I Love Verbs – I really do. They’re strong, dynamic, action words compared to nouns, which are static things with no power or energy.
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.
Now, that’s a dumb question!
You know that old adage, ‘There’s no such thing as a dumb question’? Sorry to spoil your fantasy, but that’s wrong. There are plenty of dumb questions.
Why I Hate “Work/Life Balance”
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.
Everything is a Process
Last week, I facilitated a GS 10K Small Businesses module on ‘Strategic Growth Through Operations’. So, 22 previous cohorts and over 650 business owners have heard me say … and might even remember –
My Boss Stinks at Communicating
I get this one a lot, especially in my business writing or presentation skill workshops, where learners comment that their bosses need the class more than they do.
Perception Is Reality
If you ever participated in one of my ‘Make Listening Work’ presentations or workshops, you probably heard me having fun with one of my favorite tongue twisters:
Why I Love Caller ID … and So Should You
I love Caller ID – I really do. Here’s why – my business phone is a simple residential line and the number is published. Yes … I still have a land line.
Phil’s Fave on Great Ideas
Here’s something you would have heard me say often in one of the 23 cohorts of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programs I’ve helped facilitate over the last eight years:
How do you tell the difference between a good idea for a new product or service and a great innovative idea? Answer these five questions to find out:
Why I Hate ‘So …’
When did ‘so’ become the new ‘ummm’? Listen to any TV or cable talk show when the host asks the guest a question. Most of the guests start the answer with ‘So … ‘. Perhaps a little less annoying than ‘umm’, but this vocalized pause gets old fast if each answer begins that way. While ‘so’ is an actual word, it doesn’t add any meaning or context to the message. It just sits there … like a different version of ‘Um … ‘
Why Are Some Content Experts Terrible Presenter
A prospective client recently asked me why some content experts terrible speakers. Fortunately, lots of content experts are terrible speakers and sometimes they hire people like me to help them. Here are some thoughts I share with my executive coaching clients who fall into that category: