Way more often than not, the individuals I most want to hear from — those whose thoughts and opinions influence me the most — are doing less talking than everyone around them. Those from whom I have learned the most almost always teach more by way of what they do than what they say. The … Continue Reading
I remember when we used to be able to disagree. Friends could vigorously debate, and go home friends. We could go to school, work alongside, and build neighborhoods with folks with whom we held differing views, values and convictions. We could even talk about it. Those were the days. But that kind of dialogue may be dead. These … Continue Reading
(Note: This article was written for and originally published by Brand Quarterly in March 2015.) We are preoccupied with messaging. From 140 characters to sixty seconds; Pinterest to YouTube. From the candidate to the evening news anchor, we place a premium on what we say, and how we say it. The preoccupation is understandable. Personal … Continue Reading
Consequential change — the kind that seeps so deeply into the fabric of everyday that it establishes a new benchmark for normal — does not happen overnight. We want to believe differently. When awakened to a need or convinced of a cause, we are tempted to believe that a speech, a manifesto, a march, or … Continue Reading
Fifteen years ago a know-it-all business development and marketing guy was given a career-limiting assignment: to create national marketing plans for a dozen practice groups in an AmLaw 100 firm. Naively certain, and with the finesse of the proverbial bull in a china closet, the not-so-smart hot-shot asked a practice leader to describe his ideal target … Continue Reading
Extraordinary leadership — the kind that inspires and motivates over the long haul — comes with an uncanny awareness of both circumstance and self. Most of us have known that rare individual who always seems to say the right thing at the right time. We think of it as a gift — being able to … Continue Reading
This is one of the great challenges of marketing — keeping the cart in its place. After all, the cool stuff is in the cart — the engaging, interactive, attention-grabbing things that everyone talks about. And then there is the fact that all of the things that should come first can be tedious, and for … Continue Reading
Where did marketing miss the boat? Attendance was half of what was expected. The new website didn’t make the phone ring. The new tagline or logo or color combination hasn’t made the development of new business any easier. You’ve tried LinkedIn and micro-sites. Maybe even Twitter and (gasp) Facebook. You’ve revised profiles, and have great … Continue Reading
Here’s the problem: we act like once we’ve delivered a message — transmitted it, produced it, hit “SEND” — that we have Communicated. Or, at least that we have done everything within our power to make communication possible. The rest is up to the audience. In practice we have come to equate communicating with the … Continue Reading
NOTE: This post on Intentional Listening originally appeared at MENGOnline. With thanks to the MENG folks for the Guest Shot, we now re-post here. Name the venue — sales and business development, marcomm, public relations — take your pick. Often the single greatest impediment to success is the failure to begin at the beginning. The foundational … Continue Reading
So often we act as though leadership is wrapped up in a title, charisma, or eloquent messaging. Yet, many times the individuals I most want to hear from — those whose thoughts and opinions influence me the most — are doing less talking than almost everyone around them. The best leaders I know seem to … Continue Reading
Long ago, before digital invaded advertising, marketing and media, the basics of the print industry hadn’t seen significant change for decades. Then someone figured out ones and zeroes. And things began to shift rapidly. Seemingly overnight, what had once been the purview of shops able to invest in big machines and the real estate to … Continue Reading
You don’t have to look long to find plenty of talk about the importance of listening. (We’ve done our share here on this blog, and here, in a guest post for my friend Cordell Parvin.) CMOs, consultants and marketing gurus regularly weigh in on listening’s critical role. These discussions invariably (and understandably) focus on the … Continue Reading
It is the aspiration shared on countless seasonal greetings — peace on earth. Music and verse speak of it wistfully. When words fail, as in the midst of unthinkable loss in Newtown, Connecticut, it is our paramount hope for all touched by tragedy. But where are the peace makers? Not the heads of state, or … Continue Reading
Every student of communication theory is familiar with the concept of Shared Experiences. This is the coveted sweet-spot where barriers fall, gaps are bridged, and — thanks to commonalities — communication takes place. Theoretically. It is a beautifully simple theory. But in practice, it is far from simple. A recent Seth Godin post, The People … Continue Reading
I am an old dog. Learning new tricks, techniques or skill sets does not come easy. My 20-year old daughter, my wife and, I suspect, the team I am privileged to work with will all agree. But as I listened to Neil Harbisson’s TED presentation from earlier this year titled “I Listen to Colors” (a 10-minute video that will … Continue Reading
Dialogue changes things. It connects people, seeds ideas, and is a critical thread in the fabric of relationship. And (at the risk of meddling), one reason relationships are so difficult is that genuine dialogue does not come easy. Self-interest, the superficial and the politics of the moment serve to frame much of what passes for conversation. But … Continue Reading
My long time friend and legal business development trainer/coach, Cordell Parvin, invited me to do a Guest Post on his popular blog. I was honored to offer these thoughts on how to find business development opportunities. (In addition to subscribing to his Blog, you can follow Cordell on Twitter @cordellparvin.)… Continue Reading
For anyone of a certain age (we won’t be any more specific) those words most likely prompt a mind’s earful of a catchy tune as recorded by the Fab Four. (If “Fab Four” is meaningless to you, skip to paragraph 2.) The lyrics of the song, simplistic as they might be, belie one of the … Continue Reading
To the degree that one life intersects with another – at home, on the job, socially (yes, even via social media) – few things are more central to progress and success than the art of dialogue. Whether a political agenda, the endeavors of enterprise, social awareness and reform or a family’s pursuits, progress is impossible … Continue Reading
In an increasingly loud world voices, headlines, media and even strategic noises seem to compete for our attention. The competition (naturally) gives rise to more creative approaches to capture a target’s ear. And in the process there is plenty of reason to wonder whether anything is actually being heard. In this short video presentation, sound … Continue Reading
This post is dedicated to anyone who has ever asked (or been on the receiving end of the query) where did our marketing go wrong? And the answer is — perhaps it went awry when the priority became creating, producing and delivering the message as opposed to identifying the precise point at which you might … Continue Reading
