Communication

Originally published with the Forbes Coaches Council. 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. Of course, it takes time, and we all know how little we have of that. What helps is to keep some key […]

Regular readers of this blog know that I am an avid gardener, a weekend activity that has taken on a more prominent role for me in recent years. Prior to my early 40s, I wanted nothing to do with gardening… it was too closely associated with “weeding,” a weekend assignment from my youth that left […]

I recently had the chance to appear as a guest on the Digital Tells podcast, with Host Sam Norton. Sam and I had a great conversation about communication in the 21st century, and specifically what new demands COVID-19 has placed on our communication skills. We covered a lot of time in a short period of […]

This post was written by Hannah Morris, Director of Assessment & Advancement at The Latimer Group.   I have three kids and they all speak a different language than I do. When they start speaking MINECRAFT, I feel lost, and to a certain extent, excluded. It is not something they are doing intentionally or malevolently or even consciously. […]

This post was written by Lauren St. Germain, Facilitator and Coach at The Latimer Group. I love Winnie the Pooh. So much so that I’ve got a collection of quotes from his stories by A. A. Milne on the coffee table in my living room. It’s a little green book called Pooh’s Little Instruction Book and I […]

Does your message stand out? Do you make it easy for your audience to remember what you say? Does your message make an impact on the mind of your listener? You need to care about this, because there is so much competition for the mindshare of every audience. There are so many things that come at each of […]

We hear this all the time, from the people we train and coach. Engaging your audience during a virtual meeting is really hard, they say. And most people we work with are desperate for ways to create more engagement with their audience… because it feels next to impossible to create it. I am here today […]

Have you ever run a virtual meeting — over the phone or by video — and felt like no one was on the other end of the line? Have you ever asked a question and been met with what feels like an ocean of silence? Have you ever wondered how to create more engagement? Sure, […]

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 […]

Simple idea today, that comes up in our coaching sessions all the time. My colleagues and I talk constantly about great communication skills, and all the things that help create those skills. We believe that when we take the time to prepare for our meetings, presentations and calls, we will do a much better job creating success, and […]