Joseph Grenny is a four-time New York Times bestselling author and leading social scientist for business performance. One of his most popular books is “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High.” So what’s a crucial conversation? Grenny defines it as a moment when opinions differ, the stakes are high, and emotions are strong. In his 25 years of studying …
Category: customer reference marketing
Use power words to get powerful results from your writing
Whether you’re writing ads, articles, or emails, simple word selection can make a big difference in driving results versus being ignored. You’ve got to be sure to use power words in your writing if you want people to notice and do something. Attractive art like photos and illustration can grab attention, but experienced communicators know that …
Destined to succeed, or determined to succeed?
Harvey Mackay’s most famous and memorably titled book is “Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive.” He’s written and published another half dozen books, and his weekly columns have been widely distributed for the last 30 years. Mackay’s day job was selling envelopes. Not a terribly complicated or thrilling business, but he was determined …
Helping 100,000 people is a good start
Dr. Don Berwick is a pediatrician and a true hero of modern healthcare improvement. Author and management expert Tom Peters calls him the “Mother Teresa of health safety.” Berwick is one of the founders of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and is the architect of its groundbreaking 100,000 Lives Campaign. In December 2004, he brazenly …
10 rules for brilliant women
The internationally-acclaimed COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg, may be the best-known champion of women executives in the world, but author and women’s business coach Tara Mohr is making significant contributions to the cause as well. Mohr’s book “Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Mission, and Your Message” is about the tools she’s used with thousands …
Telling the kind truth
If you’re involved in client service or consulting you probably think regularly about the most productive ways to deliver the best advice and service. Patrick Lencioni, in his book “Getting Naked” outlines three main fears that can threaten strong and lasting client relationships: fear of losing the business; fear of embarrassment; and fear of feeling inferior. To overcome these fears, …
Serve instead of sell
Servant selling puts service in its proper place – first. Even if selling or business development is not your specialty, Daniel Pink’s “To Sell Is Human” is full of good ideas and inspiration for everyday persuasion problems. Whether your selling software, or trying to sell your kids on better eating habits, selling on its highest …
Count me in: Going from information to influence
Even if you’re the boss, telling people what to do just doesn’t work anymore. Simply directing a team to do something may still be one of the most common leadership styles, but leading by authority often falls short in today’s egalitarian workplace. Whether it’s your family, your division, or your Tencap tennis team, getting someone …
How to never stop learning
“A career is a portfolio of projects that teach you new skills, gain you new expertise, develop new capabilities, grow your colleague set, and constantly reinvent you as a brand.” – Tom Peters On the brink of a new year it’s a natural time to reflect on successes, failures, and most important of all – …
Solve like Sherlock using more mindfulness
What we can learn about better concentration — and problem-solving — from the quintessential unitasker and mindfulness master, Sherlock Holmes. Multitasking has become a badge of honor and esteem in our modern lives. Many of us pride ourselves on our multitasking prowess, and even strive for higher levels of frenzied activity. The remedy for our overloaded senses …