INSIGHTS

Financial presentations can quickly go south if the information isn’t presented in the context of the business story you want to tell. Don't make the mistake of relying on “the numbers” to convince your audience of what conclusions to draw or actions to take—OR of the benefits of your recommendations. Instead, discover the secrets to powerful financial storytelling. Here are 3 reasons data-driven presentations often fail and what you can do to make yours a success.
In 2016, training expenditures in the US exceeded $70.6 billion, yet experts say that 90% of new skills are lost within a year if not reinforced. That means organizations without solid training reinforcement programs run the risk of wasting a collective $63.54 billion a year. That's precisely why artificial intelligence (AI) is so exciting—and why Mandel is even more excited to be a part of it. AI is revolutionizing reinforcement, making it possible to confidently generate a healthy return on your communication training investment. Read on to learn how.
In 2018, you matter, and...it may be harder than ever to “be heard and understood.” We all want 2018 to be our “best year ever!” professionally and personally. Fortunately, this new year looks like it offers great potential for record-setting successes. Yet, this moment in time presents some serious hindrances for you, if your job description includes words like “communicate,” “lead,” “manage,” “sell,” “influence,” or “collaborate.” Here's why and what you can do to make 2018 your best year ever.
As the year comes to a close, here's a look back at Mandel's most popular skill-building content of 2017. Whether trying to make a great first impression, give a persuasive presentation, or convince others to support your idea, how you communicate will be key to your success in 2018. To help you prepare, we’ve curated this list of the most downloaded skill-building content just for you.
A recent MIT Sloan/Deloitte study named innovation the second most important issue companies are grappling with today. Most organizations aren't lacking for ideas—the challenge is making sure the best ones get heard and funded. Unfortunately, too often, even great ideas get lost when poorly communicated. If you can't make a clear enough case for your idea, it ends up ignored, shelved, abandoned— or it may even get defeated by a weak idea, better presented. Don't let your best ideas get lost in presentation. Here's how.
Gratitude. Appreciation. Recognition. It makes you feel good. This week in the US, many will pause for a day or two to give thanks and show appreciation for the things and people we care about most. It’s no secret how appreciation benefits the person getting it—but did you know it benefits the person giving it just as much? Discover why recognition is such a powerful tool for improving relationships and wellbeing in life and at work. Learn how to (and how NOT to) express your appreciation to others.
Imagine this scenario. You’re at home and you want to learn something. What do you do? Watch a video on YouTube, Google it, find directions on Waze, ask Alexa, get the news on Twitter. As consumers, we’ve been conditioned to expect a certain experience. So why is it that our experience at work is so vastly different? This week, Mandel Executive Director Kate Day writes about how technology has forever changed learner expectations and what the implications are for businesses. She also has some “from-the-trenches” advice on how learning and development organizations can seize this moment as an opportunity to reimagine the user experience for your employees and, in turn, your customers.
Change. Disruption. Digital Transformation. They can wreak havoc on organizations. What can you do about it? How should training and development organizations adapt? Soft skills — even the ability to manage meetings well or to write clear and succinct emails — can reduce workplace confusion and employee frustration in the face of disruptive forces. They can help create calmer, more creative, and goal-oriented workplaces. Here's why your company's ability to do that now is more important than ever.
The thing I love most about my generation? We’re always pushing the boundaries to make our world—and work—a better place. But we can only drive the change we want to see if we’re able to share our ideas in ways that others can easily understand and get excited about. Want to be a force for positive change and prove the stereotypes wrong? Focus on building the right skills as early in your career as possible. Here’s how.
Unpredictable schedules. Different locations. On-the-job demands. Has rolling out live training to thousands at once been a challenge? Announcing The Breakthrough Communicator ONLINE — state-of-the-art, high-impact, semi-synchronous, world-class communications training. Now, train 1000+ professionals anytime, anywhere, on any device. Personalized. Social. Hands-on. Effective. Build stronger communication skills — faster and at scale. Read the blog to learn more.
Curiosity makes learning possible. Ultimately, it’s a powerful driver of innovation and progress. So what does it take to make colleagues, customers, and other decision-makers CURIOUS enough to want to learn more? How can you communicate in a way that inspires curiosity for your ideas, your products, and your solutions? Read this week’s blog to find out.
Companies perform better financially when women are well represented in the workforce, in management, and on corporate boards. The problem is when a woman speaks, she can feel like she’s walking a tightrope. Many women report feeling like they’re either not heard at all at work or are judged as too aggressive when they speak. The research backs this up. As a result, women may decide that saying less is more. But this hurts them and their organizations. So what can your business do to tackle this problem head-on and build a stronger pipeline of women leaders? Read the blog to find out.
Of all the experiences I’ve had in my career, building a committed, loyal, high-performing global team of trainers has been the most rewarding. But along with the energy and excitement of working with colleagues around the world, came the challenges of team building and communicating across time zones, languages, and cultures. This week, I’d like to share some things the past decade has taught me—and others at Mandel—about how to effectively lead, communicate, and collaborate on a global scale.
Ugh, another brain freeze coming on. There are two kinds of brain freezes we've all experienced, both probably more often than we'd like. If you despise them like I do, here’s my take on both types, their causes, and a few quick tips on how to cure them.
If you want to connect with more people on LinkedIn, I have a foolproof tip: Make a real connection. What I mean is, if you want to productively connect with someone—whether virtually through a social network or in-person—don't send a generic invite. They don't work. Read the blog to find out why, and what you can do instead to craft irresistible LinkedIn messages or networking emails that get results.
Video is so powerful. When used effectively, video can transform virtual meetings from ineffectual to productive. And everyone loves being on camera, right? Well, not exactly. If the idea of being on camera makes you feel self-conscious, here are some steps you can take to increase your comfort with video calls and vastly improve your virtual communication and relationships.
I sat captivated, along with the rest of the audience, as General Colin Powell told a story about President Ronald Reagan and the squirrels that live around the Oval Office patio. It culminated in a potent lesson about influencing executive decision makers. It grabbed and held attention with just the right dollops of humor sprinkled throughout. It was told artfully and efficiently, in less than two minutes. Not a word wasted. I was watching a masterful storyteller at work and it was an afternoon I'll never forget. Here are the 3 storytelling lessons I learned from General Powell.
You worked really hard on your presentation. You practiced it multiple times end-to-end. You feel good. You look great. You got this. Suddenly, your presentation time gets cut from 60 minutes to 10. Uh-oh. Moments like this can catch anyone by surprise—and they happen all the time. When the squeeze is on, will you be ready? Can your presentation pass the Pressure Test? Read on to find out.
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