Communication | Fast Company

10 Moves From Pro Wrestling To Deliver Championship Presentations

BY Sam FordMon Feb 13, 2012

My best training ground for the regular stream of client presentations, new business meetings, and conferences was an old wrestling ring at a fairgrounds in rural Kentucky. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

We Need To Talk About Romney

BY Ruth ShermanWed Feb 8, 2012

Mitt Romney’s front-runner status has been thrown into question once again after his triple loss in state primaries. For professional communicators, the reason for his difficulties is obvious--he doesn’t connect, and connecting is all about communicating. And in presidential election after presidential election, however, the candidate who connects best, wins.READ»

STATE OF THE UNION | Comment

The State Of The Union Address Is The Ultimate Master Class In Public Speaking

BY Ruth ShermanWed Jan 25, 2012

Rhetorical devices and flourishes play a big role in increasing impact and helping us remember what's been said, and President Obama is a master at using them. Learn advanced--yet simple--speaking techniques likes anaphora, anapest, and chiasmus by breaking down last night's State of the Union address (don't worry, we'll explain). READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

3 Reasons Every Extrovert Should Read The New Book "Quiet"

BY Cali Williams YostSun Jan 22, 2012

Up to a half of the population are introverts. In other words, they don’t thrive on endless meetings, don’t want to solve a problem by talking about it with a group for hours, and don’t want to attend lunches, conferences, and dinners all the time. The new book "Quiet" by Susan Cain can help us extroverts better communicate with and learn from the more silent types in our lives. READ»

COMMUNICATION | Comment

The 7 Greatest Communication Successes Of 2011

BY Ruth ShermanFri Dec 30, 2011

Media darlings and mavens of masterful storytelling who took center stage with aplomb in 2011.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

The 7 Worst Communications Failures Of 2011

BY Ruth ShermanThu Dec 22, 2011

Want a good lesson in how to tarnish your public image, put off your fan base, torpedo your career, or lose the trust of your clients? There's plenty to pick from in our annual list of 2011’s communication losers. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

In Your Company's Bid To Court Social Influencers, Don't Forget The "Regular Customers"

BY Ekaterina WalterMon Dec 19, 2011

Ninety percent of all conversations Americans have about products and brands take place offline; focusing too much on social-media influencers and ignoring everyone else will be to your brand's peril. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Why Newt Gingrich And Elizabeth Warren Are So Damned Persuasive

BY Ruth ShermanFri Dec 9, 2011

Left for dead only two months ago, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is now a front-runner for the GOP nomination. On the Democratic side, Elizabeth Warren has buzz of her own. The candidates couldn’t be more different, but both use tried and true communication techniques to connect with voters.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

How Silence Changes The Communication Dynamic

BY David LavendaFri Nov 18, 2011

Ever wonder what it would be like to remain silent for an entire week? Not just less talking--total silence. A recent throat surgery provided me just such an opportunity, which led to some profound realizations about how we can better communicate both at work and at home.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Penn State Reminds Us, Darkly: Always Do The Right Thing Now, Not Later

BY Dayna SteeleThu Nov 10, 2011

I advise clients to stay away from commenting, tweeting, or posting on religion, politics, cats, or controversial subjects. Until Penn State. It is time to speak up, to remember that we are all in this together and must protect each other, protect our children, and always do the right thing. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Can You Be Damned By Strong Praise? If The Context Is Wrong, Absolutely

BY Heidi Grant HalvorsonSun Nov 6, 2011

You can inadvertently send negative messages, even when you say only unambiguously positive things about someone. The reason has everything to do with context.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

How Nonverbal Communication Gives Our Words Meaning

BY Ruth ShermanThu Nov 3, 2011

Let’s talk technique. Nonverbal technique, to be precise. How you say what you say. It’s what gives our words meaning when we speak, because, let's face it, standing up there doing a data dump is not going to engage your ...READ»

BRANDING

Why Science Depends On Good Branding

BY John PavlusFri Oct 28, 2011

You may never have heard of Hubble's constant, but everyone knows what "the big bang" theory is. (No, not the sitcom--the prevailing scientific model of our universe's origin, which states that everything blasted into hot, dense, ... READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Preparation Is The Magic Bullet To Public Speaking Success

BY Ruth ShermanWed Oct 26, 2011

Preparation is where most people go wrong with public speaking. It is the biggest obstacle by far, and the most tedious and difficult part of the journey to becoming great at speaking and presenting. But it’s also the most necessary component of the process, so don’t ignore it.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Conflict For Its Own Sake Is Not An Option, But It Can Also Create Positive Change

BY Ruth ShermanThu Oct 6, 2011

People who don't engage in conflict don't commit.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Make Your Public Speaking Pass The "Waiting In Line" Test

BY Ruth ShermanTue Oct 4, 2011

While speaking is something almost everyone is capable of, doing so in front of large groups remains daunting. But there's one clear measure of success: is your audience waiting in line to meet you afterward? If not, read on for four tips that will put you on the path to better public speaking and presentation skills. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Mark Zuckerberg Can Get Away With Being An Average Public Speaker, But You Can't

BY Ruth ShermanTue Sep 27, 2011

When you’re as smart and successful as Mark Zuckerberg, do you really need to become a super-polished speaker, too? Probably not. The rest of us, however, can’t afford to be average, and here’s why. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Fish And Tips: Talk To Your Customers Like People, Not Prospects

BY Shawn ParrThu Jun 30, 2011

There are shining examples of brands that build a personal connection with their customers and have a personal voice in their communication. El Pescador, a small fish market in La Jolla, California, knows exactly who their customer is and what their consumer wants.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Tony Hsieh's HQ (Happiness Quotient)

BY Ruth ShermanTue Jun 7, 2011

At the World Innovation Forum, one of the presenters was Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos. He talked a lot about happiness, what makes Zappos one of the top workplaces and, I think, a great place to buy from.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Clayton Christensen And Disruption: Authentic Applications For Small Businesses

BY Ruth ShermanTue Jun 7, 2011

It's been an enlightening morning at the World Innovation Forum in New York, listening to Harvard's Clayton Christensen talk about his theory of "disruption."READ»