Someone very wise once said that the five most basic elements in the hierarchy of human need are food, shelter, clothing, sex and the need to edit someone else’s copy.
I’ve been editing a lot of copy lately so I’ve been thinking about that. Admit it, you’re already thinking about how you’d edit this, right? That’s why I rely on my buddy Marc who gets the last scrub of this newsletter and sends it to you. He brings a different perspective.
A client recently told me that she appreciated the fresh perspective that I brought to a day-long training workshop for her firm. They edited their attitude, approach and language and got a greatly improved result. And I’m pretty confident that at least one of the following stories will change your perspective.
Have a Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Merry Christmas and a terrific 2015!
Godec
Bill Clinton Is a Masterful Communicator
Whatever else you might think about him, the guy’s about as good as it gets when it comes to connecting with people. Here are seven reasons why:
One hundred hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute. Most remains obscure but some goes viral. Those that do have one thing in common and it’s one of Clinton’s greatest traits….communicating successfully requires an emotional connection:
Tough Times & Tough People
Most of my work is about tough issues and dealing with tough people…those who can be hard to get along with. Here are five simple, ethical tips for dealing with those people:
No matter what we start out discussing in these newsletters, we inevitably get back to trust at some point and this issue’s no different…
http://tinyurl.com/o8x75qw
Some of the toughest times and people these days live in Ferguson, Missouri. Trust has to start somewhere, and it started a few weeks back with one cop:
Hey Teacher, Leave Them Kids Alone
Elizabeth Lauten, a GOP staffer, is unemployed this week because she went after the Obama kids on Facebook. When she finally realized that she’d screwed up, she pretended to apologize but didn’t quite get it right:
It’s been suggested that people are sick of apologies and that’s probably half-true…I think we’re sick of lousy apologies. I also think this guy’s right that true apologies need true engagement, analysis, humility and confession:
Global BS
I work with a lot of scientists from various disciplines who look at the world trying to figure out how climate change might affect things. They almost always dismiss people who dismiss the existence of global warming or climate change.
The evidence, they point out, is irrefutable and anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional but will figure out the truth soon enough. This study doubts they will:
Someone at a recent gathering referred to global warming as The Great Liberal Con which speaks to this article on how con(fidence) artists actually persuade seemingly intelligent people to do dumb things. I’m not advocating for the con, but there is some learning in this:
A Perfectly Good Waste of Time
Tom Maggliozi died last month. Tom and Ray, the Car Talk guys on NPR, had the most entertaining program on radio for the past couple of decades. Luckily, the show will be in repeats for the foreseeable future.
The show couldn’t be replicated because Tom & Ray can’t be duplicated. In a politically correct world that takes itself very seriously, these guys never did. I’ll miss them…
Next Generation Coaching
Godec, Randall & Associates (GRA) and The Participation Company (TPC) train, coach and work with public sector and business clients on authentic public involvement; on managing tough issues and moving projects forward. We train and facilitate customized, hands-on workshops and courses related to conflict resolution, public participation, facilitation, anger and opposition management as well as risk, crisis and technical communication, presentations and collaborative decision making. We’ll help you connect with the public and grow your trust and credibility.
* Thank you for a great opportunity to learn – it is rare nowadays to walk away from a learning experience and feel enriched not only as a professional but also as a human being. Thank you for enabling a truly a powerful experience!
* I’ve heard great feedback from several staff members!! Many shared how pleased they were with your presentation and came away with great information. I couldn’t believe how fast the time went by… I thoroughly enjoyed the class.
* I just wanted to say thank you for presenting such a captivating seminar last week…I thought the material was fascinating and your presentation was compelling and succinct.
GRA and TPC customize in-house, hands-on workshops of varying lengths for a variety of public and private sector clients. Contact us for more information.
The Participation Company LLC is a strategic partner of the Center for Management Strategies (CMS), the provider of International City/County Management Association (ICMA) leading practices for local government.
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