Rob Biesenbach 
Years ago I had a client in the manufacturing business. They brought in an outside hire who came with stellar corporate credentials, fully versed in all the latest management/operational processes, like Six Sigma. The first time I met him he certainly seemed knowledgable. During our meeting he brought up a new factory that the company … Read more
(A version of this post originally ran as a guest post on the Spin Sucks blog.) Study after study points to the power of storytelling to transform our communications, help us move and persuade audiences and get more of what we want out of life. I find people are either totally intimidated by the notion of … Read more
When you drive nearly 1,800 miles in four days, comic relief is a welcome part of any road trip. On a holiday weekend swing through the southland, Elvis Presley’s Graceland provided an unexpected moment of laughter. And it wasn’t just his sideburns or his jumpsuits or his carpeted kitchen — I’m talking intentional humor, right there … Read more
If you were to read just one thing online about how to improve your speaking skills, this article from Hubspot would be it: 7 Lessons from the World’s Most Captivating Presenters. I personally come back to it again and again for valuable presentation tips. What I find especially helpful is that it provides a lot of … Read more
Last week, the fundraising site Kickstarter got itself into some pretty hot water over a campaign for a “seduction guide” that a lot of people found offensive and misogynistic. I wasn’t aware of the controversy, but I am a huge fan of the world-class apology they published. It’s a textbook guide on how to apologize. (A few … Read more
I had a great conversation about storytelling and presentation skills and other topics with writer, speaker and communications consultant Donna Papacosta. It’s all captured in this podcast on her site at Trafalgar Communications. We talk about some of the classic lessons from my book, including: The power of stories. How to cut to the chase in … Read more
I haven’t seen much of Joss Whedon’s work, but there’s no question he’s a prolific writer and creator, so I loved these tips of his on the writing process. Make Writing Fun For me, the big theme here is the idea of making the work of writing fun. For instance, he rewards himself — not just … Read more
Eleven years ago I started on a strange journey, fulfilling a long-held desire to perform by signing up for classes at Chicago’s famed Second City training center. That led to improv and sketch shows, theater performances and national commercial work. But a funny thing happened on my way to becoming an actor. I discovered these … Read more
If you’re a professional and you’re serious about your work, you need a professional business headshot that communicates who you are and what you’re about. You’ll need it for your LinkedIn page and other social media profiles, your website or bio and any time you’re invited to speak or serve on a panel somewhere. Understand … Read more
In the wake of every national tragedy, from shootings to natural disasters, it happens like clockwork — celebrities and companies and everyday folk tweet their thoughts and prayers to the victims. There’s an interesting debate over “tragedy tweeting” at Arik Hanson’s Communication Conversations blog, and I admit it amounts to somewhat of a “damned if you … Read more