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Articles from Bill Lampton | Selfgrowth.com
- Use These Almost Magical Three Words to Become More Persuasive - by Submitted on Mar 25, 2019 from Bill LamptonUSE THESE 3 WORDS TO BECOME MUCH MORE PERSUASIVE You may have made career changes that challenged you in unprecedented ways. That happened for me when I left my Speech Communication faculty position at the University of Georgia to become a development officer—a softer way of saying fund ...
Views: 1062 - Conversation Guidelines for Your Company's Holiday Party - by Submitted on Dec 13, 2018 from Bill LamptonYes, it’s that time of year again, when businesses across the globe become more festive than ever—with holiday music piped throughout the buildings, dazzling decorations and of course a big party to celebrate the season. At these parties, you’re sure to participate in conversation with your ...
Views: 1009 - We Need to Pass a Law Against Distracted Listeners - by Submitted on Jul 02, 2018 from Bill LamptonI’m delighted that the law against distracted driving has become effective in Georgia, my residential and business base. Wherever you live, I imagine you have read about car crashes caused by drivers who were texting or talking on their hand-held cell phones, causing them to take their attention ...
Views: 1022 - Take These 3 Steps Toward a Productive Elevator Speech - by Submitted on Feb 28, 2018 from Bill LamptonWhether we expect it or not, sometimes when we attend a networking event we will have to give our 30 second “elevator speech,” describing our business—in hopes we will attract potential customers. Sure, some professional people welcome those occasions. They have described their services ...
Views: 848 - Revisiting Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" Speech - by Submitted on Jan 15, 2018 from Bill LamptonAs we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Day, let’s honor the power of his rhetoric and his movement by focusing on the five reasons his “I Have a Dream Speech” became history-changing. First: King’s life was consistent with his rhetoric. He did what he encouraged others to do. Surrounded ...
Views: 1299 - Accept Your Gifts Gratefully Without Envying Others - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2017 from Bill LamptonDecember in many countries centers around the spirit of giving. Even companies and individuals with no religious affiliation make special contributions during “the season”: –Year end employee bonuses –Meals for the unfed –Shelters for the homeless –Extra tips for servers at ...
Views: 986 - Check Your Assumptions Before Taking Action - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2017 from Bill LamptonLife as a graduate student at Ohio University would have been demanding enough my first year without that inconsiderate neighbor in the building behind me. Every night while my wife and two small children were trying to get to sleep, this guy took his dog “Deal” out for an evening walk. For ...
Views: 1465 - 20 Years Later I'd Say the Same Thing - by Submitted on May 24, 2017 from Bill LamptonYou have heard from authors, coaches, and consultants that in order to grow professionally we need to stay flexible, change our opinions, and embrace new strategies. While I agree with that concept generally, recently I realized that now I would say exactly what I said in 1997 when I listed the ...
Views: 1485 - Saying "What If" Could be Toxic or Terrific for Your Business - by Submitted on May 09, 2017 from Bill LamptonThe expression “What if?” can become toxic for our professional life when we think it or say it looking backward. Examples: --What if I had earned a different degree? --What if I had accepted that other job offer? --What if I had held my temper in that heated dispute with the ...
Views: 992 - Top-Tier Sales Professionals Continue to Care - by Submitted on Apr 20, 2017 from Bill LamptonPicture this happening to you. Recently you made a major purchase, one that you hope to make only every few years because of the high price involved. During the time you talked with the sales professional, he made you feel very special. In fact, he greeted your spouse enthusiastically, and ...
Views: 1613 - How Many People Do You Really Know? - by Submitted on Mar 31, 2017 from Bill LamptonHow Many People Do You Really Know? Twenty years ago we might have answered that question by estimating the number of people in our neighborhood, civic club, religious organization, workplace, country club, and other places we interacted with others. The Internet has changed that. Now the ...
Views: 1018 - Beware of Unchecked Assumptions - by Submitted on Feb 14, 2017 from Bill LamptonConsider how CEO Marvin could create confusion, inefficiency, and possibly ill feelings at his workplace if he just acted on his assumptions without verifying them. Here are examples: GIVING INSTRUCTIONS Marvin tells Marie, his executive assistant, “I want you to give me some information ...
