Is Twitter really a communication strategy?

I’m on the fence about this one.  In several online groups I belong to, issues surrounding social media communications strategies abound.  There are endless LinkedIn discussions about how to improve your corporate Facebook or Twitter presence, how to humanize your company with Instagram, how to develop a social brand, and how to attract “real” followers…

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Channeling Tom Cruise

Today’s dose of Friday Fun comes courtesy of Miles Fisher and his promo for Superhero Movie. I use emulation activities with my clients as a way of recognizing other people’s signature speaking quirks and then using that knowledge to recognize and develop their own signature style.  A big part of these exercises involve figuring out the emotional…

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Charisma matters

I’ve spent most of the past week flat on my back fighting a vicious sinus infection.  Unable to string together a single coherent sentence in written or spoken word, I settled for laying on the couch watching lousy television and feeling sorry for myself. Much of that layabout time was spent watching old episodes of the…

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Smile, damn you, smile!

I have and will always maintain that a weapon every speaker should carry around in their arsenal is the ability to fire up a genuine beaming smile on demand. Actually, scratch that statement.  Everyone, speaker or no, should learn how to smile on cue.  And by smile, I mean the sort of eye-crinkling, cheek raising…

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Do you have Smartphone tunnel vision?

Oh, smartphones. I have a very, very conflicted relationship with the damn things. On one hand, I recognize their usefulness for the busy professional. If your office is effectively your vehicle – and I know many people for who this holds true – then they can be a godsend. On the other hand, they do…

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The air of professionalism

The definition of ‘professionalism’ is as varied as the contents of people’s bagged lunches. What we consider professional will vary greatly depending on our personality, experiences, education, and frame of mind at any given moment. Some days I see ‘being professional’ as being capable of effortlessly moving from one group of colleagues to another while…

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Panic on!

This week’s dose of Friday fun is brought to you by Rick Mercer. His rants are works of genius! Consider this a lesson from Rick in both presentation and modern communication. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiHLN6l3Ld0&w=560&h=315]

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Style matters

In public speaking – and in everything else in life – it is impossible to please everyone. To think that in order to be an excellent speaker you must receive universal adulation is an exercise in frustration. Different speaker quirks will enchant some audience members while repelling others. There is nothing wrong with this; it…

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Motivational speaker

An “older” video (in internet terms, anyway), but a fun one.  Keep an eye out for this girl on future motivational speaker circuits!     [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg&w=420&h=315]

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Freedom from updates

Communication is a boon, a blessing, the only way to get things done. Things that facilitate communication are boons, blessings, necessary to our daily life at work and play. If the above statements are true, why is burnout higher than ever? Why do we have to manage our communications and contact with so many different…

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