One of my clients raised an interesting problem recently. What do you do if you tend to fill in people’s extended pauses between thoughts? You want to jump in to fill the gap—but you know that interrupting risks alienating the other person. Try any of these tips: When you realize you are with a slower …
If you have ever prepared a meal, a vacation, or even a business trip, you know how unproductive–and stressful–it is to try to think of everything you will need to do simultaneously. More likely you think in linear stages. For example, for the business trip, first, you decide where you want to go, then, who …
As the election narrows down to the conventions, we can expect more insults to be fired across the campaign bows. Anyone who is impressed with the current array of (juvenile, schoolyard, incredible, etc.) name-calling heard so far needs to read these famous insults to see what real imagination and wit can do (although John Boehner’s …
Sports teams huddle. One senior publisher always wears a pair of stilettos. Another executive thinks of his kids. All of these people are performing a ritual prior to giving a high stakes presentation, demo, performance, or speech. They do this for luck, for confidence, and for focus. Sounds silly, but, hey, it works for …
Does Serena Williams stop her tennis swing in mid-air? Does golf pro Adam Scott freeze after he makes contact with the ball? Would baseball pro A-Rod hit a home run if he stopped his swing at the point of contact with the ball? Of course not. These pros know the importance of follow through to …
Last week’s blog “The Simplest Way to Win Business” was also a LinkedIn Pulse Post where it got an extraordinary number of views (just under 3000) and 5X the number of likes of my previous Posts. No one was more surprised than me! The content wasn’t techie. The idea wasn’t new. The topic wasn’t controversial. …
Fast Company rolled out its list recently of 20 predictions for the next 20 years. The digital and scientific predictions were not surprising, but what was surprising was #12. Tucked between “Medical Training Will Be Re-written” and “Entrepreneurship Will Not Be For Everyone was #12… “Human Empathy Will Be Central” “It’s not just doctors who …
Thanksgiving means family, friends, (lots of) food and a time to pause and recognize the blessings in our lives. It is my favorite holiday. It is also a wonderful time of the year to acknowledge the people who trust you with their business. So, reach out and call, write, email, or text. Let people …
Several years ago. I was running a presentation program for a leading investment bank. On a break, I said to one of the bankers, “You must really enjoy meeting all these CEOs and getting involved in such important deals.” He stopped dead, looked me straight in the eye, and said, “Hell (he used stronger language, …
Riddle: Four frogs are sitting on a log. Two decide to jump off. How many are left on the log? Answer: Four, because deciding to do something is not the same as actually doing it. Everyone feeling good at the end of a presentation will not by itself advance your cause. Closure only happens when …
Like some songs that you can’t get out of your head, I heard a phrase last week that keeps repeating itself in mine. Erika Karp, CEO, Cornerstone Capital Group, used it at a Financial Women’s Association program I attended at Bloomberg. She said, “Be the signal, not the noise.” Although a quick Google search shows that that …