Workshops for the new age
Remember the days when workshops were that marathon where you had to block off entire days in your calendar? A pretty tough choice when you’re
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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
Who’s responsible for that?
What empowerment means:The leader trusts the team with making choices. How it’s often done:The leader trusts the team with making choices as long as it’s
Cutting through the noise
It’s not about being the loudest voice in your space; it’s about being the voice that cuts through the noise. Surprisingly often that’s the calm
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
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
The Bermuda Triangle Project
Recently at Confused Corp, the world market leaders for unclear instructions and perplexed employees … The CEO, known as the “Master of Monologues”, announces: “We
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,
The world champions of managed dissatisfaction
During our latest family vacation we stayed at what must be the world champions of managed dissatisfaction. The resort managed to do slightly less than
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
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
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!”
Echoes of Silence
In the dim glow of his office, Patrick stared at the latest report. The numbers were as lifeless as the cold, blue light that cast
The trap of good communication
Before you can make the leap from good to great communication, you’ll need to survive the “trap of good communication”. The “trap of good communication”
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
Trusting the Expedition
When you begin to craft a speech, it can feel remarkably akin to setting foot on unfamiliar terrain. You’re heading into the unknown, with no
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
If your story is messy
… don’t add more; find its heart and show that. Take a step back, subtract the non-essential, and amplify the essential!
Jenny’s drowning startup
Jenny’s heart was all in on her startup, a novel app that aimed to revolutionize online learning. But months post-launch, the expected user growth was
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
The Tipping Point
There’s a tipping point in the journey of preparing a speech. It’s that electric instant when heart, gut, and mind synchronize, and you’re swept up
Your differentiator
Being different is a by-product, not a goal. When you treat it as the goal, “different” can easily become a trap. It deceives you to
The due date
In a small software development company, the team has been working tirelessly for weeks to meet a crucial deadline. On the due date, the leader
Confused Corp
Recently, at Confused Corp, the world market leaders for unclear instructions and perplexed employees. Leader: “I don’t want us running around in circles anymore. Clear
A Tale of a Communication Breakdown
The polite applause rippled through the auditorium as the CEO stepped down from the podium. What a contrast to the electric anticipation that vibrated through
Brilliant
Are you tired of coaches who think you need “fixing”? There’s a prevailing notion in parts of the industry that individuals come to coaches because
Should Taylor Swift really perform at your product launch?
When you manage to get Taylor Swift to perform at your company press conference it will almost certainly get you a wow from your guests.
The storyteller’s rope
Why did the storyteller bring a rope to his talk? To tie his stories together, but he just ended up tangling them more! No, seriously,
Leading
Leading isn’t about being in front; it’s about knowing where you’re going. Lighting the path helps your team to know it, too.
Context isn’t a luxury
When you just throw tasks at your team without context, what do you get? People doing the bare minimum because they don’t see the bigger
Beyond the vision
A visionary leader steps in, armed with fresh ideas and an eagerness to disrupt. Bold plans are set: reinvent traditional practices, leverage modern tools, shift
Clueless
What just happened? Did they seriously choose that piece of junk over mine? Every detail, every nuance — mine’s miles ahead … and it’s still
Shadows, storms, and leadership
Leadership isn’t about guiding a team when the path is clear; it’s about lighting the path when things are shrouded in uncertainty. Anyone can stand
Pretty good
You know those talks where you zone out, even if the speaker’s trying really hard? You clap at the end, maybe even smile, but once
A silent saboteur
Mediocrity is a silent saboteur. While great things quickly get promoted and bad things are fixed fast, average just stays around. We grapple with it,
Calling all Visionaries
If you’re reading this it’s likely that you have an ambitious roadmap and the dream of changing the game. Do you sometimes sense a gap,
Different answers
If you asked every member on your team where they think you’re headed, how many different answers would you get? When was the last time
The quiet voice
