Do you suffer from a “brain bias?” We all do. A brain bias is a faulty way of thinking that’s hardwired into every human brain. They’re common to all of us, and they can lead us to make some very bad decisions about the way we communicate. Episode 114 of The Communication Guys podcast is “Why We Make Bad Communication Choices,” where clinical psychologist Dr. Tom Barrett explains how a brain bias works, and describes 5 common brain biases that lead us all to some bad decisions.
Nov 12, 2018•27 min•Season 3Ep. 114
Did you know that one of America’s founding fathers made a lifelong study of conversational skills? He formed a club for his friends and colleagues whose sole purpose was to allow them to become better communicators. What did he learn from his years of study, and what can we learn from him today? Episode 113 of The Communication Guys podcast is “Conversation Tips from a Founding Father,” where The Guys recount 5 “conversational sins” identified by one of America’s first citizens. His insights ar...
Nov 05, 2018•26 min•Season 3Ep. 113
Of all the critical issues related to communication, what’s the most important topic of all? Not this one—this episode is just for fun, and we had a lot of laughs recording it. Episode 112 of The Communication Guys podcast is “5 Reasons to Enjoy Halloween,” where The Guys reminisce about their own memories of Halloween, and offer perceptive insights like “Candy is good” and “We all need to lighten up.” Will you be a better communicator after this episode? No—but you’ll be in a better mood....
Oct 29, 2018•24 min•Season 3Ep. 112
How do you deal with a person who always blames their problems on someone or something else? How do you relate to someone who constantly complains but never accepts advice, because they’ve cast themselves in the role of helpless victim? Episode 111 of The Communication Guys podcast is “How to Deal with a Victim Mentality,” where The Guys describe the characteristics of a victim mentality, and offer advice on the best way to manage a worker or loved one who has that mindset.
Oct 22, 2018•27 min•Season 3Ep. 111
Are you an entrepreneur? What exactly is an entrepreneur? Does the label rightly apply to anyone who starts a business, is self-employed, or has a clever idea? Or does that word imply something more? Episode 110 of The Communication Guys podcast is “Are You Really an Entrepreneur?” where The Guys describe 5 characteristics of a true entrepreneur, and what we can all learn from the great ones.
Oct 15, 2018•25 min•Season 3Ep. 110
What are the critical elements in crafting a powerful story? As important as stories are in business communication, why do so many executives hesitate to tell them? When are the right and wrong times to include a story, and what are the biggest mistakes we make in telling them? Episode 109 of The Communication Guys podcast is “Tell Me a Story or Tell Me Goodbye, Part 2,” where The Guys continue their interview with Jerome Deroy, CEO of Narativ, on the increasingly important skill of “business st...
Oct 08, 2018•24 min•Season 3Ep. 109
Have you ever noticed that great leaders are almost always great storytellers? Why is that? What do they understand about the power of storytelling, and what can we learn from them? Episode 108 of The Communication Guys podcast is “Tell Me a Story or Tell Me Goodbye, Part 1,” where The Guys interview Jerome Deroy, CEO of Narativ, a company that teaches salespeople, Chief People Officers, executives, and teams the art of “business storytelling.”
Oct 01, 2018•25 min•Season 3Ep. 108
Have you reached a plateau in your career? Do you sometimes feel as if you’re standing still, while you’re forced to watch co-workers with no more education or experience than you get promoted to positions that you think you deserve? In Episode 107 of The Communication Guys podcast, The Guys explain the reasons why we hit career plateaus, and give 5 tips for preparing a response strategy that can help you move beyond them.
Sep 24, 2018•23 min•Season 2Ep. 107
Are you trying to pitch a product or service, but for some reason your customer just doesn’t seem interested? Are you proposing a partnership—either with a business colleague or with a romantic interest—but your proposal is being greeted with a yawn? You might be making a classic marketing mistake. In this episode of The Communication Guys podcast, The Guys describe the subtle differences between features, benefits, and results, and the role that each plays in making a successful pitch....
