Fear & Art: The Two Faces of Public Speaking
Since 1980, I’ve taught corporate chiefs, expert witnesses, theatre professionals and normal mortals the joys of speaking in public. Yes, I said the joys! Whereas most people are terrified of getting up to speak in public, my clients learn that their job is not to...
Inject Your Workplace With Kindness
"Be everywhere, do everything, and never fail to astonish the customer"– Macy’s Motto In today’s economy, most people would agree that providing excellent customer service is vital to a company’s success. When most people think of customer service they think of...
Boldly Conquer Your Speaking Fears
As a communications coach, I work with speakers in a variety of fields; some are top executives running large companies and others are entrepreneurs struggling to get their startups off the ground. Some are very wealthy while others have poured everything they have...
Express Yourself
Do you find it hard to say “no”? Do you find it difficult to express your needs, wants, feelings or opinions? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us struggle with communicating assertively. Assertiveness means being able to share one's needs, wants, feelings, and...
The Merits of Naked Consulting
When I graduated from college and became a management consultant, one of the first thing I was taught was how to answer questions from clients without giving away my age or lack of business experience. “Instead of admitting that you graduated from college last spring,...
Passion’s Vital Role In Powerful Communication
Passion is the juice that drives powerful result-producing communication. When we combine a burning desire to contribute with the expectation of success, we become unstoppable. Passion keeps us in the game, withstanding failures and sharpening our skills until we...
Embrace Vision, Not Mission
Six weeks into his new job at Microsoft, Steve Ballmer was feeling a pang of uncertainty and began to question his decision to join his former Harvard classmate, Bill Gates, at the fledgling startup. According to Ballmer's recollection, Gates took him to dinner and...
Double Vision
Is it better like this? … or better like that? A? … or B? Which is clearer? One… or two?" Anyone without perfect vision has heard these questions before at the optometrist. And when the publisher of MOTIVATED asked me to write an article about vision, I doubt this is...
Be The Change You Wish To See
On an old Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care t-shirt I found my favorite quote: "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Needs to Rock the Boat". It's a matter of fact statement that captures my perspective as a public servant, a politician and a parent. For me, becoming...
Welcome To The Year Of The Tiger: If You Want To Win, You Have To Live Dangerously
Congratulations! You made it through 2009. Take a bow. I'm serious. I want to give you props. You endured a cataclysmic year. You rolled with the punches. You came back from the brink. You kept your faith. You're ready for another year of drama, excitement, tragedy,...