Spring conference season is here! Are you leading a breakout session? Start by saying THANK YOU to the people who chose to walk into your session room! Acknowledge your audience’s discernment and good taste. They chose YOUR session, after … [Read more...] about Thanks for coming to my session!
Why?
Do you know your Why? Simon Sinek’s work is now ubiquitous. We all know how much a Why matters. When you communicate from your Why, your purpose shines through in everything you say and do. Your audiences feel it. You reach not just their heads, … [Read more...] about Why?
Incrementalism
There is no substitute for daily practice. Real change comes from consistent, patient, disciplined, daily focus on new behavior. Want to learn to patiently listen during difficult conversations with employees? A daily practice of meditation will … [Read more...] about Incrementalism
Silence is a strategy too
Yes, I am a communications coach. I help people deliver great messages to all sorts of audiences. But sometimes silence is the most powerful form of communication. More often than not, the best way to position yourself in an email battle is not … [Read more...] about Silence is a strategy too
Plans. Good.
If you want to do a terrible media interview, don’t have a plan. Don’t be clear about your business objective, don’t define a communications objective that will help you achieve your business objective, and definitely don’t have messages or proof … [Read more...] about Plans. Good.
Bring a problem and a solution
If you’re the one who identifies a big problem for your company, don’t hide it. Tell everybody. Sounding the alarm gets the right team on board to help find the solution. However, you don’t want to be the messenger that gets shot. Bring a … [Read more...] about Bring a problem and a solution
Don’t limit yourself
Creating messages for your company? Don’t be too specific. Because your message needs to last at least a year if you want it to penetrate the minds of your target audiences. Got six separate product messages? Great. They all ladder up to … [Read more...] about Don’t limit yourself
Tell me more…
My genius friend has the best way of dealing with people who bring dumb, nonsensical or useless ideas to her. She just says, “Tell me more” and then watches them tie themselves into knots trying to add depth and justification to an idea when there’s … [Read more...] about Tell me more…
Don’t drown in the details
“Don't confuse me with the facts!” “The confused customer does not buy.” When you make your prospective customer feel stupid, when you drown them in details, they will find a way to make it YOUR fault that they don’t understand. And it IS your … [Read more...] about Don’t drown in the details
What should I do first?
You want to become a better communicator. But there are so many things to work on. Where should you start? With your audience. To be more specific: with how what you do/know really helps your audience. I have worked with people who are super … [Read more...] about What should I do first?
