June 2013

June, already?

My latest blog entry, Now you see it, describes how you, too, can harness the power of video to create business buzz. It also contains a shameless plug for my new Focus on You video profile service. But you probably knew about that already!

Other "news" in my June newsletter includes notices of the upcoming Executive Communications Skills workshops, which you can find here.

Tips you can use!

Don't fill the page
If you are printing your notes on 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper, set the bottom margin at 3.5 inches. That way your eye will travel down only 2/3 of the page. Your chin won't end up on your chest and eye contact will be easier to maintain. Too may pages? Print on both sides!
 
Hit the comedy club!
If you want to exercise your humor muscle, do something about it after hours. Don't flex it around your work colleagues if you expect to be taken seriously as a leader. I have said this over and over, and have even blogged about it. Seems like it should be common sense. But the frequency with which leaders fall due to ill-placed jokes never ceases to amaze me.

Keep it under wraps
Now that summertime is upon us, it is tempting to shed more layers of clothing than may be appropriate in the workplace. So keep an extra blazer or sweater in the office to pop on when you need to "spruce up." A well-placed scarf can provide coverage for summer's scooping necklines as well.

May 2103

Now is the month of Maying...

You can read my latest blog entry, It's an honor, and all this month's musings here. I hope you find these posts useful, thought-provoking, or entertaining.  And if you have any questions for me to address in upcoming posts, just send an e-mail!

Other "news" includes notices of upcoming workshops, which you can find here.

Tips you can use!

Make seasonal adjustments
Speaking while suffering from allergies presents a challenge, but you can mitigate their effect by doing a thorough vocal warm-up. See last March's newsletter for more details.
 
Don't apologize
If something goes wrong with your speech or Q & A, never say "I'm sorry." By all means, admit to mis-speaking, rephrase, or say, "what I meant to say...." But saying those two little words can lead your listeners down a path you do not want them to go!
 
Comfy vs. sloppy
Of course you don't want to be uncomfortable in your work clothes, but beware of going too far in the other direction. Avoid wearing "Casual Friday" attire that you wouldn't wear to lunch with your mother.

 

April 2013

April needn't be the cruelest month

You can read my latest blog entry, Safety training required, and all this month's musings here. I hope you find these posts useful, thought-provoking, or entertaining.  And if you have any questions for me to address in upcoming posts, just send an e-mail!

Other "news" includes notices of upcoming workshops, which you can find here.

Tips you can use!

Start training today
You may still be gathering data for that big presentation or just now outlining your speech, but if it's less than two weeks away you need to get back to your breathing/vocal warm-up routine. This is one thing that can't wait till the last minute.

Simplify, simplify, simplify
Your clarity of expression mirrors your clarity of thought. If the listener gets lost in your dependent clauses or confusing vocabulary he/she will just check out. Use simple sentences and active verbs.

"Audition" your outfit
Make sure the clothing you will wear to your big presentation or high-stakes meeting is something you can move in. Think about how/where you will be sitting or standing and make sure there are no gaps or gapes, no accidental ride-ups or low-riders.