Editor's note: This is a guest post by BrillianceInc.

You possess a pathetically small sliver of the truth.

People fear you (by nature of your status) and withhold evidence that may challenge your pathetically small sliver of the truth.

Our brains are wired for fear. And fear makes people do stupid things. To bring out the best in others, you must create an environment where people feel safe.

Leadership takes courage. That courage does not swagger but is humble and quietly confident. A courageous leader:

• recognizes her own strengths and weaknesses
• surrounds herself with people who differ
• when confronted with evidence that challenges her truths, says “Tell me more about that.”
• is confident they will get there without knowing exactly how
• sets a compelling vision and let’s others figure out the best way to do it
• listens intently
• describes reality neutrally, without accusation

You are contagious: your mood, your work-life habits, your tone, your management style–all of it embeds itself in others and helps create a culture

You cannot do your job optimally without a strong, healthy body and mind. To that end, find support to help you:

• stay fit physically
• optimize your brain
• manage your emotions and physical reactions
• strengthen your immune system
• sleep well

There is a point in your rise as a leader (e.g. from Manager/Director to Manager of Managers/VP), where everything that has worked for you will now work against you. Recognize when you cross this threshold and get a coach to help you learn new tricks and embed new habits.

Earn people’s trust; your agenda will eventually fail if people don’t trust you.

Leadership is lonely–more so the higher you go up the org chart. See that you have support from a coach, your family, friends, other leaders.

People are unique. What motivates one may demotivate another. Learn what makes people tick and tailor your praise, communication, and support, accordingly.

IQ has gotten you as far as it can take you. Your success hinges on how well you inspire trust, engagement, and action.

Repeat these useful phrases until they slip out habitually:

• “What support do you need from me?”
• “What could I do better?”
• “What ideas do you have?”
• “What else?”
• “I appreciate ____ , thank you.” (fill in the blank with something that they care about and that you believe).
• “Go home and rest. Come back to it when you are fresh.”
• “No need to point fingers. We’re in this together. Let’s figure it out.”
• “I don’t know.”
• “I was wrong.”

photo credit: Hamed Saber

Today we're so pleased to announce the launch of Project Green Dragon, a strategic initiative designed to help the United States become energy independent by improving the effectiveness of key communicators in environmental technology industries.

Read the official press release here.

As a first major step in Project Green Dragon, The Henderson Group will introduce customized curriculum and additional discounts for training services such as “Art of Presentation” that are specifically aimed at innovators in the green technology, clean energy, and sustainability sectors.

The first green-oriented training session will be “Complete Communicator”, an intense, highly individualized, skills development program that will be held in San Francisco on Sept 30 – Oct. 1, 2010 and again, Dec. 2 – 3, 2010.

The Art of Presentation workshop will be held in SF on Oct. 7 – 8, 2010.

Please join us in our new initiative on Facebook for updates on Clean Energy, Alternative Energy, and Sustainability companies.

dilbert.com

Public Speaking and the Value of Freaking Out >>

The Fear Factor>>

by Terry Gault

This article from NPR's website makes the point that abstract communication is FAR less effective than concrete communication.

"Concrete and abstract words activate different parts of the cerebral cortex. Concrete words like hammer, hit and hard are processed more by areas at the back of the brain that handle visual and spatial information. Abstract words like justice, fairly andrender activate the frontal lobes, which process information independent of any particular sense (vision, hearing, touch)." 

How do you ensure that your communications are concrete?  Use stories, images and visual metaphors to illustrate your points.

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photo credit: cellular immunity

 by Terry Gault

This piece from FastCompany magazine highlights a practice we've been using since our inception: videotaping our clients.

Whether you are being coached on your listening, presentation, or dialogue/questioning skills, being able to see and hear exactly how you come across and to hear precisely what you did and did not say, is critical. The use of video often results in some of the most powerful feedback you will ever receive on your communication style.

So, take the advice of Dan Heath and Chip Heath in this piece titled, Watch the Game Film.

Check out what we're doing on Facebook  LinkedIn and Yelp, and don't forget to subscribe.

photo credit: Joi

by Terry Gault

To sum up this article:
"When you want something from someone, ask yourself what story that person is trying to tell about himself (or herself), and then make sure that your role and actions are enhancing that story in the right way." 

This is helpful thinking when crafting presentations intended to motivate the audience to take action.  See this fascinating article below, by Peter Bregman.

