Mandel Communications Blog

It's just business - nothing personal." How often have you heard someone use that phrase to justify a decision based on the bottom line, even when that decision created pain and problems for employees or customers? It's called the "It's just business trap," and it can sabotage your organizations ability to succeed. Here's how to avoid it.

Let's face it. We're losing the ability to listen in this always-on, multi-tasking world. And, we're paying a price for it. When we fail to listen well, we miss vital info, misinterpret messages, or even damage our relationships with others. But, still, there have always been those special people who seem to have a natural gift for knowing how to make you feel heard. People like Grandma Hendrickson. Here's how she practices the gracious art of listening...and how you can, too.

I’ll be the first to admit that the proper use of acronyms can benefit listeners. First and foremost among the benefits is increased memorability. But, overusing acronyms unconsciously can be damaging and abusive to listeners. Here are 3 keys to using acronyms effectively in your communications. And, don't miss the fun and illuminating Mental Floss video on what many of our most-loved acronyms and initials really stand for.

Leadership gaps are a top business challenge today, despite strong corporate investment in leadership development. Why is that? Leadership development programs may be missing the most critical skill set of all...

Presenting on-camera can be a nerve-wracking experience. Just walking onto the video set at Harvard Business Publishing (HBP) raised my anxiety. Here are three suggestions I learned from my own experience that may help you better manage anxiety when it’s your turn to record a video.

I've seen too many people, whom I know to be engaging communicators and experts in their field, come across as stiff and unnatural on video, ultimately damaging their credibility. The secret to effectively presenting on camera lies in practicing. But...you have to practice right. Apply these three principles and your odds of credibly connecting with your viewing audience will dramatically improve.

While thrilled to record for Harvard ManageMentor®, I was equally stressed over how to make it happen. I lost a lot of sleep pondering, “How do I create content for a 3-minute video that’s both compelling and useful?” From those sleepless nights, I developed these three guidelines you can use to take the anxiety out of creating and recording short, high-quality video content.

If you've given presentations in places other than networked conference rooms, you've probably used an LCD projector hooked up to your computer, to project your slides. You may not realize, however, that there are slide projection snafus to avoid, as well as ways to use a projector to improve the quality of your presentations.

While organizations are increasingly using video to educate, entertain, and train employees and customers, many people are still uncomfortable presenting on camera. Fear not, because anyone can learn how to effectively communicate on video — and develop a level of comfort doing so. Over the next few weeks, I'll use my own experience recording videos for Harvard Business Publishing to highlight important ways you can prepare for and improve your presentations on-screen and off.

Have you ever made communication resolutions? As the New Year approaches, I always like to reflect on what I’ve done well and what I could improve next year when it comes to communicating with my colleagues, employees, and clients. You may be surprised at how much doing so can strengthen your relationships with the people around you.