“Never heard back on that.” “They never took serious action on my recommendation.” “Sure would like to have a seat at the table when that discussion comes up next time!” All of these are common laments from those who’ve had…
Dianna Booher
Dianna Booher
Do I Have Too Many Slides?
This common question sounds like, “How much money will I need for retirement?” It’s not uncommon for presenters to walk into a conference room for a 20-minute briefing with 40 minutes of slides. On the other extreme, some presenters and…
How to Work With a Micromanaging Boss
If you haven’t worked for a micromanager, you’ve heard about them. Employees buzz about these bosses over lunch, complain about them around the water cooler, and chew them up at the dinner table with their family. At the worst situations,…
Why You Hired the Hi-Po Over the Proven Professional and Persuasive Tactics You Thought Good, But Aren’t
Human nature leans toward excess. If pricing on the regular soft drink makes sense, then the supersize drink seems like a steal. If jogging three miles a day keeps you in shape, then training for a marathon should make you…
10 Communication Habits That Ruin Relationships
Few people admit to bad communication habits—much less habits that can cost them a job or a contract. Yet, we all see some of the following habits in people we interact with in the workplace on a daily basis. A…
4 Ways to Manage People You Don’t Like
Sooner or later, you’re going to be put in charge of a project, team, or department where you’ll discover that you’re working with someone who “rubs you the wrong way.” Sometimes you know why. Often you don’t. When explaining that…
6 Ways Real Leaders Turn Insincerity Into Inspiration
The biggest barrier between leaders and followers is distrust. And the window dressing for distrust is insincerity. People put up with a lot of quirks in their leaders and coworkers just to keep the peace, but insincerity particularly grates on…
Here’s How to Make Sure You Don’t Hire a Toxic Worker
Nobody intends to hire the whiner, the troublemaker, or the sharp-tongued twit that ticks off customers and drives coworkers crazy. But somehow a few seem to work their way through the system and get hired, managing to lower the morale…
How to Improve the ROI of Your Staff Meetings
Ray, our COO many years ago, used to start meetings with 10-15 minutes of chit-chat. While his intention was to promote socializing, the effect was late-arrivers, difficulty in focusing at the start of serious discussion, and low energy throughout the…
6 Ways to Say “I Don’t Know” With Confidence, Credibility, and Class
Many professionals fear speaking to their boss or a roomful of strangers not because of the planned presentation, but for the unplanned: “What if they ask me a question I can’t answer?” Even professional speakers can be so fearful of…