What I learned as a Flight Attendant
When I was in my mid-20’s I took a job as a Flight Attendant for American Airlines. I had already...
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Category: Brand You
Are you a Decathlete or Specialist at Work?
At work, do you do one thing really well or have you developed the ability to do many things with a high level of proficiency?
I look forward to watching the Olympics every four years – not only to watch the amazing athletes who have trained so hard to get to this point – but to also observe how the athletes manage the pressures and intensity of the competition. How they express “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”. While locked in battle, how well do they work together and demonstrate respect?
This past week I was glued to the track contests and noticed the difference between what I would call the specialists (athletes who train solely in one sport) and the decathletes (who are required to master 10 different sports).
Read MoreImprove your Presentations with an Actor’s Moves
When we go to the theatre and see actors on the stage communicating a story we get wrapped-up in the action and forget that the lines that are spoken are scripted and the movement on stage is choreographed. If the production and talent are good it all looks and feels organic and yet it was orchestrated well in advance.
Read MorePrince: 7 lessons 4Ever
The first time I saw Prince in concert was 1981 at the LA Coliseum. He was the warm-up band for the Rolling Stones on a bill that included the J. Geils Band and George Thorogood. Prince was few people’s radar at this time as it was before Little Red Corvette, 1999 and Purple Rain. He came on stage in a black leather trench coat and what appeared to be black bikini briefs and the crowd couldn’t deal. His appearance and music provoked a hostile response from the crowd and they literally booed him off the stage after three songs. Fortunately he didn’t let a little adversity stand in the way of his long-term aspirations.
Read MoreCatch a Breath and Captivate your Audience
Engaging an audience is a balancing act of many things. You must educate and entertain. You must have well-organized content and good delivery skills. All these elements are important but perhaps the most over-looked and under-appreciated technique for captivating an audience’s attention is to catch a breath and CREATE SPACE.
Read MoreWhat can business speakers learn from comedians?
I have become a fan of Jerry Seinfeld’s popular new vehicle, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The show features Seinfeld driving to pick up a fellow comedian to get coffee – all the while having an interesting conversation about the nuances of comedy.
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Professional Presence is just a Tweet Away
You are new to the organization. You are learning the ropes and trying to figure out the culture and the politics of the company you are now working for. You wonder how to fit in while standing out. You begin to find yourself in networking situations, company meetings and hallway conversations where it is important to be your authentic self while also demonstrating your professionalism.
Read MoreBryan Cranston comes full circle: Sneaky Pete crafts a memorable acceptance speech
Bryan Cranston was at his best accepting an Emmy for Best Actor at this week’s award ceremony. He crafted a perfect acceptance speech that included gratitude, appreciation, humor and heartfelt emotion. He utilized “circular construction” to highlight his most important message at the beginning and the end.th-1 I always encourage my speech coaching clients to utilize this technique in speeches and important presentations to capitalize on the fact that audiences remember best what we say first and last. Bryan Cranston provided a shining example of it.
Read MoreIs it time for a Communication Face-lift?
Are you experiencing wrinkles of confusion? Have you witnessed sagging relationships? Don’t panic, this may be occurring because your face has fallen into your phone.
Recently, I conducted my own informal research using Chicago’s Loop as my field of study and observation. I was in and out of meetings downtown and observed people at work, at lunch and traveling on the L. I would guesstimate that 80% of people did not go for more than a few minutes (at the most) without interacting with a cell phone or mobile device. Their faces mostly fell into their technology. I can’t remember making eye contact with anyone – I did get very familiar, however, with the tops of people’s heads.
What do we lose when our face falls?
What Google looks for when they hire
This past Sunday in the New York Times, Thomas Friedman featured “Part 2” of his interview with Google’s Laszlo Bock, the senior vice president of people operations for Google.
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Mr. Bock had some powerful things to say about what matters to them when it comes to hiring decisions. No matter what your company or business, these insights into what Google looks for are valuable for us to consider. Here are some highlights from Friedman’s article:
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