Just Saying - The BRIEF Lab

Is active listening one of your superpowers? Do you bail when you are in conversations that don’t interest or connect with you? Are some people easy for you to tune out? Are you easily distracted in conversations? Fundamentally, listening is a choice, not a feeling. And it stands as one of the skills that sets professionals apart. The post Ep. 405 – The things we hear (aren’t always right) appeare...

Getting to the root cause is something many people struggle with when they communicate. They spend inordinate amounts of time talking about symptoms, not the underlying condition. In this episode, I share some practical perspectives and a simple mind mapping tool that will help frame the core issue and help you avoid talking endlessly around it. The post Ep. 404 – What’s the problem? appeared firs...

Every leader is going to get tossed a tough question. The question is whether you’ll be ready to respond with clarity, courage and conviction, or fumble with a long and careless response. In this episode, I will get you ready to field a host of hot topics in a way that makes you communicate like a pro. The post Ep. 403 – Answering tough questions appeared first on Just Saying .

A colleague of mine, Grace Foster, wrote an insightful article for Forbes magazine this summer about the value of English majors in an age of AI. Specifically, she shares the value of “close reading” as a skill that we all should have: slow down, be critical, and understand how to turn good writing into something great. In this episode, I share her perspectives and mine to make this one of your co...

There’s a risk of letting AI tools communicate for you. In the business world, it’s being referred to as “AI slop” and leaders are increasingly concerned that their people are succumbing to the allure and ease of AI doing the thinking and communicating for them. This week, I suggest assuming a critical role as editor-in-chief to ensure that your hard, deliberate work of revision will translate int...

As communicators, where do we fit in a world that is being transformed by artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies? Will the technology race beyond the need for our insight and input? Do we factor in at all? In this episode, I propose a humanity-first philosophy and announce the development of BriefBot AI , a digital brevity and clarity companion to help maintain our role as primary com...

The acronym K.I.S.S challenges us to “keep it simple, stupid.” The problem with that infamous adage is that nobody wants to look stupid, so they avoid simplifying complexity. This week, I discuss why people are so afraid of not looking super smart and the risks they run when they fail to make things easier to understand. The post Ep. 399 – The Fear of Dumbing it Down appeared first on Just Saying...

A BRIEF Map is a powerful communication tool. The acronym spells it out clearly: background; relevance; information; ending; follow-up. In this episode, I give you the “permission” to modify the R to mean risk. By highlighting related risks, you can help your audience understand quickly why they need to make a decision vs sitting on the fence. The post Ep. 398 – Changing the “R” in a BRIEF Map app...

There’s a strong, hidden connection between comedy and clarity. When communicating, there’s a fundamental difference between your point (the “what”) and the payoff (the “so what”). The intentional structure and sequence of clarity needs to take a critical cue from joke telling: start strong, and always end with a laugh. The post Ep. 397 – The Point isn’t the Punchline appeared first on Just Saying...

The best presentation is always a conversation. It should never fall flat because of a lame format or feel like a performance where people clap at the end. In this episode, I provide six different ways to mix up your approach without fearing you will mess it up. With more options, you will confidently handle presentations, so they always have power and a point. The post Ep. 396 – Six PowerPoint Pr...

Imagine being in a conversation that is clearly one-sided and you feel the irresistible inclination to interrupt them so you can say something. Though this may even be justifiable, it hurts people when we cut them off mid-sentence. In this week’s episode, I give some practical advice to handle these tempting moments with patience and presence. The post Ep. 395 – Let people talk (stop finishing the...

It’s easy for people to talk badly about others when they aren’t there. Though nobody likes a gossip, many of us like to gossip. In this episode, I propose doing the opposite and speaking well of people that aren’t present to counter this negative urge. The post Ep. 394 – Be a gossip for good appeared first on Just Saying .

If AI does the hard work for us, will it kill the development of our professional identity? A recent article in Harvard Business Review (“AI is changing how we learn at work”) got me thinking that there are some real risks to keep in mind. The post Ep. 393 – Is your identity at risk with AI? appeared first on Just Saying .

It’s tough to be direct. Being a clear and concise communicator hinges on your ability to start strong and never bury your lead. Speaking in headlines, can ensure that your bottom line up front (BLUF) never sinks to the bottom line at the bottom (BLAB). The post Ep. 392 – Say the most important thing first appeared first on Just Saying .

We all face moments where we need to teach, brief, or explain topics that are dry, technical, tedious or simply boring. In this episode, I lay out several simple tactics to breathe life into a dying subject to be sure something always gets through. The post Ep. 391 – How to make a boring topic interesting appeared first on Just Saying .

Stop trying to convince people they have issues, challenges and problems. It doesn’t work. What’s more effective is a principle of quiet influence based on gaining their permission to discuss and illuminate areas for improvement. They can then make what I call “the admission” by willingly and deliberately admitting what needs to be fixed. The post Ep. 390 – Getting people to admit they have a prob...

There’s a tendency for communicators to bury listeners in a mound of context. By spending too much time setting up the story, an audience can get lost before the storyline even starts. Though background information can be essential, we can never grow too fond of context that they lose interest. The post Ep. 389 – Why you need to avoid context camping appeared first on Just Saying .

What’s your method to prepare before you speak? Most people don’t have one and are left thinking while they’re talking. We feel the pain as they struggle to get to the point. In this episode, I propose a five-step approach called S.P.E.A.R. which may help you sharpen the point you want to make way before you try to make it. The post Ep. 388 – SPEAR: a new verbal method to sharpen your point appear...

Getting away as a team is often critical, but that time is often squandered. In this episode, I provide six different considerations to help you get more out of your time away. It’s more than picking a fancy destination, but planning the duration, desired outcome and agenda for maximum effect. The post Ep. 387 – Reimagining your next offsite appeared first on Just Saying .

In marketing, word-of-mouth testimonials are among of the most effective ways to promote a product or service. For professionals, having people on your side is always valuable. In this episode, I encourage you to take the first step by doing something positive for someone else. Perhaps, down the road many of these people will reciprocate and come to your aid as your personal advocate. The post Ep....

The most interesting people have a unique ability to be much more interested in those around them. In this episode, I explore the possibility of making the choice to be more curious and focus on those around you. By not making it about you, ironically you stand apart. The world needs more interesting people like that. The post Ep. 385 – It’s better to be interested than interesting appeared first...

While watching a sports interview with a Hall of Fame NFL quarterback, I learned a powerful lesson: loneliness leads to mastery. It takes dedicated time alone to achieve greatness. And hard work on the field with others means taking time in solitude to get ready to perform at a high level. The post Ep. 384 – The Loneliness of Excellence appeared first on Just Saying .

You can’t create the next big idea in a sea of chaotic collaboration. Innovation can be deliberately accelerated by giving small teams time together to brainstorm and sufficient time alone to think, plan and prepare. In this episode, I provide a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach to host a one-day team experience as a catalyst for innovation. The post Ep. 383 – Jumpstarting Innovation in a Single Day a...

Have you ever been stuck in a conversation that was going nowhere? Feeling helpless, what could you do to avoid the dead-end direction? Unfortunately, this happens frequently to us both inside and outside work. This week, I outline three “U-turn” tactics to get the conversation back on course. The post Ep. 382 – Pulling a U-turn in a Conversation appeared first on Just Saying .

In meetings, it’s easy to run out of time. Participants rarely allocate sufficient time to summarize what’s been discussed and assign action items with any time to spare. In this episode, I provide a few practical ways for meeting leaders to think and act with the ending in mind.   The post Ep. 381 – Having the meeting end(ing) in mind appeared first on Just Saying .