Leaders need to be great storytellers. Too often, they’re not. Saturated with information, they’ll go on interminably, without ever getting to the point – any point. Or they’ll make it about themselves, not about us. And it’s really, as I’m sure you’ll agree, all about us. It doesn’t make...
I love getting emails from my senior clients. Why? Because their correspondence is invariably upbeat, well-organized – and short. Their messages not only make it clear what’s expected of me, they motivate me as well. “A leader,” says a person I admire greatly, “is someone who inspires people.” There you...
The best speakers are made, not born. How did they get great? By making mistakes. Over time, they eliminated the elements of their delivery and content that weren’t working, that were weakening their connection with their listeners. Now, they speak “cleanly” – with plenty of short, declarative sentences, lots of...
“I am sorry but will be unable to answer you anymore in person. I am still fighting a battle with my colon cancer stage 4. Thanks for understanding. Peter Urs Bender” A long time ago, almost 20 years now, I made a big career move. Amid much...
We’re always pitching. We’re pitching for new business, for financing, for a job. We’re pitching our ideas, our perspective, and our point of view. We’re always at it, in one way or another, so elemental is the human need to influence others. We’re always pitching, but most people...
Your presentation tanked. Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt. There’s something particularly humiliating about having a speech, pitch, or even a briefing, go awry. It comes with a special form of indignity. It feels deeply personal. Raw. Having made every mistake in the communication skills handbook, and...
The smartest people I know operate on ‘Lombardi Time’. They’re always early. Vince Lombardi (1913-1970) was a legendary football coach who required his Green Bay Packers to be 15 minutes early for meetings, practices, and appointments. If they didn’t arrive by then, they were considered late. “If you’re...
It's the New Year, and you're determined to "bring it." I'm with you. Let’s do this thing! For many of us, a big part of advancing our career goals in 2023 will have to do with how effectively we deliver presentations – live and in person – following...
As a communicator, I’ve made a promise to myself, to connect more optimistically – and meaningfully – with my colleagues, clients, and suppliers, in 2023. These 10 resolutions will keep me on track, and they might help you too....