"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

First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

How good is your first impression? First impressions matter!  

As an international violist, conductor, and speaker I have had the privilege of performing concerts around the world and playing for artists, Frank Sinatra, Lou Rawls, Natalie Cole, Paul Anka, Eartha Kitt and others. Watching these marvelous artists I learned the importance of first impressions and commanding attention!

It all began while playing for Frank Sinatra at Carnegie Hall for two weeks during his sold out concerts. I learned first hand, the importance of First impressions and how to command attention of your audience.  

Picture this: Carnegie Hall is filled to capacity. Electricity fills the air. The lights are lowered. Silence fills the air. The orchestra is given the downbeat to start. Frank Sinatra, old blue eyes, smiles, walks across the stage with his hair precisely cut, wearing a perfectly tailored suit, looking tall, trim, and regal commanding attention. He makes eye contact with his audience making each member feel as a welcome guest to his concert. He begins to sing the song with clear diction, pronouncing each word clearly, painting a picture through words and beautiful phrasing telling the story of the song. Sinatra’s audience is mesmerized by his singing and could not take their eyes off him.

Frank Sinatra between songs tells a joke or a story. His concert is two hours of singing with an intermission. The concert ends with the audience giving Frank Sinatra a standing ovation. He smiles, bows, and sings an encore holding his audience spell bound. The audience leaves the concert with a smile on their faces.   

What are the 3 secrets Frank Sinatra taught me about first impressions and commanding attention?

     1)  Be conscious of your image. Put on your best attitude. Stand or sit with  your shoulders back and your head held high. Wear a smile, have your hair neatly cut and combed. Dress for success in tailored clothes that fit you well and make you feel successful. Sinatra even at rehearsals wore clothes that were tailored to fit him. He always wanted to make a good “first impression”. Belle S. Frank, my grandmother, was a women's clothes buyer for a department store said it best, "Look in the mirror; what do you see?" Before leaving for your job take a look at yourself in the mirror and make sure you look your best inside and outside. That includes having a good positive attitude.

    2)  Frank Sinatra looked tall, fit, and trim. Everyone is attracted to fit people. After playing with Frank Sinatra I decided to join a gym and exercise 3 times a week. Also instead of eating my favorite candy or potato chips I would eat a piece of fruit or a vegetable like celery or carrots. First impressions are important. They do matter!  

While touring in Europe, I found some hotels did not have a gym. So I always travel with my therabands, exercise bands, to do exercises in my hotel room so I can keep fit. By taking the time to make exercise a part of your personal development plan, you will stay physically fit. 

 3) Sinatra made his audience members feel as if he were singing to each of them, by making eye contact with them. He sang a song with clear diction, so each word he spoke would be clearly understood. He painted word pictures when he sang, telling the story of each of his songs with beautiful phrasing.  In telling his anecdotes, jokes, or stories between songs, he spoke clearly, at a moderate speed using a pleasing voice. 

On my recent concert tour to China, after traveling a grueling 48 hours on multiple flights from Virginia to Xiamen, China, I arrived at their International Airport. The Manager of the Xiamen Symphony Orchestra was holding my photo up at the airport. He was dressed in a tailored suit, standing straight and tall, with his dark hair neatly cut and combed. He was about 35 years of age. I was dressed in a tailored dark blue ladies suit that did not show wrinkles. My hair was neatly combed. My viola case was over my left shoulder and my raincoat and concert dress was in a garment bag in my right hand. “I smiled back at Mr. M and he smiled back at me.” 

I knew by the look in his eyes that we were going to get along well! His first impression of me was a favorable one. First impressions do matter and set the stage for the future.

As we drove to the hotel, I would be staying in, Mr. M said, “The hotel was just been re-named in your honor the “Music Island Hotel”. 

 I asked him, “What did they used to call the “Music Island Hotel”?  

He said, “The Prisoner Hotel”. I thought he was kidding! “Why, I asked?” 

Mr. M said, “When government officials did wrong they were placed in this hotel for safe keeping.” 

When we arrived at the hotel I noticed the brand new sign over the building.  Remember first impressions can never be repeated. So make a good one the first time. 

Recently I saw the film “The Intern” at the local movie theater.  Robert De Nero played Ben Whittaker, the 70-year-old retired phone directory company executive, who applies as a senior intern for a fashion company, About the Fit. The CEO and founder of the company is Jules Ostin played by Anne Hathaway. Ben Whittaker comes to the interview and latter to work, with his hair neatly trimmed and combed, dressed in a tailored suit with a smile on his face and a positive attitude. He wanted to make a good first impression! The other interns coming for the interview looked like they just rolled out of bed. It’s all about dressing for success inside and outside. 

First impressions can never be repeated. So, make a good “First Impression” the “first time”.  

 

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM 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 is a sought after speaker, Amazon.com Best Selling Author, business owner for over 20 years, John Maxwell Team Member, Certified World Class Speaking Coach, teacher, and concert artist. Her new book “Leadership On A Shoestring Budget” is available on Amazon or Kindle. 