Never underestimate the impact a quiet, calm voice can have when it asks the right question in a room full of loud voices having only
Can’t quite put my finger on it
Recently, in the mind of some random person: “It’s… odd. I just had two meetings, back to back, and they’ve left me feeling so different,
Mr. Smith and Mrs. Garcia
Each day, as the city awakens, Mr. Smith is already at his startup’s hub. His morning ritual is unwavering — a sharp nod, an exact
Where great ideas go to die
Recently, in a marketing brainstorming session with a table full of snacks and charts. Chief Trend Officer (CTO): “Alright team, we’ve got the latest trend
Ear to the ground
Good communicators want to be understood; great ones start by understanding. The good ones strive for clarity to make it easy for their audience to
A quick question
Imagine a scenario where your team feels as invested in the company’s vision as you are; what changes in your leadership approach would foster that
A bit of a mess
You’ve started with the best of intentions. You’ve chased opportunities and kept doors open. You’ve been a good listener and tried to fulfill the wishes
Choosing “no”
A “no” to excessive jargon is an embrace of clear, straightforward language that every listener, regardless of their background, can understand. A “no” to redundant
The double-edged “yes”
Hidden within every “yes”, there’s an implicit “no”. Steve Jobs famously said that he was as proud of the things he hasn’t done as he
The chaos around us
The tricky thing about distractions is that they don’t always present themselves as such. In many cases, they come disguised as opportunities. A new job
They won’t know what hit them
Alright, this is it. The big meeting. I’ve got all the facts lined up, PowerPoint is flawless, and my talking points are sharp. I’m ready
The Tale of the Lost Hikers
Some are in it for the paycheck. But for most of us that’s far from what really motivates us. If you’re anything like me you’re
Making the right choices
Ultimately, the course of an organization is determined by the sum of thousands of choices that each member in the organization makes each and every
Slow down
Usually, the first idea is not the most creative. Or the funniest. It’s not the most sophisticated. Or the clearest. That’s why I designed the
Stop scrolling
Watch someone flick through TikTok reels and you’ll see a repeating pattern: Lame! -> FlickLame! -> FlickLame! -> FlickOh, what’s that!? -> Stop scrolling !!
Waiting for your turn
In many conversations, people tend to focus on their turn. On what they could say next. As opposed to listening to what the others have
Leadership lessons from Germany’s Qatar disaster
Among the many fascinating leadership lessons from Amazon’s “All or Nothing” documentary about Germany’s Qatar football disaster, here’s one that stood out for me: For
Navigating irrational team behavior
Some useful questions to ponder if you feel like the people in your meeting are acting irrationally: 1. To which group does the person want
Is this idea crazy?
Recently, Jonathan Stark ran a great exercise to rethink how to start your talk: … imagine that you simply walk on, write a single word
Truth shaping – the dark side of marketing
The dark side of marketing is what I call “truth shaping”. It leads marketers to exaggerate the pros and hide the cons in order to
Becoming a leader
When people transition into a leadership position, they are regularly surprised to learn how much of their job is now communication. And, in turn, how
I see you
When was the last time you said “Thank you!” to someone even though you didn’t have to? A thank you that’s not only transactional but
The Art of Listening
Hi, I’m back from my summer sabbatical. Let’s start by catching up with some news for my german speaking friends: There’s a new book out
Summer break
A personal note:After 830+ posts and 250 podcast episodes, I’m taking a summer sabbatical. It’s time to take a step back so I can reflect,
Resonate stronger
When their brilliant idea loses to an inferior one that’s among the most frustrating experiences for any entrepreneur or leader. Even more so when the
With and without a title
Leaders don’t need a title and not every leader carries a title. You become a leader by lighting a path in a way that others
We can’t say it in one sentence can take an unexpected turn.
Or life, for that matter. Maybe you never wanted a career in marketing turned out to be your passion. Or you thought you were bad
To Do
Some people love “to do” lists while others hate them. Some people love the feeling of checking the next item on the list while others
What’s wrong with them?
I think that in many situations the more appropriate question to ask would be: “What’s going on here?” It could very well turn out that
Fired up
Sometimes, the obvious needs to be stated: If you’re not passionate about what you do, how can your audience be? If the audience can’t see
Prioritizing is a pain.
But only when it’s about you. In fact, it’s often super easy to do for others. When we listen to someone explain their struggles, we
Lazy strategy
Some companies define their strategy as a focus on an outcome, such as “double our revenue in the next 5 years”. This can be utterly
Did someone say “authentic”?
