Stories connect us as human beings.

A/E/C leaders know the value of relationships and connections that build business.

Why do so few of you use the power of storytelling in business development presentations?

Most people are uncertain about what story to share and how to make it relevant to prospects. 

The key is in this 40-second clip (above) from a podcast interview with Evan Troxel, NCARB.

The full video episode is here.

Click here to access the audio file.

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! 

"I've grown from it and want to keep going."

This is what a group coaching client, Phyllis, told me today. 

I've watched her go all in these past three months of Amplify, my online coaching program. 

It's where A/E/C pros uplevel their communication, confidence, and sales. 

Still, the way to grow and get your desired results is to be eager to learn. 

Honoring commitments was also discussed in our coaching session. 

People showed up to Amplify in different ways. 

They participated on different levels.

So they dug into the content and enjoyed the wisdom and techniques they hadn't heard before.

They appreciated my no-nonsense approach to building human connections. 

Like so many in A/E/C, students wanted to:

• Become more clear and confident in business development meetings.
• Overcome limiting beliefs around public speaking and communication.
• Learn high-level brain science so that selling is...

Pulling together resources from different A/E/C offices and people was the theme of a CEO Roundtable I led yesterday. 

Each of the six attendees came in cold.

They didn't know who else was participating. Several are competitors.

They warmed up quickly.

I facilitated the free communication session for one reason.

There are pressing communication and leadership issues impacting the entire industry.

Leaders opened their hearts and minds to their peers about:

• Mentoring staff AND getting work done
• Attracting and retaining younger talent for the firms' future
• Communicating effectively to build a positive culture
• Teaching tech staff engaging ways to share processes in interviews

Each person brought a single question or challenge to pose to the group.

And each one was eager to be a resource. 

Creative solutions, success tips, and outside support brought fulfillment, individually and collectively.

Today, I celebrate these fearless architects,...

Have you ever gotten a round of applause after giving a 15-minute sales presentation to an A/E/C prospect?

It happened to my engineering client last month.

As she told me about it on our group coaching call, she was incredibly proud.

So was I.

She used my tactics to connect a personal experience directly to the prospect.

• Super clear.
• Super engaging
• Super logical.

She nailed the delivery, pacing, pauses, and body language.

This engineer shared a two-minute anecdote about her birthday.

It emotionally touched each person.

How do we know?

They clapped at the end of her presentation.

Her boss was in the meeting as well. He was stunned by her personality, confidence, and command of the room.

Yes, engineers can tell stories!

It's profound to skillfully share an ordinary moment and connect it to a bid.

Her boss says he sees significant growth in those enrolled in my Amplify group coaching.

Reach out if you want to transform your team's communication and clarity so you can...

From our file marked: Watch the Gap. 

C-suite executives in A/E/C know the value of intellectual property. 

A generation of top execs worry about passing the torch when they retire. 

It's overwhelming to think about gathering data on culture, history, finances, values, and projects. 

All are critical to succession planning.

But few, if any, talk about the colossal gap.  

Set aside data and bid packages for a sec. (Don't twitch )

What will the knowledge transfer look like without dizzying pie charts and spreadsheets?  

AEC succession planning and business communication are markedly different post-COVID.

Our next generation of leaders expects emotional connections as well as data.  

Intellectual property = storytelling. And wisdom. 

If succession planning is on your mind as 2023 winds down, be sure you know how to transfer your knowledge through stories:

• Have casual conversations
• Mentor heart-to heart
• Share...

Communication Tip:

Ghosting professional people isn't cool.

Especially those you know.

Don't read into this.

I don't have an axe to grind or a person in mind.

But I have been ghosted occasionally.

Sure, we're all busy.

Still, you DO have a split second for a quick acknowledgment or emoji.

And it takes 12 seconds to type: "I'm in the midst of a big project and deadline. Thanks for reaching out."

Common sense and courtesy go a long way.

The most important four-letter word in business and life is CARE.

For me, CARE is an acronym.

• Your Communication is based on what you pay Attention to.
• Your Attention (focus) determines your Results.
• Your Results can be Excellent.

How do your prospects, clients, and fellow human beings know you care about them?

Are you focusing on the correct problems your prospects are experiencing? Do you know how to improve your presentations and conversations? 

Notice your communication patterns and habits. It's all about self-awareness.

If you want better results, it's time to CARE in a new way.

Processes and procedures. 

A/E/C firms have long been hot on operations. 

What happens, though, when senior leaders teach new hires inefficient methods?

The cost of doing business like this is mind-boggling.

Productivity, morale, lost bids, and the labor shortage, to name a few. 

Senior management must know how to train and onboard new hires in new ways. 

Are you showing people how you scramble to prepare for a short-listed meeting the day before?

Do you confide that you don't know who will be in the room?

Does your team know when to speak and what to share?

Are they sharp and paying close attention to each other and the decision-makers?

I spoke recently at my local SMPS chapter on this topic.

The business development leaders unanimously agree:

They need (and want) to learn new communication and selling strategies, such as:  

• Storytelling

• Reading the room

• Body language

• Vocal pacing so that your words *land* with...