For Madeline's free ebook on “The Three and One-Half Secrets You Need to Tune Up Your Business” go to her website  http://www.madelinefrank.com  

and tap on “Media" and scroll to the bottom of the page where it says “Downloadable Media”  for the e-book.           

 

"3 Ways To Deal With Toxic People!" By Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

How do you deal with toxic people? When someone comes in your office demanding money for doing a job or angrily complains about something, how do you handle him or her?

The key to everything in life is to “respond” not to “react ” to the situation!

Recently I was at work when an angry contractor walked in dressed up as Darth Vader or the Grim Reaper, take your pick, demanding money for a job! I calmly looked him in the eye, listened to him vent, and waited patiently for him to wind down.

After he finished speaking, "I asked him for a signed invoice and purchase order, with the start date of the job agreed to by our General Manager (GM) and a final completion date (month, date, and year) signed by our GM that the job was completed satisfactorily. Include the before and after pictures of the job. Also I informed him that checks are paid in our accounting office every two weeks on Friday. This is our business's policy"!

The contractor said, "I don't have any of these documents and I want my money now!"

I replied calmly once again, "Bring in the necessary documents signed and dated by our GM with pictures and I will be happy to pay you for your work. Checks to contractors are paid in our accounting office every two weeks on Friday! This is our business's policy"!

A few days later on a Friday the contractor brought in the necessary papers dated and signed by our GM with the necessary pictures. I said, "Your check will be ready for you next Friday."

What are 3 ways to deal with toxic people?

1) Look them in the eye, and listen carefully as they vent. Do not interrupt or argue with them just listen until they wind down! By remaining calm you neutralize the difficult person and disarm them!

2) When they have finished speaking do not judge or accuse them.

Develop a solution with the steps for solving the problem. If the problem concerns an angry contractor, present your business's policy.

After the difficult person or contractor leaves, write down the entire conversation you had with him or her and the time and date, (month, day, and year), with your solution to the problem, and put it in your file for your records!

At our business, our policy is to have a signed invoice and purchase order, with the start date of the job agreed to by our GM and a final completion date signed by our GM that the job was completed satisfactorily. We tell our contractors and venders when checks are paid in our accounting office!

What is your business's policy for your contractors or vendors to be paid?

3) If the contractor is verbally abusive and tries to bully you walk away! You are no ones doormat!

Remember to respond to toxic people do not react to them!

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM,  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. She is also 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.

Contact Madeline Frank for your next speaking engagement at mfrankviola@gmail.com

Do You Keep Your Promises? Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

How often do you make a promise? Do you keep your promises?

Professor William Lincer, my teacher and mentor at the Juilliard School, asked me to promise, before he died on July 31, 1997 that I would contact two of the greatest thinkers on the brain in the 20^th Century and have a dialogue with them. The two men were Dr. Gerald Edelman and Dr. Oliver Sacks, medical doctors, researchers, scientists, and lifelong musicians.

Dr. Oliver Sacks was a physician specializing in neurologist. He was an author of many books including “Awakenings”, “Musicophilia” and Professor of Neurology at NYU School of Medicine.

Professor Lincer during my studies with him at the Juilliard School introduced me to many of Dr. Sacks’ books. I enjoyed reading and studying them. I sent a letter to Dr. Sacks after Professor Lincer had passed away and included an article on my research for my new book, “The Secret of Teaching Science & Math Through Music”. I asked Dr. Sacks several important questions about students coping with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, brain cancers, Parkinson’s, and neurological diseases.

On December 31, 1997, Dr. Sacks wrote me saying he was “just now making a New Year’s resolution to try and answer all delinquent mail by midnight!”

He said, “You bring up far too many deep questions and issues for me to have ready answers to! I take the liberty of enclosing a paper from a conference we had at the inauguration of the Institute for Music & Neurological Function at Beth Abraham Hospital in 1994. I have been very much for music and music therapy, as you know, ever since I first encountered my Awakening patients in 1966”.

The article Dr. Sacks sent me was about an elderly patient who had broken her hip. She had had an operation to repair her hip and had physical therapy and yet she was unable to walk. The MRI said the hip had not been repaired.

Dr. Sacks asked the patient, “If she had moved her hip recently?” She responded that, “She had kept time to the music at a Christmas concert by moving her leg in time to a dance piece.” Dr. Sacks had a music therapist play dance music for the patient to move to in dance motions to the rhythm of the music. After a month she was able to walk once more.

Dr. Sacks began studying the piano as a small child and has continued playing throughout his life. He says “music has been the profoundest non-chemical medication for our patients. What we see, fundamentally, is the power of music to organize-and do this efficaciously as well as joyfully, when abstract or schematic forms of organization fail.”

Dr. Sacks had a patient suffering from severe Alzheimer’s. The patient “responded to ballroom music by taking his wife in his arms and looking into her eyes and dancing with her.”

