How to Be Awesome at Your Job

Kerri Garbis breaks down how to make your communication more effective by making your practice more effective. 

— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) The three stages to prepare for any kind of speaking

2) Quick techniques to help reduce your nervousness

3) Why practice feels boring—and how to fix it

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1188 for the full transcript!

— ABOUT KERRI — 

Kerri Garbis is the CEO and founder of Ovation Communication, a firm that trains global business leaders in the nuanced arts of Professional Presence and Speaker Development. A certified Business Etiquette and Emotional Intelligence expert and seasoned Professional Speechwriter, her expertise culminates in her book Presentation Skills for Managers, published by McGraw-Hill.

Evolving from a professional actress as a kid to empowering today’s business professionals, Kerri's journey weaved through The Baltimore School For The Arts to Syracuse University, where she graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre. She shares her actionable insights on effective preparation and presentation in her widely-viewed TEDx Talk, "How To Rehearse Anything."

Offstage, Kerri's quest for the quintessential French fry mirrors her approach to professional excellence. She notes that “sometimes it's a sprinkle of salt that makes all the difference.”

• Book: "Presentation Skills For Managers, 2E (Briefcase Books)"

• AI Rehearsal Tool: BRAVO

• Instagram: ovation_communication

• Facebook: Ovation Communication

• LinkedIn: Ovation Communication

• YouTube: Ovation Communication

• Website: GetOvation.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• Book: "Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away" by Annie Duke

• Book: "The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control" by Walter Mischel

• Past episode: 253: How to Speak Out…Without a Freak Out with Matthew Abrahams

• Past episode: 614: Making Smarter Decisions When You Can’t Know Everything with Annie Duke

• Past episode: 683: How to Break Free from Negative Self-talk and Chatter with Ethan Kross

• Past episode: 1184: How to Know When to Quit with Lindsay Crouse

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Vanessa Bohns shares a science-backed guide to deciding when speaking up is helpful and when silence is the better choice.

— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) How to be honest without being harsh

2) The hidden trade-off between vulnerability and competence

3) When it DOES hurt to ask

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1187 for the full transcript!

— ABOUT VANESSA — 

Vanessa Bohns is a social psychologist and professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University. She holds a PhD in psychology from Columbia University and an AB from Brown University. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and other outlets, and her research has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Economist, and on NPR's Hidden Brain. She lives in upstate New York.

• Book: Should I Say Something?: The Science of What to Share―and What to Keep to Yourself

• Instagram: @profbohns

• LinkedIn: Vanessa Bohns

• Website: VanessaBohns.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• Book: Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller

• Past episode: 972: Amy Edmondson on How to Fail Well

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Leslie John makes the compelling case for why we need to open up more in work and in life.

— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) The surprising upsides to oversharing

2) The easiest and loveliest thing to overshare

3) Why it’s a good sign when people cringe

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1186 for the full transcript!

— ABOUT LESLIE — 

Leslie John is the James E. Burke Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Her award-winning research appears in top academic journals and media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. She is the author of the new book, REVEALING: The Underrated Power of Oversharing. A Canadian-born, professionally trained ballet dancer, she now calls Boston her home, where she lives with her husband and two young sons.

• Book: Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing

• Instagram: @proflesliejohn

• LinkedIn: ProfLeslieJohn

• Website: ProfLeslieJohn.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• Tool: zeeg

• Article: “Will Blue Light Glasses Improve Your Sleep?” by Christopher M. Barnes

• Book: Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara

• Book: Broken Plea: The Explosive Search for Truth Behind the Idaho Murders by Christopher Whitcomb

• Video: The Announcement: Magic Johnson

• Article: “My Medical Choice” by Angelina Jolie

• Podcast: "A Very Fatal Murder" The Onion Podcast

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Neal Schore shares expert strategies for reclaiming the time we don’t realize we give away. 

— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) The many ways we waste time without realizing it

2) The 10-second trick that prevents time-wasting miscommunications

3) How to feel more powerful in just five seconds

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1185 for the full transcript!

