You have a fear of speaking up at presentations or meetings? 

Maybe you’re afraid you stink at networking.

Or maybe you’ve been scaring yourself with imposter syndrome because you don’t have all the answers for clients. 

Read the words on the man’s shirt that I saw this morning. 

Facts Over Fear. 

Fact: All humans are born with 2 innate fears. 

1- The fear of falling.
2- The fear of loud noises. 

Somewhere along life’s journey, you’ve convinced yourself you stink at public speaking, networking, and pursuits.

Blah, blah, blah.

I was there years ago, and I’m not anymore.

Today, I know it’s all learned behavior that you can unlearn to be more successful. 

That’s a fact. 

Is it time to stop scaring yourself and staying stuck? 

Facts Over Fear. 

Reach out if you are ready to stop the negative self talk and step into your potential. 

You decide.

Understanding brain science gives you a competitive advantage in internal meetings and shortlisted interviews.

A/E/C pros are left-brain analytical thinkers who thrive on processes. 

Incorporating right-brain emotional thinking can enhance engagement and simplify tasks.

In a new workshop I delivered for the Society for Marketing Professional Services, SMPS, we covered Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). 

Seasoned leaders discovered how this business and communications methodology can save time and valuable resources.

Also, implementing these strategies can help reduce frustration levels within internal teams.

Unnecessary and unorganized meetings are among the top complaints in our group coaching and training.

Here are five crucial takeaways for improving meetings and communication:

1. Share the agenda in advance.
2. Follow your allotted schedule and respect other people's time. A 30-minute meeting that spirals into 90 minutes can be infuriating.
3. Invite...

So many people are oblivious to the negative self-talk loop playing in their heads every day. 

I was there most of my life. 

And I'm not there anymore. 

A/E/C coaching clients admit they beat themselves up with imposter syndrome.

Many feel unprepared for last-minute meetings.

Others are self-conscious about not having "all the answers."

Have you convinced yourself you lack the personality and confidence to step into leadership?

Does this resonate with you? 

The best news is that negative self-talk is not a permanent condition!

Self-awareness and trusting yourself bring empowerment and new energy. 

In this 2-minute video clip from the archives (2010!!), I shed light on how to transform with positive self-talk.  

Ready to get out of your own way and head? 

Click above to see the clip.

Life, liberty, and pursuit management.

OK, so the US founding fathers said the pursuit of happiness.

For A/E/C purposes, the go/no-go phase of RFIs and proposals is critical to growth and competition. 

It's important to involve project managers and other key individuals in decision-making.

Have you considered inviting quieter staff who may or may not be client-facing? 

Their insights may have significant go/no-go consequences that improve productivity and profits.

The differentiator is within team communication and selecting the best bid opportunities.

Pursuit management must include the pursuit of the right people from your team. 

There is a difference between following the “stay on message” rule and answering a specific and clear question posed by a prospect or client. 

Know the difference and how to navigate these situations. 

They are significant factors; not just communication nuances. 

Your responses can influence, persuade, and build trust in A/E/C meetings. 

Or destroy your credibility and revenue.

We see it all the time in political debates. 

Don’t allow your communication strategies to backfire. 

Sticking to talking points to stay on message shows you're not paying attention. 

It shows you're not listening and thinking on your feet. 

It shows a lack of creativity and critical thinking skills. 

It shows an agenda that others probably don't want to hear in that given moment. 

Others appreciate when we connect and communicate like human beings, not scripts, templates, or talking points. 

Getting buy-in from senior leadership or younger A/E/C staff isn't a one-off.

Buy-in pales in comparison to trust, loyalty, and honest relationships.

Buy-in feels like you're trying to convince someone or push them over the finish line to close a sale.

People who form deeper relationships and have mutual respect don't use this phrase.

They are the leaders who:

Brainstorm

Talk things through

Gather insights

Ask for differing opinions

Appreciate wisdom

Then they make a decision.

Critical thinkers and responsible leaders have higher-level conversations. 

They don't need others to buy into anything.

Forget buy-in.

Instead, take the time to nurture relationships, listen deeply, be respectful, and be attentive.

Yes, you may get pushback. 

Differing opinions needn't be divisive; they are opportunities to learn and evolve.

If you want to improve communication and build consensus, don't consider it "buy-in." 

Instead, be strategic and welcome others' input....

Sending mixed messages to prospects and clients leads to confusion.

Does your body language match your words?

Here's a 30-second video example of a classic disconnect.

I coach an engineer in our Amplify program who tells the group he's got exciting things underway.

Watch what happens. 

Perfect people are not welcome.

That was the sign in front of a church I saw this week.

You may be one of the AEC pros who feel pressure to be the perfect communicator.

• In seller-doer meetings.
• In presentations.
• On Zoom calls.
• In networking events — online or in-person.

Here's a News Flash: Take the pressure off of yourself! 

No one wants to do business with a "perfect" person. 

You know, someone who appears to be flawless on the outside. 

Everyone has something they are dealing with or navigating.

Prospects and clients want real people. 

The ones who stumble on a few words and keep going. 

The perfectly imperfect win bids and respect. 

The kind of people who bend but don't break.

I don't teach flawless communication. 

I show you how to be a perfectly imperfect, heartfelt subject matter expert. 

To share your perfectly imperfect story. 

To be yourself.

Busy digging into new tech to reduce misunderstandings and unorganized data?

Slow down, Skippy.

Improving internal team communication is not the first step to managing projects efficiently.

This is where your firm must begin.

In this 2-minute video, I share the breakthrough communication strategy that successful AEC clients use.

It's internal, but not what you think it is! 

The best seller-doer teams in AEC use this presentation technique to win more bids.

They don't bury the lede.

The first few words out of your mouth or on paper must be the gem that resonates deeply with your prospect.

When you bury the lede, your main point is the needle in the haystack.

Prospects will quickly lose interest as you painfully try to articulate your message.

Every single trained news reporter and journalist lives and dies by "don't bury the lede." (Radio news reporter nerd here) 

Think about it. 

If the headline of a story doesn't grab your attention, you're onto something else. 

The same is true of an email subject line. 

Ask yourself and your team: What is THE most important reason we are in this meeting? 

♦Speak to that, and you'll be unstoppable.♦

Exceptional teams don't miss the mark or bury the lede. 

They are confident and competent communicators.

Decision-makers who look frustrated and distracted are...