Graduation time and that means commencement speeches designed to inspire graduates as they leave the known safety of school and set out on the larger, unknown world stage. Celebrities, world leaders, artists, and corporate executives are among the speakers invited to start them off. Their speeches vary, but–not incidentally–almost all use a metaphor to enhance …
If you sell on the phone, please don’t do to prospects what a sales rep recently did to me. I had called to inquire about their roofing service and was immediately hosed with a flood of information about the company, its history, their various services, the different types of roof I might get, their reliability, …
This is the dilemma PowerPoint presenters face: When you stand during a group PPT presentation, all eyes and ears are directed at you and, up to a point, that is fine. However, monologues, even good ones, can’t tell you How much do listeners really understand? How do they really feel about what you are …
Imagine how you would feel if someone suddenly appeared in your office and said, “Hi. I’m from the IRS and I’m here to help you.” Your likely reaction–suspicion, fear, resistance– is similar to what anyone who works in an external or internal advisory role faces. Insiders think… Is my job at risk? Why do we …
When you are angry, do you want people to tell you immediately to calm down? When you are sad, do you want them to advise you right away to cheer up? When you are upset, do you want them to tell you to just forget about it? No, No, and No. It is more likely …
The story goes that Picasso was at a cocktail party when he was approached by an admirer who asked if would please sketch her portrait on a napkin, for which, of course, she would pay him. Politely obliging, he quickly drew her profile. When she asked how much she owed him, he said, “$500.” “$500!” …
How do you distinguish yourself from competition in the minds of prospects? Get some ideas from this week’s Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People issue. Not unlike your business challenge, the editors needed to create catchy phrases and metaphors to capture the essence of each person on their list. What crisp, memorable description can you …
Sometimes you get a sign from the universe about what you should do next. As I was looking for a story for this issue of The Metaphor Minute, a startling coincidence occurred that made it clear I was meant to share this particular story with you this month. Eight years ago I received an email …
What is it about presentations that makes otherwise talented people go into robot mode when they open their mouths? You know what I mean, when-the-words-come-out-in-an-unnatural-monotone-staccato fashion. Or, if not that, then the phrasing sounds like a car bumping along, starting, stopping, starting, stopping as in “One of the things — we want– to talk about …
I started to use an online meditation app and was struck by the point in today’s session: Get rid of the Mental Trash in the closet that is your head. It made me think of the “mental trash” I see in some people’s heads when they have to present that keeps them from performing at …
Ask any three colleagues from work what color they prefer for a car and why and you will likely get three different answers. Even if they choose the same color, they will likely have a different reason for their color choice. Ask a group of your friends what two traits they consider most important in …