Lip Service by Ruth Sherman

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Obama's Inaugural: An Archetype Of Leadership Communication

I am so excited to see Barack Obama’s inaugural speech that I can hardly think of anything else. I am not head-over-heels in love with the guy, either. I think of him as just another politician much like all the others, but with a rare gift -- the gift of oratory.

I will never forget when I first heard Obama speak at the 2004 Democratic Convention (on TV). I was flabbergasted that there was this person out there who could speak so beautifully and who seemed to get the tone and tenor just right. This is no small feat. I knew at that moment a star had been born. Apparently so did a lot of other people and, clearly, Obama himself recognized the impact he had because he then went on to harness the reaction and build on it.

The writing, of course, must be good with rhetorical devices in place. There has to be a rhythm to it meaning the devices have to occur in just the right places. The stories that are told must not be too long, but should be meaningful. The feeling that Obama imbues the speech with must be heartfelt and real, lest the listeners detect a lack of authenticity. Finally, the delivery must be flawless with just the right amount of expression, emotion, crescendos and diminuendos, pauses and silences. 

It must accomplish something important: it must speak to all the people, not just in this country (though especially to them), but also to the world. The whole world is watching and waiting. The speech must lift people up but the language itself must not be too lofty. This speech is about getting carried away and I mean that in the most positive sense.

The speech has no doubt gone through many revisions. I saw somewhere that work on it began two months ago. Although his chief speechwriter, Jon Favreau, will have been charged with creating most of it, he and the president-elect will have actually tag-teamed on it because they know it must be in Obama’s voice and not even a long-time speechwriter always gets it right. Some veteran speechwriters have probably been brought in to assist and vet, too.

Obama will have to practice this speech, say it out loud many, many times with people present who can give him feedback. He’ll have to try certain lines a few different ways before they feel and sound right. By the time he delivers it, it should be practically memorized. Even though the teleprompter will be there, he will probably not need to use it.

This is a lot of work. I mentioned above that he has a gift. But is that really what it is? After all, the pieces are discrete, distinct, and deconstructible. Can anyone do this?

Yes we can.

Ruth Sherman Associates LLC / High Stakes Communication / http://www.ruthsherman.com

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2008 Communication Successes

2008 Communication Successes

Welcome to my 3rd Annual Fast Company Expert Blog on Communication Successes.  As with the faux pas blog that went up last week, successes were dominated by politics. In fact, I couldn’t come up with any business successes and it seems to be getting harder and harder for business people to do the right thing when it comes to communication.

So, here are my picks for 2008:

1. Barack Obama was, without a doubt, the most successful communicator of the year. Here was this man who basically went from being a nobody to being elected president in record time. Almost everything he did was golden, from his public speaking to his message to the discipline employed when he delivered it. People will study his campaign for years to come as an example of how to persuade.
2. Hillary Clinton, after having lost the election and gained a lot of enemies in the process, redeemed herself in one 20-minute speech at the Democratic convention. After almost 2 years of lackluster presentations, Clinton showed audiences that she was capable of inspiration even if it was a day late and a dollar short.
3. John McCain, though never the speaker, showed his authenticity – finally – during his concession speech, when he immediately tamped down the boos from supporters directed at Barack Obama and spent a significant portion of his speech extolling the historical significance of the moment.
4. Sarah Palin will be back and with her return to the national scene, there will be a new voice, improved syntax and a much better grasp and knowledge of the issues. This woman is a masterful communicator with a compelling story.
5. Mike Huckabee did not have a snowball’s chance in hell of making it to the top, but he won a lot of people over anyway. Huckabee showed that likeability and humor are key persuasive tools.
6. Katie Couric, whom I have been critical of, turned the tide of the election with her super-insightful interview of Sarah Palin. Couric’s gentle but firm questioning of the governor of Alaska, caught her completely off guard and revealed as no one had before, her lack of knowledge of the issues. Though Couric is still not winning the evening news competition, she showed herself to be a much better and more aggressive reporter than the boys on those other networks. (And love the new do, Katie.)
7. Colin Powell shamed those questioning Obama’s religion when he pointed out on one of the Sunday morning shows that the right answer was “well what if he is [a Muslim]?” Powell went on to talk about how in America, a person’s religion shouldn’t matter and told the story of the Muslim American soldier who had died in Iraq. A deeply affecting photo of the soldier’s mother hugging his gravestone at Arlington National Cemetery accompanied the story.
8. Michelle Obama seems like a normal person who really does love her husband and kids. Her charming countenance and great taste in fashion make her an exciting prospect for the White House. It’ll be fun to watch her make it her own, to see what issues she champions and to watch the girls grow up.

