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What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?
You may not handwrite much these days, but when you do, be careful who’s watching: Turns out, your penmanship can say a lot more about you than might think. To decode what your p’s and q’s say about...
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Charisma: Are You Born With It?
This article is from our friends at LearnVest, a leading site for personal finance. You can never be too rich, too thin—or too charismatic. And for good reason: A steady supply of charisma can not...
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Emails That Land Jobs: The Best Way to Shine in a Follow-Up Note
110. That’s how many emails most “working professionals” send and receive every day. The bad news? That’s a whole lot of noise—and it can feel difficult to pop out from the pile, especially when you’re...
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Video Pick: Stop Making Basic Grammar Mistakes!
Tired of always mixing up less and fewer? Or never being sure whether you’re good or you’re well? The English language is tough, and there are always those small grammar rules that are tough to nail...
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Newsroom Newbie: What to Expect When You Go on TV
If you (or your talented PR person) secured your very first TV interview, you probably got through half a victory lap before the pre-appearance jitters set in. What will you wear? What will you say?...
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The Smartest Ways to Beat Writer’s Block
Recently come down with a bout of writer’s block? We’ve got your perfect remedy. Check out this infographic, chock-full of tips to get your creative juices flowing again and advice from the pros on...
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Just Say No: 7 Canned Responses to Use at Work
There are plenty of requests you should probably oblige. The department head asks you to sit in on a high-level task force. Your favorite co-worker asks you to help out on a six-alarm deadline. Your...
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How to Tell People What You Do—and Be Remembered
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ―Maya Angelou Maya is right on the money. When you’re introducing yourself to...
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From Chaos to Control: How to Lead Super-Productive Meetings
If you’ve ever led a meeting, you’ve probably also experienced trying to pull back a session that has quickly taken a turn for the chaotic. Maybe you’re dealing with an extra talkative bunch—or that...
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Links We Love: Tough Talks in the Office
Communicating effectively at work is never an easy feat, but it’s especially challenging when you’re saying something you don’t exactly want to. From disagreeing with your boss and saying “no” to...
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Is Passive Voice Holding You Back at Work?
A mistake was made on the report. Engagement was increased by 10%. The customer issue was addressed. What’s wrong with these sentences? Well, grammatically speaking, nothing. But, each of these...
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How to (Nicely) Train People to Send You Less Email
Got a job? One that involves a computer, an internet connection, and a desk? Then you’re probably going to write a novel’s worth of email this year—while dealing with about 100 emails a day. I think we...
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5 August To-Dos for Communications Pros
It’s August. Which means that work is probably about to get really, really busy, really, really quickly. But before you bid farewell to summer—and summer Fridays!—take advantage of the next few...
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Links We Love: Attending Conferences Like a Pro
Attending conferences can be an excellent way to learn new skills and support your professional development, but it’s not as easy as just showing up! There’s preparation and strategy involved in...
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Finally! The 23 Unwritten Rules of Email
It wasn’t until I helped my college-aged brother hack (er, set up) his inbox and explained some of the nuances of this ubiquitous method of communication that I realized how many unwritten rules of...
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Simple Ways to Keep Your Network from Growing Cold
You’ve put a lot of time into building up a huge network of people by going to conferences, attending industry events, and reaching out to people you admire. Great! But if you simply store these...
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4 Ways to Refocus Your Company’s Message
When you first sit down to define your company’s messaging—your mission statement, your marketing materials, your blurbs on all those social media profiles—there’s an energy and focus around it that’s...
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Links We Love: Storytelling for Success
You may think storytelling is reserved for when you’re tucking your kids into bed at night or visiting your nieces and nephews, but it can actually be a powerful tool in the working world as well. This...
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Working Abroad? How to Give a Presentation in the Local Language
Even if you’ve been working abroad for a while, and you feel comfortable getting around the city and chatting with colleagues, there’s something incredibly intimidating about being invited to give a...
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Talking to Your Boss’ Boss? 3 Mistakes Not to Make
In many ways, talking to your boss’ boss is like interviewing: You usually have limited time to make your case, you can’t anticipate every question you’ll be asked, and no matter how well you actually...
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The 21 Unwritten Rules of Meetings
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the unwritten rules of email, and I was blown away at how many people found it helpful. Turns out, there are a lot of rules out there that we could all benefit from...
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5 Speechwriting Tips I Learned From Speaking to High Schoolers
Since starting my food truck three years ago, I’ve spoken on a few panels about being a business owner and using social media to market my company. Most of the panels were held on college campuses and...
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5 Ways to Erase “Like” From Your Work Vocabulary
Many of us occasionally drop the word “like” into work conversations without even thinking about it. “I think we sent out like 1,500 invitations.” “I asked him for the report, and he was like, ‘It’s...
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Tired of Forgetting Names? Try These Tricks
You spot that acquaintance at the market and begin to wave. As you walk toward each other, an emphatic “hey” slips out—followed by a startling black hole of silence. What on Earth is her name? “Hey...
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Public Speaking 101: 10 Must-Reads Before Your Next Presentation
You know those people who can stand up at a team meeting or an industry conference and deliver a presentation like nobody’s business? Who seem to effortlessly glide across the room, inspiring everyone...
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Hang Up the Phone: 3 Surprising Sales Strategies That Work
I was 25 and the VP of Sales for Squidoo, the 60th largest website in the U.S. Three months into my gig there, it occurred to me that I was trying too hard (and yes, there is such a thing). You see, we...
