Verbal Presence

I am a self-confessed news junkie. On one level, I am simply interested in the happenings of the world: the good, the bad, and most recently, the very ugly.   On another level, I am a voyeur of sorts, watching, listening and observing the drama of these happenings, and the manner in which they are […]

The Leadership Style Center had the remarkable opportunity recently to participate in the TechWomen Conference, held in California’s Silicon Valley. TechWomen is a professional mentorship program and exchange program developed in response to President Obama’s efforts to strengthen relations between the United States and the Middle East and Africa, following the events of the Arab […]

Diane Parente discussed Visual Presence for Speakers in our last blog post. She emphasized that clothing and appearance is vital for leaders to create a positive first impression on stage to maximize the opportunity to be heard. I agree.   When you are on stage, both how you look and what you say—or don’t say—influences […]

“Mommy, tell me a story and put me in it.”   Anyone who has cared for a child knows how a story captures a child’s imagination, and engages her or his attention. Children listen to stories, remember them, and want them repeated over and over. Storytelling is one of the oldest—if not the oldest—form of […]

Courtesy carries with it an unsaid message. It tells another person that you care. Lack of courtesy is perhaps an even stronger message that we don’t care. Frankly, I think that either a lack of courtesy (not extending kind words or acts) or worse, being discourteous (intentionally acting in a way that is rude and […]

Strong leadership requires the courage to be truthful, and to be authentic. These traits rise to the surface when a leader is faced a challenging often spontaneous question, usually in a public forum. I suggest that first you take a moment to become centered and focused. Then, repeat and/or reframe the question to be sure […]

I have eclectic tastes. I am a season ticket holder for both baseball and the ballet. Different venues, definitely. However, there are similarities when it comes to performance, what it takes to deliver an excellent experience to the audience. It has to do with Invisible Leadership.   It rained one Saturday afternoon at the Oakland […]

Barack, Michelle, Hillary, Condoleeza, Mitt, Newt, just a few well-knowns with distinctive names. We are on a first name basis with them…almost. Multiple media/marketing channels have made these politicos so familiar we think we know them. As someone who coaches people in business and academia to be both professional and authentic, I observe leaders in […]

You got the promotion!   It is what you have worked for. You deserve it and you have the credentials to back it up. This new position has placed you in charge of a team of 10, in a different office with a lot more responsibility. You are excited, eager to start and, yes, you […]