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Ep. 391 – How to make a boring topic interesting
We all face moments where we need to teach, brief, or explain topics that are dry, technical, tedious or simply boring. In this episode, I lay out several simple tactics to breathe life into a dying subject to be sure something always gets through.
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- Episode 25 – The BRIEF Lab Annual Report
December 28, 2017
10 min - Episode 24 – An argument against persuasion (and for civil discourse)December 18, 201715 min
- Episode 23 – Senseless note takingDecember 12, 201714 min
- Episode 22 – Conversation highjackingDecember 4, 201711 min
- Episode 21 – Is there power in repetition?November 27, 201713 min
- Episode 20 – Bite your tongueNovember 20, 201713 min
- Episode 19 – Avoiding an audience double standardNovember 13, 201711 min
- Episode 18 – Why is listening so hard?November 6, 201715 min
- Episode 17 – Quiet timeOctober 27, 201713 min
- Episode 16 – Getting some people to talk more (not less)October 23, 201713 min
- Episode 15 – Confident leaders don’t get itOctober 17, 201713 min
- Episode 14 – The uncomfortable allure of a crucible storyOctober 9, 201714 min
- Episode 13 – Leaders we all love deliver precise praiseOctober 2, 201712 min
- Episode 12 – Knowing if a meeting should’ve been an e-mailSeptember 25, 201711 min
- Episode 11 – Bearing the heavy burden of delivering bad newsSeptember 19, 201714 min
- Episode 10 – Signs your team is not on the same pageApril 11, 201715 min
- Episode 9 – Concise writers are ruthless redactorsApril 1, 201715 min
- Episode 8 – Great messages are as simple as 1-2-3March 28, 201715 min
- Episode 7 – Tesla’s not-so-secret strategyMarch 21, 201715 min
- Episode 6 – Owning a message that’s importantMarch 14, 201711 min
- Episode 5 – Why people struggle to get to the pointMarch 7, 201710 min
- Episode 4 – Hoping vs. knowing your point got across?February 28, 201710 min
- Episode 3 – Does a moment of anger make you rant and repeat?February 23, 201710 min
- Episode 2 – Pitching a bright ideaFebruary 16, 201710 min
- Episode 1 – Job interviews: no time for an interrogationFebruary 9, 201710 min
- Episode 70 – Meeting agenda designDecember 31, 201811 min
- Episode 69 – Hitting mute more often in your lifeDecember 17, 201817 min
- Episode 68 – Why do AAR’s frequently fail?December 10, 201814 min
- Episode 67 – Talking yourself through adversityDecember 3, 201813 min
- Episode 66 – What’s an insight and why do they matter?November 26, 201813 min
- Episode 65 – Sabotaging your organization from withinNovember 19, 201811 min
- Episode 64 – More like tennis, less like golfNovember 12, 201810 min
- Episode 63 – Asking much better questionsNovember 5, 201814 min
- Episode 62 – I couldn’t articulate the strategyOctober 29, 201812 min
- Episode 61 – The failure of open floor plansOctober 22, 201814 min
- Episode 60 – Time to say goodbyeOctober 15, 201810 min
- Episode 59 – It takes a hurricane to get people to talkOctober 8, 201811 min
- Episode 58 – Perception management: facts and feelingsOctober 1, 201814 min
- Episode 57 – Is “time posting” a word?September 24, 20189 min
- Episode 56 – Aim small, miss smallSeptember 17, 201811 min
- Episode 55 – What to do with my hands?September 3, 201810 min
- Episode 54 – Tune into AM 101August 27, 201815 min
- Episode 53 – Motivational speeches might help the other teamAugust 20, 201816 min
- Episode 52 – Tune into FM 101August 13, 201814 min
- Episode 51 – Hating the gift of feedbackAugust 6, 201812 min
- Episode 50 – The Uber talk testJuly 30, 201813 min
- Episode 49 – Saying noJuly 23, 201814 min
- Episode 48 – Curbing a culture of meetingsJuly 16, 201815 min
- Episode 47 – Did that conversation ruin me?July 9, 201814 min
- Episode 46 – Working to get fired or hiredJune 25, 20189 min
- Episode 45 – My father’s three favorite phrasesJune 17, 20189 min
- Episode 44 – Unpacking your e-mailsJune 11, 201813 min
- Episode 43 – Smartphone bans comingJune 4, 201814 min
- Episode 42 – Not valuing a volunteerMay 29, 201814 min
- Episode 41 – A good story breaks a tieMay 21, 201814 min
- Episode 40 – Warning: explicit messagesMay 14, 201812 min
- Episode 39 – Pitfalls of progress reportsApril 30, 201814 min
- Episode 38 – Hey, listen to why it’s so difficultApril 23, 201813 min
- Episode 37 – The single most important thingApril 16, 201812 min
- Episode 36 – Ready, player oneApril 9, 201814 min
- Episode 35 – The dread of silenceApril 2, 201812 min
- Episode 34 – The minister for lonelinessMarch 20, 201813 min
- Episode 33 – Focus, people!March 13, 201812 min
- Episode 32 – When words become worthlessMarch 8, 201811 min
- Episode 31 – An info-junkie crack house (Brain Basics Part II)February 26, 201815 min
- Episode 30 – Penguins on an Iceberg (Brain Basics Part I)February 20, 201814 min
- Episode 29 – Go to sleepJanuary 30, 201815 min
- Episode 28 – Are smartphones addictive brain candy for kids?January 22, 201815 min
- Episode 27 – Training people to ignore a safety briefingJanuary 15, 201814 min
- Episode 26 – Stay tuned. Fans aren’t really.January 9, 201813 min
- Episode 122 – Be my guest: Microsoft’s Jim Lee with Charley ThorntonDecember 30, 201918 min
- Episode 121 – You need a nap, not another appDecember 23, 201912 min
- Episode 120 – Putting up with old people’s stories (ok, boomer!)December 16, 201913 min
- Episode 119 – Managing tough (and great) conversationsDecember 9, 201912 min
- Call Back Episode – Focus, people!December 2, 201915 min
- Call Back Episode – It’s a good time to say thanksNovember 25, 201910 min
- Call Back Episode – Why do AAR’s frequently fail?November 18, 201914 min
- Episode 115 – Noise filters: media consumptionNovember 11, 201914 min
- Episode 114 – Talk-to-talk temptationNovember 4, 201914 min
- Episode 113 – Recommended Reading: The flood is comingOctober 28, 201912 min
- Episode 112 – Does that resonate with you?October 21, 201912 min
- Episode 111 – The basics of trimmingOctober 14, 201910 min
- Episode 110 – Interviews to transition to your next realityOctober 7, 201914 min
- Episode 109 – Is multitasking a mistake or management skill?September 30, 201911 min
- Episode 108 – Present listening and preaching to the choirSeptember 23, 20199 min
- Episode 107 – The connection between comedy and claritySeptember 16, 201915 min
- Episode 106 – Providing senior leaders communication counselSeptember 9, 201913 min
- Episode 105 – Quiet Time: the sweetest soundsSeptember 2, 201915 min
- Episode 104 – The rhythm of repetitionAugust 26, 201911 min
- Episode 103 – Why 1-on-1’s are mutually painfulAugust 19, 201913 min
- Episode 102 – Building a better elevator speechAugust 12, 201912 min
- Sounding off on “NOISE”August 7, 201915 min
- Episode 100 – Questions & Answers (Q&A)July 29, 201913 min
- Episode 99 – Practical presentation principlesJuly 22, 201912 min
- Episode 98 – BatchingJuly 15, 201910 min
- Episode 97 – Make a recommendationJuly 8, 201910 min
- Episode 96 – IrrelevantJuly 1, 201912 min
- Episode 95 – Forced to focusJune 24, 201914 min
- Episode 94 – Enduring a culture of long and confusingJune 17, 201912 min
- Episode 93 – The promise of prognosticatorsJune 10, 201913 min
- Episode 92 – Has TED jumped the shark?June 3, 201911 min
- Episode 91 – How to find your voiceMay 27, 201911 min
- Episode 90 – Do introverts have the advantage?May 20, 201912 min
- Episode 89 – When you just don’t careMay 13, 201911 min
- Episode 88 – Communicating when you’re on edgeMay 6, 201911 min
- Episode 87 – Nodding loops: real or imagined?April 29, 201912 min
- Episode 86 – How you show upApril 22, 201910 min
- Episode 85 – Micro-preparationApril 15, 201912 min
- Episode 84 – Napoleon DynamiteApril 8, 20199 min
- Episode 83 – More senseless note takingApril 1, 201912 min
- Episode 82 – Being deliberateMarch 25, 20199 min
- Episode 81 – Clarifying communication preferences, part 1March 18, 201911 min
- Episode 80 – The illusion of immediacyMarch 11, 201913 min
- Episode 79 – Empty the trashMarch 4, 20197 min
- Episode 78 – The single biggest writing mistakeFebruary 25, 201912 min
- Episode 77 – Many meanings of the word briefFebruary 18, 201911 min
- Episode 76 – Why performance reviews crush moraleFebruary 11, 201911 min
- Episode 75 – A lazy man’s loadFebruary 4, 201910 min
- Episode 74 – The loss of civil discourseJanuary 28, 201912 min
- Episode 73 – Why commander’s intent drives subordinates crazyJanuary 21, 201911 min
- Episode 72 – Preparing for chance conversationsJanuary 14, 201911 min
- Episode 71 – It’s a good time to say thanksJanuary 7, 201910 min
- Episode 173– The Daily Scan (Looking back and ahead)December 28, 202016 min
- Episode 172 – FAQ: How to discourage multitasking in meetingsDecember 22, 202013 min
- Episode 171– The LineupDecember 14, 202013 min
- Episode 170 – The uneasiness of great meeting facilitationDecember 7, 202015 min
- Call Back Episode – It’s a good time to say thanksNovember 30, 202010 min
- Episode 169- Be my guest: John Borta, meeting facilitation expertNovember 23, 202033 min
- Episode 168– Losing trust foreverNovember 16, 202013 min
- Episode 167– Take 5 Quiet CardsNovember 9, 202014 min
- Call Back Episode – Being deliberateNovember 2, 20209 min
- Episode 166– The critical role of toneOctober 26, 202013 min
- Episode 165– Creating momentum after a meetingOctober 21, 202014 min
- Call Back Episode – The Uber talk testOctober 13, 202013 min
- Episode 164– My Apple Watch surpriseOctober 5, 202014 min
- Episode 163– Overcoming your fear of public speakingSeptember 28, 202014 min
- Episode 162– WIFM (what’s in it for me?)September 21, 202012 min
- Episode 161– A significant emotional eventSeptember 14, 202011 min
- Episode 160– A better way to prepareSeptember 7, 202012 min
- Call Back Episode – Tesla’s not-so-secret strategySeptember 1, 202015 min
- Episode 159– Crafting a clear problem statementAugust 24, 202014 min
- Call Back Episode – Talking yourself through adversityAugust 17, 202013 min
- Episode 158– Simple vs. complicatedAugust 10, 202014 min
- Episode 157– Too busy for people?August 3, 202014 min
- Episode 156– Creating a culture of brevityJuly 28, 202014 min
- Episode 155 – Being afraid to communicateJuly 20, 202014 min
- Episode 154– Simply pointlessJuly 13, 202013 min
- Episode 153 – Best of: Curbing a culture of meetings & Meeting agenda designJuly 6, 202028 min
- Episode 152 – Resisting the most common communication impulseJune 29, 202012 min
- Call Back Episode – Saying noJune 22, 202014 min
- Episode 150 – The struggle to find time to readJune 15, 202014 min
- Episode 149 – Best of: Facts and feelings & Loss of civil discourseJune 13, 202029 min
- Episode 148 – Is PowerPoint really to blame?June 8, 202015 min
- Episode 147 – New rules in a remote worldJune 1, 202013 min
- Episode 146 – Terrible writers need some helpMay 25, 202010 min
- Episode 145 – Admitting we were wrongMay 18, 202010 min
- Episode 144 – Four false assumptions to avoidMay 11, 202013 min
- Episode 143 – Defining what “virtual” really means nowMay 4, 202012 min
