The Monthly Memo.

Anytime you stand up to speak you should ask yourself, “When I was preparing this was I thinking about the eye or the ear – or did this question even cross my mind?” It is critical and it’s a mistake that happens all of the time. Really smart people put down their...

One of my favorite CEO’s was getting ready for her company’s introduction on Wall Street. The stakes were high. It was unfamiliar territory for her and her team.      As part of our conversation I offered some untraditional advice. That advice has now become one of my...

Given the fact that we are in the midst of a political season you may think you know the topic I would suggest you avoid, especially in business conversation. No, I’m not talking about discussing your favorite or least favorite Presidential candidate. Instead, I’m...

         One year ago I challenged you to look at the New Year’s Resolution a little differently – and I pledged to do the same thing myself. By following my own advice I now have a book ready for release (see below) and a special offer coming your way later this...

         Please don’t be that person! Let’s see if you recognize that person. An email is going out to a group of people for efficiency sake because they all need to answer the same question. Recently a group of consultants I work with were asked if they needed new...

         Just last week I learned a valuable lesson. I learned it from someone I have never met. In fact, she passed away in August, yet she did a great job of teaching an entire group of people. How is that possible? Well, this all started when I attended the...

As we experience this unusual election season, here is something to watch for over the next few months. There will be lessons to learn outside the Presidential race, including strategies you can use at work or in your business. What happens when an idea, a person,...

If you’ve ever driven by a car accident you know the sensation. You have to look. You can’t help yourself. It is only through strenuous effort that you can avoid staring and just drive on. To me, there are elements of that same feeling with the Donald Trump for...

Walking into the room to teach Rudy Giuliani something about dealing with the media was a bit daunting. Really? Some stranger is going to teach the guy who led New York City after 9/11 how to do a TV interview? Well, that’s exactly where I found myself in 2013. And as...

Who hasn’t thought they just didn’t ‘fit in’ from time-to-time? It is often associated with a concern in your school years, but I know from personal experience it can come up in the adult world as well. There may be certain situations where the thought comes to mind....

If you remember NOTHING else I’ve ever written, remember the title of this Monthly Memo. Seriously. The very simplest piece of advice I can provide for you is that a smile will do more for you than just about anything else I can tell you. And frankly, for many of us,...

There were two reporters allowed to see the behind-the-scenes world at the Tonight Show studios in Burbank, CA, on the last day Johnny Carson showed up for work in May of 1992. I was one of them. It was the luckiest day of my work life. Johnny Carson ruled late-night...

You cannot ask that question! Every HR handbook you read tells you and Federal law backs it up. You cannot ask someone their age in the workplace or in a job interview. (You can’t even ask someone when they graduated from high school or any “age revealing” questions!)...

         Working recently with a group of doctors, I emphasized how important it was to plan a strong start for their presentations – perhaps with an interesting anecdote about why they practice in the specialty area they all shared. Each got up and gave it a try. The...

There are plenty of us who say there should be fewer meetings. I would be in that group! But when we must meet, let’s make sure we have a game plan, especially around who speaks and how much they speak. Here are some suggestions to make your next important meeting...

         From December 30th to about the 10th of January there is an easy topic for idle discussion among friends and business associates: “So, did you make a New Year’s Resolution - and what is it?” You’ll hear everything from, “I don’t make resolutions,” to “Here...

Your Mom may have told you “Don’t talk about money or religion in polite company!” Mom probably had it right. But, should you find yourself needing to talk about money, let me give you a few tips because this is actually one of my LEAST favorite topics and I have had...

As this baseball season comes to an end tonight, it is a great time to realize the OTHER contribution Derek Jeter has made. You may be a big baseball fan or barely take note (Is he the guy who dated Mariah Carey back in the day?) Jeter actually provides something of...

Taking part in a critical conference call that lacks a rule book can be one of the most frustrating situations you can face in today’s business world. People talking over each other, lack of direction and, just as bad, a lot of wasted time – you’ve probably heard it...

Kids back in school, temperatures starting to cool and weird attack ads on TV – all signs of the changing of the season and the oncoming fall! The great thing about the election side of this time of year is all the lessons to be learned from the political...

Most of the time I am focused on how you sound and look when you stand to speak – but this Monthly Memo takes advantage of my 20+ years in TV. These days EVERYONE is on TV in one way or another. Everyone has a camera. Everyone has the capability to get a video out to...

This topic has come up often among colleagues and friends and it seems to be happening more and more – you are in line for a job that is actually a slam dunk and yet you still miss the mark! We are facing new rules in this economy and please know you are not alone if...

The good news? You are doing a presentation and you don’t have to worry about looking into a bunch of faces. The bad news? How do you really connect with your audience and make sure this works? With travel costs up and budgets down, we see more and more webinars in...

The inspiration for this Monthly Memo comes from an event I am working on right now (!) so the lessons are very real. Any time you are asked to host a panel discussion there are things you can do to make it work smoothly and shine a comfortable light on your panel...

This Monthly Memo takes us off the beaten path a bit, but come along for the ride, okay? Spring is upon us (or at least it’s getting close for some of us) and with it comes the ritual of graduation. So what will all those bright and shiny new graduates do once the...