Below, I speak on the difficulty of leadership communication in a digital age marked by journalistic “biases.” No organizations are immune.
The Worst Public Speaking Nightmare—and How the Guy Got a Standing Ovation Anyway
A good friend landed in a public speaking nightmare.
He had agreed to address a convention of toastmasters who lead local public speaking clubs.
When he arrived a few minutes early for the event, he met with his friend who had arranged the speech.
That’s when disaster struck.
He discovered that the audience was not toastmasters, but postmasters who run local post offices.
He frantically tried to organize a speech in his head while his friend introduced him.
Then he took the stage, mic in hand, postmasters staring at him.
What could he possibly do?
CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLEWhy We Should Write More Handwritten Thank-You Notes Today—and the 2 Things to Avoid
I went to a local printer to order 500 personalized note cards with envelopes.
“Aren’t you on email?” the owner asked me.
“Sure,” I replied. “That’s why I’m ordering the cards. They mean more now than ever.”
He seemed puzzled.
In the age of digital media, handwritten notes are gaining importance. Especially genuine thank-you notes.
Beware of two problems.
CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE3 Reasons Not to Ask Questions When Building a Relationship—And What to Say Instead
Asking questions isn’t always the best way to grow a relationship. Here’s why—and what to do instead if you are in a long-term or new relationship.
#1 Our questions can limit the agenda.
When my spouse and I go “out for coffee,” we often have relational issues in the back of our minds.
But sometimes the first question sets the entire agenda. The more meaningful the question, the more likely it will dictate the topic—for good or bad, fairly or unfairly.
What if the person who didn’t get to ask a question really needed to talk about something else?
#2 Our questions are frequently interpreted as criticism.
For instance, starting a conversation with a question like “What have you been up to?” can be interpreted as “Why haven’t you been doing something else?” or even “You’re wasting your time.”
CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLEHow to Solve Our 2 Basic Communication Problems in all Relationships
Two patterns cause most of our communication breakdowns. Identifying and addressing them can help us communicate far more effectively.
First, we emotionally cocoon ourselves.
We’re not willing to open up. We’re afraid of what others will think—especially someone in authority, such as a boss, parent, or pastor.
So we take the safe route. We guard our hearts.
In organizations where there is a lack of trust, practically everyone cocoons, and leadership has little idea what anyone truly thinks, even about the organization and its leaders.
The result is that leaders bring in expensive consultants to reveal the otherwise obvious—communication is a mess and no one wants to talk about it except anonymously.
CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLEWhy You Should Use Your Body More and PowerPoint Less—With a Video Demo by Body Hacker Cliff Stoll
I use PowerPoint, but very selectively. My body is more effective. So is yours. Here’s why.
The most potent multimedia technology in the world is the human body, including our voices. We’re wondrously multisensory creatures.
No humanly devised communication technology can compete with our body’s expressiveness.
CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLEIt shouldn’t surprise us that the root word for ‘communication’ is the same for ‘community’ and ‘communion.’ Our bodies commune. Love-making is the supreme example. Skip the PowerPoint when you want to be passionate on stage. Who wants virtual reality in bed?