Views: 1724 - Kill Gossip So it Won't Kill Your Career - by Submitted on Feb 03, 2017 from Bill Lampton“Did you hear that our department is going to suffer a huge budget cutback?” “Guess what our beloved boss has decided to do next.” “Sure seems like Marvin is getting plenty of phone calls that aren’t from his wife.” Yes, these comments represent one of the most sinister threats to your ...
Views: 1502 - Maintain Audience Attention with 3 Strategies - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2017 from Bill LamptonBusiness leaders often ask me this: “How can I sustain the audience’s attention throughout my speech?” They go on to say: “Most audiences will be courteous enough to give the speaker a fair chance by listening closely for the first few minutes. Yet after that, I see their attention weakening. ...
Views: 2420 - When You Don't Feel Like Doing a Tough Task - by Submitted on Dec 22, 2016 from Bill LamptonFor many years my parents subscribed to Reader’s Digest. Usually I enjoyed reading each issue as much as they did. The segment I liked most was a feature called “The Best Advice I Ever Had.” Even today, one of those best advice stories sticks with me and remains a great lesson. Writing about ...
Views: 1436 - Managers--Leave the Conference Room and Mingle in the Cafeteria - by Submitted on Dec 21, 2016 from Bill LamptonIf your business has a company cafeteria, my guess is that you have become aware of these four mistakes that many managers make regularly: ONE: Thinking that they can't get away from meetings for thirty to forty-five minutes, they continue to meet during lunch and have their meals brought ...
Views: 1006 - Askers Become Winners - by Submitted on Dec 13, 2016 from Bill LamptonWithout any effort, you can think of opportunities you have missed because you were too cautious to ask for what you wanted. We have all done that. So let’s look at the cases of two people and an institution who overcame their fear of rejection and requested what they wanted. Gus Whalen was a ...
Views: 1226 - Say This Instead of "No Comment" - by Submitted on Nov 30, 2016 from Bill LamptonWhatever source you use for getting the daily news--local or metro newspaper, radio and TV broadcasts, or online articles--regularly you will come across startling stories about companies that had no head notice a couple of days previously that news professionals would describe their business's ...
Views: 1690 - "Years of Experience" Defined Differently - by Submitted on Nov 21, 2016 from Bill LamptonWhen I was interviewing for a staff position decades ago, the department head Al walked me around the office, introducing me to my potential colleagues. Because I had done my homework, before I met Jim I knew that Jim had been there a long time. Jim and I chatted for two or three ...
Views: 1023 - Never Start Your Prospecting Phone Call With This Question - by Submitted on Jun 17, 2016 from Bill LamptonPicture in your mind the frustrated expression on a business leader's face because he or she has just heard the very worst possible opening question from an unfamiliar caller. You might guess that this was the caller's question: "How's the weather in Denver today?" You would want to answer, ...
Views: 958 - Get Ready to Speak to a Group During Your Job Interview - by Submitted on Nov 21, 2015 from Bill LamptonIn your job search, you know that the interview reigns supreme in the decision making process. Even when your degrees, certifications, accomplishments, and referrals surpass your competitors, your interview time will lead to either “Thanks for your application, and we wish you well in your ...
Views: 1667(1 vote) - Business Leaders: Don't Pick Politicians As Your Role Models for Speaking - by Submitted on Nov 11, 2015 from Bill LamptonDuring the eighteen intensive months of an American presidential campaign, business leaders could potentially hear hundreds of candidates speaking. Executives and managers might mistakenly assume that these public figures got to the forefront because they are superb speakers—and therefore role ...
Views: 1789 - Civil Rights Activist Dick Gregory: Spellbinding Speaker - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2015 from Bill LamptonHolding a university audience's attention would be tough in any decade, yet doing that in the late 1960s was especially difficult. That was the era when students demanded unprecedented rights and involvement in university decisions. Student movement leaders even held sit-ins for days at a time ...
Views: 1663 - Forget About the Traditional Six Degrees of Separation - by Submitted on Aug 06, 2015 from Bill LamptonFORGET ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION Since 1929, various writers have told us that we must go through six steps or connections before we establish communication with renowned high achievers. This mythical “six degrees of separation” has kept many believers confined to ...
