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Below, you’ll find my latest blog posts to help you do brilliant work without sacrificing your personal life – less effort, more impact!
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An Interview with Etiquette Expert Hiroko Nishide I was delighted to be introduced to Hiroko Nishide through a former team member. Hiroko is known in Japan as an etiquette expert. She has featured widely in Japanese media and shares her expertise in corporate and...
Let’s make this easy. After all, the word “facilitate” comes from the Latin “facilis,” which means “easy.” It’s the facilitator’s role to make it easy for participants to achieve the meeting goals. Remembering just 3 things will make it easier for you to facilitate...
Do you attend unnecessary, unproductive, or uninspiring meetings? As well as being demotivating for attendees, such meetings are a huge and avoidable cost for organizations. Think of the hourly cost of each person in the meeting and how that money or time could be...
Participants in my working globally workshops often raise the issue of the time difference for conference calls with the U.S. and Europe. Unfortunately, colleagues in those regions sometimes seem to forget about or be unaware of the time in Japan. Or maybe they are...
In the last post, I recommended dialing in early to conference calls to allow time for technical trouble, hear the important information, and show respect for your colleagues. Dialing in early sets you up for success and helps your confidence. But then comes the big...
Speaking up in meetings is difficult enough – especially when it’s not in your native language, right? But it’s even more of a challenge when people are in different locations. When should you speak? Will others listen? What do they think of you? Conference calls:...
You’ve probably heard that it’s good to use gestures in presentations, but maybe you feel uncomfortable and aren’t sure how to use gestures. One easy way to get started is to use gestures related to numbers. I’ve lost count of how many presentations I’ve seen in...
Have you ever panicked when suddenly asked to speak at an event or meeting? Speaking in public is scary enough even when you’ve had time to prepare. And worse when it’s impromptu, right? So here’s a quick tip from a recent experience. Attending a Tokyo University...
“Should I start my presentation with an attention grabber or self introduction?” This is a question I received recently. My answer: “It depends on your audience.” Look online for advice on the best way to start a presentation, and you’ll find numerous types of “hook”...
Yesterday, I coached a lovely Japanese lady. She had a communication-related goal, but hadn’t been making progress. I asked her why she wanted to achieve that goal, and she gave a reason. I then asked why that was important to her, so she gave a deeper reason. I...
In Step 1 of this series, we talked about preparing to listen by removing distractions and empathizing. In Step 2, I introduced four tips to connect with the other person. Once you’ve focused and connected, it’s crucial to confirm that you’ve understood what the other...
In Step 1 of this series, we talked about preparing to listen by removing distractions and empathizing. Once you're ready to focus on the other person, use these four simple ways to connect in a conversation. Four Simple Ways to Connect in Conversation 1. Make eye...