Philadelphia Business Journal

It was about 2:00 a.m. when I attempted to log into Facebook from the Shanghai airport. I was returning from leading a crisis communication training program for Chinese hospital executives and wanted to use the down time to check email and my social media sites. But as soon as I tried to access Facebook, my Internet access was cut off. Then it occurred to me. Facebook is blocked in China.

But would they block all online access, I wondered, or am I just being paranoid?

Only a few moments later that paranoia turned real when I was followed on board the plane by an armed Chinese police woman who called out my name and asked for my passport.

This could not be happening. I didn’t do anything wrong, did I? They wouldn’t really detain me for trying to access Facebook, would they? [Read more…] about A cautionary tale about Internet censorship abroad

Communicating change does not come easy to most people. Neither does embracing it. But one can’t happen without the other. If senior management doesn’t talk to middle management, then middle management can’t help the rank and file understand how the information affects them. Like media reports, the story will be repeated and embellished by unconfirmed sources that fuel fears and anxieties.

One beautiful fall day my friend and I lunched at a quaint neighborhood spot while the multicolored leaves fluttered around us. Inside, the conversation wasn’t so pretty. Her company had been swallowed up by a larger player which promised 20,000 layoffs. More than a change in weather was seeping in. Many people had already been let go, but most like her didn’t know their fate and were scared. She said: “It’s like being told everyone has cancer but just a select group will be lucky enough to get chemotherapy. Only, no one will tell us who the lucky ones are.” [Read more…] about It’s crucial to replace workplace rumors with reassurance

Superstar rocker Rod Stewart said it best when he belted out “Every Picture Tells a Story.” That song could have been titled Every Number Tells a Story because financial presentations aren’t much different. If you want audiences to hear what you have to say, showing a bunch of graphs and balance sheets simply won’t cut it. Numbers, like pictures, need to create a compelling story that draws listeners in and helps them understand what those numbers mean to them.

Learning to whittle your words into a few key ideas that suggest you understand your listeners’ dilemma and are capable of solving their problems, you have a much greater chance of making them care. If they care, they’ll pay attention. [Read more…] about How to bring balance sheets to life in presentations

I am a proud alumnus of Pennsylvania State University so you can imagine my excitement when graduating students asked me to deliver the commencement speech at one of the campuses. I probably spent more time preparing this speech than any I’ve ever given because it was so close to my heart. Over the years I’ve heard from a few of those former students who tell me they still remember some of what I said.

Obviously flattered, but mostly curious, when I’ve asked what they recall, they’ve all said the same thing. They said they remember the stories I told. [Read more…] about Story is the key to all great presentations