How much communication is too much? That’s a question that inevitably arises whenever I do a presentation or interview. Specifically, people will ask: When expressing emotion, how much emoting is too much? When doing business, how much chit chat is too much? When presenting to an audience, how much eye contact is too much? A Matter … Read more
My father died a year ago tomorrow, on September 11 of all days, and I was privileged to deliver a eulogy. For anyone struggling with this task, my advice is this: the first rule of writing a eulogy is there are no rules. And ignore anyone who pretends there is. Ignore the Rules At the … Read more
The news that Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post was a shock. Almost as shocking was the textbook way he handled the delicate communication to employees. The Post is much more than a newspaper. It’s practically a national institution — one that many people, not the least of which are its employees, hold dear. So … 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
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
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
It’s hard to visit the Grand Canyon without thinking of that scene from Vacation where Chevy Chase runs over to the rim, gives the canyon a quick once-over and dashes back to the car. (The only link I could find is dubbed in Spanish, but fortunately the language of comedy is universal.) Of course, he’s in … Read more
There’s nothing worse than a bad apology. Like the non-apology apology (“I’m sorry if you were offended”), which skirts responsibility and essentially blames the victim for being too sensitive. Or the increasingly popular “I didn’t know I was being recorded” apology, which is another way of saying, “I was just saying what I was thinking … Read more