The Terror of Answering "What Do YOU Do?"

They’re wrong when they say public speaking is the #1 fear of business people. I know it’s going to a networking event and hearing someone ask, “What do you do?”Oh the blather and drivel that comes out of our mouths! Here’s what to do about it.Of course you know what...

Who's Your "Guy at the Table"?

After giving a workshop on creating elevator pitches, I checked in with people as they left. One woman said, “This was really useful. Except this guy at our table wouldn’t stop talking. So some of us didn’t get the chance to practice.”I knew this guy. (We all do.) I’d...

Turning an Anchor into a Sail

Have you been shopping this holiday season? Maybe you saw the $150 price tag for a pair of jeans your teenager wants and thought, “That costs twice as much as I used to pay for my jeans at that age. No way I’m spending that much!” I don’t advocate buying high-priced...

Are You a Message Monster?

It’s a pie chart that unnerves me every time I see it. When it comes to getting information from other people, only 7% — the smallest percentage – comes from words. Frightening! But it’s a 7% over which we have a lot of control. So let’s try to do it well.No...

It's NOT about You — Even When It IS!

For nearly four years, I traveled the country one week a month, giving training programs for SkillPath Seminars. When I was new on this gig, I worried about how I looked at the front of a room.Did I shift my weight from side to side? Did I move my hands too much? Did...