26 Sep Products Don’t Sell – People Do: True or False?

Is this age-old sales mantra still true? After all, when it was first said, it certainly wasn’t delivered on the devices you are reading it on right now. So has technology changed the meaning of this mantra? And how about products in today’s world?

Are today’s highly sophisticated products capable of selling themselves? You didn’t buy that Apple Watch or Samsung Phone because a crafty salesperson sold it to you, right? Instead, you probably re-searched it or asked your friends if and how they liked it. (more…)

19 Sep Eloquence: Relying on Short Words

For hundreds of years in the English language, the most powerful and memorable means of expression has been the reliance on one or two-syllable words.

Many eloquent speeches, poetry, and plays have this common strain: three out of four words are one and two syllables. Consider Shakespeare’s famous “Coward’s Die” soliloquy as an example of the 75% rule. (more…)

9 Sep Is There a Connection Between Anxiety Disorders and Fear of Speaking?

We are all familiar with the concept of public speaking, but all speaking is public speaking. When ordering dinner in a restaurant, people do not consider this “public speaking” and may complete this task with minimal anxiety or self-awareness. Yet, a presentation in front of seven people may cause extreme distress.

Public speaking in a business setting can cause substantial stress, fear, nervousness, and anxiety for many professionals. The fear of speaking is considered one of the most common struggles in effective presentations and communication at work. (more…)

29 Aug Virtual Learning May be Best

I really enjoyed this article from the NeuroLeadership Institute on the benefits of virtual learning:

Virtual Learning is Better. Period.

Our team of executive communication coaches concur that brief periods of learning over time lead to better results. However, the article doesn’t address the social/business relationships which arise more easily in person and greatly contribute to workplace morale.

What are your thoughts?

23 Aug How to Choose a Speech Coach

When you are charged with finding and selecting a vendor to help you or your employees strengthen their communication skills, you are taking on a crucial task. Whether it’s helping a colleague prepare for a major presentation, learning to navigate difficult conversations yourself, or developing an organization’s leadership team, you need to closely match the learning needs to the training skills.

This is even more important if the participant is a member of the C-Suite. Communication learning done well is career-changing and life-enhancing. If done poorly, not only is it a waste of time and money, but it can also be professionally and personally embarrassing.

This free, informative white paper will help you avoid those pitfalls and make the right decision. BONUS: It includes 23 questions you should choose from to ask any prospective speech coach before you hire them.

Download: How to Choose a Speech Coach

4 Aug Avoiding The Great Resignation

One of the most perplexing questions our corporate clients ask is, “Will our talent actually stay?” The concern is that many talented people are leaving their positions for more desirable jobs. Some people refer to this as The Great Resignation. (more…)

23 Jun In Customer Service, Words Matter: What Do Chick-fil-A and the Ritz-Carlton Have in Common? 

At Chick-fil-A, when a customer says “Thank you,” their employees don’t say “You’re welcome” or “No problem.” Instead, they say, “My pleasure,” and there’s a big difference. 

Find out why in this CNN article: 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/09/business/chick-fil-a-my-pleasure/index.html 

13 Jun Investing in POWER skills 

One of the most perplexing questions our corporate clients ask is, “will our talent actually stay?” The concern is that talented people are leaving their positions for more desirable jobs. Some people refer to this as The Great Resignation. 

For instance, a client of mine, with 20 years of experience in helping tech companies scale from 50 to 2000 employees, explained, “there is no great resignation, there is talent everywhere, but they get to decide where they are going. That’s the difference.”  (more…)

7 Jun Being Present for Your Listeners

To quote part of a song from the musical Hamilton, “I wanna be in the room where it happens….” Remember when we were in the same room with our listeners? We could get a sense of their energy, nonverbals, and actual interaction. This sort of feedback helped build our momentum in the moment.

Two years into this new form of daily communication, one that is separated by miles, time zones, and technology, connection and influence can feel out of reach. (more…)

17 May When English is not your first language, use P.A.R. to make sure you are understood and are speaking clearly. 

Around the world, at this very minute, tens of millions of people are taking classes at language schools; some are using YouTube to learn to speak and listen, and of course, many are learning in their grade schools, high schools, and universities. Many of these people will be required in their careers to use English, so they are often very serious in their approach to learning.  (more…)