Cultivating strong talent takes time

Blackberries and the Internet make the line between home and work easy to blur. But vacations and work need a strong line drawn. While at play, collecting factoids and stories is about the only thing close to work I want to be doing. After finishing a long weekend in Paso Robles wine country, I can count the stories, but did not read a single email! Read more

Free PowerPoint-Tastic Templates – #011: Three Chapters

Each week, the Fast Track Tools training company and the Cubicle Ninjas design firm work together to publish a template that makes it easier for you to communicate your ideas. This week we developed a group of section dividers that help you mark the three chapters of a presentation. Read more

3 tips to tell authentic business stories

Becoming a good storyteller is key to being able to succeed and communicate well. People enjoy listening to stories and it is a lot easier to drive a point home by using an effective metaphor, powerful descriptions, or tales that will win your audience’s hearts and minds. Read more

How to solve problems in corporate America

Too often, we begin to pontificate, offer opinions and attempt to solve problems without taking the time to truly understand the situation at hand. Intellectually, we know the best approach involves asking the right questions, discovering the details, being patient and listening to the full story, but often that is not how problem solvers in corporate America proceed. Read more

Free PowerPoint-Tastic Templates – #010: Smart Ideas

Each week, the Fast Track Tools training company and the Cubicle Ninjas design firm work together to publish a template that makes it easier for you to communicate your ideas. This week we developed a layout that introduces a group of brilliant ideas. Read more

How to create a sales pitch: picture your audience in their underwear

Everyone has heard the advice to picture your audience in their underwear to avoid being nervous. But have you taken the time to think about the brand of underwear? Where they bought it? That person’s name? What they like and dislike? Marketing companies have. Read more

4 Tips for speaking from a podium or lecturn

The podium can be an intimidating place. Even seasoned public speakers feel anxious when standing in front of a microphone. This is natural. Connecting with your listeners is hard work, and now you have to contend with a big, intimidating box being placed between you and your audience. Read more

Free PowerPoint-Tastic Templates – #009: Survey Results

Each week, the Fast Track Tools training company and the Cubicle Ninjas design firm work together to publish a template that makes it easier for you to communicate your ideas. This week we developed a simple layout to compare the advantages and disadvantages of any topic. This template will help you present the findings from a survey with easy to comprehend images. Read more

Get the job in 60 seconds or less

What do you do? The infamous question asked over and over again at social gatherings the world over. It’s a simple question and no one expects to hear a line by line account of your three page resume. You have 60 seconds or less to give an inspiring answer. Go! Read more

How to improve your presentations – request honest feedback

You have a critical speech looming and you have been working on the message for weeks. You have reviewed with peers and colleagues, all of whom had differing ideas on content. This has to be right. What is the next step? Read more