“I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity.” - Oprah WinfreyImagine this. You’ve worked for several weeks to prepare a 30 minute presentation. You’re feeling pretty good about it. You hope it will be enough to make an impression on your board, senior team or client.You walk into the room and they say, ”Listen, sorry, we’re really behind, uh...can you cover this in two minutes?”Freeze. Smile. Nod.OH MY GOD.If th...

Ten Tips on WHAT NOT TO DO WITH EMAIL. More accurately, how to KILL ME with e-mail. • Don’t start with a salutation. Not everyone agrees on this, but I think it’s darn rude. How the do I know this note was intended for me if you don’t begin with “Dear Suzanne,” “Hi Suzanne,” “Good Morning Suzanne,” If I picked up the phone you wouldn’t say...”Listen I wonder if you have time to...” You’d warm me up and make me feel spe...

The other day I was working with a client who is about to roll out a two year strategy for her functional area in the business. She and her team have worked for six months to put together a beautiful plan. It’s incredible -on paper. The program design considers the most current thinking and research in the field. It will set a new course for the company and make them the envy of their competitors. And, if they roll it...

I’m not one to preach when it comes to finding people to help me. Prior to launching my business ten years ago I was a television reporter so I didn’t make decisions that had an impact on other people. I was surrounded by people all day long, in the newsroom and on my assignments, so I certainly didn’t feel lonely. Once you start a business or get promoted to run something, everything changes. I would guess most leade...

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” - Lao-tsu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)A few weeks ago, I was having a heart to heart with a CEO needs to get out his office more often. He wants to become an ambassador for his company. More accurately, he knows he needs to.Like many bosses, he would rather stab himself repeatedly in the thigh with a sharp pencil than give a speech or interview to a repo...

Okay, so the other day, I opened up a presentation with this photo. It was Storytelling for Sales Professionals. The caption read, ”Let’s look at the underbelly of your preparation for customers - how do you REALLY get ready for a sales meeting?”Yea, they laughed. (I was so grateful. Isn’t it nice to get a laugh?)The point I hoped to make was that the more experienced you are the less likely you are to prepare because yo...

“Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity.” -Lou HoltzThe economy is still bumping along. This is a fact. Unemployment stubbornly sits at 10%. Businesses are holding back on their decisions. People are delaying their purchases. I flew back and forth to Florida this week and one third of the seats on both planes were empty. It all feels so - uncertain. The...

“Be in charge of your own destiny or some one else will.” - Jack WelchYour destiny is determined each day by the path you choose. But just having a goal and putting one step in front of the other each day isn’t enough. You also need to let other people know what you’re doing. That means communicating up, around, sideways and down the middle.Let me give you an example. A story about guy who had his eyes on the prize, but...

“Unless commitments are made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” -Peter DruckerYesterday a client canceled an appointment. Big deal? Depends. Emergencies happen. But I can predict with 100% accuracy whether a client is floundering or flourishing simply by whether he or she keeps these commitments.The flounderers do not call me directly, they have their assistants do it; the conversation usually goes somet...

I’ve been scanning the internet for 2010 workplace predictions and it’s got me thinking about how all these trends are going to change the way we communicate. It’s my birthday - and I remember when you needed a carbon copier between two sheets of paper in a typewriter to make two copies of my television scripts. Since I’m going out on a limb with predictions I’ll expect someone to haul these out next year and see whether...