No one wants to be accused of doing a data dump as a presenter. Neither do they want to turn in a book report when they propose a new strategic plan to executive management or, worse, when they write a sales proposal. Instead, they hope to be persuasive––to build a strong case for their idea [...]
As soon as the national do-not-call list and law went into effect, I stepped to the front of the line and signed up. Then at the end of five years when it was time to “re-up” and register all phone numbers again, I dutifully dialed the toll-free numbers and put my name and numbers on [...]
Hey, Mom, Just thinking about this upcoming Mother’s Day. Funny thing: You and I never spent hours talking, but you said a lot before I left home. What I mean is this: You were never one to come into my room, plop down on my bed, and say, “So tell me all about your day!” [...]
With the weather at a balmy 72 degrees, spring cleaning fever struck at our house this past weekend. Closets, garage, library. New hangers for the suits. Unworn clothes donated to charities. New organizers for the odds and ends. Updated photos in the frames. Like my closets and garage, maybe your inbox could profit from the [...]
In the months since the Great Recession, while stalled between the two viewpoints “we’re rebounding” and “we’re heading for a double-dip recession,” organizations have learned that they can get along with fewer employees. After downsizing, survivors find themselves now filling the roles of two colleagues laid off or outsourced as a part-time contractor. The result: [...]
When the handyman wrote out his bid for re-polishing our granite counter-tops in the bathroom, he noticed a tiny hairline crack in the sink. “This sink still under warranty?” “I’m sure it expired yesterday,” I responded. “That’s typically my luck.” But I checked anyway. A quick look at the paperwork showed that we’d purchased the sink four years [...]
But you get my point: In real life, important communication—whether writing or speaking—deserves your undivided attention and concentration.
A new book released today, SuperCompetent® by productivity expert Laura Stack, amplifies this same idea. Check out the third of her six A’s on becoming a supercompetent employee: attention (focus and concentration).
Customers communicate dissatisfaction—one way or the other. You’ll generally come out ahead if they tell the problem to you directly rather than to the rest of the world. Here’s what happened to United Airlines when they ignored Dave Carroll’s efforts to communicate the problem about his damaged guitar. On the other hand, here’s what happens [...]
Levi Johntson must have texted a powerful apology to Bristol Palin. After going on TV and talk radio across the country for the past 18 months to bad-mouth her family, that apology sealed him his engagement—and, according to some media rumors, an upcoming reality TV show. Whatever. My point? Situations calling for a public apology [...]
Seeing and hearing media reports on this week’s health care summit hosted by President Obama reminds me of a key concept about productive meetings of any kind: Your outcome depends on those offering input. The concept is counter-intuitive. Leaders “large and in charge” of many endeavors—whether governments, schools, corporations, civic organizations, families—often make the mistake [...]
