I have not yet met a single manager who would not complain about ‘boring’, ‘endless’ and ‘useless’ meetings they have to host or attend on a daily basis. And yet most of them are literally just a few words away from making their meeting a really effective communication and teambuilding tool. I once worked with […]
Tag: communication
Canoeing with Mintzberg
The CoachingOurselves Reflections 2017 – Rebalancing Society conference was an outstanding 3-day event filled with ideas, presentations and passion shared with us by the brightest minds: Henry Mintzberg, Philip Kotler, Dan Ponterfract, Ed Schein, Jonathan Gosling, Mitch Joel and many other prominent thinkers, businesspeople and coaches. This true feast of sustainable leadership was concluded with a savory dessert – The Great Canadian Canoe Trip, […]
How can I improve my skills in listening and how can I practice my speaking?
Practice makes perfect. Practice speaking and listening – and use technology to analyze your skills and measure the progress. Sounds sophisticated? Not at all. All you need is a simple speech recorder or just your smartphone. Make it a habit to record all substantial conversations that you have during the day, then allocate ample time […]
Negotiate Out of Anything
Ever realized that negotiations play a major role in your life? What to eat for breakfast, where to go for vacation and how to get a discount, as well as your starting salary, your promotion, and eventually your severance package – those are but a minor sample of the items that you have to negotiate […]
Leaders’ Digest One-Page Essentials: A Corporate Primer
This is an old classic dating back to the late 18th century. The author, Voltaire Cousteau, is allegedly related to both Francois Voltaire and Jacques Cousteau. The text was translated and turned into a dinner talk in the late 1970s by a French scientist working in the US. Perhaps the guy moved from science to management […]
17 Points of Effective Presentation: Delivery
This is the sequel to “7 Points of Effective Presentation: Killer Powerpoint Slides.” Last week, we started work on a presentation with a client. We identified 7 important areas for improvement, and the client created a very effective slide stack as a result of our effort. However, the delivery of the material is equally […]
7 Points of Effective Presentation: Killer Powerpoint Slides
I am going through a “killer presentation” sent over by a client, and I am excited…. I am excited because I see that we have a good topic for a successful coaching session: it will bring immediate result. Actually, I see two successful sessions coming, because every presentation is built on two pillars: the slide […]
How to Spot a Lie (and Deliver Alternative Truth)
Let’s face it: we live in the world of lies. We are telling lies and are being blatantly lied to every day, 24/7. That’s exactly why my initial statement may have surprised you – at first: because we are all used to lies. Not you? How about these: “Guys, I know you work hard.” “No, […]
Improve Your Email Nonverbal Communication Skills
Imagine entering your office in the morning, coffee in hand… You open your Outlook and among numerous unread emails you see a message from your boss that you have not seen, which reads like this: Subj: org ch Pls come see me ASA{. What was the first thought that crossed your mind?..
What Do You Do as Project Manager?
“What is the purpose of your visit to the United States of America?” The US Custom and Border Protection officer was a big guy. He asked the usual questions in a deep and hoarse voice and was sitting on a rather tall chair behind his counter, which made him look somewhat dominating if not menacing. […]