Have you ever noticed how you can tell the same story six ways? From my point of view. Or your best friend’s. Or the person you’re dating or an observer on the corner, a third person voice that can hear all of the character’s thoughts? Or, if it’s a play, a chair in the living room that witnesses everything. Not sure everyone’s ever written a play that told from a chair’s point of view, but you could.    Read More >

Whether it’s a pitch, a report, or a story you’re selling, telling or writing — it’s all about your point of view and tone — and whether you’re telling a tragedy or a love story, doing a hard but subtle sell, the voice in which you tell it is up to you. Whether it’s comic, sad, a combination of both, or dry and matter of fact, which can sometimes connote its own power, it’s all about the voice you choose and language you choose to tell it in. And a few tips on how to gauge your audience, something that often works with a test run or two.

Reflections on writing, tone, attitude, detail innuendo. Even if it’s the simplest sales pitch, legal brief, or marketing survey report, ‘just the facts’ isn’t always the best approach. What grabs a reader’s attention or hammers a point home can often be a metaphor or a subtle but telling detail. How to change the tone of a conversation or a written report. 

This involves a short lesson on how to pick the voice you’re speaking in, whether it’s a speech to be pitched or a pitch to be read. Picking the voice that you’re speaking in, the POV you’re reflecting, the tone, and the outcome, are all often in the choice of the voice that tells the story and the way the amazing story is revealed. Read Less ^

You’re just about to give a presentation. Your cell phone rings. (This applies to men and women.). Your kid has 100° degree temperature and is being sent home from school, the implication being that you better come get them right now or else, and the babysitter’s has classes on Wednesday and won’t be available until 3:30. in fact, your son was booked into an after-care class at school that day. What do you do? Read More >

Keeping one’s balance while managing intense corporate or artistic commitments along with the pressures and pleasure of a complicated personal and family life.

“I don’t know if it’s more complicated when you’re single or married with children….or single with children...”

Sometimes something has to take a backseat, and if it’s your job, it’s probably a good idea not to let anyone know. The same could be said about a relationship or a kid. High-wire act, indeed.

The geopolitical, social climate (not to mention the climate itself) is also moving at lightning speed, aside from the fact that every day there’s a new social media tool, and it’s awfully hard to keep pace. The political climate can also be wildly distracting. As the landscape changes underneath our feet, challenging us every day to keep up, has the message really changed or is it just the medium? Read Less ^

Everyone has ups and downs in their personal as well as their professional lives. The trick is what do you do with it. Read More >

It’s important to NOT always follow the rules, especially the silly ones like you can’t get married after 40. Or someone’s wise crack about a career choice. When things go wrong, and they do, try to keep a sense of humor.  Pick yourself up after a fall. Dust yourself off. And sometimes indulge in complete reinvention.

Can you turn a tragedy into a comedy? Sort of. Not always. But you can keep moving forward, reinvent your career, or sometimes your point of view, and by all means project an excellent attitude.  You might be surprised what happens next. Part of the secret of success can be an unwavering belief in yourself and in the work you do. Read Less ^