Saying No: A beginner’s guide
No, non, nada, nyet—how we say no in different languages. Nein is the German word for no. Nein sounds the same as the English word nine, which means one less …
Communication Skills
Negative Feedback: How to receive & respond to harsh responses
It’s easy to offend people—look at social media. Even if you’re not a puppy-kicking troll, chances are good that you will offend someone at least once in your life. Perhaps you purposely or accidentally …
Promising Useful Content: 5-second cheatsheet
No one reads anymore. We scan a website or document, deciding in about 5 seconds if it merits attention. Does Your Document Pass the 5-Second Test? Physical elements such as formatting, colors …
How to answer unexpected questions (sounding smart and confident)
Have you ever wondered how to give strong, confident answers to unexpected questions? Speaking without preparation is called impromptu speaking. We do it in conversations, meetings and interviews. If you …
Business Writing: The 3 Cs (a quick & easy method)
Is writing at work a challenge? You want to seem professional and competent but with so many other tasks competing for your attention, it’s hard to find the time to …
WAIT What? 4 Wrong Reasons to Speak (& 4 good ones)
There’s a great acronym that makes me look smart and wise. It’s WAIT, and stands for Why Am I Talking? What a brilliant question to ask yourself. You might decide …
Navigating Negative Feedback: How to fix problems and get what you want
Someone messed up. An employee mishandled a project; your new car is a lemon; the waiter forgot your meal. From big to small, problems can be solved—and often fixed—if you …
4 Questions To Stop Asking
1. Are You Sure? This negates everything the speaker just said, which is rude and hurtful. You might ask this question because: You want to know if you can believe what …
How to Write Clear Instructions: 6 easy steps
Use lists where possible. Use a separate point or sentence for each action. Make the text large enough for visually impaired readers. Know your audience—who will be reading these instructions …
4 Traits of Successful Speakers, Leaders & Conversationalists
I recently attended a speech contest. Despite a variety of styles and personalities, the best speakers shared four traits: 1. Honesty The best speakers were themselves. They didn’t project false …
Activate Your Verbs!
Active verbs make speaking and writing clear, efficient, and more interesting. Active verbs are usually easier to understand, which is important for international audiences. Wordy and inactive: Better: They made a …
3 Great Speaking Tips (and my dad for free)
You know how, um, like, the kids talk these days? Sadly, it’s not just kids—many of us undermine ourselves with speech habits that make us seem uneducated, unprepared and unsure. …
Secrets to Successful Communication
The art of communication is the language of leadership. James Humes Leaders need to speak and write well. No matter how brilliant you are, if we can’t understand you, your …
Are You an Interrupting Cow? How to be a better listener, and more popular too
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Interrupting Cow. Interrupting Cow wh– Moo! Are you an interrupting cow? How often do you allow a pause after someone’s finished speaking? Be honest, how often do you …
Change Your Words, Change Your Worldview
Cleaning some research files, I stumble across this evocative statement: The Social model of disability …the general term disability is applied not because of an inability to function but rather because …
7 Swift Steps To Better Communication
Identify your goal—what exactly do you want your audience to know or do? Identify your audience—who are they, what do they need to know, what do they already know, what’s …
Communication Skills for Creative Professionals: How to attract & manage clients
You’re a designer, artist or developer. You’re not a writer and never claimed to be one; your clients hire you for your unique vision, not your ability to write. But …
Beyond No! Communicating with Toddlers
Communicating with two-year-olds can be frustrating. They’re passionate, stubborn and likely to bite. But it doesn’t have to be this way—spending time with toddlers can be fun! Yes, really. Toddlers …
Plain Language: Can You Draw A Picture Of Your Sentence?
In the quest for clarity, I’ve devised a simple test: Can you draw a picture of it? If you can easily turn your words into images, it’s a safe bet that …
Attractive & Efficient: Is your infographic successful?
An infographic is a magical combination of words and images that together convey information more efficiently than just text. Done well, infographics save your reader time and energy. But beware—infographics are …