“We’re all in a race for relevance.” – journalist Eleanor Clift When you were growing up, did your parents or teachers tell you to “Use your words?” If so, it was their…
Browsing CategoryCommunication
Got Intrigue? The Art And Business of Giving and Getting Attention
I told a participant in my #SXSW workshop, “Congrats. Your pitch passed The Eyebrow Test®” “What’s that?” he asked. I said, “The Eyebrow Test®?” is a way to: BE more intriguing in the first 60…
Do Your Emails Pass the 5-Sentence Test?
Pulitzer Prize winning humorist Gene Weingarten said, “Let’s address the elephant in the room. ‘YO Elephant!’” Do you know what the elephant in the room in every business interaction is? People wondering, “How long will…
Are You Writing History or Reading It?
Intriguing quote from Scott Borchetta, “If I ask for your attention, I’d better be ready for it” in this USA TODAY article from Brian Mansfield. Borchetta is the record label CEO who Mansfield says, “launched…
How My Dog Taught Me Mindfulness
The time had come. Murph was in pain and couldn’t keep any food down…. We were fortunate to have found a hospice vet who came to our home. After a morning of lying in the…
You Can’t Say Anything in Two Minutes, Right?
Who says you can’t say anything in two minutes? You can CHANGE LIVES in two minutes. That’s what screenwriter Graham Moore did on Sunday night at the The Academy Awards while giving his acceptance speech…
You C.A.N. Remember Names – If You Put Your Mind To It
“If you think you can or can’t; you’re right.” – Henry Ford, auto pioneer Have you ever told yourself, “I’m terrible at remembering names?” Do you realize you just did what’s called “failure forecasting?” You…
Start with a Story
A new client told me, “I don’t have any stories.” I told her, “We ALL have stories. Stories are simply the intriguing things that happen to or around us.” She came back with, “But I…
Down with Elevator Speeches
“Enough about me. What do you think about me?” – Bette Midler in the movie Beaches While speaking at an INC 500 event, I introduced a new approach for replacing elevator SPEECHES with elevator CONNECTIONS. An entrepreneur named Colleen raised her…
How Can I Motivate People to Pay Attention to Me?
“Let’s address the elephant in the room. ‘YO Elephant!’” – humorist Gene Weingarten An executive hired me to help him with his habit of “over-talking.” He knew it was undermining his impact and…