The Secret to Finding Your Executive Voice
Posted On October 6, 2016 BY Dean Brenner
We recently finished an intensive workshop with one of our top clients. The topic was Executive Communication Skills, and the goal was to coach a small group of about 10 rising executive stars in the art of persuasive, executive-level communication skills. We covered a lot of ground over the two days, but one topic worth […]
LeBron James and the Importance of Delivering on a Promise
Posted On June 20, 2016 BY Dean Brenner
The worlds of sports and celebrity are overwhelmed with hype, and people who fail to live up to that hype. It often seems like celebrity and fame in 21st century America require lots of things, but it is equally clear that fame often does not require skill or actual performance. How many people do we […]
Being “On a Team” Doesn’t Mean You HAVE a “Team”
Posted On May 2, 2016 BY Dean Brenner
Teams are everywhere, in every corner of professional life. The concept of “team” is pervasive, so much so that most people take the concept for granted. Most people don’t really grasp what it means to be part of a good, functional, productive team. Most people have probably never experienced “team” at its highest form. True […]
Secrets of the Smart and Savvy Negotiator
Posted On April 7, 2016 BY Dean Brenner
I was recently speaking to a client, a person I have been coaching for about six months. This coaching assignment has been focused on the subtle aspects of persuasion. He is relatively new in his organization, and has wanted to work on how to better influence his colleagues, without coming on too strong. Many of […]
Post from the Past: Practice DOES Matter
Posted On March 28, 2016 BY Dean Brenner
(This post was originally published Dec 2014) I had an outstanding experience recently with a workshop participant from one of our major client companies. This young man had participated in one of our one-day presentation skills workshops about six weeks ago. And then he signed up for a different workshop this week, a two-day “executive […]
How to Persuade Your Audience Using the Concept of Leverage
Posted On October 28, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
Have you experienced the power of presenting in front of a camera? Chances are if you’ve been in one of our workshops, you’ve had the opportunity to be videotaped while you present. And you’ve experienced firsthand the transformational power of seeing yourself come to life on the screen. It’s a tremendous learning experience—we see our […]
The Total Audience Experience
Posted On June 8, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
When you stand up to speak in a professional setting, there are three primary ways you are interacting with your audience: the message you have developed, the slides you have created, and the delivery skills you exhibit. All three matter, because all three impact your audience’s experience. Many people think about their work presentations this […]
The Lost Art of Compromise
Posted On April 14, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
On April 9th, The U.S. marked the 150th anniversary of the end of the American Civil War. While I’m not a historian, history (American military history, specifically) is a favorite subject of mine, so this week’s commemoration has me thinking. In the wake of General Lee’s surrender to General Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, President Lincoln […]
To Communicate Well, You Must First Communicate
Posted On January 21, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
Last week I spent some time speaking with someone I occasionally coach. Last week’s problem was that he and a close colleague were in a tough spot, not communicating well. Apparently, the colleague was doing some things that were intensely frustrating for my client. The details are not important to the story, but there was […]
3 New Year’s Resolutions for Better Communication
Posted On January 5, 2015 BY Dean Brenner
Happy new year to all! We trust and hope that your holidays were happy and healthy. We’re back today from a well-deserved and welcomed break, and are excited for a great 2015. Over the course of our holiday break, we spent a lot of time thinking about the year gone by, and the year to […]