Insights: Communication
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 […]
Increasing Speed in Leadership
I was recently asked a broad question about how to increase speed when leading projects with incredibly smart, opinionated colleagues. While each of the steps below may seem to be things that would slow you down, in the big picture they will help you speed up your results: Relationships. Having coffee or lunch with the […]
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 […]
Technology update
Earlier this year I published a post or two about technology and productivity tools. Here is an update based on some additional experience: Shoeboxed.com is terrific. Shoeboxed.com is a subscription service that lets you snail-mail business cards, receipts or other documents using prepaid envelopes. Their system then scans these documents, reads the printed text, does […]
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 […]
Transparency: How Leaders Create a Culture of Candor, by Warren Bennis, Daniel Goleman and James O’Toole
This thoughtful book would be of special interest to leaders who are struggling with the ethics and risks of “speaking truth to power.” It also provides motivation from highly credible experts for leading in a way that models transparency even when that’s very hard to do. The authors argue that openness leads to positive social […]
Social Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
Social Intelligence: the New Science of Human Relationships, by Daniel Goleman, Bantam, 2006. This outstanding book talks about human emotions, relationships, and the brain science that helps explain them. It has huge applications for leadership and communication. Section 1 explains why listening, empathy and authenticity are so important (especially in leadership); and describes how much […]
How to Speak Like a CEO, by Suzanne Bates
Review of How to Speak Like a CEO, by Suzanne Bates This is a good overview of leadership communication skills. It emphasizes authenticity, and it covers a broad range of communication topics such as speech / presentation preparation, question and answer sessions, leading meetings, working with the media, and having 1-1 conversations. It doesn’t go […]