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Daily Thoughts on Clarity

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Speak Easy

If you’ve ever struggled with stage fright but somehow nothing you’ve tried has really worked, this is for you. Perhaps you’ve already watched a couple

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Us, together

So many businesses miss out on an opportunity to create a deeper connection with their customers on their “about us” page. They take “us” to

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The leap to our vision

Here’s why some leaders struggle to align their team behind their vision: They haven’t made the leap from “my vision” to “our vision”. When it’s

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Less

We often default to adding more details to clarify our points. But did you ever notice how more details sometimes lead to even more confusion?

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On to something new

Heading there means leaving here. Change becomes easier once we acknowledge that. What will we gain?But also, what will we miss? What’s pulling us ahead?But

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Irrational audiences

If you are a rational person, chances are you’re sometimes deeply frustrated when people just don’t get it. I’ve certainly been in the past. I

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Feels right

Some narratives just
won’t go away.Why? The data is clear.Yet people believe the lie.But why? Because it feels right.That’s why. — People aren’t good at feeling

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Well done

How often do you personally hear “Well done!”?It’s not something a leader hears very often, is it? Leaders are supposed to be the ones giving

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Swift action needed

It’s not that bad leaders are similar to good leaders, just less effective. Bad leaders are much better thought of as the opposite of good

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That was quick

Among the things that frequently surprise my clients is the speed at which we arrive at results. Anna once said: “I am not sure how

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Heard and understood

The art of communicating is less about making yourself heard and understood than about making your audience feel heard and understood. The distinction of great

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An excellent tool

PowerPoint is an excellent tool to turn great ideas into confusing presentations. Sure, it can be used to turn a great story into a great

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The megaphone

You’re handed a megaphone. You can say whatever you want.What do you choose to say? Everyone around you will hear it.But that, of course, is

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Shortcuts

Great communication tends to be simple.Not trivial, not simplistic, but profoundly simple. Trivial messages take us nowhere.Simplistic ones take us to the wrong places.Profoundly simple

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Seeing it

One of the most powerful questions to ask in order to speak with clarity is “Can you see it?”. Because when you can see it,

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The words they use

Average communicators deliver information, good ones spark our interest, great ones redefine what’s possible for us. All of them do it using words. But what

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I’m so excited

The crucial question that’s almost never asked when preparing a talk: Am I excited? Instead, preparation is dominated by “Does it make sense?” Which is

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The only one

Right now, nothing is more important than you.That’s the feeling that great communicators will give you. Not only in 1:1 conversations, but also on the

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Proud to work here

How many of your team members tell their families and friends that they are genuinely proud of working in your team? Are you yourself proud

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Of course

The most compelling “aha moments” create an “of course effect”. It’s that sudden realization or enlightenment you experience once you see a solution or idea

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The sound of aha

Did you ever notice how aha moments often come in silence? Now, when a speaker is bombarding their audience with info, never giving them even

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Success

How do you measure the success of your talk? There were standing ovations? There were no questions?There were many questions? Your boss liked it?Your colleagues

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The tough questions

If you take communication seriously it will lead you to confront the tough questions. What’s the point?Who are we doing it for?What are their struggles?No,

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Taking a Talk

It’s called “giving a talk” but let’s face it:
Many speakers show up to take … … our time… our attention… our money… our vote… our

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A Superpower

Almost nothing is important.And yet, the Universe is on a mission to make us believe it was. If you’re leading an organization, you’re bombarded with

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Easy

Reminder: The easier you make it for your audience to speak about your idea, the more likely it becomes that they actually do. It’s not

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Does it groove?

“I will not be thinking theory.” Victor Wooten, a famous Jazz bassist, prefers groove over theory. For him, it’s obvious that when it grooves, the

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Your unique personality

For much of the last century, management theory was about ironing out human personalities. It was focused on standardizing processes, reducing variability, and treating human

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The Simplicity Initiative

Recently at Confused Corp, they launched the ‘Simplicity Initiative’. In a team meeting, one brave soul asked, “What’s the goal of this initiative?” The manager,

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Unlocking complexity

Simplicity is not the opposite of complexity. It’s the prerequisite. Deep inside, complexity is terrified of simplicity. It fears that simplicity would strip away the

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A real game changer

“Looking from my audience’s perspective was a real game changer. Why did no-one teach us that before?” That was the feedback I’ve received a couple

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The story of 2023

A common struggle with storytelling is that people don’t know where to find good stories. The truth is, you don’t find good stories, you create

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Where are we headed?

3 fundamental questions that leaders who light the path address in their team communication: 1. Where are we headed?Helps the team understand the destination they

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Shifts in leadership

You certainly know the famous drawing that contrasts leaders and bosses. While the boss commands from the command stand (i.e. his desk), the leader leads

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Thanks!

For extending a helping hand when you needed help yourself. For lending an ear even though you had urgent stuff to do. For asking the

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Being present

Here’s a gift that’s guaranteed to still arrive in time: being present! Undivided attention is increasingly rare. But being truly present with your loved ones,

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Being human

One of the fascinating aspects of AI is that it forces us to reconsider what “uniquely human” actually means. For years, we’ve leveraged computers to

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Their own way

“A great teacher does not teach you to think like them, but to think without them.”– Herbie Hancock The same is true in business …

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The Zip Line

Alex: For my last talk, I had a grand entrance on a zip line to give a wow effect.Casey: That’s daring! What was the feedback?Alex:

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No weaknesses

Pretending to have no weaknesses is a rookie move. In the professional world, we respect businesses that recognize their limits and embrace them. B.B. King,

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Decision-makers

Some leaders are good at making decisions.Others are good at making it obvious how decisions are made. Both can lead an organization to incredible success.

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Submarine in a desert

Recently at Confused Corp, the world market leaders for unclear instructions and perplexed employees… In a performance review, a manager told an employee, “Your work

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Painfully unclear

Derek, a senior manager, is a man plagued by his own insecurities. Tasked with overseeing the development of a new software application, he finds himself

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Profoundly simple

There’s a fine line between trivial and profoundly simple. One is generic (“Just believe in yourself!”), while the other offers concrete guidance and acknowledges the

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Find your way

Recently, at Confused Corp, the world market leaders for unclear instructions and perplexed employees. A strategy retreat, employees navigating a literal maze. HR Lead: Our

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Is life logical?

Maybe not, as Arno Geiger points out: “The inclination towards logic in literature is nothing but a prejudice against life. In the many collections of

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Busy being right

When you’re busy being right, consider that, in the meantime, others may already be getting it right. PS: Happy to help if you’re trying to

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Lasting impressions

Yesterday, I spoke about managed dissatisfaction. In communication it means meeting the basic threshold of adequacy without investing in the effort to truly connect, enlighten,

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The next chapter

When leadership announces the script for the new year, you can often feel their excitement. The CEO bursts with pride and it’s fair to assume

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If you care

Here’s the deal: You deeply care about the things you do, I deeply care about the things I do. You’ve built something extraordinary, I’ll guide

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The Pinnacle of Clarity

Recently at Confused Corp, the world market leaders for unclear instructions and perplexed employees. The CEO announces: “Our email communication is the pinnacle of clarity!”

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Hidden gems

Headlines are the handshake before the conversation: We’re agreeing on an exchange of attention and value. You promise me value, I promise you my attention

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Opportunity

Opportunity is not the kind of person who just knocks on your door. Opportunity likes to be invited. When was the last time you sent

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Leap!

Venturing into the unknown requires bold steps, not just detailed plans. It’s one thing to say: “Here’s the plan.”It’s another to say: “I believe in

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