Demo Content

Video

Interview about entrepreneurial employees.

 

 

 Cando is the key to outrageous success 

 

 

The louder you talk the less they hear

 

 

Exercise your mind, heart and will to SpeakStrong

 

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Preliminary Agenda

Preliminary Agenda:

Lesson 1: Excellence Through Wholeness: The Method
Lesson 2: Youer than You: Explore Your Full Spectrum and Meet Your Inner Archetype
Lesson 3: Soar with the Expansiveness of Spirit: The Visionary in You
Lesson 4: Relate with the Connectedness of Soul: The Harmonizer in You
Lesson 5: Perceive with the Clarity of Mind: The Analyzer in You
Lesson 6: Succeed with the Power of Will: The Achiever in You
Lesson 7: Optimize the Visionary in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 8: Optimize the Harmonizer in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 9: Optimize the Analyzer in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 10: Optimize the Achiever in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 11: Uniquely You: Creative Arche-typing
Lesson 12: Every Voice at the Table: A Foundation of Inner Wholeness
Lesson 13: Moving Forward: Summary, Action Steps and The SpeakStrong Book
Lesson 14: Closing Quiz: Assess and Certify

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Express Yourself Effectively: The Clarifier in You

SpeakStrong Communication Quiz Results

Your Leading Communication Style Is…

Think about it. Your SpeakStrong Communication Style Quiz indicates that your leading style is…drum roll please…

Clarifier

Clarifier: Task-Oriented with a Relaxed Pace

Part 1 of The SpeakStrong Method Made Easy helps you express your true self effectively by deepening your experience of your natures. According to this quiz, your leading nature is Clarifier. That doesn’t mean you always embody the traits listed below. It does mean these qualities influence you strongly.

Later in the training we look at other styles and how their qualities influence who you are and how you communicate. But now it’s time to…

 Meet Your Clarifier Self

smart icon cropped

The Clarifier in You takes the time to focus deeply on the task at hand. The Clarifier in You thinks things through before taking action and creates standards and systems and procedures for most everything. The Clarifier thinks and speaks logically, which is easy to follow: going from A to B to C to D. The choice of words is precise, which minimizes confusion.

The Clarifier in You is intelligent, logical and inquisitive. Everything is interesting. How does it all work? Order and reason rule. The Clarifier even relates to people, music and beauty logically and rationally. Logic is beautiful to The Clarifier.

The Clarifier in You investigates the inner workings of things. Details matter. They are sorted, structured, named, aligned and categorized. The Clarifier in You defines success by the insights gained and the lessons learned.

graph

The Language of The Clarifier in You

The Clarifier in You uses descriptive, impersonal language that clarifies, illuminates and inspires thought.
The Clarifier shares facts and data that inform and educate.
Favored phrases are: “Research shows”, and: “The facts indicate …”
Unless listeners completely lack inquiry skills, Clarifier words get them thinking.

The Clarifier likes to say “Why?” and “How?”

Strengths and Balances for The Clarifier in You

There’s a lot to love about The Clarifier in You. You couldn’t ask for a better informed or smarter associate and team member. Review the strengths on the left.

Of course there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. The center column has possible pitfalls of the style. But observe – the right has mottos and reminders to inspire balance.

Strengths

Potential Foible

 Balance Mottos

Precise

Flips from precision to obsession

 Pick your precision level precisely

Technical

Can be cold and impersonal

 Data quantifies something alive

Detailed

Will overload, complicate and confuse

  Keep it Simple, Smarty!

Objective

Can be detached

 Speak to the subjects in your objects

Focused

Focus can be reductive and narrow

 Trees + trees = a forest

Punctual

Can obsess about time

 Close enough IS

Factual

Can be hypercritical

 Too much truth is really too little grace

Analytical

Can get overly theoretical

 Stop thinking and start trying

Deliberate

Will over-plan to avoid failure

 Failure is a great teacher

Organized

Can conflate order with effectiveness

 Order is a tool, not a goal

Informative

Might teach instead of converse

 Talk with, not at

Systematic

Routines can lack adaptability

  Routines that are ruts become graves

Complex

Can be unmanageably complex

  Complexity is crude. Simplicity is refined.

