If the people you work with are human, they probably don’t always follow your instructions… and that can lead to a follow-up conversation (or confrontation) that many of us find awkward. Never fear, though: You can avoid feeling like the bad guy or having to listen to lame excuses if you build accountability in, from the start. Here’s how Read More
public speaking
How To Master Business Communication: Learn the Unwritten Rules
Groups Always Enforce Unwritten Rules Funny thing about human beings: We like to organize ourselves into groups, and we like to tell each other how to act. This means that every group of people — from a single household to a country of billions — has unwritten rules for how each member should behave. (Think of the statement, “In Read More
Be Brief, Be Bold, Be Gone When You Speak to Senior Leaders (and Everyone Else)
“Be brief, be bold, be gone” is a perfect description of how to talk to people who are high up in your organization’s food chain. That’s because many (perhaps most) senior leaders like their information sparse and have famously short attention spans. But senior leaders aren’t the only ones who value conciseness and clarity. That’s why “The Read More
Fear of Public Speaking? It Sucks
Lots of new clients are showing up lately with fear of public speaking as their presenting complaint. That fear can range from mild to maddening to career-killing. But whatever its level, fear of public speaking sucks—and there are two things you should know about it: #1: Fear of Public Speaking? It Makes Perfect Sense When most Read More
How to Lead a Panel Discussion That Works
No one thinks that putting on sneakers is enough preparation for running a 5K. But lots of people seem to think that handing microphones to a few folks is enough preparation for a panel discussion. (It’s not!) If you’re going to be leading a panel, these steps will prepare you and your panelists for success. Step 1: Don’t Just Choose Read More