questions the interviewer asked him.”

“That was the day he went looking for a solution.” He found a Toastmasters Club near his home and began attending meetings. He said, “He became a master at answering Table Topics questions”; impromptu speaking timed for 1 to 2 minutes. “After several months he went for another interview and got the hospital job!”

His first step was calmly and quietly identifying his problem; overcoming his fear of speaking in front of an interviewer.

His second step was writing down clearly “all the facts” so he could think objectively how to solve his problem. He needed to learn to speak quickly, clearly, and confidently when he was asked a question by an interviewer.

His third step was focusing on finding the right organization to teach him the skills he needed to have a successful interview and win the job working at the hospital. He went on the net and read about developing one’s speaking skills at Toastmasters where you learn how to 1) prepare speeches with a mentors help and guidance and 2) train in giving impromptu speeches. This is when a Table Topics Master asks an unknown question to a Toastmaster member and gives them 1-2 minutes to answer. This gives them the opportunity to quickly think of an answer. Toastmasters have been helping their members “improve their communication, public speaking, and leadership skills” since 1924. Millions of people have gained confidence and overcome their fear of speaking in front of others.

He located a Toastmasters club in his neighborhood and signed up and began learning the skills to win his job.

By following this three-step process you too will be able to solve your problem just like Doctor Toastmaster.

Zig Ziglar, motivational expert, told the story of Vince Robert, a 37-year-old, Canadian taxi driver that left school in the 5^th grade. He found himself waiting for hours for fares at airports, and hotels. He decided to change his life and continue his education. He purchased a “20-pound dictionary”. He was going to improve his vocabulary one word at a time. In his taxi, while waiting for his fare; he read from cover to cover, twice, learning new words improving his vocabulary every day and gaining confidence. His taxi became what Zig Ziglar calls, “Automobile University”, his learning university. Robert’s invested in the stock market did well and bought the taxi company he worked for. Because of his success, he was asked to speak to others on how he did it!

As Zig Ziglar says, “You never finish your education.” Keep learning and improving!

Mr. Robert took that “First step” calmly and quietly identifying his problem. He wanted to continue his education while waiting in his taxi for fares.

His second step was writing down clearly “all the facts”. He decided to increase his vocabulary one word at a time.

His third step was going to a bookstore and purchasing a “20 pound dictionary”. He immediately began in his taxi, learning new words, and increasing his vocabulary.

He did well investing in the stock market and bought the taxi company he worked for. Because of his success he was asked to speak to others on how he did it!

What can you do every day? Learn a new word every day, read 20 minutes a day to become an expert in your field. Read self -help, motivational books, bios. Go on the net and take a course for free from an expert. Make your car into Automobile University. While you’re waiting in traffic listen to an educational cd, pod casts, and increase your knowledge.

What are the 3 steps to solving your problems?

• Calm down. Clear your mind. Then write down the problem. Think of yourself as a detective like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
• Clearly write down in order “all the facts” so you can think objectively.
• Focus on the problem. Give yourself time to ponder, to think, about your problem to find an answer. Be observant, open minded, and a good listener.

If you’re looking for a magnificent book that will change you’re life, I suggest reading, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale’s, “The Power of Positive Thinking”. His Chapter 10, the “Power to Solve Personal Problems” is one of my favorite in his book. Dr. Peale says, “Pray about your problem, affirming that God will flash illumination into your mind. Believe in and seek God’s guidance.”

By following the three steps listed above you too will be able to solve your problems.

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, John Maxwell Team Member, Certified World Class Speaking Coach, sought after speaker, business owner, teacher, researcher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations “Tune Up their Businesses”. Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your business successful. She writes a monthly newsletter “Madeline’s Monthly article & Musical Tips Blog” and a monthly radio show “Madeline’s One Minute Musical Radio Show”. Her book “Leadership On A Shoestring Budget” is available on Amazon or Kindle. Contact Madeline Frank for your next speaking engagement at mfrankviola@gmail.com

"The 3 Keys to Helping Others Improve & Grow in Their Work" by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

What are the three ways you can help others improve and grow in their work? How can you empower yourself and others to improve?

A few years ago, I traveled to Australia and New Zealand to play a concert tour and give master classes in Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra, Australia and in Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand at their concert halls, Universities, and music schools. A master class is when a musical artist, an expert, comes in and listens to exceptional students play and makes suggestions to improve the musicians performance. Each master class was for three and a half hours.

