Each week I bring together a few articles that add value to our work of becoming better communicators in business. Short on time? Watch for the *Must Read* where I think you’ll get the best bang for your reading buck!
Secrets of Positive Feedback *Must Read*
Can you mix tough performance standards with generous positive feedback for your team? Yes! And if you can’t, get out of management. This excellent article reminds us (yet again!!) that management without systematic positive feedback will never get the best results. Read on…
Help Employees Listen When They Don’t Want to Hear
Can you improve how your employees hear what you have to say? Learn how to stop the ‘tuning out’ process and get better engagement. This article has 3 very practical points to consider. “Testing the message” is particularly powerful. How often do you deliver key messages without first ‘testing’ them out on someone you trust to give you honest feedback? The right message delivered the right way the first time is immeasurably more effective than even the most elegant reversal! Read on…
Improve Your Public Speaking with a More Effective Mindset
Effective sales- and engagement-inspiring public speaking is a sport and a performing art. It takes practice. Want to connect with your audiences better in presentation environments? Read this article. Read on…
The 8 Most Greatest Tips to Write Unstoppably Killer Headlines Guide Ever
Ironic title, and I love it. This may not be the most greatest ever guide, but it is excellent. The 8 things to think about when composing your headlines are solid and practical. Read on…
Teach, or Your Blog Will Die *Must Read*
Teach or die. If your blog doesn’t help others learn something new from your unique perspective (you’re the only one who thinks exactly like you do!), you will provide nothing of value. A good article on what keeps an audience coming back for more. People are always asking me about what the value of a blog is for their business. Wrong question to start with. The right question is what is the value of a blog for your customers? Read on…
Make Your Facebook Fan Page a Party
Is your Facebook Page a party or a ghost town? Some good thinking on the big picture of Facebook and your brand, and some very practical tips and examples of how to get the party started.Still the top suggestion? Interact and respond! Read on…
How to Be Direct Without Being a Jerk
Can you be direct and not ruffle feathers? It is a challenge that this article addresses very well. Empathy and great listening go a long way to getting challenging messages through. Read on…
Good Social Business *Must Read*
“If your business is not remarkable, it’s dispensable.” I’m on a Bret Simmons roll this week. He nails it again. Social media will not improve your business. Don’t look for success there if you are not already a success in the ‘real’ world. But if you are remarkable, good social media strategies will add rocket fuel. Read on…
Why I Connect On Twitter
How do you show up on your Twitter account? What is there will be used by people that matter to determine if you matter. This article by Bret Simmons is a very useful description we look for when deciding to connect. Or not. Read on…
Social Media For Business *Must Read*
Are you sleeping through the most important reset in communication and marketing of the last 50 years? Bret Simmons nails it again. Earn your alliances through consistent good performance, and then use SM to strengthen and extend those alliances. Or else. Read on…
Social Media Customer Engagement
Where do ‘social’ and customer service intersect in the real world of business and social media? This article is a great real world portrayal of customer relations done right on Twitter. Have you had any experiences like this? Read on…
Facebook Pages Upgrade to Business Class
The changes to the Facebook Pages design and function have generated a lot of positive and negative commentary. Here is a review from someone who is worth listening to on the subject, John Jantsch of @Duct Tape Marketing. Read on…
Is the Business Card Dead?
Is the business card as a primary communication and marketing tool relevant? If social media and smart phones are becoming the primary way we stay in touch, how should that influence the way we think about business cards? Read on…
Dude . . . It’s Not The Cone Of Silence!
Do you have a Director of First Impressions working for your organization? Sometimes being on-message includes simply watching what we say when we think no one is listening. Great communication includes great discretion. Read on…
Want to improve your communication with employees, partners, and customers? I help organizations improve communication through social media strategies and management-level workshops.
