Communication

Dirty tricks done dirt cheap

September 8, 2021
The ruthless always win. Well… not necessarily. Not if you’re ready for their underhanded negotiating tactics. And you can be. Here’s a few dirty tricks the scruple-challenged opposition may employ.

Are you a loud listener?

September 8, 2021
You call yourself a “business leader.” However, if your team members cannot characterize your relationship with them as a fluid, ongoing conversation, then you’re little more than an actor delivering a boring monologue on a stage that’s about to collapse.

Make ‘change blindness’ work in your favor

September 8, 2021
Sales expert Oren Klaff asserts that identifying and gaining an understanding of human tendencies means you can increase your power of influence over people.

For hardcore negotiators

September 8, 2021
Some believe that when starting off a negotiation, you should try to make your opponent be the one to say “no” first.

5 steps for successfully negotiating pay after a job offer

September 8, 2021
Many people have been there. You’ve received a job offer, but it’s not quite the pay you were hoping for. Know that negotiating an offer doesn’t mean you’re declining an offer. Let’s walk step by step through how to negotiate your pay.

When you should (and shouldn’t) change the way an employee works

August 27, 2021
Asking an employee to reform more than one or two behaviors at a time can quickly overwhelm and demotivate them, no matter how calm and accepting they may seem. Here, then, is a checklist to use when deciding if employee behavior needs change.

How to coach a salesperson

August 16, 2021
The modern-day business of sales (for the most part) no longer features the drudgery and limitations experienced by the salespeople of lore—young Willy Loman, the Avon Lady, etc.—but that same self-starting, independent, highly motivated attitude is still very much in play.

Give your dry, tired data real life on stage

August 16, 2021
Data visualization used to be a kind of specialty, and not the business necessity it has become. Now, leaders need to be fluent at visual presentation and using data to tell a story.

Don’t pour the wine; be the wine

August 16, 2021
Only the best among us possess that unique ability to tell imaginative stories and draw thoughtful analogies, but success here also requires intimate knowledge of your audience. If you know what they enjoy, you’re much more likely to compare yourself to things or ideals they cherish—even if you’re making up some of it.

How to construct a pitch

August 16, 2021
The ideal pitch or proposal follows the “3-Minute Rule” and consists of three distinct stages, but that isn’t to say it’s simply divided into three equal one-minute parts. To the contrary, achieving the desired emphasis and climax in your pitch means deliberately devoting more time to some sections and less to others.