BLArticle®
The personal touch of a blog; the informative touch of an article.
The King of Comedy, and Then Some
As a little boy, I loved watching comedians - both old and young. In my office, I even have a wall filled with pictures of Red Skelton, Milton Berle, Buddy Hackett, Sid Caesar, Jackie Gleason, Laurel and Hardy, Dick Van Dyke, Phil Silvers, Don Rickles, and George...
When One Door Closes…
One of my friends is going through a hard time, and recently, he asked me this question: “Do you think now is a good time for a change?” The question made me smile because usually, if you’re asking yourself that question, you already know the answer. The answer is...
Four Ways to Change Your Political Opponent’s Mind
In today’s political landscape, many believe that changing the political views of another person is nearly impossible. I must be a hopeless optimist, because I think it’s not nearly as difficult as many seem to believe. A process does exist that can change the...
Honesty Is Not Always The Best Policy
I’ve never been fond of a tattle-tale. I didn’t like them when I was a kid, and I don’t like them now. Can you imagine the nerve of someone telling on you when you’re in an important meeting? Perhaps you’re standing in front of an audience, in the middle of a...
Getting Fired Up
Let me set the scenario for you. You are about to walk into a pressure situation. You may be speaking to one person, or maybe six people, or maybe six hundred. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is this; there is a lot riding on your performance. So what do you...
The Power Of Showing Up
Let’s get one thing out of the way; I’m no quitter. If you ask my family and friends, they will tell you that I’ll do just about anything before I ever quit. Several weeks ago, I came face to face with a situation that made the concept of quitting seem quite enticing....
Ignoring The Negative Voices
We all hear the voices in our minds, and we usually hear them when we’re alone. They wait until they sense a vulnerable opening, and then they become louder and louder. These voices can infect our ability to believe in ourselves. The voices creep from our subconscious...
More Than Just Wanting It
You hear it in sports all the time, particularly after a team has won a big game: “We just wanted it more than they did!” The thought of wanting something more than others seems to answer many questions, but to me, it seems trite and extremely misleading. If only life...
As Others See Us
You can learn a lot from an artist. I should know; I happen to be married to one. For instance, have you ever watched an artist look at his or her own piece of art? Part of the evaluation of that piece of art takes place by just looking hard at it, or walking by it....
Let Them See You Sweat!
Sweat. Just the thought of it bothers some people. At my health club, the place is littered with towels – made available just to capture your sweat. Most of us want to challenge ourselves when we work out, so we try to consistently wipe away our own sweat so we won’t...
A Presenter’s Best Friend
When it comes to standing up in front of a room and speaking, there are certain things that can be extremely useful to any speaker, but one poor aid seems to get very little love. People are so confused by this particular piece of furniture that 99% of them can’t even...
The Real Story Behind Breaks
When you conduct training programs that require you to speak for long stretches of time, you have to sustain interest in your program. It doesn’t matter how strong your information may be. Without sustained interest, it’s of little value. There are many ways to...
Fantastic Presentations – Take Four!
When it comes to selling, they say we are all salesmen. I firmly agree. In the world we live in, we need to move people to action. In order to do that, we need to communicate effectively. Guess what? It is essential that we all learn how to communicate effectively in...
When You Are At A Loss for Words, Try These Four
Sometimes I think we spend too much time working on objection handling techniques. It frustrates me a bit because, quite frankly, I’d rather spend my time helping those I'm working with avoid objections rather than obsess over battling them. It’s amazing what happens...
The Ultimate Nemesis: “It Costs Too Much”
It’s human nature to look at any solution, particularly a premium-priced solution, and balk at its cost. At first glance, who wants to buy a premium-priced product when there’s another one – that costs far less - sitting right next to it? You don’t have to go any...
Whoever Finishes First… Wins!
One of my guilty pleasures is leaving the office and having lunches with others. It can be a lunch with a friend or a client; I enjoy good food and good conversation. The other day, I had lunch with someone who was both a friend and a client. I noticed something...
The Function of Dysfunction
I respect anyone who meticulously prepares to do the very best he, or she, can, no matter what the task. I certainly expect that same preparation from my doctor, my lawyer, my accountant, and the many other people I count on. I also expect that same level of...
Double-Check Your Checklist
It seems like such a simple matter. You’ve been scheduled to deliver a short presentation, perhaps a keynote. As with every presentation you deliver, a lot is riding on this one. In your mind, you’ve prepared in every way imaginable. Your checklist looks something...
The Power of One
No matter how talented one may appear, every presenter typically has a few habits he or she is trying to break. I’m referring to the habits that just don’t seem to want to go away, such as body rocking, pen twisting, lectern clutching, or the dreaded “umm and ah”...
You Just Can’t Hug A Porcupine
One of the unique challenges of delivering workshops is working effectively with the various personalities that populate your audiences. In most workshops and in some presentations, it’s not unusual for there to be a lot of contact between speakers and their...
“Rob is an expert not only in the art of influence,
but also in human nature.”
~Ken Blanchard,
coauthor of The One Minute Manager® and Trust Works!