General Motors is now enjoying stronger than expected profits, despite facing huge penalties to resolve its ignition switch litigation. I believe that Chairman and CEO Mary Barra’s presence is a major factor. To grasp how she gained gravitas, let’s wind…
You’re at an event. Perhaps it’s an industry conference, an NBA basketball game, or even a Tonight Show taping. The action is happening right before your eyes. Quick: where are your eyes? If you’re like most people, you’re gaze is fixated on…
GQ has released its list of the “25 Least Influential People.” Here’s the problem: The list measures the wrong thing. Before you say, “Lighten up, Connie,” please consider that I get it. I’ve spent the past decade as an executive…
QUESTION: I communicate a lot of information to a lot of people by sending out regular emails. I spend a lot of time writing descriptions of what is happening and what they are supposed to do about certain situations. Nobody ever seems to read them – or if they do,…
Repeat after me: “I won’t spread what I’ve heard before confirming it.” Say it loudly, three times, please. Then implement. As a young journalist, my professors and news directors drilled into me the responsibility of accuracy, accuracy,…
You can now witness your worst nightmare if you deliver presentations: embarrassing yourself on stage. In this case, it happened to famed film director Michael Bay – ironically, a man who directs others to deliver their best performances on camera. After an…
Dr. Martin Luther King’s gravitas was cemented 50 years ago. The queen of comfort food, Paula Deen, became persona non grata in many circles this year. I was thinking about the parallel this morning, beyond the obvious racial context. Forget the fame factor. Set…
There’s no better model for presentation skills than a guy that’s so chill he has a zoned-out meme. A photo of golfer Jason Dufner slumped against a classroom wall caught fire in March. His golf game caught up this month when he won the PGA Championship –…
The news is full of people who are full of themselves: Mayoral wanna-be and serial sexter Anthony Weiner, San Diego mayor and alleged serial pervert Bob Filner, sports legend and alleged performance enhancer Alex Rodriguez … and former bus driver-turned abuser…
You are living in an almost excessively “faux” world. Think about it: Lance Armstrong’s seven Tour de France titles. Manti Te’o’s non-existent girlfriend. You even witnessed exceptionally good faux singing at Barack Obama’s 2013 presidential…
It’s a paradox, isn’t it? You want to exude executive presence – yet still be genuine. You want to hone your speaking and influence skills – but not appear manipulative. You want to inspire top performance from others – yet not drive away…
“Just be yourself.” As a piece of advice, it’s common—even clichéd. But it’s far more demanding than it sounds, isn’t it? Every day, you’re flooded with stories and images of people whose personal qualities you may admire and want to emulate. Haven’t you…
Globally recognized as the leading voice in leadership influence, Connie Dieken helps C-suite and senior executives use scientific insights to elevate their influence and presence.
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