One of his patients had a stroke and could no longer walk or talk. Dr. Sacks brought in an accordionist who played a familiar song, and the patient started to sing the song with him. Music has the power to stimulate memory. “Memory says Dr. Sacks, is the key to a sense of self” and music evokes emotion and emotion can bring it's memory.”

Dr. Oliver Sacks’ Legacy:

Dr. Oliver Sacks leaves a legacy of case studies of his patients observing their uniqueness. He cared so much to help others and teach them that their affliction made them unique. Dr. Sacks said, “I am a storyteller, for better and for worse. I suspect that a feeling for stories, for narrative, is a universal human disposition, going with our powers of language, consciousness of self, and autobiographical memory.”

Dr. Oliver Sacks also said, “In examining disease, we gain wisdom about anatomy and physiology and biology. In examining the person with disease, we gain wisdom about life. If we wish to know about a man, we ask 'what is his story--his real, inmost story?'--for each of us is a biography, a story. Each of us is a singular narrative, which is constructed, continually, unconsciously, by, through, and in us--through our perceptions, our feelings, our thoughts, our actions; and, not least, our discourse, our spoken narrations. Biologically, physiologically, we are not so different from each other; historically, as narratives--we are each of us unique.” ― Oliver Sacks, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales

Dr. Gerald Edelman was a physician, 1972 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology /medicine for immunology, neuroscientist for his theory of the brain- “Neural Darwinism”, professor, researcher, author, and musician. His interest was in “how the brain works”. Dr. Edelman began playing the violin as a young boy and thought about being a concert violinist. Throughout his life Dr. Edelman has continued to play his violin.

Professor Lincer during my studies with him at the Juilliard School introduced me to Dr. Edelman’s book “Brilliant Air, Brilliant Fire: On The Matter Of The Mind” and his articles. I was fascinated as I read and studied them. Professor Lincer said, “Dr. Gerald Edelman is the most brilliant mind of this century.”

I sent a letter to Dr. Edelman after Professor Lincer passed away about the research Professor Lincer and I had done on how music stimulates the brain to promote scholastic excellence. Included was an article Professor Lincer and I had worked on together and my research on a study done on a Virginia public middle school of economically deprived students taking string and band classes and monitoring their grades throughout the school year.

I summarized my research in my new book, “The Secret of Teaching Science & Math Through Music”.

I asked Dr. Edelman several important questions about students coping with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, brain cancers, Parkinson’s, and neurological diseases.

On September 15, 1997, Dr. Edelman wrote back  “I was sad that Professor Lincer died. He was a superb musician and broad ranging spirit.” He went on to say, “ Your enterprise using musical training to enhance the scholastic performance of deprived children is a noble one. Unfortunately, there are at present no firm grounds for answering your medically directed questions. Before looking at patients with various disorders, a sound database on normal subjects will have to be collected. …..A few of my colleagues at Neurosciences Institute are beginning to look into these problems but I’m afraid it will be some time before satisfactory answers are forthcoming.”                

Dr. Edelman at the end of his letter said, “You have tapped into some very important issues and your questions are well placed. In any event, your observational data should make a real contribution to the fields of music and education in general.”  

Dr. Gerald Edelman’s Theory of “Neural Darwinism” as a musical metaphor:

Dr. Gerald Edelman said: “Think: if you had a hundred thousand wires randomly connecting four string quartet players and that, even though they weren’t speaking words, signals were going back and forth in all kinds of hidden ways [as you usually get them by the subtle nonverbal interactions between the players] that make the whole set of sounds a unified ensemble. That’s how the maps of the brain work by reentry. The players are connected. Each player, interpreting the music individually, constantly modulates and is modulated by the others. There is no final or “master” interpretation; the music is collectively created, and every performance is unique.”

I treasure both Dr. Edelman’s letter and Dr. Sacks’ letter and they are in frames above my desk as an on going inspiration to me to keep asking questions and try to help others every day.

What 3 promises will you make to yourself?

1     1) Beginning today I will make a promise to stretch my abilities by reading a book, listening to a cd by an expert, or take a course. Write down the date you make the promise (month, date, & year), and the date the promise will be completed. (Month, date, & year)

        2) By the end of the month I promise to_________. By the end of 6 months I promise to ________. Write down the date you make the promise (month, date, & year), and the date the promise will be completed. (Month, date, & year)

        3)   Once a week I promise to help someone else reach for his or her promise/goal. 

Place this sheet in front of your computer / work station so you can remember to work on it each day.  

During the Civil War, Jeb Stuart signed “his reports to General Robert E. Lee “Yours to count on” (YTCO). He meant it and so should you.

 Remember it’s never to late to make a promise and keep it!

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM, John Maxwell team Member, Certified WCSC, Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, motivational 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.

For over 30 years she has worked with children and adults to overcome problems in learning and memory through music. 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 new book "Leadership On A Shoestring Budget " is available on amazon a book or e-book.

If you need a speaker contact Madeline at mfrankviola@gmail.com