Communication Articles
Watching Your Game Tape Is Painful But Helpful
May 9, 2022

A championship season just wrapped up for one of my favorite teams—The L.A. Lakers. No, not the actual Lakers of today. Rather the ’79–’80 “Showtime Lakers” at the heart of HBO’s new series Winning Time. This show tells the story … Read More
The Cost of Bad Communication
February 8, 2022

It’s pretty normal to feel like your profession is mocked a little too much. Just ask a lawyer or a car salesman. Or a politician. And while there are always a few bad actors who give any line of work … Read More
My (Communication) Wish for You
December 7, 2021

Sometimes at the close of a church service or conference, you’ll see an item on the agenda called a “sending message.” Usually, it’s an opportunity to leave the audience with some final thoughts before sending them back out into the … Read More
Delivering a Speech with Energy (Again and Again)
October 25, 2021

“That was a good question,” I said, nodding. That was a good question. I love those words. I’m also frequently stumped in the moments that follow those words because, to me, a good question is one that makes me both … Read More
Business Writing Tips from Elmore Leonard?
June 15, 2021

There’s nothing like a global pandemic to spur media consumption. At this point, I’ve binged almost everything from classics like The Sopranos (yes, I’d never seen it) to pop-culture kitsch like Tiger King to phenomenal new shows like The Queen’s … Read More
The Zoom Communication Checklist You Didn’t Know You Needed
September 15, 2020

At this point, it goes without saying that COVID-19 has changed everything. Especially the way we communicate with one another at work. Since the onset of the global pandemic, there’s been a sharp uptick in remote work, which means nearly … Read More
What Dr. Fauci Can Teach You About Leadership Communication
April 19, 2020

When I teach business communication, I ask students to complete what I call a “CommBook.” This is simply a journal of professional communication that they observe in the world around them that reinforces lessons from class. The entries can be … Read More
A Presidential Communication Reading List
February 17, 2020

For me, every day is President’s Day. I’ve been a fan of presidential history since childhood. Like many, it began with a grade-school fascination with the Civil War and World War II history. This led to deep dives on Abraham … Read More
Persuasive Speaking Lessons from Greta Thunberg
October 22, 2019

Case studies provide accessible examples for teaching and learning. That’s why we analyze them in business and in business schools. However, useful case studies aren’t always formal articles in professional journals. Sometimes they’re right in front of you. One of … Read More
Inbox Zero Is Killing Written Communication
September 11, 2019

Inbox zero. Maybe you’ve heard of it. Maybe you love it. Personally, I hate it. I think it’s contributing to the downfall of modern civilization. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch. But it’s making us bad writers at a time when—distracted … Read More