The 7 Deadly Sins of Speaking

Avoid these at all cost.

Julian Treasure held the 6th most popular TED Talk of all time, “How to speak so that people want to listen”. Two weeks ago on my podcast ‘Speak Like a CEO’, he shared ‘The 7 Deadly Sins of Speaking’.

I often write about how you can communicate like the top 1% of CEOs. But Julian reminded me that it is equally important to avoid these 7 traits:

#1 Gossip

Spreading unverified information about others is not a great look for a leader. It damages trust and respect.

#2 Judgmentalism

Leaders refrain from being judgy. For our own sake, we should strive to be open-minded and non-judgmental.

#3 Negativity

Focusing on the downsides of everything sucks the energy out of every situation.

#4 Complaining

Instead of dwelling on problems, seek solutions and address issues constructively.

#5 Exaggeration

Exaggerating facts or embellishing stories can erode trust and credibility.

#6 Excuses

Making excuses for one's actions or avoiding responsibility hinders personal growth and teamwork.

#7 Dogmatism

Being dogmatic means holding rigid and inflexible beliefs without considering alternative perspectives.

While I am a positive person and take responsibility for my stuff, I have to admit that avoiding #2 isn’t always easy for me. Upon writing this, I decided to go on a “zero judgment diet” for the next two weeks to break this habit and to grow as a person and leader.

Is there any point on the list that you would like to tackle? If so, why not commit yourself to avoiding it for just one week?

Three Ways I Can Help You

Whenever you are ready, here are three things I can help you achieve so you can communicate like the world's top CEOs:

1. Speak Like a CEO: Leadership communications with impact
2. Become Unignorable: The proven way to becoming a thought leader
3. Build a Message Machine: Turn your company into an agile communications machine

Book your free clarity call for 1:1 coaching with me here​.​

Creating an Innovation Society

A society of innovators makes the world a better place. That’s according to David Rhotert, the CEO and founder of Companisto.

Companisto has pioneered digital angel investing at scale. They have already facilitated the investment of over 150 million Euros in startups.

David and his team have achieved this by building a tech company and at the same time establishing one of the largest networks of Angel investors anywhere in the world.

We talk about how they created a community of 150,000, how they managed to get a law changed to make digital angel investing possible, and about his mission to bring about an “innovation society”.

David also shares how as a young guy he built the country’s largest party network, and how anger can be channeled into positive energy.

Listen on Spotify and Apple:

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Ten Books to Become a Master Communicator

Rather than highlight just one book this week, I wanted to share something a little more comprehensive – my 10 Best Books to Master Communication Skills (out of hundreds I’ve read).

Whether you're fundraising, looking to get ahead at work, or build deeper personal connections, impactful communication is the must-have skill of 2024. That's why I put together this LinkedIn post outlining my top go-to books on the subject, spanning persuasive speeches to active listening techniques. There are insightful books for extroverts and introverts alike on becoming a truly skilled communicator. Check out the full list here.

Have a great weekend!

Best,

Oliver

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