Reminder: Authenticity is in the eye of the beholder. It’s not your call, it’s theirs. No matter how “authentic” you think you are, it’s their
Simplicity
Contrary to popular belief simplicity is not the opposite of complexity but the prerequisite. It’s through simplicity that we open our audience’s minds for the
Truly listening
When was the last time you sat down with someone and just listened? I mean simply sitting there and giving them the space to express
Addressing objections
A great way to improve your communication is to listen to your customer-facing teams, such as sales, tech support, or social media managers. If you
No!
In elementary sales school you learn that a prospect’s “no” is short for “not enough information”. And so, whole armies of salesforces bombard their prospects
Nate
The TV show Ted Lasso is full of interesting, rich characters. One of them is Nate, the kit man who became assistant coach and later
Charismatic founders
There’s this certain breed of super charismatic founders. You could listen to them for hours and after the meeting you’ll leave with a feeling of
What customers want
Many failed products are built on what the makers think people should want. Successful products deliver on what people actually want or need (if not
Subtract and amplify
When a story doesn’t work, the default approach is to add more information. Explain it in greater detail. Come up with more reasons for why
Jaws in Space – The shortest pitch ever?
The pitch for the original Alien movie is widely considered to be one of the best pitches ever made. Legend has it that it was
Great communication in a nutshell
Great communication in a nutshell: Fade the non-essential andamplify the essential.
The biggest confidence hack
The biggest confidence hack? Find the words you truly believe in about the things you deeply believe in. Lack of confidence mostly means lack of
Effortlessness
Looking at masterful communicators, you could get the feeling that they have a natural talent for communication, some sort of unfair advantage to find the
A no-brainer
If customers knew everything that you know, it would be a no-brainer for them to buy from you, right? They would queue up in an
The dishonesty of paid speaking
Something’s wrong in the professional speaking world and it’s paying to speak. There’s a significant number of large scale events where many of the speakers
Who is “us”?
This week, I’m asking one simple but important question each day for you to ponder (on your own or with your team): When a customer
Your marketing agency’s words
This week, I’m asking one simple but important question each day for you to ponder (on your own or with your team): When you read
Aligned on a common path
This week, I’m asking one simple but important question each day for you to ponder (on your own or with your team): As a CEO,
Would they still buy?
This week, I’m asking one simple but important question each day for you to ponder (on your own or with your team): If you told
Their brilliance
This week, I’m asking one simple but important question each day for you to ponder (on your own or with your team): Good communicators know
Are you willing to compromise?
A word of caution: You’re never going to find focus if you’re not willing to compromise. Focusing means making decisions and dismissing many paths in
Sorry, first ideas are sold out
I’m sorry to have to inform you that first ideas have already been taken. Not that first ideas had ever been a good deal (except
It’s how you say what you say
There’s this never ending battle between two camps: In the left corner we have team WOW who insists that it’s mainly how you say something
Making the complex feel simple
Rule no. 1 in communication is brutal: If they didn’t get it, they didn’t get it. That’s why great communicators take full responsibility for the
Getting from here to there
A simple truth: If you care for what you do, there’s always going to be more interesting things to say than you’ve got time to
Ideas that spread
How many businesses have you seen fail because there was no easy way to tell your friends what they actually do? How many ideas have
Cliffhangers
Cliffhangers s*ck. You wanna know so badly what happens next but the show just won’t tell you. You’ll have to come back for the next
10 thoughts on focus
The best communicators find the courage to cut to the core, separate the signal from the noise and direct everyone’s energy on what matters most.
How is this different?
When you’re building a new product, the question “How is it different?” is mostly pointless. Because “different” can be hugely misleading as a metric. Business
When clarity emerges
When clarity emerges, it immediately dissolves. Clarity invites new possibilities and opens up new directions. Which inevitably push clarity away. If you pursue the possibilities,
Clarity is in the eye of the beholder
No matter how hard you try to make your statements as clear as possible, you’ll only ever know whether they are actually clear once you
Two comedians
Recently, I’ve been to two shows by two different comedians. The first show was sold out in a large event hall with 1500 seats. The