Rob Biesenbach 
More than half of American workers hate their jobs, according to one study. And that may well be an underestimate, based on my own anecdotal observation any time I find myself on the train during morning rush hour. The misery hanging over those commuters is absolutely palpable. There are lots of theories for why people feel … Read more
I was meeting with a law firm the other day, trying to figure out what set them apart from the competition — their “key differentiators.” As we went over their various strengths, someone observed that “everybody else can say the same things.” And that may be true. Go to any law firm website and you’ll … Read more
In the best fiction, great characters are revealed through their actions, mannerisms and appearance. In the opening scene of The Godfather, Don Vito Corleone, dressed in a tuxedo, sits in a darkened office behind a big desk. Across from him sits a man pleading for his help in correcting an injustice. What do we learn? … Read more
People don’t listen. It’s true. Sometimes it’s obvious. Their gaze drifts or their eyes glaze over. Though that’s not even a reliable indicator, since apparently the kids these days are training themselves to maintain eye contact while texting. So unless you put them on the spot and quiz them on what you just said, you may never … Read more
We’re all supposed to be keenly attuned to the needs and wants of our customers, viewers, listeners, readers, etc. So we ask them what they want, and we adjust our agenda, our content, our programming accordingly. But how do we know that they know what they want? On the webinar I did recently, I had the opportunity to ask participants what … Read more
Fifteen years ago, as I stood helplessly watching my CEO client get yelled at and cursed out by one of his employees, I had no idea that that incident would later become the whole basis of my approach to communication. Standing there, shellshocked (who knew an employee could yell at his CEO? As I learned, … Read more
Every once in a while in your career you get to work on a dream project. One that’s challenging, rewarding and uses your talents to the utmost. But it requires a client with the guts to do something truly remarkable and the discipline to stick to it. This is the tale of such a project, … Read more
Most people agree that emotion is a powerful tool for persuasion. It helps humanize you, inspires empathy, creates common ground and breaks down the walls between you and the people you’re trying to reach. I’m often asked how you get to that emotional place, especially if you are more of the stoic type — say, … Read more
The lessons we can learn from actors go way beyond how to communicate more successfully. The world of performance offers lots of important life lessons as well. Acting is about taking risks, making clear choices and doing ridiculously embarrassing things in public and living to tell about it. (A particular career lowlight of mine was … Read more
It didn’t matter who you were — Martin de Maat believed in you. Martin was a teacher and administrator at Second City. He died in 2001, about a year before I started taking classes there, but he left behind an indelible legacy. By all accounts, he was a one-of-a-kind figure — passionate, enthusiastic, inspirational. Martin put … Read more