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The notes that you missed
Chances are we didn’t notice. Playing in piano recitals as a kid, any missed note would throw me off entirely. I’d stop to correct it, or smile sheepishly towards the audience, as if to assure them that, yes, I realized I had messed up. The voice of the critic often follows right on the heels…
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Wait, Back Up
One common mistake we make as communicators is forgetting our audience’s context. As we dive full steam into our idea, our audience is still back at the station, trying to figure out which way our train’s going. While you might have been fully immersed in your idea for days (or years), your audience might be…
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Beyond Buzz
Does the loudest voice win in a shouting match? Some people think so, which is why they keep talking louder, re-explaining their point more urgently. Many advertisers think this is the case as well. Their billboards get larger, the ads get brighter, as they try to compete in en ever-noiser space. Even as their audience…
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Every runner has a story
Earlier this year I ran in the Manitoba Marathon (I ran the half marathon). While I ran, surrounded by thousands of other runners, the sound of a million footsteps striking the asphalt like raindrops, I had a realization: Each of these runners has a story. This shouldn’t have been a ground-breaking realization, but we’re often…
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World Without Sidelines
“Another thing we can see in less industrialized parts of the world… is that something like making music, dancing, and singing together, as a participatory community that’s regular and ongoing is something that’s free, available, and part of everyday life. That’s a wealth and joy. It’s really interesting to realize that it’s been with industrialization…
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Answer “Why”, Win Your Audience
Remember that kid who sat in the back in math class who, in the middle of the teacher’s explanation of some theory, would raise his hand and ask, “Why is this even important?” The teacher, sensing the underlying defiance of this free-thinker, would fumble some answer, trying to avoid the “just because” response. (I, for…
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How Often Should You Blog?
“Every day.” – Seth Godin “At least three times a week.” – Michael Hyatt “There’s no magic number. Blog as frequently as you can that generates quality.” – Scott Stratten The opinions are all over the place. If you followed everyone’s advice for blogging, tweeting, getting yourself out there, you’d be way busier and feeling…
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Be Prolific: What I’ve Learned From 10 Toastmaster Speeches
Last week I achieved Toastmaster’s “Competent Communicator” (CC) award (I know, I’m officially competent, hooray!). I’ve been working towards this since I started the Toastmasters program early this year, so it felt like a big accomplishment. To achieve a “CC”, Toastmasters need to complete 10 speeches, most being between 5-7 minutes long. Each of the…
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Give: Simon Sinek on the Good Life Project
The Good Life Project is a weekly web show hosted by Jonathan Fields that features interviews with amazing people who ask the question, What does it look like to live “the good life”? The interviews are long (40-60 minutes), which are a departure from the short snippets that we’re accustomed to digesting online. Fields is…
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Jerry Seinfeld on How to Write a Joke
When you watch a great comedian tell jokes, it’s easy to assume that they’re just naturally funny. They seem to just go up there and talk, and everything they say is automatically hilarious. How do they do it? Jerry Seinfeld, a legendary stand-up comedian most famous for his sitcom “Seinfeld”, gives some great insight into…