- Episode 142 – VTC’s and me: seeing is believingApril 27, 202014 min
- Episode 141 – That was too briefApril 20, 202012 min
- Episode 140 – Best of: Why is listening so hard & Asking better questionsApril 18, 202030 min
- Episode 139 – The essential qualities of great communicatorsApril 13, 202014 min
- Episode 138 – Forcing the world to pauseApril 6, 202012 min
- Episode 137 – Saying no, not nowMarch 30, 202011 min
- Episode 136 – Best of: Minister of loneliness & it takes a hurricane to get people to talkMarch 28, 202025 min
- Episode 135 – Unified messaging that heals fracture and divisionMarch 23, 202018 min
- Episode 134 – Best of: Limiting your media consumption & the promise of prognosticatorsMarch 21, 202029 min
- Episode 133 – Managing noise in a time of crisisMarch 18, 202013 min
- Episode 132 – That might be the wrong wordMarch 9, 202010 min
- Episode 131 – Storytelling as a valuable tool for teachingMarch 2, 202013 min
- Episode 130 – Creating momentum before a meetingFebruary 24, 202014 min
- Episode 129 – A semi-silent retreat debriefFebruary 17, 202012 min
- Episode 128 – Giving into message fatigueFebruary 13, 202011 min
- Episode 127 – Voicing a frustrationFebruary 3, 202014 min
- Episode 126 – NOISE Filter: Our 1st and last thought of the dayJanuary 27, 202012 min
- Call Back Episode – Quiet timeJanuary 20, 202013 min
- Call Back Episode – Tune into AM 101January 13, 202015 min
- Call Back Episode – Tune into FM 101January 6, 202014 min
- Ep. 218 – Year in reviewDecember 27, 202114 min
- Ep. 217 – What’s in a name?December 20, 202114 min
- Ep. 216 – Entrepreneurial lessonsDecember 13, 202114 min
- Ep. 215 – Silent meeting startsDecember 6, 202113 min
- Call Back Episode – Empty the trashNovember 29, 20217 min
- Ep. 214 – Thanksgiving: notes of gratitudeNovember 22, 202114 min
- Ep. 213 – The Quiet Workplace (an essay)November 14, 202115 min
- Ep. 212 – Wrap it upNovember 8, 202112 min
- Ep. 211 – Interesting or essential?November 1, 202114 min
- Ep. 210 – ScatteredOctober 25, 202114 min
- Ep. 209 – Tech timeoutsOctober 18, 202114 min
- Ep. 208 – Talk isn’t cheapOctober 11, 202113 min
- Ep. 207 – Writing a solid e-mail, part 2October 5, 202111 min
- Ep. 206 – Writing a solid e-mail, part 1September 27, 202114 min
- Ep. 205 – Misunderstandings, pt. 3September 20, 202115 min
- Call Back EP – Take 5 Quiet CardsSeptember 13, 202115 min
- Ep. 204 – Misunderstandings, pt. 2September 8, 202113 min
- Ep. 203 – MisunderstandingsAugust 30, 202113 min
- Ep. 202 – Leaving the complaining clubAugust 23, 202113 min
- Episode 201 – Creating a better, SMART BRIEF resolutionAugust 16, 202114 min
- Episode 200 – A time to celebrateAugust 10, 202114 min
- Call Back Episode – Enduring a culture of long and confusingAugust 2, 202112 min
- Call Back Episode – Quiet Time: the sweetest soundsJuly 27, 202115 min
- Call Back Episode – Hitting mute more often in your lifeJuly 19, 202117 min
- Call Back Episode – Defining what “virtual” really means nowJuly 12, 202112 min
- Call Back Episode – VTC’s and me: seeing is believingJuly 5, 202114 min
- Episode 199 – FAQ: How do I build the discipline of brevity on my own?June 28, 202113 min
- Episode 198– BRIEF Meeting Prep CardsJune 21, 202114 min
- Episode 197 – By my guest: Cameron Cruse, R.Riveter Co-FounderJune 14, 202117 min
- Episode 196 – Just three wordsJune 7, 202112 min
- Episode 195 – FAQ: Sharing the BRIEF methodMay 31, 202118 min
- Episode 194 – I’ve Gotta PeeMay 24, 202113 min
- Episode 193 – Be my guest: Hellene Garcia (Neat) on post-pandemic communicationMay 17, 202126 min
- Episode 192 – A primer on “Primer” (my new podcast)May 10, 20218 min
- Episode 191 – FAQ: Managing your mindsetMay 3, 202120 min