Sep 17, 2018•23 min•Season 2Ep. 106
Have you lost the ability to find pleasure in things you normally enjoy? Do you struggle with a sense of fatigue that you just can’t shake? Do you feel as though you’ve lost passion, creativity, patience, and tolerance with others? You may be suffering from burnout. In this episode, The Guys describe how to recognize the early symptoms of burnout and how to deal with it before it takes control of your life.
Sep 10, 2018•27 min•Season 2Ep. 105
Why do park rangers lob explosives onto a mountainside to purposely start an avalanche? Answer: Because the avalanche you start yourself is the easiest one to control. Episode 104 of The Communication Guys podcast is “Dealing with Conflicts Before they Become Conflicts,” where The Guys explain how to deal with disagreements while they’re still minor grievances and before they erupt into full-blown battles.
Sep 03, 2018•26 min•Season 2Ep. 104
Do conversations feel like a boulder you’re trying to roll uphill? Do your interactions with others seem like a fire that’s always about to go out—and it’s up to you to somehow keep the fire going? Do you feel like you’re always the one who has to carry the conversation? In this episode, The Guys give 5 practical tips for keeping a conversational fire burning and turning an exhausting burden into an effortless delight.
Aug 27, 2018•25 min•Season 2Ep. 103
Your current skills allowed you to land the job you have now, but what are the skills that will allow you to hold on to that job in the future? What are the skills that future employers will value most—the skills that will allow some to advance, while others remain stuck where they are? In this episode, The Guys describe 5 increasingly important but commonly neglected business skills that no successful person can afford to ignore.
Aug 20, 2018•26 min•Season 2Ep. 102
How many times are you interrupted in the average day? Does it make you feel angry or disrespected? The truth is, sometimes you have to interrupt, so how do you do it in a way that doesn’t make you seem rude, annoying, or thoughtless? In Episode 101 of The Communication Guys podcast, the Guys describe the delicate art of cutting in without creating anger and resentment in your listener.
Aug 13, 2018•24 min•Season 2Ep. 101
In business as well as relationships, we sometimes make the mistake of focusing on the larger issues and forgetting that there are small things that have the power to make a remarkable difference. In this Communication Guys podcast, the Guys describe 6 simple, easy, but commonly overlooked practices that can greatly increase our ability to connect with others.
Aug 06, 2018•32 min•Season 2Ep. 100
Do you ever get tired of conversations where everyone is competing for the spotlight and bragging about their accomplishments? Is boasting, resume padding, and inflated claims of past achievement the only path to success in your career? In today’s episode, the Guys discuss an undervalued and overlooked quality that’s finally beginning to receive the attention it deserves. If you really want to learn to stand out from the crowd, this episode is for you.
Jul 30, 2018•23 min•Season 2Ep. 99
How important are communication skills to overall business success? What communication abilities do all great leaders share? What communication blunders do we commonly commit that might limit our career potential? Episode 98 of The Communication Guys podcast is “How the Best Get to the Top,” where The Guys interview Valerie Norton, Chief People Officer of Habitat for Humanity International, about the critical role of communication skills in career advancement.
Jul 23, 2018•23 min•Season 2Ep. 98
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by words? What did Francois Fenelon mean when he warned us, “The more you say, the less people remember?” Does endless chatter sometimes seem like a form of mental pollution—and are you contributing to it? In this episode, The Guys discuss the incredible power of brevity and explain why, when it comes to modern communication, sometimes less is more.
Jul 16, 2018•21 min•Season 2Ep. 97
Do you know what to do to connect with an audience in a powerful and compelling way? Do you know the five things that a communicator should NEVER do? In today’s Communication Guys podcast the Guys describe 5 common and seemingly innocent mistakes communicators make that can sabotage your ability to connect with a listener.
Jul 09, 2018•24 min•Season 2Ep. 96
A powerful quotation has the power to lift your spirits, give you new insight, and even change your whole outlook on life. It’s like a “thought bomb” that goes off inside your head and sends shock waves throughout your mind and heart. In Episode 95 of The Communication Guys podcast The Guys present some of their favorite quotations to set off some mental fireworks and get you thinking about what it really means to “connect with your world.”
