This month’s rant is about a cliché we all hear and many of us use – ‘Work/Life Balance’. I understand and love the concept … but I hate the words used. So please, humor this incurable wordsmith a little. The connotation implies that ‘life’ is the opposite of ‘work’ and must be balanced with it. Conversely, ‘work’ is the opposite … Read more
As business leaders, we spend a lot of time each day writing and talking. We should all add the title ‘Workplace Communicator’ to our business cards. And we often write or say more than we need. Those extra – and unnecessary – words can even get in the way of our focused and clear messages.
What follows is a quick review of techniques to KISS Wordy Goodbye – for making every word count and counting every word. And, to help you ‘Keep It Short & Simple!’
A prospect recently reached out looking for help. He said he sucked at communicating at work and desperately wanted to change that. So, here’s a summary of our conversation and Action Plan strategy that might help if you think you also suck at workplace communication.
As hard to do is it is to say three times real fast. So, let’s simplify the process for entrepreneurs who need to communicate the culture of their organization to prospective employees. Break it down into smaller chunks.
This deep dive discusses how to handle audience questions. What you do … and don’t do … with them has a critical impact on your results, often more than the overall message content itself. Here are some ‘Do & Don’t’ Best Practices to help you Survive and Thrive during the Audience Q&A.
They might if you ignore the reality that every note you send a customer, colleague or manager can project your image of professionalism, competency and courtesy — or detract from it. So, if you don’t want your emails to suck, just avoid these worst practices:
Elevator Speeches … 30 Second Commercials … Shameless Self-Promotions. They’re our typical response to the often asked ‘What do you do?’ We all use them at networking meetings and other professional group events. But, most of us don’t do them with enough focus, flexibility and finesse. As these events increase with warmer weather, it’s time for your annual Elevator Speech Upgrade. So, enjoy these simple and easy strategies to Elevate Your Elevator Speech (ES).
When was the last time you held a team brainstorming session to identify a name for a new product, solve some problem or even a come up with a location for the next staff volunteer day… and you got nothing? You asked for input, but only a few spoke up and others criticized or made fun of those ideas. Most people just sat there silently starring at their blank sheets of paper … or, phones. One person had enough courage to tell you that you’re the boss and you’ll do whatever you want anyway, so why bother with this waste of time?
Hmmm … doesn’t sound like a very empowered or dynamic team, now does it? But, not to worry. These five simple Brainstorming Brilliance strategies can improve your results the next time you need creative input from your team.
Has this ever happened to you? Maria arrived at work early, got a cup of coffee and settled into tackling her highest priority task of the day. When, out of nowhere, her boss Tony approached her cubicle and asked the question that strikes fear in the hearts most of employees, ‘Hi Maria … you busy?’ Without … Read more
(As an executive presentation coach, the most useful and valuable skill I can share with anyone is how to manage their Presentation Anxiety. So, consider this KISS version of a longer piece a holiday gift from me to all of you.)
How many of you experience pain when you deliver presentations at work? How many hate speaking in public? I see a lot of hands up, so let’s briefly discuss five simple strategies for managing your Presentation Anxiety.