Honoring the Living How many of us take time, our health and other people for granted? The passing of Carrie Fisher and George Michael flooded social media around Christmas. Like others, I was stunned by the loss of these talented people at such a...

Are extroverts really the only charismatic ones in the office?? Absolutely not! In my 10 years of leading the Charisma Clinic™, I’ve helped countless introverts tap into their own unique style of charisma. Charisma does not mean a person is constantly “on.”  It’s a quality...

Whether communicating to an internal or external audience, “Lesson Learned” stories are a powerful communication tools. Bear in mind that certain stories are wonderful teaching tools internally, however they may not be appropriate for external audiences.  A “TITANIC” scale disaster story or one that...

One question I frequently get asked is whether it is okay to add to an answer made by a fellow teammate. It depends on several factors:1. Will your contribution ensure the team gets maximum points for the response?2.  Will adding on discredit your teammate?...

Part 2 Delivering a proposal and interview that resonates with the selection panel requires that you have the experience they are looking for, you know your client well, you understand their hot button issues and that your team offers the best solutions to the...

Part 1 If your most valuable information about a project comes from the pre-proposal meeting, you have missed the boat. Your experience might get you to the shortlist. However, winning the project requires in-depth client understanding/knowledge as well as solving issues and addressing details...

Many communicators think that what they intend to communicate is what is perceived by their listener(s). However,  what is intended is not always what is actually perceived. Unfortunately, whether the impact is positive or negative, it is not something often discussed between communicators during...

After your interview is complete, it is generally time for questions from your selection panel. More often than not, I find that presentation spaces are either boardroom style or in a room where the team is across from the panel who is either along...

For the past 8 years, I have had the honor of working with ACEC Arizona’s Leadership in Engineering Administration Program also known as LEAP.  For many of the students, they would rather have a root canal than have to get up and give a...

Occasionally panels are given specific instructions to appear impartial. As a result, do not get thrown off if greetings before the interview, light humor or great ideas do not get the response you had hoped for. I always mention this in my preparation sessions....