Have you ever had a meeting with someone or attend a presentation in which it felt like it wouldn’t matter if you weren’t there.  Even if you got up and left, they would still be doing their thing, talking away.  That is clearly a one-sided form of communication and they’re clealry not paying attention to you: the customer (listener).  And that is a big mistake.  To be a good communicator, you have to listen to your...

Even if you’re not a professional speaker, you may have to make a presentation from time to time.  Whether to your company’s Board, your boss, or even your customer.  A lot of times we get so caught up in what we want to say that we overlook an the most important part: the audience. Think about it. Someone crosses their arms and leans back during your presentation.  Does this mean that they don’t like what you just...

“Will I?” or “I will.”  Which one seems stronger.  At first glance, the “I will” has a much stronger stance.  It is solid.  Stronger or not, the real question is, “Which statement produces better results?” Now it is not often that new ways to approach goal setting make their way onto the scene, but psychologist Ibrahim Senay has done just that.  In his research, Senay studied the impact...

Remember, the best way to motivate others is to give them the opportunity to motivate themselves.  Having your employees hit the ground running on Monday morning often has more to do with what you do on Friday than what you do on Monday.  If you want to have a great Monday, you need to start preparing on Friday. People tend to feel great on Fridays.  The weekend is coming and the excitement about the weekend, for some people, is better...

What stops you from getting what it is that you really want?  Hopefully, the answer for you is nothing.  If you have an answer, I’d like you consider this.  I recently came across an article on three war veterans who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.  What was impressive is that there was only one good leg among the three of them.  Yes.  All three were amputees.  Two of them had no legs at all! Their purpose, according to the article, was...

Even world class speakers may get a hint of nervousness before stepping on stage.  They of course have skills for masking any nervousness they may feel, so don’t be surprised if you can’t pick up on it. I remember when I was first getting started delivering presentations everyday.  I loved the work and excited to have so many opportunities to speak, but every time I stepped on stage, I started off a bit nervous.  This came...