- Episode 190 – Speak up, or shut upApril 26, 202111 min
- Episode 189 – Be My Guest – Malachy Walsh InterviewApril 19, 202148 min
- Episode 188 – DRAFT CardsApril 12, 202115 min
- Episode 187 – FAQ: Understanding your audienceApril 5, 202115 min
- Episode 186 – A distorted viewMarch 29, 202112 min
- Episode 185 – Be my guest: Dr. Hans Breiter, Professor of PsychiatryMarch 22, 202130 min
- Episode 184 – Getting to no fasterMarch 15, 202111 min
- Episode 183 – FAQ: Being brief on the spot, away from workMarch 8, 202114 min
- Episode 182 – Stepping away for a minute (from digital devices)March 1, 202114 min
- Episode 181 – The big momentFebruary 22, 202113 min
- Episode 180 – FAQ: Better headlines build a bridgeFebruary 15, 202116 min
- Episode 179 – Daily headlines: 1st and last thought of the dayFebruary 8, 202113 min
- Episode 178 – Be my guest: Aaron Weber, ComedianFebruary 1, 202127 min
- Episode 177 – The morass of time managementJanuary 25, 202112 min
- Episode 176 – FAQ: Tackling the issue of quiet timeJanuary 18, 202121 min
- Episode 175– Phone callsJanuary 11, 202112 min
- Episode 174 – Be my guest: Simon Bureau on culture and communicationsJanuary 4, 202123 min
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- Ep. 267 – A year in review and one aheadJanuary 2, 202311 min
- Ep. 266 – Why am I waiting for an empowered conversation?December 26, 202214 min
- Ep. 265 – How do you know if you’re clear and concise?December 19, 202215 min
- Ep. 264 – Finding my quiet spaceDecember 12, 202214 min
- Ep. 263 – Meetings redesigned and redefinedDecember 5, 202215 min
- Ep. 262 – The ABC’s of AcronymsNovember 28, 202214 min
- Call back Episode – Episode 214 Thanksgiving: notes of gratitudeNovember 21, 202214 min
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- Ep. 257 – When your bland point needs sharpeningOctober 17, 202214 min
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- Ep. 251 – Writing quips & tipsSeptember 5, 202215 min
- Ep. 250 – Give me a sign (do not disturb)August 29, 202214 min
- Ep. 249 – One minute of quiet, please!August 22, 202215 min
- Ep. 248 – One vs many (things to think, say and do)August 15, 202215 min
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- Ep. 245 – When your answers aren’t good enoughJuly 25, 202214 min
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- Ep. 243 – When is more enough?July 11, 202212 min
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- Call back Episode – NOISE Filter: Our 1st and last thought of the dayJune 13, 202212 min
- Ep. 239 – Mental theftJune 6, 202215 min
- Ep. 238 – Quiet Works: new mission and mottoMay 29, 202215 min
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- Ep. 235 – Is brevity a better way to influence?May 9, 202215 min
- Ep. 234 – Noise management: No screens neededMay 2, 202215 min
- Ep. 233 – Stuck in a bad conversationApril 25, 202213 min
- Ep. 232 – What if your boss isn’t brief?April 18, 202215 min
- Ep. 231 – Making the most with offsite meetingsApril 11, 202215 min
- Ep. 230 – Permission to pauseApril 4, 202215 min
- Ep. 229 – Meeting attendee bill of rightsMarch 28, 202212 min
- Ep. 228 – Resisting the temptation to check your smartphoneMarch 21, 202215 min
- Ep. 227 – Clarity at work (in times of crisis, chaos and change)March 14, 202214 min
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- Ep. 224 – Lessons in transition (part 3)February 7, 202212 min
- Ep. 223 – Lessons in transition (part 2)January 31, 202215 min
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- Ep. 220 – Breaking bad teaching (part 2)January 10, 202213 min
- Ep. 219 – Breaking bad teaching (part 1)January 3, 202215 min
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