Since the disasters won’t stop–oil spills, financial meltdowns, epically stressful lives–we have to be ready.
I’ve had the privilege to help clean up after hurricanes Hugo and Katrina. I’ve worked with people in crisis since I began my career in public service. As I’ve worked on communication with the spectrum of organizations from political to professional [...]
Posts under ‘Uncategorized’
The Future of Our World
The Most Important Question in Leadership
Most people want to be leaders. They like the image of the speech before the battle, the status, and the spoils when things go well.
What most people forget: Being a leader is painful.
Leaders are the ones who keep teams together when everything falls apart. Leaders make sacrifices so the ultimate goal is reached. Leaders take [...]
‘The Best Communicator in the World’ Now a Music Video
I am really grateful to Mathijs Beks.
He turned my new ebook into a music video simply because he liked it.
Salt
Watching the Top Chef reunion show last nigh on DVR, it turned out the difference between the two brothers who finished 1-2: Salt. If the older Voltaggio brother had added a little more salt to his first two dishes, he wins.
There is no better analogy to why communication matters so much at work. If you [...]
What Do You Value?
Lesson two from the Miles Bryant paper contrasting American and Native American leadership: Recognition of the immanent value of all things.
Here’s how you know if a leader values all things: They forgive and start over.
That doesn’t mean that you’ll still be working at the same company or on the same project. That doesn’t mean they [...]
You Never Have to Be Defensive
I’m running into it everywhere. Whether it’s the stress of the economy, the pace of modern life, or the fact that too many of us simply don’t know ourselves well enough, defensiveness is about the ugliest thing in every relationship.
Whether it’s work, home, or a customer service rep who really should know better: If you [...]
Do You Know What You Sound Like?
I was carrying a table with a friend at an event last weekend. The kids couldn’t wait for the activity.
One of the staffers at the host organization saw us and said, “Where are you guys going with that table?” Her tone immediately implied that we were not doing what we were supposed to do. Not [...]
Communication All-Stars: Big Jon Platt, EMI
“I knew the urban field so well that when someone came to me, I knew how the rest of the conversation was going to go. With all genres reporting to me, I had to become a good listener again.”
–Big Jon Platt, pp. 11-12, Mastering Communication at Work
He created the most successful urban publishing business in [...]