We have all heard of the value of making a positive impression when meeting someone for the first time. It only takes a few seconds for someone to evaluate you. This opinion is usually based on your demeanor, mannerisms, body language, speech, and appearance, but it’s even more than that.

When you meet new people and enter into new relationships, what do you notice? Do you notice the clothes they wear in different settings? Do you notice the first email they send you? Do you notice the amount of time it takes them to respond to your first email or phone call? Do you notice how they interact in the first meeting you’re in together? The fact is, you intuitively notice many things that, when combined together, form your opinion of them…read more

When people take their valuable time to give us instruction or free words of advice, we should focus 100% of that time listening and absorbing the information rather than talking. If we don’t interrupt or feel the need to interject, we’ll learn more, gain respect and improve the odds of receiving advice in the future.

Throughout my career I have had countless people ask for a small block of time to pick my brain. In literally 90% of these conversations, they spend more time talking than listening. I would often get off the phone thinking, there’s another person who can’t shut up and listen to advice without having to say something…read more

Have you ever read a long email and said to yourself, “When is this person ever going to get to the point?” Or just as painful, have you found yourself listening to someone talk for 10 minutes and being completely lost as to where the person is going with the conversation?

People who are indirect in the communication of their messages tend to hint at things, give mixed messages and avoid getting to the point. It’s as if they expect people to be mind readers. What they don’t realize is that their failure to communicate effectively is undermining their ability to build relationships and advance their lives personally and professionally.

In preparation for this lesson, I asked myself, “Of the thousands of people I have worked with in my career, do I know anyone who has been successful who rambles on in their communications?” And guess what? I could not think of one person…read more

This is a continuation of “My Top Ten Phone Tips.” Part 1 can be found here. As I pointed out yesterday, every time we are on the phone with someone we are making an impression that impacts how we viewed. Chelsea Greenwood—owner of a 1.4 billion-dollar marketing firm—said, “You are your own brand whether you like it or not. And every experience has a lasting impression.”

Here are five more tips.

6. Speak With a Confident Tone—Whether you realize it or not, you are presenting your personal brand every time you have a conversation with someone. If you want to brand yourself as a self-assured professional, then you need to sound confident but not so confident that you sound arrogant…read more

How many of you make judgments about people based on how they sound on the telephone? Because people cannot see us over the phone they will form these opinions based on not only what we say but also on “how” we say it.

If you stop to think about how much business is transacted over the phone in any given day, it’s wise to be conscious of your telephone speaking voice, the words you use and how you conduct yourself during a call. Today’s lesson is the first of a two part series to help you make a positive impression on the phone…read more

Early in my career I found myself being involved in countless situations that resulted in misunderstandings. My natural reaction was to blame others, rather than accept responsibility. I used to think it was the other person’s fault if he or she did not understand something or explain something properly. After all, how could it be possible that I was at fault?

Then the day came when I made the decision that I would accept 100% responsibility for all misunderstandings in which I am involved. While there have been some painful, costly and frustrating lessons, I have learned something from every misunderstanding and it has made me a better communicator….read more