Alan Weiss's The Uncomfortable Truth®

Learn how I’ve been banned from Linkedin, though not why, because none of us knows why. Consider what might happen to you—with your business, a special event, your reputation—when these aloof, powerful social media platforms simply use stupid algorithms and poorly trained people. Social media are really public utilities at this point and, as much as I’m not a fan of big government control, I do th...

Macroaggressions should be pretty obvious, but even they are often ignored because they are too common. I’ve been involved in shining a light on them for some clients. “Micro” means small and often “unimportant.” So what are “microaggressions”? Well, it certainly is rude to ask an Asian student you don’t know to help with your math homework, which is based on a stereotype. It’s equally rude to ask...

It’s seldom that you can receive uncomplicated answers about the economy and the impact of these turbulent times. Ask five “experts” and you’ll get seven opinions. So I was overjoyed that Lee Duckworth and Larry Dooley from Capital Wealth Management were able to join me and respond to questions about unemployment, bank failures, the Fed’s actions, the TINA principle, and the TARA principle. (I had...

We are largely in conflict with ourselves. This is assured to be destructive to everyone. One person complains that their sixth grader saw the great art work, The David, complete with genitalia, of course, and the teacher is fired. A solitary coach praying on a football field after a game, win or lose, is voluntarily joined by some players and a few parents feel that this is a tectonic issue of ch...

I’ve known Suzanne for about 20 years. She is the relatively rare example of the founder of a boutique firm who successfully built up its valuation, decided to sell, found the right time to sell, overcame the interruption of the pandemic, and closed with an international buyer. Her journey is a huge example of talent, success, and plain grit. Originating in the media business as a news anchor, she...

Why is it that I trust the doctor when he simply says, “You look healthy, don’t worry, you’re not sick”? The first 90 seconds of your speech will determine how closely people pay attention to you. Not if they pay attention, but to what degree. It’s the difference between them taking notes and asking questions on the one hand, and checking their email under the table on the other. That applies to w...

Steven and I have known each other for over a decade. He’s an expert on a widely-studied field—teams—and a field not studied enough—honesty. In this conversation he explains about fear being the cause of a lack of honesty. He explains the novel notion that “It’s not what we say, but what we don't say.” Steven does believe that honesty is making a comeback, contrary to what many people may think. W...

In dealing with a global community of thousands—and hundreds of thousands who have read my books—I’m able to keep my finger on the pulse of the profession and its clients. I’m sharing in this podcast some of the repetitive discussions and challenges that are extant internationally. For example, “remote” now rules. It’s often the default interaction, and often represents more value, not less. (A hu...

Connie is a former anchor on two major networks. She has moved from broadcasting to coaching, consulting, and speaking with remarkable ease. She’s created her own psychometric testing instrument, and has clients on six continents. I’ve had the pleasure of working with her for many years, and her innovation about, and intelligence in, leadership and executive presence is creating state-of-the art i...

Well, is this a further step in the dehumanization of civilization, or a Jonestown Kool Aid romp, or another Y2K flop? When you put a variety of documents or fictional passages through the system, I find they are seldom improved and often seriously injured. In some cases, such as in instructions or directions, I think there is huge potential. But I examine in this podcast the downsides of people j...

I’ve been staying at the Lotte Palace Hotel in New York City since it was solely “The Palace” and run by the legendary Leona Helmsley. It’s ideally situated on Madison Avenue between 50th and 51st, right across from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and in easy walking distance to all Broadway plays and only about 300 good restaurants. Becky Hubbard has been the general manager for a dozen years amidst her...

I recall walking out of a church in the twilight in San Diego and thinking it was horrible that store owners and residents had left their garbage on the sidewalks. As I came closer I realized these were homeless people who were being stepped over by pedestrians. There are almost 600,000 homeless people in the US according to 2022 statistics, and about 20 percent of them in California alone. They f...

I became aware of Jonah Berger after reading his books Invisible Influence and Contagious (and later, The Catalyst). Somewhat ironically, he was and is a distinguished professor at the Wharton School where my very first book in 1988, The Innovation Formula, was on the curriculum. (He may not have been born then!) His current book, Magic Words: what to say to get your way, is fascinating. Jonah spo...

