It’s a Practice, Not a Knowledge Base
Posted On June 16, 2023 BY Lauren St. Germain
This post was written by Lauren St. Germain, Facilitator and Coach for The Latimer Group. I was recently listening to an old episode of Brené Brown’s podcast, Unlocking Us, where she arrives at a major “a-ha” moment, live during the show. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. Moments before her big realization, […]
Embracing AI to Improve Communication
Posted On June 16, 2023 BY Jay Prewitt, EdD
This post was written by Jay Prewitt, Director of Coaching and Facilitation at The Latimer Group. I’m a big Stanley Kubrick fan, which may sound exceptional, or exceptionally trite, to you depending on your experience with art and movies. The 1964 satirical film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb has […]
For Successful Communication, Build From ‘Clear And Brief’
Posted On June 15, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
Not everyone is naturally a great communicator. In fact, almost all successful communication — persuasive, engaging, inspiring — is made, not born. It requires preparation, skill and practice. And of course, it takes time… and we all know how little we have of that. If we are going to build a successful communication foundation, let’s […]
Do You Want Game Changing Communication Skills? Then Build a Listening Plan
Posted On June 13, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
My colleagues and I write and talk all the time about having a message plan. And furthermore, we write and talk all the time about how strong listening skills can make your message planning stronger and easier. But what do we listen for? Listening is great and important, and most people don’t do it very well. But is it enough […]
One for Your Audience, One for You
Posted On June 8, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
One of the most common, and most tactical, comments we get from workshop participants is this: I understand why you want me to simplify my materials/slides. But I need to be ready for questions that may come up, and I need to be ready to support the person who wasn’t there. And I don’t want […]
Manage Expectations, and Maintain Credibility
Posted On June 2, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
I was speaking with a good friend recently. He’s a business owner, and the definition of a straight shooter. He doesn’t tolerate people who waste his time or who don’t deliver as promised. We were speaking about a few things on the phone, and he shared a story of a contractor he was working with who never, […]
Great Communication is All About R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Posted On June 1, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
In our communication skills workshops, there is a theme that always comes up that seems to surprise first-time participants. We talk about many of the most important aspects of great business communication: clarity, brevity, being memorable, setting context, communicating value, staying “on message”… all of the things that are required in the 21st century business environment. […]
First the Story, Then the Slides
Posted On May 30, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
Here is a conversation we regularly have with new clients… New Client: “I have a big presentation coming. Will you take a look at my slides?” Me: “Well, before we get to the slides, what is the point of the presentation?” New Client: “Here, it is on the slides.” Me: “I don’t care about the […]
Managing The Voice of Doubt Inside Your Head
Posted On May 25, 2023 BY Dean Brenner
That little voice inside your head, the one that tells you aren’t good enough… do you know that voice? Do you ever hear that voice telling you to question your own value or qualifications? Do you ever hear that voice whispering sour questions to you? I hear that voice, and I am sure most of you do […]
Belonging Begins with Listening
Posted On May 22, 2023 BY Jay Prewitt, EdD
One of The Latimer Group ’s core beliefs is that great communication skills can change the world. That’s why we are passionate about what we do, and everything we do starts with communication as our true north. Unfortunately, DEI has been relegated to compliance and risk management for too long, which is why it has […]