Are you too busy to read that 500 page business book? Well, we have loaded the shelves here with good meaty articles that provide tips, insight, inspiration and lots of thoughts to chew on. Most of these articles are written by Synapse experts and you can have them come and speak at your next event - just check out their pages here or contact us for more information.
Super Productivity for Time, Attention and Energy - It seems in all roles we have many of us are skilled at racing from urgent task to urgent task as we juggle competing demands flying at us from all directions.
Make Your Conference Attendance Productive - Throughout our careers we are all required to attend conferences, industry meetings, retreats, strategic off-site meetings. These events are all called different names but the idea is the same – you need to be away from your home or office for a period of time.
Productivity: How to Get Through Airport Security - My business takes me across the US and beyond most weeks and a regular part of every week is getting through the airport security line. Here are a few tips to help you make your time waiting more productive:
How to Host a Productive Business Lunch - Although I wasn’t a huge fan of lunch meetings because so much time can be wasted,
it surprises me how so much business is still conducted at these types of meetings.
How to Be Productive During the Summer - The summer... a time to relax, kick back, enjoy the weather, the kids are off
school and yet business still needs to continue!
Party of One - Is it really a party if you are eating alone? I don’t see why restaurants have to rub it in when you come in by yourself.
Lesson's From Mr. Rogers - Shows like Rugrats and Sponge Bob Square Pants have taken the place of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood, but the lessons learned while watching this gentle man will be with me forever.
Making Time for Friendship - There I sat at my girlfriend’s 40th birthday party, amazed by the number of people who had come to help her celebrate. I leaned over and whispered to my husband, “If I had a party like this, who would come?” He started laughing.
Yikes! I Just Landed an Interview. Now What? - Television interviews are, by far, the trickiest of all press encounters but they can also be the most rewarding in terms of your public relations efforts. Welcome the opportunity to appear on TV, and be prepared. By remembering a few rules and practicing, anyone can look and sound big on the little screen.
Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is? - The agenda states an end time of 2:00 pm, and yet it is 2:10 and the guy is still droning on with only 52 more slides to go in his presentation!
You Can't See Their Eyes Roll - When you are presenting in person, you can constantly monitor your audience for engagement. Are they with me? Do they disagree with the plan I am presenting? Do they understand what I am talking about?
How to Improve Your Reading Speed - There are a number of ways by which to improve your reading speed. One of the simplest methods is knowing how to skim the content before you actually read it. It is always a good idea for you to speed read for the main themes in any text or work of non-fiction.
Quit Putting People to Sleep! Part 1 - John Stewart’s “The Daily Show” is considered one of the top cable news programs today. Audiences want more than information—they want to be entertained as they are informed. Our media delivery has changed over time, but our corporate presentation styles have somehow been frozen in the dark ages—which could explain why most presentations begin with someone darkening the room and warning their audiences that they have 87 slides to get through in the next 15 minutes!
What Does it Take to Launch a New Venture? - We all know a few 'born entrepreneurs' - those special individuals who are always bubbling with energy and ideas. Those people who have a knack for getting others to jump on board and support their ideas. What makes a truly great leader?
The Art of Differentiation - There is a great deal of talk about ‘differentiation’ these days. But what is differentiation? How do you create products and services that are truly innovative? And how do you go about communicating the unique aspects of your business to consumers?
The 12 Keys to Teamwork - Everyone wants to work for a winning team. Winning is more fun than losing... Work is more satisfying... And high performing teams are safe places to be. Everyone gets paid more and gets more pleasure out of their job.
Strategic Planning 101 - A new year often sparks us to reflect on the past, make changes and plan for the future. But walking through that process might appear daunting. Although strategic planning can seem like a complex and overwhelming subject to tackle, it doesn’t have to be complicated and every business (large or small) should engage in it.
Putting it all Together - BALANCE. What a powerful word! And one that eludes most of us on a day-to-day basis. A huge challenge for entrepreneurs is driving their company forward while not driving themselves insane. There are several key things to remember that help bring balance to your life:
Planning With a Purpose - Most businesses spend an inordinate amount of time and money on planning. But how do you create a business plan that translates into action? How do you achieve the results you target? How can you build accountability into your organization? What does it take to give your planning a purpose?
The Dreaded Financial Management Lecture! - All leaders need assistance and advice when handling money, but expecting someone else to actually manage your financial outlook for you is asking for trouble. These simple tips will help you develop a sound fiscal management system for your organization that will balance time constraints with your need to understand your complete financial picture.
Closure Crisis - We’ve all been there… You’ve got a project on the table and things are moving along nicely. You made a plan, gathered materials, conducted research, created rough-drafts, reviewed a myriad of options with your team - you’re almost there! But, then things bog down.
Avoiding Bad Customers - Everyone can think of a few nightmare customers they’ve had to deal with. If you watch for early warning signs, you can often identify problems before they ever get the chance to hire you or do business with your company.
Authentic Leadership - Most guides to entrepreneurship focus a great deal on basic business skills. Can you handle money? Can you manage people? What products will you make? How will you sell them?
Make it Sizzle - “Sizzle” is anything that makes a presentation interesting or memorable. Sizzle can be interaction or a fantastic story that ties into the point being made. Sizzle can be a cool demo that engages and peaks interest. Without “Sizzle” your presentation is just another 30 or 40 minutes in the sea of 1,000 hours of FIZZLE!
Can You Spot a Coaching Myth? - Many people believe that coaching is about putting wrong things right. They would contend that it's a sorry state of affairs if the organization needs hordes of coaches roaming round solving everyone's problems. If coaching is required then it should be a quick fix and when it's done the coaches should go back and get on with some proper work.
Visiting the Graves of Strangers - My eyes began to burn as the tears came welling up unexpectedly. Who was this young man wiping down the marble headstone that moved me to tears?
A Trip in the Wayback Machine - Do you remember Peabody and Sherman? This was a cartoon series in the late 1950's, early 60's, about a scholarly, time-travelling dog and his pet boy, Sherman
Frivolous and Impractical: Quieting that Fearful Inner-Voice - I am meeting some girl friends for lunch at a little cafe later this afternoon and I am dressed as if I were stepping onto the runway of a New York City fashion show. I am wearing a simple red sweater with a black skirt, but the shoes I have on...they are an old flame. A love from my past.
Quit Putting People to Sleep! Part 2 - In the last article, we learned that reading from slides, speaking in a monotone voice, and cramming slides with information are just a few of the Presentation Killers committed my millions every day in corporate America. Here’s the second half of the Top 10 WORST Things Presenter Do:
