This year has been trying and difficult in ways we couldn’t have foreseen this time last December. And it is crucial that when we’re faced with unusual challenges, we simplify our lives. Make things easy when we can—save our energy for the complexity we must handle. We all need some easy in our lives. But … Read more
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This commercial gets me every time. The committed postal workers, the homes nestled in snow, and the incomparable, inimitable voice of Leslie Odom Jr accompanying it all. A lovely minute of hope and light, people connecting across difficulty and difference by working together. I hope, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, you’re connected to … Read more
’Im bringing this post back for an encore, nearly a year after I wrote it. For me, it’s both a relic of the world in January of this year (I was directing a play! In the same room with other people!), and a timely reminder that most of us are always looking at our own points … Read more
When your camera is off, you’re hiding. When you load your slides with text, letting them present instead of you, you’re hiding. When you’re mumbling and not making eye contact, you’re hiding. This is not a judgment. Far from it—what’s more interesting, and productive, than passing judgment is figuring out why some people, in some … Read more
If you’re presenting with slides, remember this guideline. Either your visuals or your message can be complex, but not both. If your slide has a lot of data, several bullet points, or a complex graph, your job is to give your audience one or two simple, direct headlines to guide them to what is most … Read more
The great Dean Smith, longtime head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heel basketball team, had a rule everyone who played for him followed. When you make a basket after getting a pass from a teammate, you point to the person who passed you the ball. This quick act of gratitude highlights what’s necessary to … Read more
In a recent meeting, a colleague shared that in the virtual events she has hosted, it takes twice as long for participants to be ready to participate verbally. “If we were in person, they’d be fully engaged by the coffee break. Now, sometimes it takes until the end of the first day for them to … Read more
Most people think of talking as something that starts in your brain and issues from your mouth. Even when we acknowledge that body language and other nonverbals are important, we still don’t spend much energy integrating our words and our nonverbals. But the words someone speaks are only as important as their delivery. In fact, … Read more
My top recommendation for leading online meetings is this: Give more space for silence when you’re inviting others to speak. A few seconds of silence can feel like a long time to wait for someone to speak up. But remember, your internal “that’s long enough to wait before things get awkward” meter is calibrated to … Read more
There is a certain moment that frequently happens in a coaching session. It comes fairly early, after the small talk, when I say, “Okay, great. Let’s dive into your presentation.” At least 60% of the time, the client says, “Wait, now?” Yep, now. The way to get better is to practice, with targeted and expert … Read more
