Conversations are effective, when messages are delivered, without LOAD.  LOAD is defined as the baggage we bring to conversations, including unwarranted assumptions and previous experience.  In business, we often fail to have conversations which are needed.  We need to remember that there is power in each conversation to take us toward or away from our [...]

I'm always telling my clients, don't wait for your turn to talk, when someone is talking; listen instead.  Then, they'll really know how to respond.  That's just great advice from the teacher. However, this teacher often doesn't follow his own advice.  And, I need to put a piece of ducktape over my mouth. When we're [...]

We oftent internalize, "I don't deserve it!," when good things happen to us.  This attitude comes from a general feeling of unworthiness; which, sadly, starts in our childhood. Our parents  and the tenents of our religious traditions tell us we are basically "bad" and will never measure up.  As we move to adulthood, these feeling [...]

Realize that you can be an Extraordinary Communicator.  Whatever the limitations you believe your background has placed on you are only in your mind.  You can learn the skills and techniques of Extraordinary Communication quite easily.   By skipping the problems you think you have is the first step.  Then you are free to discover what's really [...]

Join Garrett for his engaging seminar, FINDING THE NINJA WITHIN, which will be presented at the Lee's Summit Chamber's Recess for Success series, on July 9, 2013, at the Manhattan  Room of the John Knox Village, from 3:30 - 4:30pm. Learn to get others to listen to you, take you seriously and take the action [...]

Our culture tells us to always be thinking about what we're going to say, next.  When we do that, we can't be listening to the people we're talking with.  And, when we don't listen, we don't hear what they are saying.  When we don't hear what they're saying, our responses don't make sense.  Then the [...]

Most of us have too much to say, because we think our listeners need a whole lot more information than they actually do to make decisions.  In reality, the points we're trying to get across can get lost in the details, because there is an information overload competing for attention.  Please remember, each listener is already [...]

Our culture tells us, constantly, that public speaking is hard, because it's US against THEM.  We're also told the THEY don't want to hear what we have to say.  I suggest that you look at public speaking in a different way...as a conversation with more than one person at the same time.  And, if you'll [...]

For the many years I've been in business, the most often heard question is, "How do you handle the situation, when you're asked to speak on a subject, at the last minute and you had no time to prepare?"  My answer is always the same: TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW AND THE WORDS WILL COME.  [...]