— ABOUT NEAL — 

Neal Schore serves as chairman and advisor to several notable business leaders, boards, and companies across the United States. He also advises multiple private equity and investment firms on executive leadership and strategic initiatives. He currently serves as cofounder and CEO of The 25th Hour Group, an executive coaching and leadership events firm that showcases his proven leadership toolbox and practice. Previously, Schore served as founder, president, and CEO of Triton Digital, a global technology, data, and services leader in the digital audio and podcast industry. 

Schore received a Bachelor of Arts in business administration, with emphasis on management, marketing, and finance, from Michigan State University. He is currently active in Harvard Business School’s Executive Education Program. Schore is a member of the Los Angeles Gold Southland Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the recipient of E&Y’s 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year award for greater Los Angeles.

• Book: The 25th Hour: How to Thrive (And Gain Ridiculous Amounts of Time) by Getting Out of Your Own Way

• Website: 25HourGroup.com

• Website: NealSchore.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• Book: Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It by Ethan Kross

• Book: The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement by David Brooks

• Book: From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks

• Book: Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson, 25th Anniversary Edition by Mitch Albom

• Past episode: 683: How to Break Free from Negative Self-talk and Chatter with Ethan Kross

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Lindsay Crouse reveals the surprising signs that your grit may be working against you. 

— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) How purposeless endurance keeps you stuck

2) How small acts of quitting can make bigger decisions better

3) Why we’re so afraid to quit–and how to get over it

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1184 for the full transcript!

— ABOUT LINDSAY — 

Lindsay Crouse is an independent producer and journalist and author of The Case for Quitting: The Surprising Benefits of Opting Out. A 15-year veteran of The New York Times, her Emmy-nominated work on women’s sports brought widespread change to the industry, including maternity protections for elite athletes sponsored by Nike. 

In The Times’s Opinion section, she wrote and commissioned widely read essays and produced hundreds of short documentaries, including commissioning The Times’s first Academy Award-winning film. A life-long competitive distance runner, she graduated from Harvard College, and lives in New York City with her family.

• Book: The Case for Quitting: The Surprising Benefits of Opting Out – Revolutionary Strategies for Personal Growth and Shifting Your Mindset on Success

• Instagram: @lindsaycrouse

• Website: LindsayCrouse.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• Book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

• Past episode: 798: How to Have Difficult Conversations about Race with Kwame Christian

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — 

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Former FBI agent Joe Navarro reveals how to adjust your body language to connect better with those around you. 

— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) The small gestures that greatly impact your likability

2) How to maintain appropriate distance and eye contact

3) The one expression to avoid at all costs

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1183 for the full transcript, and catch the video episode on YouTube!

— ABOUT JOE — 

Joe Navarro, MA, served as an FBI special agent in counterintelligence and counterterrorism for twenty-five years. A recognized global expert on nonverbal communication, he is the international bestselling author of What Every BODY Is Saying and Be Exceptional. He consults for major corporations and governments worldwide. 

Navarro has been featured on the TODAY Show, CNN, Fox News, and other major outlets, and he lectures frequently around the world on human behavior and influence. He lives in Sarasota, Florida.

• Book: Mastering Connections: Build Stronger Relationships with the Science of Body Language – An FBI Agent's Proven Strategies for Nonverbal Communication and Authentic Connection

• Website: JoeNavarro.net

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• Study: Harvard Study of Adult Development

• Study: The Still Face Experiment

• Book: The Histories by Herodotus

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — 

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Gina London discusses how to hone in on your presence and purpose to distinguish your communication.

— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) The one communication skill AI still can’t replace or replicate

2) How to train your brain for more confidence

3) The habits that undermine your credibility and presence

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1182 for the full transcript! 

— ABOUT GINA — 

From Farmland, Indiana, to boardrooms around the world, Gina London has spent her career helping people find their voice. Founder and CEO of Language of Leadership, Ltd., Gina is an American entrepreneur based in Ireland, a dual U.S.-Irish citizen, and a trusted advisor to leaders across nearly 60 countries.

A former CNN correspondent and Emmy-winning journalist, she now coaches executives, government leaders, and high-performing teams on communication, leadership, and influence.

