BLArticle®
The personal touch of a blog; the informative touch of an article.
“It’s Not Me; It’s You!”
It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but I was never fond of the various personality models that appeared over the years. These were the programs that identified various personality types and provided insight into the things about yourself that you never quite...
“The Blueprint to Change Minds”
I have learned many different sales tactics over the years. When I worked at New York Life, I learned the “Live, Die, Quit” story, the “Hundred Man” story, and few other impressive scripts. When I worked at Xerox, I learned “SPIN Selling,” “Strategic...
“Is Winning The Only Thing?”
While I was growing up, I was a fan of the late Vince Lombardi. Not only was he one of the greatest coaches ever, but he also finished his career with my Washington Redskins. He was also the man who is forever linked to the following words: “Winning isn’t...
“What Makes A Great Interview”
Recently, I was interviewed on a TV show called “We Mean Business!” It was a half hour show, and I enjoyed the interview a great deal. It was a successful show, and that was because the interviewer, Steve Dorfman, did several things that made the interview...
“Emphasize Everything…”
While I was conducting a seminar in Connecticut this past week, I was asked a very interesting question by one of the attendees: “When you have a lot information to present, how do you keep the audience focused on the critical information without losing their...
“Three Steps To Recognition”
Nineteen years ago, I walked out the door and left my dream job with Xerox. I was a casualty of lack of recognition. My management teams, just like so many others, were never trained in how to give recognition, so they took the road most travelled. ...
“A Casualty of Performance and Recognition”
When I was a trainer for Xerox, I took pride in my performance in the classroom. After all, that’s what I was paid to do. Every class ended with an evaluation form completed by the students, and those evaluations were strong. I was immensely proud of my high...
“A Different Kind of Empathy”
Sitting in the unbearable heat that racked the East Coast, a man has plenty of time to think, and hallucinate. It was quite an experience being part of a weather anomaly that many say will not be seen again in our lifetime. The Washington D.C area was hit like a...
Owning It
When does a four-hour delay not feel that bad? When you have a pilot who takes control of the situation and owns it! I know what you’re thinking: Here comes another airline story about delays and personnel inefficiencies! Last Friday night, flying out of Chicago...
“It’s Not What You Say, But How You Say It”
When it comes to how we communicate, it’s interesting how much attention is paid to what we say. We craft our words carefully, with nutty authors like me preaching to audiences about just how important these words can be. However, when it comes to the emotional...
“It’s Not What You Say, But How You Say It”
When it comes to how we communicate, it’s interesting how much attention is paid to what we say. We craft our words carefully, with nutty authors like me preaching to audiences about just how important these words can be. However, when it comes to the emotional...
Handling Aggressive Behavior A BLArticle® Miniseries Rule Four: “The Confidence Of A King”
By now, I think everyone knows that the biggest fear people have is speaking in front of an audience. But do you know why it is the biggest fear? This fear isn’t based on what will happen if things go right. It’s based on what will happen if things go wrong. Guess...
Handling Aggressive Behavior A BLArticle® Miniseries Rule Three: “Flushing Out A Sniper”
One of the most powerless feelings in the world is when you give a presentation in front of a crowd of people, and someone verbally attacks you or your presentation. I’ve always referred to these people as “snipers” because they use the audience as their shield with...
Handling Aggressive Behavior A BLArticle® Miniseries Rule Two: “Let The Audience Help”
Putting on a presentation, and having someone from the audience take shots at you can throw even the most grizzled speakers. Often adhering to the rule, “The first one is free” will allow you to maintain your dignity, and rise above it. People can make awkward and...
Handling Aggressive Behavior A BLArticle® Miniseries – Rule One: “The First One Is Free”
The story of last week’s BLArticle® centered on a ridiculous move by another professional speaker who seemed fixated on a message I commonly deliver. In his tirade, he referred to me as a “scab picker” and I used that attack as a leaping off point for a critical...
A Most Unusual Nickname
Through our lives, we may be called a nickname or two. I had plenty of them. When I was five years old, my hair was very short, and my Dad called me “bur head.” If it came from my Dad, it was alright by me. I was called “Broadway” in high school, “Peppy” in...
You Selected… Who?
Let me set up a scenario for you that might sound familiar: You’ve worked hard to secure business with a prospect whose business you really wanted. Although there are a handful of competitors, it really should come down to you and one other strong competitor. Your...
Don’t Sell Me Things
When I was recently working with a group of sales professionals, a discussion broke out that represented an interesting moment of truth. I was trying to convince this group that they were too caught up in the features of the product they were selling. I was trying...
Being Careful About Being Ugly
This week, I found myself in jolly old England, only I have to admit, I wasn’t too jolly when I first got here. An hour and a half in the immigration control line at the airport will weaken your jolliness a bit. I was detained by a power hungry immigration officer,...
Is it a Conversation or an Interrogation?
So much has been written about the need to ask questions. Sometimes I feel guilty reminding people how important it is to ask questions. Need I remind you that the more people talk, the more they like the person they are talking to? I guess not. Should I remind you...
“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!