The Sage Sayers

Most of us want to sound warm but strident, clear on what we want and need, but open to feedback. And yet our writing can give off a cooler, sometimes lofty feeling which  can offset our audience.  In this podcast, at a time when most company leaders fret about attrition, we explore the delicate art of tone in business writing. (While the tips here tie to writing, many work in business speaking, too.)

Here’s my small but potentially powerful idea: While we have no control over our team's ambitions and wants to leave and move on, we do have control over how we sound and the signals we give our audience. So why not become a little more informed?

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website.  Know a manager who’s hearing feedback on an abrasive or cool communication style? Please share this episode. The article I mentioned on cloaked or camouflaged verbs lives here and on passive voice lives here.    

In this week's episode we respond to popular asks for help with building our vocabulary in ways where others notice--but from a love for learning vs. fear of falling back, no longer mattering, or not fitting in. If you're wanting to improve your word choice or even find new ways to use plain words, consider these five coaching steps.  An article on Medium offers these same insights and some helpful digital tools, too.

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website.  Know someone who's struggling with low vocabulary? Please share this episode. 

Around half of Americans, Brits, and Australians are on the hunt for new jobs. Figures are scant elsewhere; but if my coaching base stays reflective of communicators, I'd say those numbers feel about right. But if a job interview awaits us, what myths exist on how we show up as communicators?

In this week's podcast, I debunk the biggest myths I see plaguing communicators starting with this idea that researching about the company becomes the most important task or that researching ought to consume us. Not true. Getting grounded, peaceful, and taking time to truly celebrate our achievements becomes the most vital move. Of course research becomes vital; but keep a cap on things and stay strategic, too. 

If you want more tips and techniques on staying calm, centered, and sailing through your next job interview (for an internal or external role) then you may find my article on Medium offers some respite and insight, too.

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website.  Know a job seeker? Please forward this episode on to share the love and wisdom. 

My guest this week is entrepreneur and coffee e-retailer Brad Peugh who (through the height of the Pandemic) launched his e-retailer selling (what I find to be) the best coffee in America.

Brad's drawing from two major life experiences to launch Peugh's Brews: His time in the Air Force where he learned resilience, problem solving, but also exposure to the world's best coffee and intriguing cultures. He's also leaning in on expert organizational skills he uses daily as a program manager.

Listen in to hear Brad's journey and what he's learned along the way--wisdom you can apply to your own career change and/or venture.

Read up and even order coffee from Peugh's Brews by clicking here. Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website.  

With the Great Return underway--and 50% of businesses demanding workers return to the office--politics are running amok. What's the bigger cry for help? Staying calm, focused, and centered when leaders hijack our meetings or presentations (and especially when external parties watch on.)

Fret not. This week's podcast episode offers tried-and-tested tips and techniques which other communicators have found yield positive, uplifting results.

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website. Please share this podcast episode with anyone you know needing/wanting communications help. Let's help humanity by tackling communications, one challenge at a time. 

Last month marked my fifth year living in the U.S. midwestern state of Wisconsin, one of America's most frigidly cold states.  I’ve found surprising gifts from the long, drawn-out colder temps which can linger through to May. (Last week, we froze for days. Yesterday: snow!)

In this week’s episode, I’m celebrating Wisconsin and what I learned about myself and my situation from a cooler climate. By that, I’m applying the Sage perspective I bring to my life and coaching: finding gifts, opportunities, and even knowledge, within tricky situations.

A few resources enrich this week's podcast including my article on Medium, a documentary I produced on ice fishing for National Public Radio from Wisconsin.

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website. Please share this podcast episode with anyone you know needing/wanting communications help. Let's help humanity by tackling communications, one challenge at a time. 

As we transition back to the office, we bring with us our fears and discomfort with public speaking. Having overcome this fear myself, I've a few tips and techniques (which include mental fitness approaches) and ideas I've co-created with coachees/leaders from all over the globe. 

Have a listen to this week's podcast and see how differently you feel from taking baby steps each week to get out of your mind, into your body, and keep your audience front of mind.  My earlier podcast on not letting our Judge take over in these high-stakes moments might spark something as well.

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website. Please share this podcast episode with anyone you know needing/wanting communications help. Let's help humanity by tackling communications, one challenge at a time. 

In this week’s podcast, we unpack (with the help of my dear coachees) some helpful strategies for the world’s biggest, most looming business communication problems.

I gather (then share) recurring themes and patterns I've noticed from hundreds of individual coaching sessions and the recurring learning: Communication problems become personal problems, but also room for growing confidence — and courage, as you’ll hear today.

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website. And please share this podcast episode with anyone you know needing/wanting some communications help. Let's help humanity by tackling communications, one challenge at a time. 

This week, on February 23, many countries, including Canada and the U.S. honored Anti-Bullying Day as a way to stand against bullying. Countries like New Zealand honor Anti-Bullying Day in May and of course more honoring occurs with national bullying prevention month in October here in the states. 

As someone who’s been a target of workplace bullying, I’m curious how this phenomena impacts us at work, home, and how we communicate, especially now with workplace bullying on the rise. 

With that, I’ve invited to my show  Lida Citroen. She’s a Colorado-based speaker and TEDx Speaker, an Executive Coach, author, and LinkedIn Learning Instructor.  As part of her work, Lida coaches executives on multiple challenges, including managing and responding to workplace bullying and mobbing. 

You can read more about workplace bullying here. Find Lida via her website. Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website. 

My guest this week is Coach Deb Skarda, a former critical care nurse, turned corporate pharmaceutical leader, turned leadership consultant and coach.

Deb's successfully navigated three major career changes, most recently leaving a thriving career as a global pharmaceutical leader to launch her own business from Wisconsin as a leadership coach.

Our interview explores how we know when to change careers, how to navigate these times, communicate our narrative with ourselves (and others) and why Deb loves coaching so much. 

Reach out to Deb Skarda via her website or via LinkedIn. Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website.