How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?

Ya know how when you go to a wedding, and speaker after speaker comes to the front, extolling the virtues of the bride and groom? And it’s just lovely, except the part at the beginning, when they pull out three sheets of paper, and you can kinda tell, even from far away, that the type…

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Get Rid of Your “Um’s”

Have you ever heard a speaker who punctuated each sentence with “um?” Did you ever get distracted by the excessive use of “like?” Have you ever found yourself counting the “ya knows?” When someone asks, “What do you do?” is your first word “um?” If your answer needs to be a 30-second intro or a…

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Nervous to Speak? Ask a Friend

“A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.” —William Arthur Ward (1921-1994) Author, Educator, Motivational Speaker Speaking in front of groups? Called on to speak at meetings? Here’s some useful stuff…

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Your Speech Coach Says, "Lead With Their Need"

When you call potential clients, do you know their pain? The only way you can get someone to trust your solution for their pain is to motivate them with your words—about their needs. What happens to them if they don’t use your product or service? What are the consequences when people don’t use your solution?…

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A Business of One's Own

Last night, I attended my regular meeting of women business owners (NAWBO) in the South Bay. I find whenever women gather together to be a very healing process. We introduced each other in an interview fashion. One of the questions was why we started our business. For me, ten years in Human Resources Development for…

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Audiences Going for the Goal

In the past few days, I have spoken to over 300 women in two different audiences.  They were both annual Women’s Conferences in two parts of the country:  Palm Springs and Chicago.  Yes, the weather is quite different, but the women are not.  I did the “Necessary Roughness” speech, tailoring the material in my book…

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Raise Your Personal Debt Ceiling? No Way!

Since the NFL CBA is not done yet, I feel like I’m in a state of suspended animation. In fact, that’s how a lot of us feel about our businesses in this economy. Our profits are getting better – not as good as the good ol’ days, but better than the last two years. Many…

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Football and Business: Do You Need A Rookie Symposium?

Finding connections in football and business really is so easy!  Today marks day 112 of the NFL lockout.  Yet, the Rookie Symposium happened last week.  Respected coaches and experienced veteran players gave the rookie players valuable MENTORING: advice, inspiration, warnings, hope—all useful information to mentor the new guys, which, as I write in my book,…

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Leadership Icons: Mother Theresa and – Lady Gaga?

When it comes to leadership icons, most people would not put Mother Theresa and Lady Gaga in the same category.  But there was a great article in my new favorite magazine, The Economist, by Schumpeter, which quotes two recent publications that point out the similarities between these two women. Aside from the name changes (and…

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