Gina is an adjunct professor at University College Cork, a columnist for The Irish Independent, and author of Amplify You: How to Power Up Your Connections in an AI World. As AI gets smarter, human connection is the essential skill that sets us apart.

• Book: Amplify You: How to Connect More Powerfully in an AI World

• Instagram: theginalondon

• LinkedIn: Gina London

• TikTok: @theginalondon

• Website: GinaLondon.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• App: How We Feel

• Book: Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time by Susan Scott

• Book: The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever by Michael Bungay Stanier

• Past episode: 487: Communicating Powerfully, Succinctly, and Clearly with Erica Mandy

• Past episode: 700: How to Make Your Anxiety Work For You with Wendy Suzuki

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — 

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Ethel Mickey reveals how the everyday relationships we foster, both in and out of work, shape who gets ahead.

— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) Why networking by the books leads to nowhere

2) Why certain “time-wasting” interactions are actually critical

3) The right and wrong ways to build visibility

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1181 for the full transcript! 

— ABOUT ETHEL — 

Ethel Mickey is a sociologist who studies why inequality persists in workplaces that claim to fix it. She is an assistant professor at California State University, San Bernardino and a faculty affiliate at Stanford’s VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab. Her research—and her book Networking to Nowhere—reveals how everyday workplace relationships quietly shape who gets ahead in tech.

• Book: Networking to Nowhere

• Website: EthelMickey.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• Study: "The Strength of Weak Ties" by Mark Granovetter

• Book: Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs by Lauren Rivera

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Matt Abrahams explains the pitfalls of outsourcing your communication to AI—and how you can use it to enhance your communication instead.

— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) Why polish is no longer an advantage—and what is

2) The many ways AI can hurt or help your communication skills

3) How “Costco credibility” helps you win more

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1180 for the full transcript! 

— ABOUT MATT — 

Matt Abrahams is a leading expert in communication with decades of experience as an educator, author, podcast host, and coach. As a Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, he teaches popular classes in strategic communication and effective virtual presenting. He received Stanford GSB’s Alumni Teaching Award in recognition of his teaching students around the world. 

When he isn’t teaching, Matt is a sought-after keynote speaker and communication consultant. He has helped countless presenters improve and hone their communication, including some who have delivered IPO road shows as well as TED, World Economic Forum, and Nobel Prize presentations. His online talks garner millions of views and he hosts the popular, award-winning podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart The Podcast. 

His previous book Speaking Up without Freaking Out: 50 Techniques for Confident and Compelling Presenting has helped thousands of people manage speaking anxiety and present more confidently and authentically.

• Book: Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot

• AI ChatBot: ChatMatt

• LinkedIn: Matt Abrahams

• Newsletter: Think Fast Talk Smart

• Podcast: FasterSmarter.io

• Website: MattAbrahams.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• Study: “Individual differences in adult decision-making competence” by Wändi Bruine de Bruin, Andrew M Parker, and Baruch Fischhoff

• YouTube: Brendan Dell

• Book: "Improv Wisdom: Don't Prepare, Just Show Up" by Patricia Ryan Madson

• Past episode: 1010: Getting the Most Out of Generative AI at Work with Jeremy Utley

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The father of positive psychology, Dr. Martin Seligman, discusses how to harness the hidden engine of human progress: agency.

— YOU’LL LEARN — 

1) The key concept that determines whether we give up

2) The building blocks of human agency

3) How to find your human edge in the age of AI

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1179 for the full transcript! 

— ABOUT MARTIN — 

Martin Seligman is the most influential psychologist in the world and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs the Positive Psychology Center. A former president of the American Psychological Association, he earned his BA in philosophy from Princeton and his PhD in psychology from Penn, and holds ten honorary doctorates. His research—from learned helplessness to learned optimism to prospection—has reshaped how science understands human well-being. He is the author of more than thirty books, including Flourish, Authentic Happiness, The Hope Circuit, and Tomorrowmind.

• Book: Agency: The Psychological History of Human Progress

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — 

• Book: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — 

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