Controlling The Voice Inside Your Head
Posted On January 25, 2016 BY Dean Brenner
Note: We recently added to this post an audio version, as the latest installment of our Soundwaves podcast. Listen via the audio player at the bottom of this post, and be sure to check out the entire library of Soundwaves episodes available on iTunes, or via your favorite podcast player. There is this voice inside […]
A Fine Line Between “Casual” and “Unprepared”
Posted On January 20, 2016 BY Dean Brenner
I was listening to a speaker recently, while sitting in the back of a ballroom at a company conference. I was scheduled to speak later in the day, so I came early to “breathe the air” and hear themes being discussed at the conference. As I was listening to the kickoff speaker, a senior member of the […]
Do People Find You Credible?
Posted On January 14, 2016 BY Dean Brenner
We spend a lot of time discussing credibility with our clients. And we always like to tell them that no matter how good a speaker you are, no matter how strong your message, voice and presence are, if your audience does not find you credible then we can’t help you. Credibility is everything. To quote […]
How Do You Lead When No One is Looking?
Posted On January 6, 2016 BY Dean Brenner
There is an old adage that you can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat people who “don’t matter” and when no one is looking. In other words, you get the real insight into a person’s character by the way they treat people who can’t help them in some way, or […]
5 Things We Learned About Business Communication in 2015
Posted On December 21, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
As we close out 2015, my colleagues and I at The Latimer Group have been giving a great deal of thought to what we learned over the last twelve months. Communication is a critical skill, in every organization. And there is a never-ending need to keep working towards improvement, for us as well. So, with […]
The Caveat of Building Consensus
Posted On December 17, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
At The Latimer Group, we’ve been talking lately about the difference between Persuasion and Consensus. The question came up in our discussions among our colleagues and clients about whether Consensus is always necessarily a good thing. We wrote recently that it is — that we can persuade our coworkers toward a certain outcome, but if […]
Is the Pursuit of “Consensus” Always a Good Thing?
Posted On December 14, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
We were having lunch with a good friend and client of The Latimer Group last week. During our discussion, we mentioned some ideas around the concept of “consensus” as it differs from the concept of “persuasion.” Our work has always been focused on helping our clients build the skills of persuasion, and our clients value […]
Connected with My Son, Disconnected from Everyone Else
Posted On December 7, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
I’ve been writing this blog for many years now. And as I look back over the hundreds of posts, the ones I have enjoyed writing the most are the really personal ones, where I tell a story about a family member or a friend, that helps me illustrate a relevant point for you. This past […]
How to Survive in a Noisy World
Posted On December 2, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
Quick thought for the day, and a theme we discuss all the time here at The Latimer Group. Wow, is it ever noisy out there! And the best way to get the attention of your colleagues, the best way to be heard, is not to yell louder. The answer is not to combat noise with […]
Speaking Tip: Think in Periods, Not Commas
Posted On November 30, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
Have you ever sat through a meeting, listening to someone who just rambles on and on and on? Brutal, isn’t it? You are looking at your watch or your phone, trying to wish the time forward and each time you look you realize it is only 48 seconds since the last time you looked. It […]