It hit me at the Texas Women’s Conference in Austin lately that audiences REALLY WANT to like the speaker. The women in the room arrived at each session hoping that the speaker would be warm and relatable. We wanted to look at that panel of women and think, “She’s cool. She’s been around the block, and she’s honest and funny about it. She’s like … [Read more...] about We WANT to like you
Communication Moments
"Knowledge is of two kinds: We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information on it." ~ Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) Informal Communication Networks written by Cynthia Oelkers In business textbooks, communication networks are drawn very neatly in flow charts: Communication should flow from bosses down to employees … [Read more...] about Communication Moments
Balancing Power in Relationships
"You've got to have an ace in the hole." ~ Clint Black It only takes a matter of seconds to discern someone's status. At work, it's easy to pick out the VP in a room full of people by how others treat her: making room for her to walk by, greeting her enthusiastically, and allowing her to initiate conversations. But even in relationships with … [Read more...] about Balancing Power in Relationships
What Goes Around, Comes Around
"Rather go to bed supperless than to rise in debt." ~ Benjamin Franklin When I was growing up, a favorite fundraiser for our church group was to sponsor a "Free Car Wash" at the local Arby's. Arby's would donate the water, and we would all stand in the parking lot, armed with buckets, sponges, soap and towels to attack any car that cared to … [Read more...] about What Goes Around, Comes Around
Sweet Spot for Persuading
"What am I going to talk about in this presentation?" It's the wrong tactic. It makes presenters self-focused and creates the "me show." Your audience doesn't care about what you know until they know that you care... about their interests. First, Focus on The Audience Instead, ask yourself, what does this audience want for themselves... in … [Read more...] about Sweet Spot for Persuading
