Category Archives: Bits & Pieces

Whatever your profession, you also need to be a professional communicator. ETC is pleased to share these essential Bits & Pieces to help you polish those skills.

Thanks Again Carol Roth!

By Phil Stella | Published: July 4, 2019

Regular readers may recall that I regularly contribute content to several of Carol Roth’s popular e-publications. She’s a nationally known PR and Entrepreneurship expert, speaker and author … and apparently a big fan of my work. And many of her posts are picked up by other major medial outlets.  Read More »

Phil’s Faves – Perception

By Phil Stella | Published: July 4, 2019

Add this to your growing list of Phil’s Faves –

‘Because perception is reality with audiences, all they know is what they see and hear. Therefore, if you look and sound like you’re comfortable and competent with your presentation, you are. If you don’t, you aren’t.

And, you can quote me –

Phil Stella, 21st Century workplace communication consultant, executive coach and author.

Why I Love ‘PlusDelta’ Feedback

By Phil Stella | Published: July 4, 2019

Giving constructive feedback is an essential management skill that escapes most supervisors. Feedback is all about helping people get better at what they’re doing. Effective feedback is neither positive or negative – it’s just information. Information that is specific, observable, constructive, timely and focused. Read More »

Phil’s Faves – Best Words

By Phil Stella | Published: June 1, 2019

If you were a participant in one of in my writing, interpersonal or presentation skill workshops, you’d often hear me talk about the importance of making the extra effort to choose your words wisely:

Go beyond the ‘first word you can think of’ or the ‘word you usually think of’ for this situation  all the way to the ‘best word you can think of’ to accomplish your intended outcome with your reader or audience. 

Why I Hate ‘Soft Skills’

By Phil Stella | Published: June 1, 2019

I love the concept but hate the term – let me explain. I’ve dedicated my entire career to empowering business leaders to enhance their workplace communication skills. Taking away some of their pain when they interact with colleagues, staff, managers or customers in writing, in person and in presentations  – that’s what I love most and do best. Read More »

Heard Any Good Books Lately?

By Phil Stella | Published: June 1, 2019

Confused? I’ll explain shortly.

As busy business leaders, we face lots of challenges doing our jobs or running our businesses. One of the most important challenges we face is the need for on-going professional education. We may recognize the importance of Life Long Learning, but who has the time and energy to do any of it? Read More »

To Change … Or Not To Change?

By Phil Stella | Published: May 13, 2019

Regular readers see me rant and rave all the time and might assume I’m that way in my workplace writing workshops, Surprise – I’m not. 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, too, as long as they remember the old adage, ‘If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten.’

Hiring Good People

By Phil Stella | Published: May 13, 2019

I recently responded to a blogger about hiring good people. Here’s a summary of our conversation: Read More »

I Love ‘reply to sender’

By Phil Stella | Published: May 13, 2019

On the opposite of this month’a rant, I really appreciate it when people select ‘reply to sender’ or something similar on a group response email. I actually don’t know when that happens because I never see the response, I just assume the person responded properly. Read More »

I Hate ‘reply all’

By Phil Stella | Published: May 13, 2019

I hate being copied on responses that I don’t need to see. I bet you do, too. Someone responds to a question asked in a group email with a careless ‘reply all’ response because they were lazy or inept to do the right thing.
Read More »