Connectors Connect on Common Ground
Chapter 6 Synopsis Connectors Connect on Common Ground If I had to pick a first rule of communication—the one practice above all others that opens the door to connection with others—it would be to look for common ground. That rule applies whether you’re resolving conflict with your spouse, teaching a child, negotiating a deal, selling a…
Read MoreConnecting Is More Skill than Natural Talent
“When I get ready to talk to people, I spend two thirds of the time thinking what they want to hear and one third thinking about what I want to say.” ~ Attributed to Abraham Lincoln Seldom do we consider ourselves to be boring or out of touch as communicators, yet oftentimes that’s exactly what…
Read MoreConnecting Always Requires Energy
Chapter 4 Synopsis Connecting Always Requires Energy When I was working on my bachelor’s degree, I took a speech class. More than forty years later, I can truly say that learning how to speak to an audience has been foundational to my journey through life as well as to my growth as a speaker. It…
Read MoreConnecting Goes Beyond Words
Chapter 3 Synopsis Connecting Goes Beyond Words People watch a reality show on television where two equally talented people sing the same song. One of them gives the audience goose bumps; the other one leaves everybody cold. Why is that? Two professors at a university teach the same class at the same time using the…
Read MoreConnecting is all about others.
Chapter 2 Synopsis Connecting Is All About Others When I began my career as a minister, I was not about others. When I counseled people who were experiencing difficulties, my attitude was, “Hurry up and finish telling me your problem so I can give you my solution.” When I was leading any kind of initiative,…
Read MoreConnecting increases your influence in every situation
Chapter One Synopsis Connecting Increases Your Influence in Every Situation Maybe there was a time when people could succeed in life without communicating effectively with others. I tend to doubt it, but if so, that time has passed. It’s not enough to just work hard. It’s not enough to do a great job. To be…
Read MoreEveryone Communicates, Few Connect – Coming soon!
Can you believe it’s almost the end of August? This week I’m in San Diego, using the break between speaking engagements to work on ideas and outlines for my book for 2011. And of course, NEXT week is the launch of the interactive writing experience for my 2010 book. News to you? Then be sure…
Read MoreToday's Daily Reader: Put others first
Today’s blog post is an excerpt from The Maxwell Daily Reader. I loved compiling this book, with the goal of offering the reader one leadership principle per day for an entire year. Each one-page entry is drawn from one of my earlier (pre-2007) books, and is designed to be put into practice right after reading.…
Read MoreValue-added Links
Getting ready to help me with my book? Only two weeks until the first chapter goes up right here on this blog. If you follow me on Twitter, you probably saw my posts about opportunities to view my teaching on TV and online last week. But trust me: I, of all people, understand anyone’s reluctance…
Read MoreWhat do YOU think I need to say about communication?
Are you ready to help me make my next book better? Thank you again for all the suggestions you made about future books you’d like to see me write. In two recent posts I addressed a few of the ideas that I received from you and pointed out the books I’ve already written that answer…
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