If you don’t want to look freaked out by a question, don’t BE freaked out by the question. Almost no one has the capacity to manage their impulses so well that they can control their own micro-expressions! If you want to get better at managing … [Read more...] about Panic doesn’t look good
Curate your talk track
You’ve been in your industry for 20 years. You know SO MANY things. When you sit down with a reporter who asks an open-ended question, there’s a great temptation to turn into human Wikipedia. The impulse is: ‘Behold! Here is all of my knowledge! You … [Read more...] about Curate your talk track
The customer is king
This year, the question I get more than any other is: “How do I deal with someone who is trying to derail my meeting?” We’ve addressed several internal meeting scenarios, but what if it’s a customer meeting? Well, that’s a whole different ball … [Read more...] about The customer is king
Notice what’s wrong
Bad bosses and bad business decisions can be such incredible teachers. Right now in the tech industry we’re seeing the “correction” of so many leaders’ mistakes. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn. ‘Oh, I don't want to be the leader who does … [Read more...] about Notice what’s wrong
Embrace the pivot
Great spokespersons know that the ONLY thing you have any control over in a media interview is what comes out of your mouth. When you sit down with a reporter you have no control over how prepared the reporter is, what questions the reporter asks, … [Read more...] about Embrace the pivot
Change is hard!
Brains like patterns. Our brains are wired to lay down neural pathways and then to encourage us, via clever deployment of hormones like cortisol and dopamine, to stick to those pathways. Your brain knows that if you do what has kept you safe before … [Read more...] about Change is hard!
Earned, Owned, Paid
We continue to debate and evolve our definitions of paid, earned, and owned media. For a marketing person, these distinctions may be vital, but my advice as a communications coach to clients is the same no matter which channel they’re … [Read more...] about Earned, Owned, Paid
Words. They matter.
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. Shared vocabulary is a prerequisite for any successful conversation. It’s your responsibility both as … [Read more...] about Words. They matter.
Reality?
‘’Perception is reality.” Lee Atwater coined this phrase in political campaigning because he saw that what people think is more powerful than what’s true. Objectivity does not exist. This can be super frustrating, but it’s TRUE. People do not … [Read more...] about Reality?
Context matters!
Let me state the obvious: The three minute presentation you give at a university recruiting day should be radically different from your board meeting. The language you use at a biotech conference to a bunch of doctors is different from the language … [Read more...] about Context matters!
