A recent “ice cream” incident at a restaurant got me thinking about my immediate reaction when I first saw Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts. Spoiler alert: my two words were, “that’s it?” In this episode, I talk about managing expectations as a deliberate communicator.

The post Ep. 349 – Managing Expectations (Two Words When I Saw Plymouth Rock) appeared first on Just Saying.

Do you find it a struggle to engage in formal, one-on-one conversations at work? For many managers and subordinates, these scheduled exchanges can seem stale, fruitless and stiff. By approaching them as a pointed and personal conversation with specific questions in mind, we can make them memorable and impactful on both sides.

The post Ep. 348 – Three questions to improve your next one-on-one appeared first on Just Saying.

Going deeper can be quite difficult, especially when there’s so much competing for our attention. Our value and impact are greatly diminished by impulsively skimming the surface and chasing the least important thing and most tempting text. In this episode, I share insights from three profound business books that might help you answer this question honestly – and quickly.

The post Ep. 347 – Do you do deep work? appeared first on Just Saying.

Are we spending enough time thinking about what’s critical for us today, this week, or this month? Are we talking about it in clear and concise terms? And are we actually getting our MPP done consistently. In this episode, I make the connection between deliberate preparation and predictable execution.

The post Ep. 346 – Defining your most pressing priority (MPP) appeared first on Just Saying.

The term bottom-line-up-front (BLUF) is widely known in military and governments circles. Regardless of how many people are familiar with the acronym, most end up delivering the bottom line at the bottom (or BLAB). This isn’t what busy, attention-starved audiences really want yet are forced to accept.

The post Ep. 345 – Why does BLUF frequently turn into BLAB? appeared first on Just Saying.

What would you likely do if given a few extra minutes while waiting for someone to arrive? Or standing in line? Or in-between meetings? In this episode, I discuss how our impulsive tendency to grab our smartphone or keep on consuming information is what makes us squander magic moments of quiet and settle for more noise.

The post Ep. 344 – How you might abuse a few minutes of free time appeared first on Just Saying.

Professionals often overemphasize the value of collaborative work. Time spent together is frequently less valuable because we buy into underlying falsehoods without question or deeper critical concern. In this episode, I highlight three lies we believe that hurt how we work together and alone.

The post Ep. 343 – Three Lies about Collaboration appeared first on Just Saying.

What if your words of “wisdom” turn out to lead others to damaging results.  Many people inadvertently and impulsively blurt out a “you should” or a “you shouldn’t” without really thinking through the recommendations, guidance and counsel they are dishing out.

The post Ep. 342 – Giving Bad Advice appeared first on Just Saying.

A few words can pack a punch. As you look to add tools and techniques to become an elite communicator, you need three flavors of a short saying in your toolbox. In this episode, I share three versions of concise sayings that can be memorable, impactful and brief.

The post Ep. 341 – Adages, Aphorisms and Epigrams appeared first on Just Saying.

What really happens when your credibility is lost? Finding inspiration from a memorable audition scene in the movie “Walk the Line,” I isolate three different moments when people’s trust in us seriously erodes. In none of these instances should we lay blame on our audience, but need to take a look in the mirror to understand what we did to provoke it.

The post Ep. 340 – I don’t believe you appeared first on Just Saying.