Our master class opened with a violinist and pianist playing Wieniawski's Etude-Caprice, Op. 18, No.4. After they played, I began the applause for the audience to acknowledge the musicians. The students, like a student chef, had the raw materials, the ingredients, but didn't know how to put the music together to create a masterpiece. They needed help shaping the music into beautiful phrases and melodies.

I suggested the violinist begin the piece with the bow on the string accenting every first and fourth beat of the piece, emphasizing the musical phrase and rhythm continuing his vibrato, moving his left hand fingers by rocking within the pitch and change the speed to enhance the sound. Also I asked him to add crescendos, (gradually getting louder), as the melody moves up to the top note and, decrescendos, (gradually getting softer) as the violinist played the lower notes of the melody. The violinist and I worked on a few phrases of the Wieniawski together for 5 minutes. I moved my hands conducting him through the new accents, continuous vibrato, crescendos and decrescendos.

I asked the pianist to add in the accents, the crescendos and decrescendos into her performance also. She and I worked together for 5 minutes through several phrases and I conducted her through these accents, crescendos and decrescendos.

Next, the violinist and pianist performed the Wieniawski with the changes and I conducted them emphasizing the accents, vibrato, crescendos and decrescendos; just as a musical conductor from an orchestra would. An air of excitement filled the hall as the audience listened to the gorgeous music surrounding them.

The two talented musicians played the piece with sparkle, excitement, and brilliance the way Wieniawski intended his piece to be played. When they finished their performance the audience applauded wildly. The professors listening gave the thumbs up! After hearing several more soloists with their pianists, the chamber music part of the master class began.

Four talented students, a violinist, violist, cellist, and pianist, played one of Mozart's celebrated piano quartets, (the first Allegro movement), at a fast and lively tempo. After they played, I began the applause for the audience to acknowledge the musicians. These students like their colleagues needed help in shaping the music into beautiful phrases and melodies. First I asked the pianist to add accents, emphasizing certain notes to outline the rhythm of the musical phrase to add structure for the Mozart piano quartet. Then I asked the pianist to add in crescendos and decrescendos into the performance. I asked the pianist to play a few phrases like this and I sang the phrases and moved my hands as a conductor to show the pianist where to place the accents and the crescendos and decrescendos.

Then I worked separately with the violinist, violist, and cellist, for a few minutes, on continuing their vibrato, to enhance the sound, showed them where to place the accents for emphasis while adding crescendos, as the melody moved to the top of the phrase and, to add decrescendos, as each of the musicians played their melody, their counter melodies, and harmony lines. I worked with them by demonstrating for them on violin or viola, singing the phrases with them, and moving my hands as a conductor as they each played their section of the Mozart.

After about 15 to 20 minutes of work we put Mozart's piano quartet back together and the musicians played the Allegro with me conducting the performance moving my hands for accents, vibrato, crescendos and decrescendos as a musical conductor would. The Mozart became a living-breathing piece full of energy and vitality.The audience applauded vigorously with great enjoyment. The performance by these young people was just glorious! By stepping back with a fresh approach the music was taken apart and put back together into beautiful flowing melodies with harmony.

We worked on turning the solos and chamber music into beautiful performances in a very short time. The three and a half-hour master class flew by.

Helping these young people make their music come alive was a privilege for me. These talented, hardworking, students were so happy to be involved in making exciting beautiful music. They enjoyed seeing their audience hear their new version of the music. Smiles abounded. Several of their teachers thanked me too! It is such a rewarding experience to help others.

What are three keys to helping others improve and grow in their work?

      1)    Turn a mundane performance; into a living-breathing masterpiece by connecting with an expert.

          2) By taking a step back and looking with a fresh new approach to reassess the parts of the work, you will be able to put the work back together into a dazzling spectacular gem.

      3)  If you want to connect and empower others work through the necessary steps to achieve excellence.

Remember people learn by example not by criticism!

 Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, John Maxwell Team Member, Certified World Class Speaking Coach, sought after speaker, business owner, teacher, researcher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your business successful. She writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly article & Musical Tips Blog" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show". Her book "Leadership On A Shoestring Budget" is available on Amazon or Kindle. Contact Madeline Frank for your next speaking engagement at mfrankviola@gmail.com