Peter Denning and Robert Dunham’s The Innovators Way is essential reading for anyone who has an idea they’d like to see adopted in the world. First, a definition: “Innovation is the adoption of a new practice in a community.” “Innovation does not … [Read more...] about The Innovators Way
Learning from a master presenter
Nancy Duarte is one of the great experts on creating and delivering persuasive presentations. Her HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations is essential reading whether you’re preparing a TED talk or a quarterly update presentation for your boss. She … [Read more...] about Learning from a master presenter
Creating safety on teams
Communication only occurs if both people in a conversation feel free to listen and to speak. It turns out this freedom is rarer than it should be. Barriers to speaking up cause communication problems, which quickly become business problems. So, what … [Read more...] about Creating safety on teams
Are we communicating?
George Bernard Shaw famously said: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Exactly! Last week’s theme was “Perception is reality.” This week it’s how do you actually connect with and persuade your … [Read more...] about Are we communicating?
Perception v Reality? It’s a sucker bet!
This week we’re taking a tried and true principle from political campaigning and applying it to internal communication at your company. . . yay! Nobody said it better than Lee Atwater: ‘’Perception is reality.” In politics this means that what … [Read more...] about Perception v Reality? It’s a sucker bet!
Simple and personal
I recently worked with a CEO to prep him for a broadcast media tour. Throughout the whole training, my sage colleague Peter Shaplen kept reinforcing two essential points: keep it simple and make it personal. TV audiences, who get maybe 1 – 3 … [Read more...] about Simple and personal
Sometimes a 1:1 is harder than a keynote!
Your head of sales isn’t happy and wants to meet at 3, your 16 year old said last night she wants to spend the summer in Asia alone, your largest customer just sent an ominously vague e-mail demanding a call immediately. Yikes!! Conversations like … [Read more...] about Sometimes a 1:1 is harder than a keynote!
Mastering yourself
Being an innovator requires courage – an unwavering commitment to delivering a brand new thing. It requires resilience – surmounting obstacle after obstacle, in service of the idea. It requires an insatiable appetite for self-awareness and personal … [Read more...] about Mastering yourself
Change requires humility, courage and discipline
The basic recipe for change is pretty clear. But that doesn’t mean change is easy. The people in our lives are used to us the way we are, we are used to us the way we are. In fact, our brains, which hate changing the patterns we have created, fight … [Read more...] about Change requires humility, courage and discipline
Practice = confidence = fluency
Why is it worth actually practicing your communications skills? Why is it worth investing energy to learn techniques, to sharpen your messages, to spend time on the stage before the speech? If you aren’t prepared you can appear pre-occupied and … [Read more...] about Practice = confidence = fluency