There were fewer successes this year than faux pas. I’d like to see that reversed for 2009. Let me know what I missed.

Happy New Year!

Ruth Sherman Associates LLC / High Stakes Communication / http://www.ruthsherman.com

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2008 Communication Faux Pas

Welcome to my 3rd annual blog on communication faux pas. This year, political communication dominated, showing some of the best and worst in human communication. Of course, business communicators wouldn't be left out and gave the politicians a run for their money especially as the economic downturn got ugly. As a communications expert, it’s been endlessly fascinating and a veritable smorgasbord of yummy delights. This week, I’ll cover blunders. Next week, I’ll highlight some of the successes.

And (drum roll) now, the faux pas of 2008:

1. Hillary Clinton’s campaign has to go down as #1 because she blew her one chance to become POTUS by not communicating who she was, but rather who she thought voters wanted her to be.
2. John McCain never took seriously the reality that he was up against a master communicator who was also young and energetic. The only way to compete would have been if McCain was a comparable communicator. McCain could have improved his skills, but, for some reason, chose not to. As a result, he couldn’t counteract Obama’s inherent advantages. All in all, McCain's decision bespoke a stubbornness that was just dumb. And who wants another dummy for president?
3. Dennis Kucinich should have kept his UFO story to himself. As one of the more honest and direct candidates, this little bit of trivia weakened his case.
4. Rudy Giuliani should never have staged that call from his wife, Judi, during a speech to the NRA. He couldn’t pull it off and it’s bad form in any event to take a call during a speech.
5. Fred Thompson – remember him? He was the great hope of the Republican Party for about 5 minutes. But Fred wasn’t ready for prime time. The assumption was Fred would bring his acting skills to the platform, a la Ronald Reagan. But good acting requires rehearsal and preparation and, alas, Fred forgot about that part.
6. Mitt Romney always seemed plastic. Clearly an accomplished guy and a successful family man, Mitt just couldn’t seem to break through as he tried to transform himself from Massachusetts moderate to a bible belt conservative. His downfall was epitomized by a back-and-forth he had with a waitress in a New Hampshire diner who questioned him on his plans for health care and described her health insurance travails. But instead of reaching out to her and showing a little empathy, Mitt stuck to his talking points showing the only empathy he had was for himself.
7. The Big 3 Automakers’ CEOs were just unbelievable in their tone-deafness. Representing their virtually bankrupt companies that they helped drive into the ground, they flew to Washington on private jets to beg Congress (and taxpayers) to bail them out. The arrogance they communicated was breathtaking.
8. Henry Paulson asked Congress and taxpayers for almost a trillion dollars, then insisted on no oversight and for all players to be held harmless should things go wrong. Though there was a lot of huffing and puffing from Senators and Congressmen, and although we, the little people, thought they got some standards in place, it seems things turned out the way Paulson orginally wanted them to. (So maybe this was a communication success?)
9. Barack Obama, believe it or not, has made some mistakes. Chief among them is his choice of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. Obama states he doesn’t agree with Warren on everything, of course, but they do agree on a lot and anyway, he wants his administration to be inclusive, which he repeated over and over during his campaign. But this is no mere disagreement. And being inclusive certainly means not dissing voters who passionately supported him. It is just morally wrong to give such a platform to a man who believes in and promotes the odious idea that one group of human beings, gay people, are not equal to most Americans and should thus be excluded from enjoying certain important benefits others take for granted. And that’s not the only thing wrong with Warren. With this choice, Obama communicates a good deal of ignorance at best or an enormous level of cynicism at worst. The two years of isolated, unreal life Obama has lived during the campaign are already beginning to take their toll.
10. George W. Bush doesn’t have many regrets. Is this guy clueless or what? I mean I have more regrets than he does. This lack of introspection tells us that he just doesn’t care about, well, anything! Goodbye, Mr. Bush, and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

That’s all I can think of for now. Next week, 2008 communication successes. Happy Holidays!

