Tom Fuszard – Page 34 – Tom Fuszard's Business Builder

Effective communication skills are critical in today’s economy

May 8, 2015June 24, 2012 by Tom Fuszard

Effective communication skills help you compete

The massive layoffs in recent years and the continued soft state of the economy have caused many people to turn to job training. To be really effective, part of that retraining should involve developing and maintaining effective communication skills.

Having the confidence to look a person in the eye and express yourself in an intelligent manner can mean the difference between success and failure during an interview and later.

Consider this: Two equally qualified candidates interview for a position. One is poised and gives clear, thoughtful answers. The other slouches in the chair, laces his answers with heavy doses of “you know”, “like” “whatever”, and is constantly looking down or away. Who do you think stands the better chance for a second interview? Whom would you invite back?

The mother of all definitions

January 8, 2016June 17, 2012 by Tom Fuszard

Get this. On a whim one day–-OK, I’m working on a project–I decide to look up the word “mother” in my trusty Living Webster dictionary. The good book offers several obvious definitions, such as:

“The female who gives birth to a child.”

“A female parent.”

“Something that gives rise to, or exercises protective care over something else.” (A bit utilitarian for me, though I can see how the authors meant for this to apply to both the human and animal kingdoms.)

Preparation minimizes miscues during presentations

January 8, 2016June 14, 2012 by Tom Fuszard

Despite the amount of preparation put into a meeting or presentation, old Mr. Murphy may still pay a visit. Oftentimes it’s a result of overlooking a step. That’s why it’s a good idea to develop a checklist for each meeting.

Miscues I witnessed during various meetings serve as helpful reminders of the need for thorough planning. Some issues were encountered by the leader of the group, others by the presenter. Because you could be asked to handle either role, you should keep all these suggestions in mind.

Fill dead time: Two presenters scheduled early in the meeting arrived late to the conference. Luckily, the conference chairman brought along some material he could discuss while we waited for the presenters to arrive. Usually presenters arrive hours before a conference and sometimes even the night before. Even so, it’s always helpful to have some back-up material on hand. This can include a short presentation, some facts and figures on the group, a Q & A session, or discussion with members on important topics.

Some tips to ensure a successful presentation

January 8, 2016June 8, 2012 by Tom Fuszard

I had the pleasure of offering a presentation to a class of business students on Tuesday. We reviewed a number of important writing tips as well as presentation skills. I always enjoy speaking to groups. Presentations allow me to educate an audience, enhance my presentation skills, and even learn from the event. Each presentation you give is unique. This one offered reminders of certain presentation principles, which I’d like to share with you.

Tips for a successful presentation

1. Adjust your presentation style to fit class size. I was expecting six students, which would’ve been small anyway. (The classroom was standard size.) Instead, only three attended. All sat in the back row. I used PowerPoint for one presentation and the whiteboard for the other. A tiny group like this forced me to approach and speak from just a few feet away.

While rehearsing and visualizing your presentation, you might picture a full (or nearly full) room. Be prepared for something less. Don’t act shocked if only a handful of audience members arrive. Adjust your presentation style accordingly.

Overcome writer’s block with a simple strategy

January 8, 2016June 5, 2012 by Tom Fuszard

How to overcome writer’s block

Ever hit a roadblock while trying to write a column or article? As hard as you try, you just cannot come up with a topic. You’ve hit the brick wall that has bedeviled authors for centuries: writer’s block.

What to do? Well, you could bang your head against the wall, but that would hurt a bit. And not really give you any good ideas, except on how to deal with a headache. Writers, after all, are problem solvers. Writer’s block is just one more hurdle to overcome. The following steps will help you come up with suggestions for your next column or article.

First, keep in mind what I call the Four Universal Themes. They are:
– Customer Service
– Increasing sales
– Decreasing costs
– Motivation/Inspiration