Feedback helps speakers understand what strengths they have and any areas of improvement needed. One of the best ways to grow your presentation skills is doing dry runs of your speech or workshop in front of an audience of colleagues. So when it’s your turn to observe, the act of giving feedback might feel awkward […]
Strong leaders are understanding but assertive, patient while being persistent, and open-minded enough to accept new ideas while focused enough to accomplish finite goals. Strong leaders are compelling, humble, problem solvers with great listening skills. One trait that might be overlooked as a leadership quality is the skill to tell a story. Strong leaders are […]
Three Steps to Welcome Change I looked at my list of things to change in 2018 and realized that less than half of the items on the list had been crossed off. This was supposed to be the year I made big changes. This was supposed to be the year to add more greens into […]
Workplace Bullying is repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators. It is abusive conduct that is: Threatening, humiliating, or intimidating; Work interference — sabotage — which prevents work from getting done; or Verbal abuse. Workplace Bullying… Is driven by perpetrators’ need to control the targeted individual(s). […]
While leading an Improving Communications workshop recently, I asked a question that had hands flying up toward the sky from participants in the room: “How many of you have ever wanted to be more assertive in the workplace but didn’t know how?” To be more assertive was something everyone wanted to work on. But the […]
At Improving Communications, we ask professional musicians to tell us about their “money maker;” their ability to listen and interact well with others. We ask these gifted artists to teach us more about listening so that in business, we can use similar practices to be more successful. Below is what Jordan Rudess had to say […]
What is proper Business Phone Behavior? Have you ever made a phone call to a business and gotten the answer, “So-and-so isn’t here right now. Can you call back in 15 minutes?” Do you find anything wrong with that? In a tennis game, when a player hits the ball, the second player hits it […]
Well lookie here… the Earth has revolved around the Sun once again! Three hundred sixty-five days have elapsed (or as the cast in the musical Rent would sing, “525,600 Minutes”). A year is a good marker for progress made. Once it’s completed, it all starts again. Happy New Year. Two thousand seventeen has been Improving Communications’ best year yet. We owe […]
NOTE: As you read, apply Rod Morgenstein’s message of listening to your profession by substituting the discussion of “music” with “work,” and terms related to “musician” with “colleague.” Listening is the practice of being in the moment, in touch with my surroundings, and fully aware that I am part of a creative process that involves […]
It’s impressive when you encounter someone who turns dreams into reality. This week, we shine the spotlight on someone whose mind was sparked with an idea that was brought to fruition last year. Filmmaker Erin Bagwell did just that, and she’s got an inspirational story. After having founded a storytelling blog called Feminist Wednesday, she […]