Ruth Sherman Associates LLC / High Stakes Communication / http://www.ruthsherman.com

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2009 Communication Faux Pas

Welcome to my 3rd annual blog on communication faux pas. This year, political communication dominated, showing some of the best and worst in human communication. Of course, business communicators wouldn't be left out and gave the politicians a run for their money especially as the economic downturn got ugly. As a communications expert, it’s been endlessly fascinating and a veritable smorgasbord of yummy delights. This week, I’ll cover blunders. Next week, I’ll highlight some of the successes.

And (drum roll) now, the faux pas of 2009:

1. Hillary Clinton’s campaign has to go down as #1 because she blew her one chance to become POTUS by not communicating who she was, but rather who she thought voters wanted her to be.
2. John McCain never took seriously the reality that he was up against a master communicator who was also young and energetic. The only way to compete would have been if McCain was a comparable communicator. McCain could have improved his skills, but, for some reason, chose not to. As a result, he couldn’t counteract Obama’s inherent advantages. All in all, McCain's decision bespoke a stubbornness that was just dumb. And who wants another dummy for president?
3. Dennis Kucinich should have kept his UFO story to himself. As one of the more honest and direct candidates, this little bit of trivia weakened his case.
4. Rudy Giuliani should never have staged that call from his wife, Judi, during a speech to the NRA. He couldn’t pull it off and it’s bad form in any event to take a call during a speech.
5. Fred Thompson – remember him? He was the great hope of the Republican Party for about 5 minutes. But Fred wasn’t ready for prime time. The assumption was Fred would bring his acting skills to the platform, a la Ronald Reagan. But good acting requires rehearsal and preparation and, alas, Fred forgot about that part.
6. Mitt Romney always seemed plastic. Clearly an accomplished guy and a successful family man, Mitt just couldn’t seem to break through as he tried to transform himself from Massachusetts moderate to a bible belt conservative. His downfall was epitomized by a back-and-forth he had with a waitress in a New Hampshire diner who questioned him on his plans for health care and described her health insurance travails. But instead of reaching out to her and showing a little empathy, Mitt stuck to his talking points showing the only empathy he had was for himself.
7. The Big 3 Automakers’ CEOs were just unbelievable in their tone-deafness. Representing their virtually bankrupt companies that they helped drive into the ground, they flew to Washington on private jets to beg Congress (and taxpayers) to bail them out. The arrogance they communicated was breathtaking.
8. Henry Paulson asked Congress and taxpayers for almost a trillion dollars, then insisted on no oversight and for all players to be held harmless should things go wrong. Though there was a lot of huffing and puffing from Senators and Congressmen, and although we, the little people, thought they got some standards in place, it seems things turned out the way Paulson orginally wanted them to. (So maybe this was a communication success?)
9. Barack Obama, believe it or not, has made some mistakes. Chief among them is his choice of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. Obama states he doesn’t agree with Warren on everything, of course, but they do agree on a lot and anyway, he wants his administration to be inclusive, which he repeated over and over during his campaign. But this is no mere disagreement. And being inclusive certainly means not dissing voters who passionately supported him. It is just morally wrong to give such a platform to a man who believes in and promotes the idea that one group of human beings, gay people, are not equal to most Americans and should thus be excluded from enjoying certain important benefits others take for granted. And that’s not the only thing wrong with Warren. With this choice, Obama communicates a good deal of ignorance at best or an enormous level of cynicism at worst. The two years of isolated, unreal life Obama has lived during the campaign is already beginning to take its toll.
10. George W. Bush doesn’t have many regrets. Is this guy clueless or what? I mean I have more regrets than he does. This lack of introspection tells us that he just doesn’t care about, well, anything! Goodbye, Mr. Bush, and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

That’s all I can think of for now. Next week, 2009 communication successes. Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.

