What’s your method to prepare before you speak? Most people don’t have one and are left thinking while they’re talking. We feel the pain as they struggle to get to the point. In this episode, I propose a five-step approach called S.P.E.A.R. which may help you sharpen the point you want to make way before you try to make it.

The post Ep. 388 – SPEAR: a new verbal method to sharpen your point appeared first on Just Saying.

Getting away as a team is often critical, but that time is often squandered. In this episode, I provide six different considerations to help you get more out of your time away. It’s more than picking a fancy destination, but planning the duration, desired outcome and agenda for maximum effect.

The post Ep. 387 – Reimagining your next offsite appeared first on Just Saying.

In marketing, word-of-mouth testimonials are among of the most effective ways to promote a product or service. For professionals, having people on your side is always valuable. In this episode, I encourage you to take the first step by doing something positive for someone else. Perhaps, down the road many of these people will reciprocate and come to your aid as your personal advocate.

The post Ep. 386 – The Power of Proactive Advocacy appeared first on Just Saying.

The most interesting people have a unique ability to be much more interested in those around them. In this episode, I explore the possibility of making the choice to be more curious and focus on those around you. By not making it about you, ironically you stand apart. The world needs more interesting people like that.

The post Ep. 385 – It’s better to be interested than interesting appeared first on Just Saying.

While watching a sports interview with a Hall of Fame NFL quarterback, I learned a powerful lesson: loneliness leads to mastery. It takes dedicated time alone to achieve greatness. And hard work on the field with others means taking time in solitude to get ready to perform at a high level.

The post Ep. 384 – The Loneliness of Excellence appeared first on Just Saying.

You can’t create the next big idea in a sea of chaotic collaboration. Innovation can be deliberately accelerated by giving small teams time together to brainstorm and sufficient time alone to think, plan and prepare. In this episode, I provide a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach to host a one-day team experience as a catalyst for innovation.

The post Ep. 383 – Jumpstarting Innovation in a Single Day appeared first on Just Saying.

Have you ever been stuck in a conversation that was going nowhere? Feeling helpless, what could you do to avoid the dead-end direction? Unfortunately, this happens frequently to us both inside and outside work. This week, I outline three “U-turn” tactics to get the conversation back on course.

The post Ep. 382 – Pulling a U-turn in a Conversation appeared first on Just Saying.

In meetings, it’s easy to run out of time. Participants rarely allocate sufficient time to summarize what’s been discussed and assign action items with any time to spare. In this episode, I provide a few practical ways for meeting leaders to think and act with the ending in mind.

The post Ep. 381 – Having the meeting end(ing) in mind appeared first on Just Saying.

When Amazon infamously ditched PowerPoints in meetings and opted to use a six-page written narrative format, many professionals took notice of their bold move. However, very few followed their lead. After reading a book on Amazon’s leadership philosophy (“Working Backwards”), I decided to experiment with a new meeting format. In this podcast, I provide a detailed overview of the BRIEF Executive Summary Technique (B.E.S.T.) that combines quiet reading, a visual outline and a short executive summary storyline to help leaders dive deeper into topics that traditional meetings might otherwise manage superficially.

The post Ep. 380 – The B.E.S.T. Meeting Method appeared first on Just Saying.

What happens when managers have too many people and priorities to handle? A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted a growing concern when organizations are trying to get much more from a thinning front line of leaders. One of the results is that bosses are running out of time to spend with their extended teams. In this episode, I propose six ways to adjust to this challenging, demanding reality.

The post Ep. 379 – Your boss doesn’t have time for you appeared first on Just Saying.