Communicate to Win: 016 – 10 Email TipsI obviously have a passion for improving all communication. I have worked with so many extremely talented and gifted individuals who made small mistakes in email and voice mail, and really hurt their credibility. Read more
Free PowerPoint-Tastic Templates – #093: Many Ideas
Each week, the Fast Track Tools training company and the Cubicle Ninjas design firm work together to publish a template that makes it easier for you to communicate your ideas. This week, we bring you a template to help present one person’s many ideas. Read more
Communicate to Win: 015 –10 Voice Mail Tips
We use many mediums to communicate: phone, email, fax, meetings, presentations, websites, etc. The list is endless. The three “Big Rules” can be used in just about any form of communication. If you read the previous post, you know a key to to being effective, the challenge is to practice using the principles in your day-to-day communications. Read more
Free PowerPoint-Tastic Templates – #092: Formula for Success
Each week, the Fast Track Tools training company and the Cubicle Ninjas design firm work together to publish a template that makes it easier for you to communicate your ideas. This week we bring you a template called the “Formula for Success.” Read more
Communicate to Win: 014 – Big Rule #3: The Rule of Thirds
The previous posts of the Communicate to Win series, we covered the the Magic Number Seven Rule and the Pyramid Rule. If you follow the Magic Number 7 (+/- 2) rule, nine points are the maximum number you’ll use at one time in a presentation. But I often get asked, “What is the ideal number? How many key points should I present? How much should I put on a slide? Generally, I suggest three, leading us to Big Rule #3: the Rule of Thirds. Read more
Free PowerPoint-Tastic Templates – #091: Strategy vs. Tactics
Each week, the Fast Track Tools training company and the Cubicle Ninjas design firm work together to publish a template that makes it easier for you to communicate your ideas. This week, we bring you a template illustrating the differences between strategy and tactics. Read more
Communicate to Win: 013 – Big Rule #2: The Pyramid Rule
In the previous Communicate to Win post, we looked at the Big Rule #1: the Magic Seven Rule. We walked through an exercise where you tried to remember a list of 10 countries, but were likely successful in remembering only seven, give or take. In this post, I’ll address Big Rule # 2: the Pyramid Rule, its use with your audience and how its application will most certainly help you remember more countries on list continuing with the same example. Read more
Free PowerPoint-Tastic Templates – #090: Complexity
Each week, the Fast Track Tools training company and the Cubicle Ninjas design firm work together to publish a template that makes it easier for you to communicate your ideas. This week we bring you a template illustrating the complexities everyone faces in business. Read more
Communicate to Win: 012 – Big Rule #1: The Magic Number Seven Rule
Howard Schultz grew Starbucks from a Seattle boutique into the global mega-brand we all know today. At one time, he left Starbucks, but agreed to come back in 2008. In his first letter to employees upon his return, he said the company must shift its focus away from “bureaucracy” and back to customers. He wanted to focus on “Big Rules,” such as customer service, instead of checking boxes on the forms created to run the business. Read more
Communicate to Win: 011 – RACI Matrix
As I have noted in my last few posts, the problem solving process requires a lot of effort. Research at each of the four steps is very involved. Here, I take a look at the RACI matrix, which is a responsibility chart to help assign resources to action items. You can use this tool not only as part of this problem-solving process, but also to assign responsibilities connected to any set of tasks within your organization. Read more