Views: 1060 - You Are On Stage Before, During, and After Your Presentation - by Submitted on Jul 13, 2015 from Bill LamptonRecently I heard a speaker I had heard before. My inner question: Could he be as captivating as when I listened to him previously? To my amazement, yes he was. Highlights: --Spoke without notes --Used subtle, tasteful humor occasionally --Seemed to carry on a conversation with the ...
Views: 1515 - Voice Mail Mastery: Getting Listeners to Want To Hear You More - by Submitted on Sep 11, 2014 from Bill LamptonWhen clients and prospects call you and you’re not available to answer your phone, your voice mail represents you. In a sense, your voice mail becomes you—because the message and the way you say it go well beyond merely giving information. Not only does the caller get an audible impression of ...
Views: 1192 - Honor Commitments, Keep Your Credibility When You Speak - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2014 from Bill LamptonHonor the commitments you made with your audience, and you will keep your credibility. FIRST: Honor your commitment to stay on topic. Assume that you are speaking at a high school commencement. Traditionally, the administrators expect you and other commencement speakers to congratulate the ...
Views: 1342 - Get Better Results Through Constructive Customer Complaints - by Submitted on Jul 07, 2014 from Bill LamptonIf you are dissatisfied with a product or service, impulse prompts you to fight back when you contact customer service. In anger, you might accuse and threaten the company representative. If you have tried that approach, you know that you are likely to alienate the frontline individual who could ...
Views: 2301 - 3 Major Mistakes to Avoid at Networking Events - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2012 from Bill LamptonFor years we have been hearing about a widespread “sea change” in the business world. Certainly technology developments have made some of our former networking moves obsolete. You wouldn’t hand out 8 track tapes at a Chamber of Commerce reception, for example. Likewise, some of our spoken ...
Views: 1396 - 4 Communication Traits Shared by Masterful Managers - by Submitted on Mar 19, 2012 from Bill LamptonWhen you read about the habits and styles of well-known managers, you realize that they don’t all fit the same mold. Some are workaholics with no outside interests, while others live balanced lives by reserving time for family, hobbies, and community service. Some flaunt their wealth by living ...
Views: 1744 - Calling with Uncommon Courtesy - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2012 from Bill LamptonThere are 6 billion cell phone subscribers scattered around the world. Yet, judging by what we see and hear in both business and social settings, only a small percentage of those subscribers use their phones without offending other people. Stated more positively, you will become a caller ...
Views: 1203 - Three Unconventional Ways to Improve Your Business Writing - by Submitted on Mar 02, 2012 from Bill LamptonYour typical business week could include a variety of writing activities. Among them: -your resume -progress report on a key project -job description - assignments for your team - proposal for a merger or acquisition - news release -article for a trade magazine -pitching an angel ...
Views: 1251 - 7 Self-Defense Tactics of Political Speakers - by Submitted on Jan 13, 2012 from Bill LamptonWorld wide, we constantly see and hear prominent politicians in action—in speeches, debates, press conferences, and interviews. Yes, we get tired of their repetitive appearances, dominating radio, television, and even the Internet. However, the communication strategies they use to get votes and ...
Views: 1976 - CNN Anchor Offers Excellent Advice About Speaking - by Submitted on Dec 02, 2011 from Bill LamptonRecently CNN posted an online story about nine CNN journalists who were willing to talk about the most embarrassing, highly public mistakes they had made before they climbed the broadcasting ladder to CNN status. The article carried the whimsical title, “Epic Fail: Career Mistakes We Made (and ...
Views: 2111 - Don't Start Your Speech By Telling a Joke - by Submitted on Aug 01, 2011 from Bill LamptonA popular assumption implies that a speaker should start his or her speech by telling a joke, to get listeners in an upbeat mood and grab attention instantly. Like many widespread assumptions, this one is wrong. Here are five good reasons not to start your speech by telling a joke. FIRST: ...
Views: 1631 - How Professional Speakers Control Their Stage Fright - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Bill LamptonWhen you watch professional speakers in action, several questions might come to mind: How do they rely on notes so rarely? Do they have photographic memories? How do they give the same material repeatedly, yet keep their initial enthusiasm? However, the question you’ll be most likely to ask ...
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