Local woman goes from factory floor to podium

by Diane Rarick

SBJ Contributing Writer

Marlene Chism, president of a new Springfield company called ICARE Consulting, is not your typical entrepreneur. For 20 years she worked in blue collar jobs for a local manufacturer, doing everything from operating equipment to driving a forklift.

But armed with a new college degree and a love for public speaking and communications, this former body builder traded the security of a steady paycheck for the risks of starting a new business this year.

Chism worked as an intern for Cal LeMon of The Executive Edge, serves as president of Springfield Toastmasters Club No. 527 and has racked up an impressive list of speaking engagements. She was keynote speaker at the Girl Scouts "Women of Distinction" luncheon last June and spoke at the Today's Woman Trade Show in October.

ICARE Consulting is an acronym for Chism's professional goal Improving Communication and Relationships Everywhere. She designs and conducts seminars and workshops for businesses, nonprofit organizations and women's groups.

Her workshops provide learning in a casual yet structured way, with opportunities for participation and discussion, including group work. Chism emphasizes self-awareness, empowerment and encouragement. Her workshops are designed to be interactive, creative and fun.

"But keynote speaking is my passion, because I have total control," Chism said. "I don't have to stay within corporate rules and policy. I enjoy doing educational and entertaining presentations."

At a recent speech to the Missouri Department of Labor's statewide management conference, Chism did a speech called "Dance to the Challenge of Change," where she tap-danced and coaxed the audience out of their comfort zones. Soon everyone was dancing to the Gloria Gainor disco tune "I Will Survive."

Working to improve the nuts and bolts of good communication skills listening and speaking is a large part of the service Chism offers to businesses and organizations. Using her extensive Toastmasters training and her communications knowledge, Chism offers workshops designed to make listeners take a second look at their own styles and discover ways to improve their relationships at work through better communication.

Many problems at work stem from poor listening skills, according to Chism. Poor listening skills can include interrupting, judging or attempting to fix everything. She uses games and role-playing exercises to train participants, giving them realistic scenarios to work through.

Chism gives people methods to gently yet directly bring up problems related to poor communication. She recommends using statements beginning with the word "I" when bringing up something negative (such as "I am always being interrupted and can't finish my thoughts when we're talking together").

Use statements beginning with the word "you" when bringing up something positive (such as "You are an important person in my professional life and I want us to have a good relationship").

"Always look for a solution and figure one out for yourself. Don't give people permission to take advantage of you," Chism said. "When you bring up a concern with another person, you are telling them that if you continue with this behavior, you do it with knowledge."'

Chism used this technique when dealing with a former supervisor who was unaware of how his angry behavior was affecting her.

"Things changed because he was aware of what I wanted and how I expected to be treated. He had been unaware of his patterns. Many people think 'That's just the way I am.' But we all have the ability to change," she said.

Poor presentation skills in situations from job interviews to staff meetings can hinder workers' ability to advance in their careers, Chism said.

"If we organize our thoughts so people can follow us, we can be much more persuasive. We can have all the knowledge in the world, but if we can't communicate that knowledge, it's worthless. What I see the most of is poor transitions and organization," Chism said. Oftentimes, speakers lose their train of thought and go off on a tangent, failing to connect back to the original thought and losing the listener in the process.

Chism helps speakers improve their skills by having them practice "off the cuff," working on organization skills and finding ways to be more creative.

After going through a "mid-life crisis," Chism discovered that "I wanted so much more out of life than what I was getting. When I finally looked inward, it came to me that I wanted to make a difference and help other people increase their skills. My business name represents my core values, and if it doesn't accomplish these things, I'm not interested," she said.

Chism's belief in the thought-vs.-action continuum is expressed by one of her favorite quotes: "Thoughts create words, words create actions, actions create habits, habits create character and character creates destiny."

Another one of her favorites is: "By our choices we reveal our commitments," meaning that people can make time to do things if they are truly motivated.

For more information, e-mail her at

icare.consult@mailexcite.com

or call 831-1799.

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