Just Saying - The BRIEF Lab

What is work going to look like post-pandemic? Charley sits down with Hellene Garcia from Neat , a company dedicated to providing advanced Zoom collaboration. The duo discusses hybrid work, finding work-life balance, and rebalancing communication in a post-pandemic world. The post Episode 193 – Be my guest: Hellene Garcia (Neat) on post-pandemic communication appeared first on Just Saying .

“Primer” is my newly released podcast that provides brief summaries to get you primed on a variety of subjects that matter personally to me. In each episode, I give my own quick take on people, books, events, issues, arts & entertainment, etc. More information can be found at www.personalprimer.com . The post Episode 192 – A primer on “Primer” (my new podcast) appeared first on Just Saying .

Our mindset affects how we use our attention. In this episode, Charley answers questions about how to develop mindsets that help us positively frame situations and turn obstacles into opportunities. The post Episode 191 – FAQ: Managing your mindset appeared first on Just Saying .

To be a better communicator, you need to know when it’s time to speak up and when it’s time to shut up. In this episode, I provide some counsel on how to be much more aware when it’s time to throttle up or throttle down. The post Episode 190 – Speak up, or shut up appeared first on Just Saying .

Charley sits down with Malachy Walsh, author of Socratic Scribbling. Malachy spent some 25 years at J. Walter Thompson working directly with some of the world’s favorite brands. His new book reveals how he was able to leave his mark in advertising, namely through classical rhetoric and a deep appreciation of the Great Books. The post Episode 189 – Be My Guest – Malachy Walsh Interview appear...

In this episode, I dive deeper into knowing your audience by sharing a proprietary tool we have developed to help you define who they are and how you want to engage them in much more concrete, realistic terms.   Download the DRAFT Card here: https://thebrieflab.com/tools/ The post Episode 188 – DRAFT Cards appeared first on Just Saying .

What do you do when you have a mixed audience and everyone needs different info?  Charley fields this question and several others on one of the most foundational communications skills: knowing who you are talking to.   The post Episode 187 – FAQ: Understanding your audience appeared first on Just Saying .

Our audience isn’t always seeing the person that we are. They are frequently seeing the person that we are not. In this episode, I talk about the importance of cleaning up your communication to show the world who you really are. The post Episode 186 – A distorted view appeared first on Just Saying .

Charley sits down with Dr. Breiter from the Northwestern University School of Medicine to discuss addiction, technology and why our brains desperately need quiet time. The post Episode 185 – Be my guest: Dr. Hans Breiter, Professor of Psychiatry appeared first on Just Saying .

We can engage in lengthy, thoughtful and endless discussions to the point where we are incapable of ever making a decision. We need to be more deliberate and decisive so we hear the word no quicker and we can move on with our lives. The post Episode 184 – Getting to no faster appeared first on Just Saying .

In our new FAQ segment, I address a series of questions surrounding how to take the principles of the books BRIEF and NOISE and make them work at home and in social situations. The post Episode 183 – FAQ: Being brief on the spot, away from work appeared first on Just Saying .

What would work (or life) look like if we could frequently and intentionally step away from technology for a moment or two? In this episode, I explore how giving yourself a break can strengthen your focus and help you gain some self-mastery. The post Episode 182 – Stepping away for a minute (from digital devices) appeared first on Just Saying .

Every day, there is something really important we have to do. Sometimes it’s obvious, but most times it’s not. If we are unprepared for these big moments, we are most susceptible to the noise all around us. The post Episode 181 – The big moment appeared first on Just Saying .

Charley digs into why headlines are disproportionately important, how to avoid becoming clickbait and when you should take the time to prepare a good headline. The post Episode 180 – FAQ: Better headlines build a bridge appeared first on Just Saying .

One way to lower the noise is to start and end every day with a short and powerful headline. In this episode, I share some ways to set the tone from your very first thought and end the day more intentionally the same way. The post Episode 179 – Daily headlines: 1st and last thought of the day appeared first on Just Saying .

Charley interviews popular comedian Aaron Weber on the importance of preparation, how to grab the audience’s attention quickly, and the power of laughter in all communications. Be sure to follow Aaron everywhere @ realaaronweber and at http://aaronwebercomedy.com/ . He is also the co-host of the popular podcast @natelandpodcast. The post Episode 178 – Be my guest: Aaron Weber, Comedian appea...

There’s no shortage of technical advice on how to manage your time better. In this episode, I keep it super simple: lowering the noise frees up lots of time. HBR article: https://hbr.org/2020/01/time-management-is-about-more-than-life-hacks The post Episode 177 – The morass of time management appeared first on Just Saying .

In our new FAQ segment, Charley addresses a series of questions surrounding how to lower the noise during quiet time and some of the inherent challenges this precious time presents. SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION FOR THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION SEGMENT OF JUST SAYING. https://thebrieflab.com/faq/     The post Episode 176 – FAQ: Tackling the issue of quiet time appeared first on Just Saying .

Sometimes we fire off a text or send an email when we should have just picked up the phone. In this episode, I talk about the value of a phone conversation to make a better connection. The post Episode 175– Phone calls appeared first on Just Saying .

Charley Thornton interviews author and international business leader Simon Bureau about how different cultures view brevity. They dig into email, the importance of context and what elements of communication are universal. For more on Simon, visit his profile: linkedin.com/in/simonbureau/ The post Episode 174 – Be my guest: Simon Bureau on culture and communications appeared first on Just Saying .

As Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” So too, our daily life as communicators needs a quick scan. In this episode, I discuss how to review and plan as a daily practice and also look back on a wild year, while looking forward to an exciting year ahead. The post Episode 173– The Daily Scan (Looking back and ahead) appeared first on Just Saying .

In our first new FAQ segment, Charley Thornton dissects some of the problems with multitasking in meetings, the underlying reasons almost everyone does it, and some simple ways to stop the madness. SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION FOR THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION SEGMENT OF JUST SAYING. https://thebrieflab.com/faq/   The post Episode 172 – FAQ: How to discourage multitasking in meetings appeared first o...

All great managers know how to field the best lineup against their opponent and not let to their game plan get too predictable. In the battle against constant noise, I suggest using a practical tool I have developed that ensures you compete every day to win. The post Episode 171– The Lineup appeared first on Just Saying .

Leading an effective meeting may look easy to outsiders, but insiders know that success requires a willingness to carry the burden of conflict, ambiguity, time constraints and personal differences. In this episode, I dive into the skills you need to get good at herding cats. The post Episode 170 – The uneasiness of great meeting facilitation appeared first on Just Saying .

Call back episode #71 recorded January 07, 2019 Gratitude is the engine that drives people forward when everyone else gets stuck spinning their wheels. The post Call Back Episode – It’s a good time to say thanks appeared first on Just Saying .