Why do we tend to blame ourselves first? I’m at an offsite workshop for a couple of days and yesterday a fellow participant mentioned to the group where he went to college. It happens to be an ACC school, something you don’t often hear in these parts (the Midwest). So, being a UVa. alum, I … Read more
I am far from a social media expert, but there are three things Twitter users do that drive me insane and that absolutely violate fundamental principles of good communication. 1. Auto Tweets I understand it’s an efficient way for busy people to schedule out their tweets over the course of a day, but it’s important … Read more
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a little tired of being told what to do. Just this morning before breakfast I had more than 100 people giving me advice via articles and blog posts in my RSS feeds, email subscriptions, LinkedIn and Facebook. (And that’s not including Twitter.) The Dos and Don’ts of This and … Read more
There’s quite the tempest going on at my alma mater, the University of Virginia. And they don’t seem to be handling it well. The school’s president has been essentially ousted by the Board with seemingly no notice and little explanation. Apparently she was well respected by the faculty and popular with students and everyone is … Read more
Far too many companies couldn’t make the customer service experience more aggravating if they tried. It makes you wonder if they actually are trying. Here are a few of my biggest customer service peeves. They may be small, but it’s the little daily aggravations that tend to add up to life’s major frustrations. And so … 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
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