I was not always a reader. Some of my professors in college spoiled me a bit on reading by assigning 200 pages of textbook to read in 2 days. But, now I have an alternate opinion. When I find the right book, I can consume it in a day or two. Below is a list […]
Kevin Karschnik is an amazing teacher and a great friend. I wanted to share his thoughts on visual aid design. We’ve all seen a speaker put every word they’re going to say on a slide and then proceed to read every slide to the audience. This is where the phrase “death by PowerPoint” was born. Please […]
Regardless of your religious beliefs, there’s something we can take away from Easter and apply to leadership. It’s a story of mercy and grace in restoring relationships. But what exactly is mercy and grace? While these two words get used quite frequently, especially in religious environments, we don’t always think about what they actually mean. Mercy is… When we show […]
There’s a popular tv show on the Discovery channel called Mythbusters. The premise of the show is to create experiments to test common myths that are not necessarily supported by scientific research. The show is entertaining because it usually involves something blowing up! In communication there are plenty of myths that deserve to be blown up! […]
When I first started speaking in the early ’90s I was flattered to hear from some audience members that I reminded them of Jim Carrey. “You definitely bring the energy!” I loved hearing that. My world crashed back down to earth real quick when former students were tested after class on the content. The organization wanted to […]
I bet you didn’t think I’d drop that deep question on you so early in the morning! Don’t worry, I’m not going to get all philosophical here on you. Pondering an answer to this question could take a couple lifetimes! So, let me tell you why I bring it up… It’s the foundation for anyone in […]
Providing constructive feedback to the people I coach can be challenging for several reasons. For my students, it can be difficult for them to receive feedback from someone they’ve just met! They know I’m going to point out areas in need of improvement. This creates feelings of exposure and vulnerability. Here’s how I approach the coaching in 4 steps. As a […]
When I walked into my training room, one student was already there. He looked up and asked, “Are we gonna cover smartphones? You know when you’re up there speaking and the audience is on their smartphone. Isn’t that just rude? I mean… how do I handle that when I’m the speaker?” I’m waiting for him to […]
I came home from a full day of working on projects, creating proposals, and talking to customers. When I walk in the door my wife asks me a question, “Hey babe, which color do you like for painting the kitchen?” And what did I say to her? “I don’t know. I think they all look good. Whatever you […]
I was asked to deliver the eulogy at my Grandmother’s funeral yesterday. She taught so much through her actions. She was a leader of the family without being the loudest voice. Here is how I said goodbye. My Grandma Ardelle was genuine. She was authentic. In many ways she was a typical awesome grandma. She cooked […]