Ruth Sherman Associates LLC / High Stakes Communication / http://www.ruthsherman.com

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Send Me No Emailed Holiday Greetings

Thanksgiving has become an alternative greeting card holiday. I get this because we're so inundated at Christmas it makes sense to want to beat the rush. I used to get actual cards in the mail. This year, I received some some emailed greetings. Ugh. Why do people think this type of outreach is a good idea?

These "cards" weren't even from the card sites. They were regular emails with big letters in different colors that said "Happy Thanksgiving" or "I Have So Much to Be Thankful For, Including You." To add insult to injury they screamed broadcast because of the lack of personalization.

If you are going to go to the trouble of sending a holiday greeting, then it should stand out. That means time and trouble and expense. It means a personal note on each card with your signature in your hand. Plain old email stands out about as much as someone dressed in black in New York City. This year in particular, with businesses and people feeling crunched, it's a lift to receive a card that makes you feel like someone actually thought of you.

For the past few years, I've created custom cards. They are unique, fun and consistent with my brand and business. People have begun to anticipate receiving them, which means they're thinking of me in advance. They send me notes telling me how much they enjoyed the cards and thanking me.

I know you're crazy busy. And sure it takes planning and hours of writing, signing, stuffing and stamping (with a nice stamp). But it's worth it.

Ruth Sherman Associates LLC / High Stakes Communication / http://www.ruthsherman.com

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A Stunning Leadership Vacuum

Since my topic is leadership, it is timely to comment on the goings on in the world of high finance. In addition, my base of operations is none other than Greenwich, CT, an epicenter of the disaster. Greenwich, as many know, is often described as the leafy suburb of New York City that is home to many titans of industry including several in the news this week, such as Richard Fuld, CEO of now bankrupt Lehman Brothers, as well as legions of investment bankers and corporate lawyers who count as my neighbors.

What the heck happened? Seems no one knows! Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke are making it up as they go along. SEC Chairman Christopher Cox has been asleep at the wheel as the slow-mo crisis has unfolded. President Bush almost certainly doesn’t understand it and neither do our congressional leaders. Senator Christopher Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, and one of my senators, doesn’t seem to have a clue, though he and other senators and congressmen haven’t missed an opportunity to get themselves on TV so they can look strong, knowledgeable and in control this election season. And our pitiful presidential candidates have fared equally poorly. Senator John McCain is the ranking member and former chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and Senator Barack Obama serves on 4 committees, none of them having anything to do with the problems at hand. Neither one of them has said anything that has inspired any confidence.

These men are supposed to be our best and brightest? Oh. My. God.

I surely don’t understand what is going on, but I have an excuse. I really want to, though. Yet not one of them or any person in a position to do so has managed to explain it to me – in terms I can understand. This shows a stunning lack of leadership and an even more alarming lack of empathy and compassion for the tens of millions of citizens whose lives are directly affected and who are being asked to shell out close to a trillion dollars to shore up the system. The WIIFM factor (what’s in it for me) is sorely missing. Oh, there is lots of dense gobbledygook and high-fallutin’ lingo that they seem to think we get. Or maybe it’s that they’re really speaking to each other, comforting each other in that Greenwich country club kind of way, the common folk on the outside looking in, noses pressed up against the window trying to steal a glimpse. Or maybe it’s on purpose, designed in some way to keep the rest of us out of the loop and off balance, confused and, thus, more likely to let these “great men” save us without having to be held to account. If that sounds like a conspiracy theory, so be it.

I’ll tell you this: Statements emanating from our so-called leaders have been disgraceful. They seem to think their insipid explanations are good enough as long as they include words like “bold” and “urgent." The paternalistic return to "trust me" is insulting. My late father would have had a phrase for all these legends in their own minds: too smart by half.

This is the very sad state of our leadership. Our great country, this exceptional incubator of ideas, supporter of innovation and nurturer of talent has been brought to its knees by a group of people with 2400 SAT scores. And I, for one, am less comforted or enthused than ever by the choices these cynical geniuses have placed before us on November 4.

