Insights: Communications Coaching
Know Your Audience
I once worked with a pharmaceutical CEO who had been presenting effectively for decades. He had passion and flair—a great salesman and engaging communicator. But for the scientific regulatory audience he was preparing to speak to, his tone was a bit too commercial. He was skilled presenting to investors and many other audiences, but he […]
The Communication Toolbox
We all grow up with our own unique communication style. Some people by nature are very direct. They come right to the point. They tell it like it is. They don’t mince words. Other people are more diplomatic, more indirect, more subtle in their communication. Indeed, there are a variety of communication styles—quiet, loud, forceful, […]
The Art of Receiving Feedback
Recently I wrote about the importance of giving feedback to your direct reports and others—openly, candidly and in a way that’s actionable for them. I think 50% of the feedback equation rests on the side of managers, who have to be willing and skilled in giving it. Today I want to share a few tips […]
Feedback: A Recipe for Improvement
I doubt most leaders fully understand the incredible power of giving feedback, or the suffering that can result from withholding it. I’m talking about situations where a manager has important concerns about a direct report’s performance and doesn’t share them–or doesn’t share them well. Leaders worry that giving tough feedback will hurt motivation, damage relationships, […]
Habits of the Mind
We all know there are simple things we can do to have a more healthy body, like eat well, rest and exercise. But it only dawned on me recently that there is an equivalent sort of hygiene for the mind. Here are three powerful “habits of the mind” that I believe contribute powerfully to long-term […]
The Power of Matching
In his book To Sell Is Human, Dan Pink writes about the importance of attunement as part of selling, whether the selling is formal (actual sales) or less formal (influence and persuasion). One approach to attunement is matching. By subtly matching body language, tone of voice and choice of words, you can create greater attunement and more […]
The #1 Leadership Communication Mistake
I have come to the conclusion that there is one pretty universal communication mistake that is the most damaging and causes the most mischief for leaders. Are you ready? The mistake is: not preparing well. Yes, I know this is not very sexy, but it is incredibly ubiquitous. People just don’t think about preparing in advance for […]
Oasis Leadership
Another leadership metaphor occurred to me recently: some leaders are like an oasis, and others are more like a thunderstorm. Some leaders are a quiet resource. They are not showy, they don’t seek the limelight, they don’t draw lots of attention to themselves. They aren’t a loud voice in the room, and they aren’t “impressive” […]
Speaking with Authenticity: The Hunger Games
Yesterday I saw the film “The Hunger Games,” and I was struck by how well it conveys what it takes to be an authentic, successful public speaker. In the movie the heroine Katniss is pulled from her humble life hunting game in the woods for her little sister and mother, and is thrust into the […]