Executive Presence: The Art Of Projecting Leadership
Posted On March 4, 2019 BY Dean Brenner
Originally published with the Forbes Coaches Council, February 2019 Think about the best leader you’ve ever seen. What made her compelling? Many of us would say, “She just had ‘it.’ Her charisma was off the charts.” It may be hard to believe, but “it” — that combination of confidence, authority and personality that makes an executive engaging and inspiring — isn’t necessarily an […]
A Story About Respect
Posted On February 27, 2019 BY Dean Brenner
I am going share a personal experience with you today… the kind of story that is emotional for a lot of people in 2019 America. It is a story about an interaction I recently had with a police officer. I am making the choice to share this story with you with a healthy dose of […]
10 Time Management Tips to Make You a Better Communicator
Posted On February 20, 2019 BY Dean Brenner
Simple idea today, that comes up in our coaching sessions from time to time. My colleagues and I talk all the time 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 […]
The Psychology of Weak Language
Posted On February 13, 2019 BY Dean Brenner
One of the things I listen closely for in our workshops is a certain kind of vocabulary that we call “weak” or “qualifying” language. And when I hear it, my coaching sensors start ringing loudly. Words or phrases like “sort of,” “kind of,” “pretty much,” or “basically,” can be toxic for the speaker and dramatically […]
How to Make Sure Your Important Email Gets Read
Posted On February 6, 2019 BY Dean Brenner
The numbers may vary from study to study, but the story is generally the same these days: a significant percentage of emails today are initially read via a mobile device. But when it comes to work-related emails, most of the importantemails we write, the ones with some substance on important topics, we tend to write from […]
To Be More Persuasive, First Practice Good Pre-Persuasion
Posted On February 4, 2019 BY Dean Brenner
Do you find it easy to persuade people? That’s a broad question, with an answer that is likely to be some version of, “Sometimes.” Whether someone is easily persuaded depends on a lot. The size of the ask, the environment and situation you’re in, the kind of person you’re trying to persuade, and other variables […]
The Message Makeover Podcast: An Interview with Choate Football Coach L.J. Spinnato
Posted On January 30, 2019 BY Dean Brenner
“Get good at something, and don’t try to be something that you are not. Don’t try to do something that you don’t fully understand, . If you try to be something you’re not, it will come off as disingenuous.” ~L.J. Spinnato, varsity football head coach, Choate Rosemary Hall In this episode of The Message Makeover, […]
A Simple Strategy To Know Your Audience
Posted On January 24, 2019 BY Dean Brenner
Originally published with the Forbes Coaches Council, December 2018. One of our central tenets in teaching persuasive communication is to know your audience. Having an informed sense of your audience’s needs, concerns, and context (did the company just suffer a drop in the stock price, did the VP in the room just get a big promotion, […]
The Two Secrets to Being a More Confident Public Speaker
Posted On January 21, 2019 BY Dean Brenner
The single most frequently asked question I hear regarding public speaking is this… “Dean, how can I be more confident as a speaker?” I’ve been in this line of work for more than 15 years, and every year, I hear that question more than any other. And throughout my time leading The Latimer Group, my answer has remained […]
The Message Makeover Podcast: An Interview with Olympic Sailing Coach Luther Carpenter
Posted On January 16, 2019 BY Dean Brenner
“If you don’t hear these words and understand their importance, we are not going to get ‘there.’ And in my world, getting ‘there’ is winning a gold medal.” ~Luther Carpenter, US Olympic Sailing Coach Coaching people to elite performance is hard, under any circumstances. But it is especially hard at the Olympic Games, where you are […]