Jul 02, 2018•30 min•Season 2Ep. 95
What does Manhattan divorce attorney James Sexton mean when he advises clients to “Make the holes you dig shallow?” What does he mean when he says, “You can be right, or you can be happy?” And why does he tell people, “If I were designing an infidelity-generating machine, it would be Facebook?” Episode 94 of The Communication Guys podcast is “A Divorce Lawyer's Guide to Staying Together,” the second- of a fascinating two-part interview with bestselling author James Sexton about his new book, “If...
Jun 25, 2018•25 min•Season 2Ep. 94
James Sexton is a high-powered Manhattan divorce attorney who has facilitated the demise of more than a thousand marriages. Over the years he has cataloged the problems that most commonly drive couples apart—and he can tell you how to keep them from happening to you. Episode 93 of The Communication Guys podcast is “A Divorce Lawyer's Guide to Staying Together,” where the Guys interview bestselling author James Sexton about his new book, “If You’re In My Office, It’s Already Too Late.”...
Jun 18, 2018•26 min•Season 2Ep. 93
Do you ever get the feeling that people are ignoring you? Does it seem like people often “talk over” you in conversations? Do you find yourself wondering if your listeners are really paying attention? They may not be ignoring you; they might not be able to hear you. Episode 92 of The Communication Guys podcast is “Why Can't People Hear Me?,” where The Guys respond to a listener’s question by describing six common voice problems that can hinder your ability to connect with your world....
Jun 11, 2018•23 min•Season 2Ep. 92
A busy executive doesn’t have the time or patience to endure reports that are vague, disorganized, or irrelevant to her needs. If you report to an executive, your job may depend on your ability to deliver the information she wants exactly the way she wants it. Episode 91 of The Communication Guys podcast is “How to Brief an Executive,” where the Guys describe what busy executives need most and explain how to make sure your next report is exactly what the boss desires.
Jun 04, 2018•23 min•Season 2Ep. 91
How do you bring up a problem at work or a concern at home without sounding like you’re just complaining? And when the problem has to be brought up more than once, how can you avoid being labeled as a “whiner?” Episode 90 of The Communication Guys podcast is “How to Complain Without Whining,” where the Guys give five practical tips for voicing those concerns in a positive and constructive way.
May 28, 2018•24 min•Season 2Ep. 90
Did you hear about the woman who visited a marina intending to buy a pontoon boat, but left with a yacht instead? We heard the story from Steve Hedrick—the man who sold it to her. Episode 89 of The Communication Guys podcast is “How to Discover What your Customer Really Wants,” where master salesman Steve Hedrick explains how to find out what your customer really desires without sounding pushy, prying, or manipulative.
May 21, 2018•26 min•Season 2Ep. 89
We live in a time where celebrities and public figures seem to offer public apologies on a weekly basis—and sometimes those apologies sound less-than-convincing. What makes a good apology? It’s a crucial question for both businesses and relationships alike. Episode 88 of The Communication Guys podcast is “How to Apologize,” where the Guys describe the five crucial elements of every thorough, genuine, and satisfying apology.
May 14, 2018•30 min•Season 2Ep. 88
Are meetings the bane of your business? Do poorly-planned conference room gatherings steal your time and challenge the limits of your endurance? What can you do to get more from a meeting when you’re not the one who’s running it? Episode 87 of The Communication Guys podcast is “How to Keep Meetings from Wasting your Time,” where the Guys describe specific things you can do before, during, and after a meeting to make it more productive.
May 07, 2018•32 min•Season 2Ep. 87
Do you ever find yourself in the middle of an argument and wonder how it could have been avoided? Do your casual conversations have a habit of escalating into heated debates? Episode 86 of The Communication Guys podcast is “10 Ways to Not Start an Argument,” where the Guys give ten practical tips to help you bite your tongue, avoid the fray, and make sure that friendly conversation remains on friendly terms.
Apr 30, 2018•24 min•Season 2Ep. 86
Why is the world so polarized today? Why does it seem harder to connect with your world than ever before? How did we get that way, and what can we do about it? Today’s Communication Guys podcast is “Try to See it My Way,” where the Guys interview communication scholar Dr. Tim Muehlhoff about a critical first-step in connecting with others: trying to see the world through their eyes.
Apr 23, 2018•28 min•Season 2Ep. 85
