by Alan | Jul 15, 2006 | Communication skills, Customer Service, Flying
Got a flyer/magazine/catalog today. One of those vendor rags that’s made to look like a magazine tailored to something I love (flying). I don’t know how I got on the maillst, and because it’s a topic I care about, I’m only partially miffed...
by Alan | Jul 10, 2006 | Communication skills, Parenting, Sales, Toastmasters
How do you grade? Jeff Bailey blogs about Toastmaster evaluations and the slippery slope they create. Since one of Toastmasters major missions is to get folks who are not comfortable speaking in public to cross the divide into the world of perhaps even enjoying it,...
by Alan | Jul 9, 2006 | Communication skills, Parenting, Sales
As adults, we have a way of clouding what we ask for. Comments, implications, hints, and inuendo (of all types) seems to make us feel better than asking outright. Take a lesson from my kids — they ask, and ask, and ask. There is no doubt about what they...
by Alan | Jul 7, 2006 | Communication skills, Content, Delivery, Don't!, Leadership
Heard a business leader end a a bi-weeklly charge to the troops with “I have some important news that’s related to our strategy. But I’m not ready to tell you yet, so until we talk again, enjoy your weekend and have a productive two weeks.” ...
by Alan | Jun 29, 2006 | Communication skills, Sales, Toastmasters
Had a first-time speaker at Toastmasters104 today — that first speech is called an Icebreaker. The speaker today, as many have said before her, that “If you had told me a month ago I’d CHOOSE to stand up and talk in front of people, I’d have...
by Alan | Jun 27, 2006 | Communication skills, Delivery, Don't!, Sales
As part of some research for a professional organization I am on the Board for, I had to call a vendor for information (because it wasn’t on their web site, but that’s for another blog entry). Got droid #1, who listened for a minute before saying I needed...