I was walking back to our apartment in Manhattan, the hood of my jacket pulled tight to keep the rain out, when I saw an older man with a walker struggle to descend the slippery stairs of his building. When he almost fell, I and several others went over to help.

There was an Access-A-Ride van (a Metropolitan Transit Authority vehicle for people with disabilities) waiting for him. The driver was inside, warm and dry, as he watched us straining to help his passenger cross the sidewalk in the pouring rain.

Then he opened the window and yelled over the sound of the rain coming down, "He might not be able to make it today."

"Hold on," we yelled (there were five of us now) as we helped the man move around the back of the van, "he can make it."

Traffic on 84th street had stopped. We caught the man from falling a few times, hoisted him back up, and finally got him to the van door, which the driver then opened from the inside to reveal a set of stairs. The man with the walker would never make it.

"What about your side door, the one with the electric lift?" I asked.

"Oh yeah," the driver answered, "hold on." He put his coat over his head, came out in the rain with the rest of us, and operated the lift.

Once the man with the walker was in safely, we all began to move away when the driver opened the window one more time and yelled, "Thanks for your help."

So, here's my question: Why will five strangers volunteer to help a man they don't know in the pouring rain — and think about the electric lift themselves — while the paid driver sat inside and waited?

Perhaps the driver is simply a jerk? Perhaps. But I don't think so. Once we suggested the lift, he didn't resist or complain, he came outside and did it immediately. And he wasn't obnoxious either. When he thanked us for our help, he seemed sincere.

Maybe it's because the driver is not permitted to leave the vehicle? I checked the MTA website to see if there was policy against drivers assisting passengers. On the contrary, it states "As long as the driver doesn't lose sight of the vehicle and is not more than 100 feet away from it, the driver can assist you to and from the vehicle, help you up or down the curb or one step and assist you in boarding the vehicle."

So why didn't the driver help? Part of the answer is probably that for him, an old man struggling with a walker isn't a one-time thing, it's every day every stop, and the sight doesn't compel him to act.

But that answer isn't good enough. After all, it's his job to help. That's when it suddenly hit me: The reason the driver didn't help might be precisely because he was paid to.

Dan Ariely, a professor at Duke University, and James Heyman, a professor at the University of St. Thomas, explored this idea. They set up a computer with a circle on the left side of the screen and a square on the right side, and asked participants to use the mouse to drag the circle into the square. Once they did, a new circle appeared on the left. The task was to drag as many circles as they could within five minutes. More on A Story About Motivation

by Terry Gault

When one of my clients sent me this video of his speech with Lance Armstrong's LiveStrong organization, I was moved and inspired.  Also, I felt proud.  Proud for whatever small role I had played in Brad's transformation.  Here's the feedback that I gave Brad after watching his video:

• I liked the Minnesota line that he started with.  That was charming and got a nice laugh.
• I did hear some verbal filler – uh, um, you know and so.  How to Shed Verbal Filler
• At one point Brad puts his hands behind his back which looks a bit awkward.
  Using broad gestures gives the impression of power, confidence – comfortable in one's own skin, comfortable taking up space.
• Brad told a compelling story about losing 80 pounds – very impressive.
• I REALLY liked the moment when Brad started teasing Lance Armstrong, calling him short.  It was great that Lance started playing along – standing next to the guy that was shorter than he.  That demonstrated TREMENDOUS confidence and chutzpah and was a memorable moment for the audience.
• Brad tended to only look at one spot in the audience.  Spread around the eye contact – share the love.
• The story about Brad's mom running a marathon 9 months after a bout with cancer was extremely compelling.  He paints her as a model of courage and determination.
• Overall, Brad comes across as very confident, appreciative, humble, admirable and likable.

When I first worked with Brad in Minneapolis in December 2000 (my coldest gig ever), he seemed anxious; not sure what his future had in store.  The Brad Stratton in this video is not only 80 pounds lighter but clearly embodies self-assurance.  Way to go, Brad!  Brad's LinkedIn profile

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Editor's Note:  This is a guest post by Greg Matusky Gregory FCA Communications

I'm going to make a call. In three to five years, a new member of the C-suite will emerge. He or she will work shoulder to shoulder with CMOs and CEOs. The job description will look nothing like we have ever seen. They will be called chief content officer.

 Their purpose will be to originate and share a constant stream of information flowing from inside the four walls of the corporation directly through new digital channels to partners, customers, clients, employees, prospects, and investors. Their skill set will be part journalist, part brand manager, and part public relations professional.

