Want to be a clearer, kinder, and more memorable communicator? Commit to the “rule of 3”
Talk about a trifecta for those of us who love groups of three! Earlier this month, three large companies – GE, Johnson & Johnson, and Toshiba – announced they were going to break themselves apart. GE and Toshiba are splitting themselves into three different...
How reflecting about reflection helps you see things in a new way
Do you ever reflect about reflection? This fall, I’ve found myself doing this especially as I prepared to talk with the College of Charleston’s MBA class of 2022 about the power of reflection, including how to build a daily reflection habit. Considering that I’m a...
Why binge learning is bad for your brain and three actions to take instead
If you're going to binge-watch, save it for entertaining yourself, not for professional development. Binge-watching is bad for recall. So unless you're interested in just "checking the box" that you've taken a course, you'll have wasted your time. You need to use a...
3 tips to be like Fergus and ask others to help you improve your work
“How do I make sure employees understand my messages?” asked one of my clients, who’s recently taken on a new leadership role with a much larger span of control. Test your messages in advance, I responded. Draft your message ahead of time and then ask a few people to...
Why and how you want to create “digital body language” rules of the road
Are you a digital adapter, digital native, resister, a combo, or something in between? Communication mishaps in the workplace are frequent among and even within these groups. It’s not bad intent. We generally have good intentions; instead, it’s hard these days for...
3 brain-based tools to create clear, coherent and action-oriented messages
My three favorite brain friendly tools to communicate clearly and coherently to accelerate action are: 1) the number “3”; 2) the word “point” and 3) online resource books. In my latest Forbes article published online on Sept. 27, 2021, I explain how to use these...
Do you get “behavior blisters”? Take action before they harm you
Painful. Irritating. Avoidable. These three words describe my feelings for my multiple feet blisters that finally healed. For weeks, each uncomfortable step I took reminded me of my careless behavior – neglecting to pack sneakers for walking long distances during an...
Why you need to connect more dots to see a more complete picture
Have you been caught up in the adult paint-by-number craze during the Covid-19 pandemic? This DIY craft makes painting as easy as 1-2-3. You get all the supplies delivered to your door, including a visual of the picture you’ll be painting and instruction manual. For...
Why your feel-good thinking pattern may hurt you and how to break it
Two by two worked well for Noah's ark in much simpler times. Today though, thinking about things in twos, either similar or extremes, such as black and white, good vs. bad, heroes vs. villains, etc. can be simplistic. When you use binary framing you focus on two...