The goal of your first brief networking interaction with a stranger is to begin to answer the question “Is this person someone I want to get to know better; someone who can help me … or who I can help?” To do that, you need information.
Phil Stella
Make Meetings Work
Ask any group of business professionals what they think about meetings at work. You’ll probably hear comments like “ … too long … unorganized … #$%&*(@# waste of time … always start late … no action … I hate meetings.”
Poorly planed meetings translate into inefficient and ineffective results and missed opportunities. Too many business people still haven’t learned how to plan, manage or follow up on meetings; they simply “have” meetings … or, even worse, they “do” a meeting.
A Great Read
A really great read … actually a great listen, as I played the audio book in the car … by the author of the bestselling ‘A Whole New Mind’. I recommend it highly! ‘Drive – the Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us’, by Daniel H. Pink, Penguin Group, New York, 2009
Charisma & Content
Exceptional Communication Techniques, Creativity and Entertainment are the returns on investment for hiring Phil Stella. Audiences, students and executives rave about Phil because he has charisma and content. I am blessed to have Phil as a mentor. Phil helps everyone he meets by sharing his wisdom, resources and motivation. As the networking and elevator speech … Read more
Your words matter
Let’s continue our WordPower Adventure with two more contemporary workplace writing Best Practices that might challenge some of your word use habits. Specific Beats Vague One habit you should challenge … and change … is our preference for vagueness. Whether the choice is conscious or not, ‘precise’ beats ‘vague’ every time. Precise words are clearer, … Read more
Make Your Slides Work
Your PowerPoint Tool Kit should be getting full by now, but let’s add 10 more tips about what to do and say when you’re using these Best-in-Class slides you’ve just created. How you use them may have more impact on your audience and presentation results than what is on them.
- Make sure the room lighting works for both your slides and the audience. A dimly lit room will help them fall asleep faster than your content or delivery. If possible, only turn off the lights closest to the screen that would wash out the image. If the room isn’t wired that way, try removing the bulbs from those fixtures closest to the screen. Knowing the room logistics up front should give you enough time to minimize this problem.
- Consider not having a title slide on at the beginning of the presentation. The visual impact of a blank screen focuses attention on you during your all-important introduction. As you transition into your first Sub-Point, then bring on the slides. Plus, no title slide can minimize the audience expectation that this will be another dose of Death by PowerPoint from the time they walk in the room.
Even More Phil’s Faves
In my workplace writing workshops, I don’t ask people to change any of their word use or writing style habits. I do ask them to challenge their habits in light of the contemporary Best Practices we discuss in class. If they decide to change any of those old habits, that’s fine. If not, that’s fine, … Read more
Harness Phone Power
We all spend a lot of time on the phone, talking with customers, colleagues and managers. Can you imagine doing your job without your cell phone? I can’t.
Our employers and organizations spend a lot of money providing us with the latest phone technology … or we spend our own money doing it. Yet, making the most of this mission-critical resource has little to do with the technology of the tool. It has everything to do with the simple communication strategies blended with uncommon sense and uncommon courtesy of the user.
Before discussing some simple strategies to help you increase your Phone Power, consider two over-arching concepts relating to putting yourself where your callers are. Listen to your voice mail greeting from two perspectives.
1. How do you sound? Is your tone of voice professional, courteous and enthusiastic? Do you sound like someone you’d like to do business with today? If not, re-record your greeting until you’re happy with how you sound. Your tone of voice has a lot of influence over the professional image you project. Make sure it’s the best possible image you can create.
2. What do you say? Does every word have value for your callers? Do you waste their time with such trite phrases as “I’m away from my desk or on the other line …” or “But your call is very important to me …”? Do you insult your callers’ intelligence by telling them to wait for the beep and leave your name and phone number? If you’re not happy with the message the message in your greeting delivers, do something about it. You may need to get approval at work, so make sure you have logical, caller-friendly reasons for any changes.
A Great Read
One of the best current business books I’ve encountered, by the author of ‘Good to Great’ & ‘Built to Last’ … ‘Great By Choice’, Jim Collins & Morten T. Hansen, HarperCollins, NY, 2011.
Listen Up
* No man every listened himself out of a job. Calvin Coolidge (1872 – 1933), US President * Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening. Dorothy Sarnoff (1914 – 2008), American operatic soprano, actress and self-help guru * When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen. Ernest Hemingway (1899 … Read more