Making the most of meetings---as a facilitator and an attendee. Published in Modern Steel Construction. Why are meetings often the butt of work-related jokes? Why do we sigh with disdain when we see our calendar loaded with meetings? Quite simply, many meetings are poorly run, resulting in little … [Read more...] about Best Practices for Effective Meetings
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Scarlett Letter #136: Maintaining positive group dynamics in AEC
The old Righteous Brothers song 'You've lost that lovin' feelin', whoa, that lovin' feelin' pops into my mind this morning. Why? Well, yesterday I lost a student whom I had been excited (and grateful!) to have in my classroom. {He had no choice but to replace my course with one that would satisfy a … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #136: Maintaining positive group dynamics in AEC
Scarlett Letter #135: Avoid the self-destructive “I know more than my boss knows” attitude
Do you ever get frustrated when you realize that your ideas are being squelched by your boss, against your better judgment? Do you sometimes feel as though you could perform far better than your boss if you were to step into his/her shoes? Do you have only a small modicum of respect--at best--for … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #135: Avoid the self-destructive “I know more than my boss knows” attitude
Scarlett Letter #134: Reverse Mentoring for Design and Construction Industry
I don't teach during the summer. As a result, I lose my direct feed of 'what's-what' on a variety of topics for three months. I'm grateful to my Columbia College students that I'm able to keep {somewhat} current during the balance of the year. So when school starts this September, there they'll be … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #134: Reverse Mentoring for Design and Construction Industry
Scarlett Letter # 133: Know your “audience” in all contexts, not just during formal presentations.
Why do people forget that our ‘audience’ (in it’s loosest definition) surrounds us all the time? I know people that are considered accomplished public speakers in all ‘presentation’ contexts---in other words, when they have the ‘floor’. However, when it comes to one-on-one (or, even one-on-many, … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter # 133: Know your “audience” in all contexts, not just during formal presentations.
Scarlett Letter #132: The art of writing is often in RE-writing
The art of writing is often in RE-writing. Please do not confuse this statement by replacing re-writing with re-inventing the wheel. In business, time is of the essence. Those of us within AEC business development, marketing, or other administrative functions recognize that our technical … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #132: The art of writing is often in RE-writing
Scarlett Letter #131: Advice for facilitators/trainers to ensure full audience satisfaction
Design and construction professionals are highly particular when it comes to signing up for conferences, training seminars, even webinars. Our time is short, and our wallets are not full enough. So we carefully scrutinize the agenda and the content prior to signing away hours of time and tens of … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #131: Advice for facilitators/trainers to ensure full audience satisfaction
KA Connect Video – Storytelling: The Key to Marketing Knowledge
Scarlett Letter #130: Are you reading those Linkedin group discussion posts?
I'm in the process of finishing an article entitled: Expand Your Business Development Team; Leverage your firm's multi-generational talents! Just like any reliable consultant/writer, my final piece will integrate insights from two sources, where I've: 1. Witnessed first-hand from real-life design … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #130: Are you reading those Linkedin group discussion posts?
Scarlett Letter #129: AEC internal relationships—Respecting privacy yet wanting to help
Business is business. Personal life is personal life. Yet, the two will always overlap, intertwine, and impact one another. As a result, when something personal goes awry, staff members in AEC firms typically seek internal confidants for guidance or comfort. Officially, human resource … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #129: AEC internal relationships—Respecting privacy yet wanting to help