If it Walks Like a Duck, etc., is it a Duck? Not According to Samsung
January 30, 2010
I thought the 25” HDTV I recently bought was a TV. How silly of me. Just because a TV behaves like a TV does not make it a TV, according to Samsung, the manufacturer. Hmmm. Read more
How to Get Ahead With a Powerful Personal Brand
January 28, 2010
This article first appeared under the byline of Jeannette Paladino in “Primer ” Magazine, published weekly online for post-college guys interested in personal improvement and career development.
Personal branding is essential, whether you are just starting out in your first job, or moving up a rung on the career ladder. It’s something you need to work on so when you ask yourself the question, “Who am I?” you’ll know the answer and be able to communicate it clearly and concisely. Read more
How Well Do You Communicate With Yourself?
January 26, 2010
There is much talk and more written about effective business communication with your customers and prospects. But what about how you communicate with yourself?
I began to ponder this question as I sat waiting to be called for a panel on my first day of jury duty. The laptops thoughtfully provided for the jurors were hopelessly slow and outdated. So I had the choice of reading the newspaper, or a paperback or pondering the meaning of life. Finally, time to THINK! Read more
Communication of the People, by the People, and for the People
January 20, 2010
The upset by Scott Brown in winning the election in Massachusetts to fill Senator Edward Kennedy’s vacant seat was a real shocker. A Republican in the most Blue state in the nation? But maybe rather than an anomaly, it portends the future.
Communication is a two-way process and the politicians in Washington have proven themselves tone deaf. They didn’t listen. The labels Democrat and Republican have lost their currency.
Voters in America are angry at the direction of the country. Thanks to the Internet and Social Media, they have developed their own communities to exchange ideas and vent. Why weren’t Washington and the politicos tuning in? Read more
Service With a Smile from Sylvester at Staples
January 14, 2010
OK, I know that’s a lot of alliteration. But I’m feeling a little playful today because I’m feeling so good, and I owe it all to Sylvester.
My day started with a stop at Staples to pick up a package of hanging pocket files and folders. After I walked in the door I was approached by a young salesman who greeted me with a smile and a question, “Can I help you find something?” Shock. I think I was flustered because that kind of genuine welcome is rare in retail businesses these days. Read more
Does Money Ensure Employee Engagement?
January 12, 2010
Money is not the primary motivator of employee engagement, according to a recent study sponsored by the U.K. government. David McLeod, one of the co-authors, states that money may be what attracts someone to a company. But once s/he is there, more important is – Read more
How IBM Promotes Employee Engagement with Social Media
January 9, 2010
I am constantly impressed with IBM and its open attitude towards its employees’ use of social media. The company has on its website, for all to see, its “IBM Social Computing Guidelines” . 
I wrote about this on the Blogger’s Bulletin , a LinkedIn subgroup. With the start of 2010, other companies, who are floundering with their social media policies, would do well to check out IBM’s guidelines. One of many lines in the guidelines that intrigued me: “IBM is increasingly exploring how online discourse through social computing can empower IBMers as global professionals, innovators and citizens. These individual interactions represent a new model: not mass communications, but masses of communicators.” What a profound statement. Gone are the days when a company can tightly control its message through advertising and printed materials. IBM has recognized that thousands of its employees, within certain guidelines, are the touch points for communications with customers, prospects and the general public. Read more
Tailor Your Communication Style to Meet the Needs of Others
January 7, 2010
By Sue Porter “The Accidental Leader“
Would it help if you could:
- Diffuse misunderstandings before they get out of control and turn into conflict?
- Relate to your audience and clients with greater understanding and grace?
- Be able to know a person’s needs, and what they value with just a couple of interactions?
- Give others exactly what they need to keep them motivated and on your team?
You can do all of this, and more, by understanding the DISC behavioral styles method of relating to others. DISC is a tool that helps you in understanding others according to their individual behavioral style. You could say it is the language of behavior, needs and differences. There is no right or wrong style. We are all a combination of all four styles in varying degrees. Read more
Nelson Mandela, The Great Communicator
January 4, 2010
I just returned from seeing the excellent film, “Invictus,” starring Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela, shortly after he was elected president of South Africa in the mid-1990s. What I didn’t remember, or possibly ever know, is that Nelson Mandela is one of the most powerful communicators ever to lead a nation. He succeeded in communicating to whites that they were essential to his vision of a united nation. Read more
How Well Do You Communicate With Yourself?
January 2, 2010
There is much talk and more written about effective business communication with your customers and prospects. But what about how you communicate with yourself?
I began to ponder this question as I sat waiting to be called for a panel on my first day of jury duty. The laptops thoughtfully provided for the jurors were hopelessly slow and outdated. So I had the choice of reading the newspaper, or a paperback or pondering the meaning of life. Finally, time to THINK! Read more