A story does what facts and statistics never can: it inspires and it motivates. That’s why expert storytellers are such effective communicators. They translate complex ideas into practical examples – and they know how to make emotional connections with their audience. Their message gets through because everyone can relate to a good story.
As Executive Coaches [...]

1. Careless Social Networking
Accept the reality that the internet is open to everyone, and pictures, video clips, online profiles and other personal information will be seen by people to whom you wouldn’t show them in the offline world. Particularly posting unguarded images and content on websites like Facebook, MySpace and YouTube tends to inflict harm [...]

Sometimes nothing is as it seems, both in business and in life.  And sometimes that’s completely by design, especially in the realm of marketing, advertising and the crafty spin of strategic public relations.   Whether we realize it or not, all of us are bombarded daily with overtly manipulative techniques and propaganda every time we see [...]

That the impending holidays should be the catalytic force behind a national plague of depression that borders on the epidemic is the very essence, if not the definition itself, of irony, because the holidays are, if nothing else, a celebration.  The concept of irony is almost impossible to succinctly define on the fly (try it [...]

Our society runs on authority.  We are schooled in it from the moment we are born.  Cultures are defined by it.  Wars are waged over it.  Order is maintained by it.  Even the animal kingdom has some level of authority in play—when was the last time you saw a monkey take a swipe at the [...]

It occurred to me in writing this article, that, when it comes to influencing our fellow man, and woman, many of us are masters in the art already. We randomly practice this or that technique and get our way, one way or another, in business and our social lives. And yet, books and self-help literature [...]

We’ve all heard the fable about a certain Pied Piper who played his instrument and effortlessly led the town’s rats toward a swan dive off a cliff.  One goes, the rest will follow.  This social phenomenon has been referred to as “herd mentality,” a type of behavior that savvy businesses and the professions can tap [...]

It used to be that winning through intimidation was the ticket to success.  But these days, intimidation techniques are easily transparent and quickly rejected by whatever constituency resides in your crosshairs.  No, today it’s all about likeability.  Simon Cowell talks about it on his talent shows—he calls it the “it factor”—politicians are elected with it, [...]

Newsflash for all of us lovers of rhetoric and cliché: familiarity does not breed contempt. Quite the contrary, in fact. In the world of business (especially marketing), politics and, if handled correctly, interpersonal relationships, familiarity more often tends to breed success. And, if done correctly, it will every time.
I call it the Visibility Technique. This [...]

Guest blogger Dr. Drew Stephens is sharing his ideas on how executives and managers can contribute to improved morale and productivity in the workplace in this post:
It is amazing how much is written about morale and productivity in the workplace. Prior to the recession, many training firms were using bromide formulas such as rock climbing [...]