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Do You Speak Consultant-ese? 20 Buzzwords to Know Now
When you’re a consultant, it’s a plus to be multi-lingual in case you get put on an international project. But what many new consultants don’t expect is that they’ll need to speak a second language...
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How to Always Get the Answers You’re Looking For
This morning, one of my clients couldn’t hold back his frustration as he told me about a process at his company. “I keep asking my manager, ‘Why do we manage the client file process this way?’” he...
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How to Write LinkedIn Messages That Actually Get Read
Imagine you were at a networking event, and you spot someone you don’t know but would love to. Maybe she has your dream job, or maybe he runs a great business that you’d like to model yours after....
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How to Pitch Yourself as an Expert to the Media
A friend of mine recently called and said she was about to draft a pitch promoting herself as a food expert to several broadcast outlets. She asked if I would take a look once she was done. Several...
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Why You’re Not Saying No Enough (And How to Fix It)
For just being two measly letters long, “no” seems to be one of the hardest words in the English language for many of us to say. But it’s actually incredibly important for our careers (and our sanity!)...
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What to Say Instead of “I Don’t Know”
Saying “I don’t know” when you don’t, in fact, know the answer to a question should be laudable. It should tell people you’re a straight shooter—not someone who fudges an answer when you’re unsure....
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Pro Presentation Tips: 7 Secrets to Winning the Room
You’ve done the work, you’ve put in your time, you know your stuff—but before you open your mouth to give the presentation you’ve prepared so intently, you’ve been judged. It’s human nature: Our brains...
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An Editor’s Guide to Writing Ridiculously Good Emails
There’s an epidemic out there—an epidemic of bad emails. I really realized it after about the fifth time my boss commented on an email I sent her to look over: “That’s a really good email!” I hadn’t...
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How Not to Freak Out When You Meet Someone You Admire
When I was in college, I met David Sedaris. I was 21, I had just read Naked, and as an aspiring writer who dreamed to cultivate Sedaris’ gift, I was a little overzealous, to put it mildly. He held a...
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They Said What? 3 CEO Media Blunders We Can Learn From
Company executives are some of the most heavily media-trained people in the world. With a seemingly endless circuit of media interviews, speaking events, and investor calls, they become pros at...
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3 Inbox Mistakes You Might Be Making
Email, like any form of communication, is a personal thing. How you check, manage, and send everything from one-liners to electronic missives is often a mix of preference and habit. That being said,...
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Your 5-Minute Guide to Writing an Amazing LinkedIn Recommendation
Most of us have worked with great colleagues, bosses, and employees over the years who we’d be happy to recommend on LinkedIn (or anywhere, really) in a heartbeat if asked. Problem is, of course, that...
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10 Body Language Secret Weapons for Your Next Presentation
You’ve heard it before: When you’re giving an important presentation, your success doesn’t just depend on what you say; much of what you communicate is how you say it. So, it’s important to not only...
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15 Tips for Getting More Out of Constructive Criticism
We know, nobody enjoys being criticized. But the truth is, criticism—when given and taken in the right way—can do wonders to help you improve yourself and ultimately drive your career forward. Check...
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Have a Winding Career Path? How to Explain it With Ease
A few years ago, I was transitioning from one job to the next. I went from economic consultant to art consultant to public relations associate, at which point I decided I wanted to move into digital...
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Why Not Knowing (and Admitting it) is 100% OK
You know the scene: You’re in a meeting and everyone starts talking about something you’ve never heard of. Maybe they even ask you what you think of it. Instead of admitting that you have no idea what...
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How I (Finally) Got Over My Fear of Public Speaking
I know the feeling all too well now. My chest tightens up with panic and my head starts to spin. I begin to focus on the thoughts racing through my head and forget what is supposed to be coming out of...
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The 27 Unwritten Rules of Conference Calls
Recently, I’ve been on more and more business-related phone calls that, despite being with smart people, left me with a bad impression. Sure, calls seem pretty simple, but anything from technological...
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Will This App Change the Way We Communicate in the Office?
If Snapchat is for sex-obsessed teens, is the new app Confide for privacy-obsessed professionals? Released this week, Confide follows the same basic principles of Snapchat, but instead is meant for...
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The “Just Right” Reaction When You Mess Up at Work
You’re tackling a typical day at the office, juggling meetings, phone calls, and that hyperactive inbox of yours, when suddenly it hits you—the worst possible feeling to have at work. Your heart drops,...
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The Really Wrong (and Really Right) Ways to Disagree in the Office
Many years ago, one of my managers praised me in an annual review by noting that I had the ability to tell clients or colleagues “no” without actually making them feel like I was saying so. I...
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25 Skills You Need for a Killer Customer Service Career
When it comes to customer service and client relations gigs, there are a few things you know you need to have: patience, the ability to interact with a variety of personality types, and impeccable...
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Should You (Really) Send That Email?
The average office worker sends and receives 110 emails each day—and dealing with them takes about 13 hours each week. Yeah. We’re pretty sure there’s something better you could be doing with your...
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How to Think Like a Creative (Every Day)
Creativity can be useful no matter what sort of career you work in. But how do you start thinking more out of the box when you work in a very un-creative career? Look no further—we’ve scoured the web...
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