It’s 2000, during the decadent late days of the dot.com boom, just weeks before the inevitable crash. It’s a Friday afternoon and no one’s doing much work in the office. I’m sitting there with our 33 year old CEO, who’s feeling pretty good … [Read more...] about Words matter
Sometimes the clearest response is silence
Yes, I am a communications coach. I help my clients become great communicators - as media spokespersons, as keynote speakers, as leaders. But sometimes I tell my clients to step back and say nothing. More often than not, the best way to position … [Read more...] about Sometimes the clearest response is silence
Just start
Chris Hardwick, comedian, writer, host, moderator, podcaster extraordinaire, has one response when people ask him, “How do I get my movie made?” “How do I create my graphic novel?” “How do I start a podcast?” He says, “Just start.” My business … [Read more...] about Just start
What words mean
Let’s talk about words. If I say “ruby” to someone at a jewelry store, I’m going to get something very different than if I say “Ruby” on GitHub. If you ask me when I’ll be done editing the annual report and I say “soon” I might mean by … [Read more...] about What words mean
Context is king
I just re-read Peter Mayle’s classic A Year in Provence, which was as delicious the second time around as it was the first time I read it, almost thirty years ago. What does this classic travel memoir have to do with being a great … [Read more...] about Context is king
Happy endings are always business outcomes
I’m loving Lisa Cron’s Wired for Story, because it’s full of practical tips about what makes stories work. It may be written for fiction writers, but every great tech case study is a story too. Here’s Lisa on what makes stories powerful: “Feel … [Read more...] about Happy endings are always business outcomes
Wired for Story
Lisa Cron’s Wired for Story may be written for fiction writers, but there are gems throughout this book that are just as valuable for speakers too! For ten thousand years, humans brains have focused us on doing things that will help us stay safe, … [Read more...] about Wired for Story
Is ‘too prepared’ even a thing?
[Editor's note: This post originally appeared in 2016.] All of your great work to become a great communicator comes to naught if you don’t invest seriously in preparation. So many people underestimate how much preparation a great speech takes. … [Read more...] about Is ‘too prepared’ even a thing?
Who is your audience? What do they want?
[Editor's note: This is an updated version of a post originally published in 2016.] You know that one of the keys to giving a great presentation (to any audience of any size) is to give the audience what they want and need. But how do you get into … [Read more...] about Who is your audience? What do they want?
A provocative and useful idea
[Note: this an updated version of a post originally published in 2016] There are six things every great communicator does – whether you’re giving a huge keynote or trying to run an effective senior staff meeting. The first: You have a … [Read more...] about A provocative and useful idea