 They will be charged with capturing and articulating the character and voice of the company, and they will be responsible for ushering in a new era of corporate transparency — a world where outsiders can gain a true and authentic view of the company. Filters will be fewer. Responses quicker. Information will flow more freely.

 If the evolving nature of public relations is teaching us anything, it's that content is now the single most important asset at our disposal for conditioning and positioning companies for increased revenue and value. As traditional media struggles to find relevancy, more and more corporations will turn to social and digital media to communicate directly with online audiences.

 Entire new corporate domains will appear, peopled by writers, editors, videographers, podcasters, and technologists, who will work in unison to identify relevant information from inside the corporation, publish it, and then manage the pathways through which it is distributed.

 The chief content officer will stand in the shoes of a traditional publisher, delicately balancing the need for quality content to find and keep audiences against the corporation's drive to sell and promote. The created content will attain a new level of truth and authenticity.

 If a company messes up, the CCO will be charged with the clean up, addressing issues directly online. If a company struggles, that same CCO will be responsible for publishing rapid response investor information to shorten the cycle of pain, not unlike how 24/7 news channels have cut attention spans and focal points.

 And if a company wants to engage, the CCO will be tasked with finding and crystallizing information and content that can catalyze clients and customers, aggregating and engaging them through micro-topics that speak directly to narrow-band niches.

 Some companies like Ford are already starting to break this ground.  Scott Monty, the firm's Head of Social Media, has direct access to CEO Alan Mulally, and works closely with him and other executives to develop social media programs and content, and share information on social networks.

 The CCO job description will read something like this:

If you can write like a journalist, think like a marketer, and understand the vast and shifting seas of digital communications, Mega Global Corporation needs you to express our world view and communicate our value to financial and consumer markets, partners, and governments.

 You must be able to manage a worldwide editorial staff, producing both written and visual communications, and must be able to deliver daily, even hourly, content that is fully optimized to gain visibility over digital pathways.

 This individual will report directly to the CEO, but will have the strength of character to beat back corporate encroachment in favor of honest, accurate content that provides real value to worldwide audiences.

 Most important, this individual must understand how to monetize this content throughout the enterprise, converting incoming interest into business opportunities for the organization as a whole. Compensation: Name your price if you can deliver on the seemingly impossible yet urgent responsibilities described here.

 Some CMOs are taking on many of these duties now. But as our communications channels continue to expand into the digital market, companies need to disseminate content to an increasing array of online audiences. It's becoming a job unto itself. One-way communication is not enough. Companies need to inform, connect, and engage with their customers and partners in meaningful ways, wherever they live.

 Greg Matusky Gregory FCA 20 years ago after working as a freelance writer for Success magazine. As a writer his work appeared in Inc., Forbes, and Newsweek magazines before he transitioned to public relations in 1990.

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by Terry Gault

This is hilarious!

This terrific advice from our partner Brilliance Inc, applies beautifully to the process of evolving one's communication style, too.

How are those New Year’s Resolutions coming along?

By now, you must be a nicer, calmer, healthier, happier, more productive version of yourself, right?

If you are falling a bit short of your lofty resolutions, read on and learn how to make self improvement really stick.

The Good News About Self-Improvement

Anyone can change their thoughts, behaviors, and habits. Despite past claims that adult brains were fixed, findings over the last decade reveal that brains constantly adjust to inputs. Neuroplasticity–the brain’s constant adaptation–means that you can teach any (willing) dog new tricks.

The Bad News About Self-Improvement

It’s not as fast or as easy as we might like. In an ideal world, you’d pick something about yourself to improve, do a little homework–read a book, attend a class, or watch a YouTube video–and voila, a new improved you! Unfortunately it’s not that easy.  When faced with challenges that conspire to take us off track, we may give in to inertia and settle for the latest version of ourselves. A little crack appears in our soul, patched with guilt and excuses.

HOW IT WORKS

Real Tools for Change
Deeply felt, lasting change happens over time. Below are some phases of change and corresponding tools to help you upgrade the software running on your grey-matter platform.  All these tools are instantly available simply by setting an intention to use them.

Five phases to making self-improvement stick:

1.       Discovery and Intake
2.       Design
3.       Launch Beta Version of You
4.       Test for Quality
5.       Launch Upgrade Version of You

More on Self-Improvement that Sticks