This is the second in a series of articles about ceremonial speaking. You can read the first article here .  I’m often approached by individuals who’ve been asked to speak at a special occasion. They want to deliver a memorable message; however, they usually tell me that they are not sure what direction to take. Through these conversations I’ve learned that good examples of ceremonial occasion remarks are difficult to find: movies are full of cliches and most of us haven’t be

How to apply ideas from "How to Win Friends and Influence People" at networking events.

Most meetings aren't memorable, but I recall attending one where an important topic was on the agenda, and I knew leaders within the organization attended with the intent to listen. However, when the dialogue headed in a direction that made one leader uncomfortable, he stopped listening and made a variety of statements I suspect he wishes he could take back. We’ve all been there. I’ve earned two degrees in communication, read books about listening, attended workshops on liste

A few semesters ago, a confident young man sat in the first row of my introductory management communication course. He was a valuable contributor to the class and, like most of my students, he was a motivated high-achiever. However, when it came time to deliver his first graded presentation, he froze. He appeared anxious from the start: the way he walked to the front of the room, his body language as he held index cards in his hands, and the uncertainty in his voice when he b

I once had an acquaintance who was really smart and fun to hang out with, but he had a really bad habit. He told elaborate lies. Research suggests most people lie, on average, one or two times a day. However, this individual’s habit of lying verged on compulsive. Much of what he said was more than exaggerations or misleading; he routinely communicated messages that were deliberately deceiving. He lied with ease and only in hindsight did I recognize his signs of deception. Som

When I was a freshman in college, I remember reading in my introductory communication textbook that 93% of all meaning is communicated...