Ruth Sherman • Ruth Sherman Associates LLC • High-Stakes Communications • Greenwich, CT

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Clinton and Palin: Women Win The Speechstakes

Boy, it's a great time to be a speech expert as well as a leading authority on political communication. And both political parties provided a great show, particularly the speeches of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. They each had a job to do and enormous hurdles to overcome.

Hillary Clinton had a lot of baggage going in. Her job was to convert her passionate (and angry) supporters to Barack Obama, persuade voters that she, in fact, does believe Barack Obama is the better candidate, and preserve her legacy. She succeeded on all counts. Her presence filled the room -- hell, she OWNED the room. Like her or not, she is a towering figure. Her use of the teleprompter was masterful (has she been taking lessons from Barack?). And although she was standing behind the podium, she was very physically animated; her hands, body and voice reflected the passion she was feeling. Speaking of her speaking voice, did you notice that she lowered the pitch? I sure did. This was the speech of her career and it may have saved it.

Sarah Palin was basically a blank slate going in, unless you consider the narratives the media had been constructing since her nomination was announced a few days prior. Palin's job was to introduce herself on her own (and McCain's) terms, make her opponents look weak and persuade voters she was qualified to be VP. She definitely delivered on the first two and though the jury's still out on her qualifications, through her masterful delivery, she was able to pry open the door so voters would give her their consideration. Palin looked comfortable and confident. Her voice was too high and nasal, but it's nothing a little work with a voice coach won't help. She, too, was physically animated, especially her facial expression. She looked like she was having fun. Her dress and adornment did not scream high fashion or "Hey, look at me!" but rather were consistent with the voters she's trying to attract, those so-called "hockey moms" -- and dads. Her speech was well-written and had a rhythm to it, laced with zingers and poignant family references strategically placed to keep the audience engaged. It was a game changer.

These are only two examples of the magic of speech.

Of course, the other magician in the room is Barack Obama, arguably the best political speaker of the era, who made some similar waves back in 2004 and certainly during the current campaign. But I have to say, the women -- both of them -- outdid even the great Obama this time around. In my book, they won the "speechstakes."

A great speech, beautifully delivered, is king among marketing tools. Sadly, though, so many politicians and business leaders don't do it very well. (See Joe Biden, 2008 Democratic Convention.) The good news, then, is that it's out there for you to master and reap profound benefits. After all, the pols aren't the only ones who can change their lives by giving a great speech.

Ruth Sherman • Ruth Sherman Associates LLC • High-Stakes Communications • Greenwich, CT

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Recession = Opportunities To Communicate

Things are tough out there. Really tough. Everyone I speak to has a story – cancelled contracts, price pressure, layoffs, disappearing clients. In my own experience, the slowdown was abrupt. Through June, I was working at capacity. I had the best first half ever. 2008 was looking to be a record year. Not. Any. More.

Hmmmm, what to do, what to do? It’s really tempting to hide. A nice, long, open-ended vacation until this thing blows over sounds perfect. Then again, maybe, just maybe it’s a good time to market, to communicate. Isn’t that what they always say? In slow times, the temptation is to cut back on marketing, on “non-essential” expenses, but all the literature argues that’s exactly the wrong thing to do. I think the literature is right.

So that’s what I’ve been doing, spending more time marketing, not less, and getting back in touch with my clients. I’m reaching out to them, taking advantage of the nice weather to pay some visits. More often than not, they have time to share a meal with me, which is quite out of the ordinary. I’m noticing that people want to talk – not complain – just talk. And I’m all ears. I love to listen, sometimes offer suggestions, but mostly, just listen, to let them know I care. In the process, I’m learning a lot about my clients, which is a very good thing. I actually realize that in our crazy, busy lives, we’ve been depriving ourselves of the human connection this type of contact provides. The retreat from face-to-face has been so gradual that I hadn’t even realized it. I’ll bet that’s true for many.

I’m also taking this “gift” of more time to get some new products and services up and running. I’ll need to have another newsletter ready to go by Labor Day. I recently developed and delivered a successful webinar and need to get the word out. People want this type of distance learning option. Gotta beef up my Facebook page and get my twitter account going. I want to be ready when the economy turns around – and it always does. On Friday, however, I’m taking a week off.

