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
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.
Running down the clock
You’re sitting with a reporter for thirty minutes. The reporter takes five minutes just to formulate their first question. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Should you interrupt? Over 25 years of staffing interviews as a PR person, I came to … [Read more...] about Running down the clock
Questions: Scary!
This may seem obvious, but the way not to be scared and surprised by questions is not to be scared and surprised by questions. Prepping for a big interview on CNBC? Your PR team has pored over interviews, had conversations with producers, and … [Read more...] about Questions: Scary!
Dance the dance
A media interview looks like a normal conversation, but it’s not a conversation at all. It’s a business transaction that takes the form of a careful, predictable Kabuki dance. Every participant in a media interview is filling a well-defined … [Read more...] about Dance the dance
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!
