This week in the world’s #1 newsletter on leadership communication:
- 8 Outdated Communication Tips That Are Holding You Back
- The Psychology of Persuasion in the Age of Algorithms
- How to Change What's Not Working
8 Outdated Communication Tips That Are Holding You Back
You've heard them all before: "Just act natural," "Tell them what you are going to tell them..."
But these outdated myths are holding you back.
There is some truly terrible advice out there on LinkedIn and beyond that can hurt your career and credibility.
Tips that might have worked decades ago, but backfire today.
It's time to set the record straight. Here’s some of the worst advice out there:
#1: "Speak Slower"
True – back in the days when speakers addressed for large crowds without mics. Now, it leads to "word starvation."
Instead, vary your speed for emphasis and energy. The best communicators have range.
#2: "Tell them what you're going to tell them..."
.. then tell them, then tell them what you told them.
Yawn.
This clunky, repetitive structure bores modern audiences. Weave your message into your presentation naturally.
#3: "Use a Teleprompter"
Teleprompters kill credibility and connection. Audiences know you're reading.
Instead, use a strong structure to remember your content and become a Level 3 Speaker.
#4: "The Feedback Sandwich"
Positive-negative-positive? People see right through it and feel manipulated. This creates reactance.
Be honest and human in your feedback.
#5: "Just Act Natural"
Public speaking is not natural. Hence "act natural" is useless advice.
Build confidence through practice and feedback.
#6: "Fake it til you make it"
Two problems: One, your brain knows you are lying to yourself which makes it worse. And two, the people who run stuff see right through it.
It is better to be honest where you are in your journey.
Communication is a skill set. Face it and ace it.
#7: "Just Put in the Reps"
Aim for 100 iterations, not 10,000 hours.
If doing the same thing over and over again would lead to progress, everyone would be a great communicator.
We need guidance and feedback to improve.
#8: "Use ChatGPT for that"
ChatGPT is great – but when it comes to writing it gives you the bad average of the internet.
I have created killer Custom GPTs for myself and the Speak Like a CEO Academy that write like me and have a deep understanding of communications.
These turn an unguided missile into a precision instrument.
The upshot: Communication is a cutting-edge skill set that constantly evolves. Don't let outdated advice sabotage your career.
PODCAST
The Psychology of Persuasion in the Age of Algorithms
I do a podcast to help you become a top 1% communicator. You should subscribe.
In a world where algorithms know more about us than our closest friends, Dr. Sandra Matz is on a mission to uncover the psychology behind our digital footprints.
Sandra (who like me grew up in small town Germany) is a professor at Columbia Business School and author of Mindmasters. She explains how AI can “read” our personalities, values, and mental health through the data we generate daily.
Drawing from her groundbreaking research in computational social science and psychology, Sandra shows how the Big Five personality traits can be inferred with stunning accuracy using digital behavior – like your Google searches or credit card spending.
We discuss how leaders can use personalized persuasion (and if it is ethical to do so), what the future of digital marketing looks like, and how we can protect ourselves from digital intrusion.
Her work with brands and her experience helping expose the truth behind Cambridge Analytica offer rare credibility in a field filled with speculation.
Find the the full episode here:
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
How to Change What's Not Working
Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.
The problem is, if the results suck, how do you change the system? It's hard enough to change yourself, but if you have to change an organization, that’s even tougher.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Dan Heath, (“Made to Stick”) is back with his timely new book "Reset" that shows us how we can change what's not working in an organization.
Here’s the core framework he unpacks in his book: To make things happen, you should Find Leverage Points and then Restack Resources to push on these points.
Four insights that stuck with me:
- Consider the goal of the goal. We are often fixated on a specific outcome without identifying alternative pathways to our ultimate destination that may be way easier.
- Target the constraint. There's an infinite number of things we could do, but what we should do is focus on the number one force that is holding us back.
- Start with a burst. Once you identify your leverage points, begin with an intense and focused period of work.
- Do less and more. He shows how businesses often under-coddle their best customers and over-coddle their worst.
It’s an entertaining, quick read for the weekend that is packed with valuable insights for moving an organization from dysfunction to dream outcome.
Have an inspired weekend!
Best,
Oliver
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