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Communication skills, who cares anyway

He already knows how to communicate well. He’ll tell you. Meet Carl. Project Manager. He knows all about communication skills. Carl communicates every day after all. Carl’s go-to phrase when asked about most things, “I told you. How many times do I have to tell...

How words affect business success

“It doesn’t really matter what I say as long as things get done!” Ah, yes, now, let’s take a minute to think about how words affect business success and getting things done. First let’s back up and talk about decisions and what drives...

Difficult people — 5 must knows

What is the secret to work with people that you simply don’t connect with — those difficult people in your life? Difficult people Yes, difficult people are difficult. You can’t seem to connect. They are argumentative and contrary to what you say. They...

Teamwork — 5 essentials

Teamwork is one of those “soft” skills. I’ve found that calling teamwork a “soft” skill doesn’t give the skill and activity the level of importance it deserves. Consider these quotes about teamwork… “Individual...

5 must dos to know your audience

What steps do you take to know your audience? What motivates your team, what are they thinking about? What are they worried about? For an internal presentation. Attending an internal meeting. Giving an external presentation. Holding a meeting with business partners,...

Values, 20 dollars and silent rants

What do values, 20 dollars and silent rants have in common? Joe and I were sitting in a meeting together listening to the speakers work their way through the agenda. I could sense Joe’s aggravation grow the more the meeting dragged on. The discussions around...