7 rules for naming your businessCreating a company that sells for millions is a dream getting a lot of press lately with the IPOs of such companies as Zillow, Twitter and Groupon. It’s common today to see businesses sprout out of the minds of people with full-time jobs who craft their ideas at night and on weekends. So, how do you come up with the perfect name for your big idea? Read more
Small ideas grow into big ideasThe debate over what is true in the recent hit movie Social Network will go on for years. The fact that Facebook has grown at extreme rates since the site was launched is not debatable. Facebook has more than 550 million users. If it were a country, it would be the third largest in the world. Read more
5 lessons to write a memorable speech or presentationAs John F. Kennedy closed his inauguration address on that blustery January day in 1961, he made the famous challenge, “Ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” Evaluating this address uncovers how to prepare words that will resonate for decades. Read more
4 Tips for speaking from a podium or lecturnThe 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
How to improve your presentations – request honest feedbackYou 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
Reward employees oftenUnemployment may be at 9.6%, but it’s rare to find any employee in America who says there is 9.6% less work to do. In fact, it is just the opposite. Employees are working harder. How do we reward this hard work? The trend in 2010 was to unfreeze pay and reinstate 401k programs. Without spending millions, leaders can go a step further. Read more
Persuasion takes time and repetitionMinds can change after hearing a single presentation, but more often, it takes significant pre-work and follow-up to convince your listeners to take action. You may have a great story or metaphor that makes your idea “sticky,” but to really change behavior, you may have to think about extending the metaphor. Read more
“Isms” ensure you are remembered and quotedWe all have our favorite sayings. I have a friend, Doug, who says: “Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn sometimes” when talking about someone who just got lucky. It wasn’t skill or ambition – just dumb luck. I have come to know this saying as a Doug’ism. I always quote him when I use it. Read more
How to connect with your audience for a successful presentationEarlier this week, I wrote about how I drafted a presentation for what I assumed would be a demanding audience with high expectations. (The fact that they could leave the presentation at any time and were not obligated to stay for the end was a little intimidating as well.) Read how I got my ideas together HERE… Read more
10 ways to improve your observation skills (and your career), part IIIHow did you do on the observation test? If you found your observation skills lacking, it may be something to consider working on, as…
For people who plan to become the leaders of tomorrow, developing a keen sense of observation is a must. Read more