If you’ve been on the internet in the last couple of weeks, you may have seen that a journalist got into trouble when he did something during a Zoom call that, let’s just say, was an activity better suited to being in private. So! If you’re on a videoconference, here’s a good rule of thumb: … Read more
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What does this day bring you? How are you doing? What’s next? (I tried to locate the designer of this poster, with no luck. If you know, shoot me an email!)
There is a famous Taoist story that I am finding so much solace in these days. It goes something like this: A farmer’s horse ran away. His neighbors came to him to commiserate, saying, “We’re so sorry! What bad luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe. Who knows what is good and what is bad?” The next … Read more
My son Cameron started high school this year. In our city, all public schools are currently doing virtual instruction only. The transition from middle to high school is one that educators point to as being tricky under the best of circumstances. Many students are coming to a large school for the first time, they are … Read more
When you’re speaking, especially if you’re working from notes or a script, be careful not to emphasize pronouns. Why? Take the following sentence as an example. “Her influence is one reason I’ve been able to drive success.” If you pop the pronouns, it looks like this: “Her influence is one reason I’ve been able to … Read more
I was speaking with a good friend of mine recently, a man who has thought a lot about faith and action. He spoke about how, in this culture, we place a lot of emphasis on “the word.” We celebrate speakers and are inspired by words and talk, but, in his view, the real transformation happens … Read more
There are thousands of books and articles that will tell you How to Persuade a Potential Client, or the Three Tips That Will Engage an Audience, or What Not to Do If You Want People to Follow You. There is no book or TED talk in the world that will guarantee that something you do … Read more
Some people have jobs that require them to say the same things, over and over. Actors are an obvious one, but also people running for office, and teachers, and coaches, and folks at the IT help desk… How can they keep it fresh? How can an actor do the same play, say the same lines, … Read more
When I had my first child, a family friend told me, “Your baby is learning about the world by looking at your face. Make sure you’re smiling when you look at her.” This has stayed with me all these years, partly because it is such a wonderful and true tip, and also because it’s true … Read more
We’re people. We have feelings. One topic that comes up frequently in our communication coaching work is: “What should I do if I feel emotional?” This really means, “I might cry. I don’t want to cry. What can I do to control it?” (Note: I am not saying in this post that it is never … Read more
