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Ignite your power to communicate.

We coach people to make a fundamental shift in the way they understand their own power to communicate.

We help people feel seen and heard so that they can do their best work.

“I just had to say it.”

This week’s posts may seem familiar! I am working on some new ones, but a huge amount of travel has meant they’re not quite ready so I have pulled a few from the archives.Thanks for your patience! I was just part of a meeting when someone unloaded a short, angry-sounding rant that made the room …

Play to your strengths (and appreciate other people’s!)

This week’s posts may seem familiar! I am working on some new ones, but a huge amount of travel has meant they’re not quite ready so I have pulled a few from the archives. Thanks for your patience! I have mentioned my patient husband Charlie in these posts before. He is thoughtful, methodical, and detail-oriented. …

That Dirty Little Secret

I’ve noticed an interesting tendency among many of the high-achieving, smart people I coach. When they’re telling me what they would like to get out of our coaching relationship, they drop their volume, avert their eyes, and confess, “Sometimes I get really nervous when I have to speak in public. I know it’s stupid, but—“ …

The Best Thing We Can Do to Prepare for A Keynote

Imagine a giant convention center ballroom. This ballroom is ready for a conference keynote. At the front of the ballroom is a stage, with a huge screen. There are cameras, and teleprompters, and row after row after row of seats, just waiting for the audience to fill them. Backstage there are dozens of people running …

Why Your Feedback May Not Be Worthwhile (part one)

I recently saw a short video featuring the actor, director, and writer Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live, Barry). In it, he is talking about the process of writing, and how to make what you write better. But what he says has application to many areas where we receive feedback. Here’s what he says: “When people …

Why My Feedback May Not Be Worthwhile (part two)

On Monday, I wrote about Bill Hader’s insight about identifying what’s wrong versus knowing how to fix it. You can read part one here. This is part two. It’s important for me to say that as a coach, sometimes my suggestions on how to fix things are wrong. The point of coaching is that the …

“Smile!”

One of my clients is up for a promotion, and we’ve been practicing the presentation she needs to give as part of that process. Recently she told me, “I practiced with a colleague the other day, and he told me that I look really serious. Do I need to smile more?” Sigh.  This is such …

Why Your Choreographed Gestures Don’t Work

I was watching a recording of a keynote speaker recently. and he was good. I felt engaged with his content, he was enjoyable to listen to, and I was getting something out of the experience. Then, in one moment, my assessment shifted. To underscore a point, he spread his hands wide in what was obviously …

Communication Isn’t a Soft Skill

I’m rethinking what this blog might be. I love writing for you, and I’m curious about what you find interesting and useful. Monday’s and Wednesday’s posts were new ones, and today’s is a rerun. If you have ideas about what you’d like to see in this space, please drop me an email! What does it …

Being Your Own Coach

I’m rethinking what this blog might be. I love writing for you, and I’m curious about what you find interesting and useful. Monday’s and today’s posts are new ones, and Friday’s post will be a rerun. If you have ideas about what you’d like to see in this space, please drop me an email! One …

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