by Kathy O'Brien | Sep 22, 2018 | Executive Communication, Listening
How do I know if I’m a terrible listener? And if I am a bad listener, how can I change it? Sincere thanks to my colleague who hit me with these two difficult questions recently. I was preparing a presentation and looking forward to sharing our model for...
by Kathy O'Brien | Sep 22, 2018 | Listening
You’ve been brave enough to observe yourself, or maybe even ask a friend for some honest feedback about your listening skills. You’ve identified yourself as a bad listener. Now, how can you change your ways? The first thing you must do is clarify your...
by Kathy O'Brien | Aug 20, 2018 | Media Engagement, Media Training
Advertising, check. PR, check. Social, check. Trade show, sponsorship, promotions, check, check, check. Your marketing plan – done. Except that you are missing a crucial element that is right under your nose. You know it better than any of these...
by Kathy O'Brien | May 30, 2018 | Media Engagement, Media Training
You’ve secured a media interview for your CEO. She needs to prepare, and with her always-busy schedule, has no time. In a perfect world, she’d prepare thoroughly with a coach. In this imperfect world, you step in. What are the absolute minimum steps you must take to...
by Kathy O'Brien | May 24, 2018 | Executive Communication, Vocal Skills
An executive asked me a question at a lunch talk this week: How could she stop speaking too quickly? Her phrasing was full of doubt. She’d had feedback, she’d tried to slow down, but nothing worked. Yet as she spoke, she slowed down. She articulated every word...
by Kathy O'Brien | Apr 19, 2018 | Executive Presence, Listening
Have you ever questioned your questioning? If a fly on the wall were to observe you in conversation, what would that fly say about the way you engage, your style or your tone? What about your approach to asking questions? Here’s what most people do: Frame...
by Kathy O'Brien | Apr 9, 2018 | Executive Body Language, Executive Communication, Executive Presence, Listening
We’ve all known that feeling when a new meeting goes smoothly, and you can comfortably say ‘We really connected’. But it doesn’t happen all the time. When the stakes are high and you want to build that easy rapport with another, what can you do?...
