Here are 10 of the greatest bits of wisdom I’ve learned over the years. Some are quite possibly rooted in similar words expressed by others, the origin of which are long forgotten (with apologies).
1. Creating a picture in your head is the best canvas for moving forward.
2. You need to remember one word for messaging that connects. You. You got it!
The nationally televised leaders’ debate was fascinating from a communications standpoint. Very early into the debate it became clear who had received the best media and communications training. It was Stephen Harper.
Now, these are not necessarily tricks to be employed by anyone in any setting. These tricks were perfectly suited to the hostile nature of an election debate and served Harper well in distancing himself from rivals.
Here are three things he did well:
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It happens after almost every all-candidates night whenever individuals are battling it out to become an area’s MP or MPP in Canada. The combatants look at media coverage and start measuring how much print space or air time they received.
It’s guaranteed that at least one candidate will be crying foul. “Candidate A got more space than me!” one will argue to an editor. “It’s not fair!”
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Lots has been written about the decline of traditional media. Falling circulation. Falling listenership and viewership. It’s unlikely to get better as communications evolves with society’s preferred methods for receiving news.
New media startups, on the other hand, are getting it right. They are putting a strong focus on engaging with audiences and involving them in the news process. Many of these startups, however, are still in their early stages of growth.
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Everyone makes mistakes. If newspapers were perfect, you would never see a single correction or typo in a story. If television reporters never made a mistake, you would never hear an anchor deliver a retraction regarding an earlier report.
There are many, many mistakes that can be found in communications by organizations and businesses. The best way to improve is by learning from others’ mistakes. Here are five of the most common mistakes I’ve witnessed, and continue to see on a regular basis in corporate and organizational communications:
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We all make mistakes. Some are embarrassing. Others are just downright sloppy. Either way, they happen. Some people like to hide their mistakes or never admit to making mistakes. Since this entry isn’t about Mr. and Ms. Perfect, we’ll leave that topic for another day. Instead, let’s agree that few people are perfect and the smartest people acknowledge that lessons are learned every day. Approach every project, task or assignment as a learning experience and you’ll take something away that will serve you very well in the future.
Whether it’s a job interview, media interview, or organizational strategy session, remember to prepare for, and use, one of the most effective words in the history of conversation. Why? (read on)
Kids are great at asking open-ended questions. They’re great at forcing adults to say something more. And all it usually takes is one word: Why.
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Everyone makes mistakes in the workplace. They usually occur during those days at work when you probably sum things up by saying, “I’ve had better days.” You might use other words. #$@!^%$#.
How you deal with mistakes is the key to successfully moving forward. If you don’t have an approach for coping with mistakes, you run the risk of impacting your performance, your employer’s impression of you, and quite possibly your job security. [Read more...]
