Listening

We recently wrote about that voice of insecurity that comes into our heads when we are experiencing self doubt. We all know that voice. Some of us hear it more often than others, but we have all heard it… the voice that says you aren’t good enough, you aren’t ready, you are going to under-perform. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

In our last post, we talked about a few key steps you can take to become a better listener. But there will always be obstacles inhibiting our ability to listen. One of those obstacles is bias — the idea that we have preconceived ideas about who we’re communicating with, which prevents us from being fair […]

Think of all the communications courses you’ve taken, seminars you’ve attended, and articles you’ve seen in which they tell you how to speak, how to present, or how to create a PowerPoint slide. Compare that to how much less often a course is offered on how to listen. Active listening is a key — an […]

It is a little after 4am on a cold and dark October morning in New England… jet lag. I’m home for a few days after client work that’s taken me across the country and back. During stretches like these, where we have several busy months, and a global tour of client work, there is one […]

We discuss in every single workshop the power and importance of knowing your audience. It is a fundamental belief here at The Latimer Group, and we embrace the fact that knowing your audience is a key differentiator between mediocre and great communication skills. Here is a story to illustrate the point. We partner with many […]