You've seen the gazillion end-of-year lists. #ugh

From popular baby names to celebrity divorces, the media covers it all. 

Have you made your Top 10 List of Achievements in 2023?

I've been doing this for 20+ years, and I love it!

Give yourself permission to celebrate and honor your hard work.

Maybe you helped win a huge bid. Are you working with a mentor or coach? Maybe you earned your PE credential or spoke at a presentation (without feeling totally stressed.) 

Too often, we downplay our efforts and results.

Maybe you're like me and forget what happened in March!

So, in late December, I compile my Top 10 list.

I do one for work and one for my personal life. 

My professional list includes:

 ♦Delivering the opening keynote at a global A/E/C conference.

 ♦Rebranding the company website.

 ♦Helping countless A/E/C folks improve their communication with coaching and training.

Personal highlights include:

 ...

Communicating in a silo is like being trapped inside a bank vault.

There are thick walls, and even when you scream your loudest, no one hears you.  

Architects, engineers, and construction leaders know plenty about building design and (thick) walls on job sites. 

With communication, let's demolish the invisible walls in AEC firms.

These silos and the "stay in your lane" mentality derail business development and collaboration.

Project managers, commissioning engineers, schedulers, and estimators innovate on job sites. 

Teams can — and must — understand how their creativity and confidence apply in shortlisted meetings.

Silos stifle creativity, communication, and profitability. 

"You can give people tools and resources, but the most important thing you must do is change their mindset," says Claus Jensen. He's the chief innovation officer at Teladoc Health.

Yep, it's the virtual telehealth company. 

Many leaders in A/E/C are...

Forget the kitchen sink. 

Prospects want essential and compelling data. 

And a story to make the (dry) data come alive.

You prepare with your Business Development team DAYS ahead of your shortlisted interview. Maybe even a week (gasp!) 

Scrambling to prepare hours before your meeting won't work well. 

There's too much on the line.  

And you never, ever "wing" any part of your A/E/C presentation. 

• You and your colleagues know who will speak and what they'll say. 

• You have a point person who can course-correct when prospects look bored or confused. #Readtheroom

• You value the preparation process so that you boldly show up and win trust and new projects. 

Strong communicators give themselves the space and grace necessary to succeed.

To be seen as a subject matter expert, you must know how to articulate your message.

It's not tricky.

The magic isn't in a bid package.

It's not about your slide deck.

It's not about how long you've been in the A/E/C industry.

You have to feel like a subject matter expert and leader.

You have to be willing to speak up. With Confidence. Charisma. Heart. Stories.

At meetings and conferences. Podcast and media interviews. On videos. At internal gatherings.

Look, you know your "stuff."

If the communication piece is missing, you can't share your knowledge and wisdom. #Fact

Remember wallpaper? 

It was a "thing" back in the day. 

And people would say: "Don't blend in with the wallpaper."

Translation: Stand out, get noticed, and be visible.

Don't be a wallflower. 

Blending in makes us feel invisible, ordinary, and maybe even dull.

It repels people and opportunities. It happens every day online. 

And at conferences. Most people don't seem to mind blending in at industry events.  

This week, I saw a few people I know posting pictures of themselves exhibiting at a trade expo. 

Some of the posts were from past coaching clients. 

They are REALLY good at what they do.

They know their sh*t.

They work hard and often exceed their goals. 

Why spend time in a booth when you could speak at a workshop down the hall?

To a captive audience who wants to learn from you. And maybe hire you.

Do you see yourself in an endless row of vendors trying to muster up conversations while handing out candy and...

Everything you need to blow the doors off your business right now is… between your… ears. 

You’ve done the hard work with school, training, and learning new skills.

So, WTF? ‍Why aren't your dream clients coming?

You've gotta get in front of them.

Showing up in a bigger bolder way and stepping into the spotlight may not be for everyone.

But it IS for people who want to share their gifts and story to make a bigger impact.  

Plenty of entrepreneurs, coaches, and business leaders are scrambling for new clients. I know it's hard to get noticed in our noisy online world.

But posting awkward dance videos and scrolling for hours can be an energy drain.  

I’ve been getting organic leads and clients for years. You may want to consider my process. It sure beats paid ads that rarely convert. 

I share my knowledge and story with captive audiences at conferences and meetings. You can, too. 

The audience wants to learn from...

The charisma vibe.

Not many people are talking about it. That's why I'm going there.

'Cause I don't want you to skip this soft skill that I know is essential in business.  

Charisma is a magical quality that most people want. It makes business lighter and more enjoyable. 

Aren't you drawn to people who have that special magnetism, allure, charm, and appeal? That's charisma. 

The good thing about charisma is that it's a soft skill that's super valuable in communication.

It helps us build rapport, attract opportunities, and live more fulfilling lives. 

If you're not feeling the "charisma vibe," there's good news. You can develop it. 

Maybe you're like me.

You weren't born with a peppy, outgoing personality. No worries!

I began working on this 25 years ago, simply by watching alluring people.

I've been able to re-invent myself. And you can, too.

When you watch charismatic people who you admire, you'll notice they are...

• Kind
• Interested in  other...

No one-off sales or discovery calls. No weird scripts or pitches. No “pick your brain” peeps who won't hire you anyway.    

I’ve had these calls before too. You know, first, you meditate, rock out to a favorite song to get energized (Bruce Springsteen’s Thunder Road for me), recite mantras…blah blah blah. 

What if instead of talking with one prospect at a time, you could speak to 20 prospects…or 200?

And they're all warm leads coming to YOU at one time. #Stopthechase 

Sweet, right? 

This is the business and marketing strategy of successful (paid) speakers. 

• It’s what I learned in 2000 when I started my PR company and joined the National Speakers Association. 
• It’s what I’ve been teaching to entrepreneurs, coaches, and business leaders for years.
• It's the business of speaking.
• It's a sales funnel before I knew what a sales funnel was. 

Here’s how it works. 

When...