Just Saying - The BRIEF Lab

Imagine being stuck in a meandering conversation with no end in sight. In this week’s podcast, I suggest practical ways to plan when and how to stop talking that will not only give people relief but also a simple way to respond. The post Ep. 212 – Wrap it up appeared first on Just Saying .

Many topics, tasks or even people are carelessly brushed aside because they are deemed dispensable, unimportant and trivial. While some things are considered “nice to know,” others are solidly seen as “need to know”? In this episode, I share ways to shift mindsets to help you and your ideas be taken more seriously. Links from this episode: BRIEF: MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT BY SAYING LESS NOISE: LIVING A...

When you drop a precious item, it breaks into tiny pieces. Similarly, as communicators, we risk to create noise and confusion to those around us. In this episode, I tackle the hard reality of us being all over the place and how we can find simple ways to manage being so scattered internally and externally. Links from this episode: BRIEF: MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT BY SAYING LESS NOISE: LIVING AND LEADIN...

When you are always on, that means you’re never off. Living in a 24/7 world of pervasive connectivity, we are challenged to find rewarding moments during the day to disconnect. The post Ep. 209 – Tech timeouts appeared first on Just Saying .

Do you frequently think of the cost of poor communication? As it is getting easier to spread the word, it also is getting more expensive in variety of areas. In this episode, I share some considerations of the range of real risks we face when we should have said nothing at all. The post Ep. 208 – Talk isn’t cheap appeared first on Just Saying .

E-mails can be incredibly beneficial or simply a brutal part of our day. In this multi-part series, I discuss the value of stepping away and editing with a more critical eye before hitting send. The post Ep. 207 – Writing a solid e-mail, part 2 appeared first on Just Saying .

Do you ever think why people hate getting e-mails and delete them so quickly? In this multi-part series, I get to the root of writing e-mails that are easy to open, read and respond to in a timely manner. The post Ep. 206 – Writing a solid e-mail, part 1 appeared first on Just Saying .

Why are people misunderstood? In the third installment of this series, I talk about what to do if the misunderstanding is really your fault and how to be open to that possibility and reflect honestly on what went wrong. The post Ep. 205 – Misunderstandings, pt. 3 appeared first on Just Saying .

Call Back Episode #167 recorded November 20, 2020 When writing chapter 14 of the book “Noise,” I was inspired to design a simple deck of cards to help manage scheduled times of silence so they wouldn’t become noisy appointments. So… pick a card, any card – you’re all set. Link:  Thebrieflab.com/store The post Call Back EP – Take 5 Quiet Cards appeared first on Just Saying .

Why are people misunderstood? In the second installment of this series, I talk about what to do if the misunderstanding is not at all your fault and how to handle it calmly and confidently. The post Ep. 204 – Misunderstandings, pt. 2 appeared first on Just Saying .

Why are people misunderstood? In the first installment of this series, I talk about how to lower the level and frequencies of misunderstandings that happens in our personal and professional lives. The post Ep. 203 – Misunderstandings appeared first on Just Saying .

What starts as constructive criticism can often devolve into useless complaining. I talk about different ways to break the cycle of negativity and change the conversation. The post Ep. 202 – Leaving the complaining club appeared first on Just Saying .

Making resolutions are hard. In this episode, I’m talking about making better, smarter BRIEF resolutions. The post Episode 201 – Creating a better, SMART BRIEF resolution appeared first on Just Saying .

For our 200 th episode, I take a moment to celebrate, consider and reflect on key learnings over the years both in doing this podcast and in 15 years of business. The post Episode 200 – A time to celebrate appeared first on Just Saying .

Call back episode #94 recorded June 17, 2019 The place where you work is sucking the life out of everyone – it’s just how we roll, you say. What can you do to prevent it and push back? The post Call Back Episode – Enduring a culture of long and confusing appeared first on Just Saying .

Call back episode #105 recorded September 04, 2019 If you had some quiet time, what would be the sounds you’d hear other than silence? Strong listeners know how to savor the sweet sounds others seem to miss. Links: https://thebrieflab.com/noise/ Dumb and Dumber Mockingbird scene The post Call Back Episode – Quiet Time: the sweetest sounds appeared first on Just Saying .

Call back episode #69 recorded December 17, 2018 If you’re watching television and the sound gets too loud, you grab the remote control and hit mute. What if you could do that for all the noise in and around you? The post Call Back Episode – Hitting mute more often in your life appeared first on Just Saying .

Call back episode #143 recorded May 04, 2020 We are all using the term “virtual” these days but it can be terribly misleading. What are we really trying to say? The post Call Back Episode – Defining what “virtual” really means now appeared first on Just Saying .

Call back episode #142 recorded April 27, 2020 18 years ago, I was a tech marketer that developed (oddly enough) a sub-specialty in video teleconferencing (VTC) and its role in the SARS pandemic. Today, I marvel at what’s possible for all of us. The post Call Back Episode – VTC’s and me: seeing is believing appeared first on Just Saying .

Charley tackles questions about how to learn BRIEF principles outside of a team setting…and how to make them stick. The post Episode 199 – FAQ: How do I build the discipline of brevity on my own? appeared first on Just Saying .

I developed a tool that will help you avoid a lot of the issues that make meetings bad in the first place— a lack of advanced planning and organization. The BRIEF Meeting Prep Cards are a visual mapping tool to prepare for and run effective meetings.   Links: https://thebrieflab.com/tools/ The post Episode 198– BRIEF Meeting Prep Cards appeared first on Just Saying .

Charley interviews Cameron Cruse— military wife, entrepreneur, and successful Shark Tank contestant. R. Riveter’s line of American-made bags and accessories are all constructed by military spouses stationed throughout the country, providing mobile, flexible income to these modern-day Rosie the Riveters. Cameron shares her business journey and core insights as to how she prepared to give a clear ex...

The power of threes has this magical ability to center people. In just three simple words, you can be impactful, memorable, and finished. Test it out. The post Episode 196 – Just three words appeared first on Just Saying .

No one wants to hear that they are being long-winded. In this episode, Charley answers questions about how to provide feedback and share the BRIEF method in business and personal relationships. The post Episode 195 – FAQ: Sharing the BRIEF method appeared first on Just Saying .

Sometimes it’s impossible to connect with someone because of an all-consuming distraction happening in their life. We need to recognize those moments where it’s time to cut our audience loose and call a break. The post Episode 194 – I’ve Gotta Pee appeared first on Just Saying .