You can’t help people who don’t want to be helped. That includes those who just want to be validated without making changes. That includes those who say, “Here’s how to coach me.” Coaching is for short-term improvement in skills, behaviors, and mental set (emotions) that are manifest and repeatable. Longer-term help is advising (sounding board) and reactive rather than proactive. Codependency is e...

Lou has been speaking professionally for over 40 years, during which he also logged time as a newscaster and talk show host. He and I met in the late 80s, and he was instrumental in helping my career, as well as many others. He’s known as one of the very funniest people in the profession, and we speak herein about the changing times, changing audiences, differing expectations of buyers, and adjust...

We often think of sustainability as having to do with the environment: food, clean air, power generation, and so forth. But a different kind of sustainability is, perhaps, even more important: human respect and ethical treatment. The restaurant NOMA has announced a closing in 2024. It has been rated the “best in the world” (if there is such a thing) and is ineligible for further nominations. But t...

Gene and I lived in adjoining towns in New Jersey but met here in Rhode Island decades ago. (He calls our origins “the old country.”) He’s won a ton of awards for local and national reporting, including being one of the first reporters inside the perimeter after 9/11 and covering Papal visits, presidential elections, and moderating election debates at state level. We talk here about the future of...

What Herb Kelleher had brilliantly created has come apart at the seams. The aerodynamics of the company don’t work anymore. But, what do you expect from a CEO who’s making a paltry $3 million? Would you believe that Southwest crew members have to get their scheduling assignments over an antiquated phone system that has an eight-hour wait? I am not making that up unless the Wall Street Journal is l...

I met Willie Jolly about 30 years ago at a meeting of the National Speakers Association. We were both new to the organization and he was a great “force” with a gorgeous singing voice, as well. We kept in touch over the years and he and Dee and Maria and I became good friends. What impressed me most about Willie was, and is, his insatiable positive attitude, and his commitment to helping youth. We...

Ironically, in these very liberal times we’re experiencing the greatest restrictions on free speech I can remember: in the media, on social media, in schools, in workplaces. It’s like Animal Farm, you have to read what’s on the barn wall this morning and what’s been removed from it. We distort meaning in order not to offend an issue that’s not really offensive. We talk of “micro-aggressions” which...

I first “met” Noah a couple of years ago when he asked to interview me on one of his podcasts. I wasn’t familiar with him but he was very personable and I liked his interview style. The session went extremely well. And the next day my numbers blew up on social media. Turns out that Noah Kagan has a kijillion followers, some of whom are on other planets, that’s how extensive his “reach” is. He’s be...

Here are my suggestions for fixing our public schools so that every student is respected, educated, and supported. 1. Stop electing amateurs to school boards who merely use it as a stepping stone. Appoint people using objective criteria to determine expertise. 2. Anyone with children in the private schools instead of public is ineligible. 3. Spread vouchers and increase charter schools. 4. End uni...

Are the community newspapers doomed to extinction? Are the major newspapers truly objective or biased in their reporting? Are we really talking about “news” and not “newspapers” because the latter are past “the point of no return”? I met Clark Hoyt through our greatly respected mutual friend, Dr. William Winter, the former president of the American Press Institute (a client of mine for 20 years)....

Do you treat others as you would like to be treated? That’s not merely a Biblical injunction, it’s an ethical position. Yet we tend to treat others harshly, sometimes cruelly, and even evilly. I believe in pure evil. I’ve seen too much of it not to believe in it. Solipsism in the belief that only ourself is “real,” and that anything beyond our own mind is problematic and uncertain. We see this in...

Fripp and I met 20 years or so ago at the National Speakers Association (the “NSA” she refers to in her comments). She was in their Hall of Fame a decade before I was (that’s the “CPAE” designation she cites). She is a legendary speaker and speaking coach, and the only thing she has more of than awards in her closet are hats. She is an insatiable learner, and studies body movement, acting, screenw...