Something Small That You Should Do Well: Bookends, Part 1
Posted On February 10, 2020 BY Hannah Morris
This post was written by Hannah Morris, Director of Assessment & Advancement at The Latimer Group. The first 30 seconds of a presentation are critical. This is the time when we establish elements of communication, connection and confidence, the three pillars of our Executive Presence Model. And this is when our audience decides how they feel about […]
Presentation Tips: Balancing Variety with Consistency
Posted On February 3, 2020 BY Hannah Morris
This post was written by Hannah Morris, Director of Assessment & Advancement at The Latimer Group. One of the elements of slide decks that we often critique is the visual consistency. Are all text boxes in the same placement? Or do they jump around? Is the text in standard places (header, subhead, bullet, callout box) the same […]
Your Side Benefit Might Be Your Audience’s Main Benefit
Posted On January 29, 2020 BY Dan Cooney
This post was written by Dan Cooney, Director of Business Development at The Latimer Group. We were recently coaching a talented systems and operations manager (“Mike”) who previewed a presentation he was about to give on the importance of merging contact records in Salesforce for the sake of data hygiene. The intended audience for this presentation […]
A Story About Kindness
Posted On January 27, 2020 BY Dean Brenner
Everyone who frequents this blog knows that we write about communication. But every once in a while we also like to share stories about other things, simple things, everyday ordinary things. This is one of those times. Last week was one the most important weeks of our year here at The Latimer Group. One of […]
A Slide Template is NOT a Message Plan
Posted On January 22, 2020 BY Dean Brenner
One of the best parts of the client workshops we teach is that our clients are really smart people. We are blessed to be able to work with so many companies, which are full of bright, qualified, hard-working people. Sure… I am kissing up to our clients this morning… but it also happens to be true. And frequently someone […]
I Trust, Therefore I Can
Posted On January 20, 2020 BY Hannah Morris
This post was written by Hannah Morris, Director of Assessment & Advancement at The Latimer Group. Confidence is not a trait. It is a behavior. In fact, confidence comes from the Latin verb confido, confidere, meaning “to trust.” When we trust ourselves, our skills, our experience, our decisions, and our ability, we feel and project confidence. When […]
How To Build A Next-Level Team
Posted On January 15, 2020 BY Dean Brenner
Originally posted with Forbes Coaches Council, December 2019. Putting together a team that works well together, tackles their goals efficiently and produces meaningful results might seem like an easy equation. Hire top talent, and let them work. But even the most gifted employees will flounder without one key component: clear, consistent communication. Let’s imagine a team […]
Safety in Numbers — Don’t Count On It!
Posted On January 13, 2020 BY Dan Cooney
This post was written by Dan Cooney, Director of Business Development at The Latimer Group. Have you ever been in a meeting with a busy PowerPoint slide beaming on the screen while a confident speaker proudly proclaims, “The numbers speak for themselves!” You look at the slide and wonder, “Do they?” When a speaker makes this […]
How Great Communication Improves Your Business’ “Circulation”
Posted On January 8, 2020 BY Dean Brenner
How often do you sit in meetings and think to yourself “wow… this is a colossal waste of time“? My guess is your answer is some version of “far too often.” The next time you are feeling that way, do some quick back-of-the-envelope calculations. Make an estimate of what you get paid by the hour. And […]
How to Make the Best First Impression
Posted On January 6, 2020 BY Hannah Morris
This post was written by Hannah Morris, Director of Assessment & Advancement at The Latimer Group. What elements stand out to you when you meet someone for the first time? We often hear about the handshake, appearance, warmth, and conversation. Making positive first impressions is highly important for our success – both professionally and personally. […]