Articles

Chances are you’ve participated in a webinar. If not, it’s almost certain you’ve been invited to participate in one. The growing popularity of these web-based seminars is no surprise. Business people have limited time, so travel to a nearby, out-of-state or even international location to attend a seminar may not be ideal. There’s also a financial...

Like most companies, Starbucks, which operates some 27,000 locations worldwide, has had its share of problems and crises. For example: ▪ Its iconic logo (an image of a twin-tailed mermaid or siren) has undergone a number of changes over the years. But when the company temporarily reintroduced a vintage version of that logo in 2006, controversy...

Practice Makes Perfect . . . Presentations (Or at Least Helps Improve Them)   When we work with clients on their presentation skills, we usually ask this question at the beginning of the session: Do you practice your presentation before you deliver it, and if so, what does that practice entail? Here are the most frequent responses:   ▪...

Earlier this month, Mark Zuckerberg spent nearly ten hours over two days responding to questions from almost 100 Senate and House lawmakers. The issue was whether his social network company was doing enough to protect user privacy in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. So how did the 33-year-old founder and current CEO of Facebook do?...

A 16-year-old high school junior – let’s call her Samantha – goes to a party where alcohol has somehow made its way into the home. Peer pressure being what it is, Sam has a few drinks. Later, she takes a few “selfies,” showing off her latest dance moves, drink in hand. Next day, she posts those photos on her Facebook page and sends a few pics to...

Sometimes, we’re aware of our weaknesses. Perhaps more often, we’re not. That may be because we’ve never received straightforward, accurate feedback – a factor that’s especially true for executives as they rise to positions where reports are less willing to critique them honestly. It may be because overlooking our flaws is easier than confronting...

"I'm at a loss," Hank said quietly to a room full of board members. His hands trembled a bit as he spoke, and he gazed out the window as if to avoid eye contact. "This is important. And I'm worried it's going to be a disaster." It was the beginning of a new year, and The Important Company was in a pretty tough spot.   It wasn't that The...

What to Do When It's Earnings Season and the News Is Bad February is earnings season for the fourth quarter and full year of 2017. It's when most publicly traded companies report their financial performance to shareholders and to the analysts who advise them. For many companies, Q4 and full-year 2017 earnings numbers are likely to be favorable....

Nobody wants to blow it. It’s an often-preached statistic: out of all the terrors and trepidations that intimidate the human psyche, the fear of public speaking is the most common. There’s a reason for that. Public speaking situations are uniquely laden with great potential. On the one hand, public speaking offers the potential to inspire,...

A new CEO means a whirlwind of change for any company. From top to bottom, internally and externally, the shifts are sweeping. Internally, a new CEO brings new policies, updated initiatives, and cultural shifts. And, both internally and externally, a new CEO means a change in communications. That’s especially true in the age of social media and...