by admin | May 26, 2014 | Communication strategy
Have you ever had an employee complete a project with totally different results than what you expected, even though you thought you communicated what was needed? We’ve all had that moment and wonder, “Is it them? Or is it me?” It’s probably both. We all learn to communicate differently, and even though we may speak the same language, we may not be speaking — or hearing — the same things. Many of us have been raised in Western culture, where the burden of understanding is on the speaker. If we see a quizzical look on the face of someone we’re speaking to, we usually have no problem saying, “Do you understand what I just said?” That’s not true in other cultures, where the listener has to figure out what the speaker is saying based on body language, status of the speaker, and the context of what’s being said. Whew! See how complicated this all gets? Read more about how you can boost your communication success and the key strategies that will allow you to do just that...
by admin | May 26, 2014 | Communication strategy
When People: such as my staff, co-workers, friends, etc. feel I should be connected all the time. are multi-tasking (i.e. driving). use the phone in inappropriate places — during a church service, funeral, formal setting. talk loud in public places; or speaking loudly to compensate for bad reception – without consideration for others in the surrounding (train, subway, etc.). leave their phone on the desk or dinner table like they are expecting a call. constantly check for calls. call me when there is a lot of background noise: Traffic, walking downstairs, on StairMaster. Consider the rest of these 23 irritating things about cell phone communication...
by admin | May 23, 2014 | Innovation, Uncategorized
Even though it didn’t have any major new models to announce, Ford (NYSE: F ) had a big presence at last month’s New York International Auto Show. Ford celebrated the 50th anniversary of the original Mustang’s debut by unveiling a commemorative model — and with an epic stunt at the Empire State Building. The company also showed off its refreshed-for-2015 Focus, and many key Ford executives were on hand. Those executives included Ford’s Chief Operating Officer, Mark Fields. Fields opened the New York show’s media days with a keynote speech that framed the show as a showcase of innovation. Fields’ speech keyed off of the 1964 World’s Fair — where the original Mustang was unveiled, and which Fields attended as a small child — to talk about innovation, the characteristics of innovative companies, and how Ford is looking to the future of transportation. It was a fascinating speech, one that got even more fascinating with last week’s announcement that Fields will soon succeed Alan Mulally as Ford’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Read more about how the new Ford Motor Company CEO is going to successfully drive innovation...
by admin | May 23, 2014 | Innovation
At AT&T’s Innovation Showcase in New York City Friday, the company showed off a variety of projects being developed within AT&T Labs. The event’s general theme was the shift to more cloud-based networks and the greater interconnectivity of devices (the horribly titled, “Internet of Things“). Most of the projects on display at the Innovation Showcase are proof-of-concepts or foundations for larger ideas. These aren’t necessarily technologies that will make their way to market as commercialized products, but the research and development work may be used as the basis for more fully-formed products in the future. It’s worth noting that many of the technologies aren’t intended to be consumer-facing. Some are clearly targeted at the enterprise, while others offer a glimpse at features that AT&T or its partners could implement into future services. Read more about what was featured at AT&T’s Innovation Showcase...
by admin | May 22, 2014 | Communication strategy
A good laugh is cathartic. I find I’m in a much better mood when I’ve had a chance to laugh. Often times it’s my husband who is responsible for this. Out of nowhere he will come up with these hysterical one-liners—often directed at himself—and it’s hard not to laugh. You see, he’s an engineer—not known for his communication skills. I would even say he’s a man of few words—not because he isn’t social—he is, but because he doesn’t need many words to get his point across. He uses humor. He’s self-deprecating, honest and real. He doesn’t take things too seriously, unless he has to. Those who work for him find him likeable, approachable and one of the most effective leaders they’ve ever had. The point here is not to stroke his ego—although I’m sure he is loving this boost! The real takeaway is that you don’t need an expansive vocabulary to be a great communicator. When you get people to respond the way you’ve intended, you’ve succeeded. Comedy is a great way to achieve this. I think we can all admit that corporate communications has always been a bit, shall we say, “dull”? Your typical corporate piece—whether a memo, email or article—is dry and either excessively wordy or lacks any real context to help the reader understand what it is they are supposed to do once they’ve read it. Ultimately, it is quickly forgotten, or worse, not even read because no one has the time, energy or desire to read something that takes so much effort. Read more about how humor can improve your business communications strategy...
