Our account executive picked up the phone on the first ring yesterday: “Booher Consultants. How may I help you?” Caller (gruff, sarcastic voice): “Well, did you finally find your phone?” Account Executive: “Pardon me?” Caller (yelling): “Did you finally find your phone?” Account Executive (deciding someone must have the wrong number because we don’t get [...]
Guest Column by Laura Stack, MBA, CSP My father is a retired Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Those of you who grew up in a military environment know it has its own communication nuances. For example, in the military, someone who receives a verbal order is often required to repeat it back immediately to [...]
Heaven forbid that you have to go to a hospital for treatment. But if you do, you better be conscious and strong enough to slog through the miscommunication swirling around you—or bring an advocate along to make sure you survive the stress and live through the ordeal. A recent emergency with my father led him, [...]
They made it—just under the wire! Audible.com has just released my latest audiobook Speak with Confidence! in time for our upcoming public workshop Presentations That Work, June 14-15. It’s also available on Amazon.com and iTunes. Now about you. If you find yourself giving more and more presentations (And who doesn’t? Life is a series of [...]
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 [...]
People can argue with facts all day. But they can’t argue with your experience or your story. When you present your case as information, statistics, or data to be digested, people move into analysis mode. Lights go on; wheels whir in an attempt to “take the other tack” and prove you wrong. But when you [...]
Without a doubt, the most prevalent problem among business presenters is the monotone. When they speak for only 5-15 minutes, the audience survives, but longer than that and they escape via cell phones, tablet, or hallways. So what to do if you suspect you may be the presenter causing this distress? Three tips to slay [...]
“What’s your point?” I ask that same question hundreds of times a year to clients. They typically look at me puzzled—as if I should know their point after listening to 15 minutes of their talk and reviewing their slides. Granted, I’ve usually gotten the gist. But an audience should walk away with a clear, crisp [...]
Does what you say sync with what you do? In addition to meeting your deadlines, achieving all your project goals, and staying within budget, establishing trust in your communications is vital to your career. In both oral and written communication, including your social media interactions, a lack of trust will lower your hallway credibility. And [...]
“I’m just about to go into a meeting,” somebody says to you. Do they mean “with people down the hall” or “with people in Beijing and Biloxi?” With no definitive studies on the issue, my guess is that we have as many teleconferences today as face-to-face meetings. But attendees often leave teleconferences with far less [...]