But only a week.

Ruth Sherman • Ruth Sherman Associates LLC • High-Stakes Communications • Greenwich, CT

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Music From The Heart

I’ve been learning about “el sistema,” the Venezuelan music-training program that has been offered to over 300,000 impoverished Venezuelan children.The brainchild of Jose Antonio Abreu, a Ph.D. in petroleum engineering who received musical training while growing up, el sistema, or “the system” as it is known, has been such a force for good, it’s difficult to understand why something similar hasn’t caught on here the United States.

The program reaches out to desperately poor communities and provides children with instruments and training by professionals. Lots of training. Every day after school for several hours, children as young as 2 are given lessons in rhythm, note reading and music theory. They are also given orchestra instruments and trained to play them. Right away, they are assigned to play in ensembles. The curriculum is limited to classical music.

The results have been astounding. Children who would have had dead-end lives or perhaps turned to crime are instead being turned into cultural connoisseurs. The most talented may become members of the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra, an elite ensemble of el sistema that tours the world.The conductor of that orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel, himself a product of el sistema, will become the music director (conductor) of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2009.

As every musician knows, playing music is usually a collaborative effort and as such, one learns to get along with others. Dr.Abreu views el sistema as a human rights effort. He believes it is the right of every child to know and enjoy music. I couldn’t agree more. As an undergraduate music major and former professional musician, the pleasure I gain from listening to and playing music is unsurpassed by anything else in my life. I am also reminded daily of how valuable the training has been to me in my current, non-musical career.

Could we do something like that here? Well, right now, the U.S. is cutting music and the other arts. But it’s nice to dream.

Ruth Sherman • Ruth Sherman Associates LLC • High-Stakes Communications • Greenwich, CT

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Manners Matter More Than Ever

With the world as competitive as it is, and the economy uncertain at best, it should come as no surprise that we should use any and all available advantages. Having impeccable manners and understanding the rules of etiquette are critical determinants of success and key to winning people over. I do not know a single highly successful person who does not have these skills down to a science. Unfortunately, the boundaries of propriety have been eroding steadily and accelerating over the past two or three decades. The following examples may ring a bell:

• An executive who regularly returns from lunch with food spattered on his tie
• A passenger on a commuter train who is speaking very loudly on his cell phone
• An executive who walks in 20 minutes late for a meeting and sits down without a word of acknowledgment or apology
• The host of a social event who spends a disproportionate amount of time speaking to a couple of guests, virtually ignoring the other people she invited
• Audience members who talk or let their cell phones and pagers ring during a show
• Drivers who come speeding up the right shoulder to gain a couple of seconds on those who remain in lane to wait their turn and exit safely
• The telemarketer who speaks nonstop, ignores entreaties or objections, and who won’t take no for an answer
• The pedestrian who steps a few yards in front of you to be in a more advantageous position to flag down a taxi

These examples are just a very few of the hundreds, if not thousands, of incidents of rude and obnoxious behavior that occur daily and that negatively affect our quality of life not to mention the negative impact on our perceptions of the offenders.

Good manners are skills in which the lessons are best begun early in childhood. But access to these skills is free and available to anyone with the desire to upgrade and an Internet connection. Following are the my top 5 good manners that every successful person must have:

• Table manners: As alluded to above, make sure your napkin is on your lap (or over your tie), know which utensils to use, don’t talk with your mouth full and all the other lessons your mother taught you.
• Saying “please” and “thank you:” These words are like magic.
• Apologizing: When appropriate – and this may be more often than you would like to acknowledge – apologizing is an absolutely critical skill and a major differentiator in today’s unapologetic world. (Read my post on apology)
• Cell phone etiquette: No one cares what you’re doing tonight, so keep your voice down if you’re on your cell in a public place.
• Keeping promises: Nothing speaks better to the state of a person’s integrity than this. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. If, for some reason, you cannot, let the promisee know.

Ruth Sherman • Ruth Sherman Associates LLC • High-Stakes Communications • Greenwich, CT