Intellectual

Sometimes substitutes logic for observation and action

 You can see a lot just by looking /
 Act your way into good thinking


A Personal, Confessional Illustration

  • In creating this landing page, The Clarifier in Me initially led me to include way too much detail. I remembered to “Keep it Simple, Smarty”, and streamlined it.
  • My initial landing page was dry and clinical. I remembered that “Data quantifies something alive” and added life to it. The next point captures how I did that.
  • My initial landing page was impersonal. I remembered, “You can see a lot just by looking” and made it more real and personal by observing how these styles play out in my own life.

I balanced the Clarifier in me to create a more effective landing page – and was personally transformed by doing so.

You

What do you think of this report? If you are a high Clarifier, it probably made a lot of sense for you. If your inner Clarifier is tempered by other styles, you likely recognized yourself in some aspects, but didn’t conclude I was talking about you.

In part 1 of The SpeakStrong Method Made Easy eCourse, you can see just how high or moderate your inner Clarifier is.

Next Step: The SpeakStrong Method Made Easy eCourse
Part 1: Know Thyself: Self Knowledge for Effective Self Expression

The fourteen day eCourse: The SpeakStrong Method Made Easy Part 1:

  • Walks you through the Know Thyself competency of The SpeakStrong Method.
  • Gives Self Knowledge for Effective Self Expression.
  • Builds a foundation for saying what you mean through style archetyping and self-knowledge.

If taking it is as transformational as preparing it has been, it will turn your world around – in a good way!
Includes
:

  • A SpeakStrong Method guide
  • An eCourse lesson each day for fourteen days
  • Action steps you can take as you go about your day
  • Printable SpeakStrong Style Quiz with graph and coding instructions
  • In-depth elucidation of the four main styles
  • Communication examples in the native voice of each style
  • Cartoons for each style
  • Ways to customize style-typing to your unique nature
  • Personal email support
  • Certificate of completion

eCourse Agenda

Lesson 1: Excellence Through Wholeness: The Method
Lesson 2: Youer than You: Explore Your Full Spectrum and Meet Your Inner Archetypes
Lesson 3: Soar with the Expansiveness of Spirit: The Visionary in You
Lesson 4: Relate with the Connectedness of Soul: The Harmonizer in You
Lesson 5: Perceive with the Clarity of Mind: The Clarifier in You
Lesson 6: Succeed with the Power of Will: The Achiever in You
Lesson 7: Optimize the Visionary in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 8: Optimize the Harmonizer in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 9: Optimize the Clarifier in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 10: Optimize the Achiever in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 11: Uniquely You: Creative Archetyping
Lesson 12: Every Voice at the Table: A Foundation of Inner Wholeness
Lesson 13: Moving Forward: Summary, Action Steps and The SpeakStrong Book
Lesson 14: Closing Quiz: Assess and Certify

Learn more at:

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Express Yourself Effectively: The Harmonizer in You

SpeakStrong Communication Quiz Results

Your Leading Communication Style Is…

Take heart! Enjoy! Your SpeakStrong Communication Style Quiz indicates that your leading style is…drum roll please…

Harmonizer

Harmonizer: People-Oriented with a Relaxed Pace

Part 1 of The SpeakStrong Method helps you express your true self effectively by deepening your experience of your natures. According to this quiz, your leading nature is Harmonizer.
That doesn’t mean you always embody the traits listed below. It does mean these qualities influence you strongly.

Later in the training we look at other styles and how their qualities influence who you are and how you communicate. But now it’s time to…

Meet Your Harmonizer Self

hand icon nbk

The Harmonizer in You is social, friendly and all about relationships.
Everything is personal, not just family and friends: even things like shopping, services and work. The Harmonizer will even relate personally and sentimentally to things such as cars and homes. Do you name yours?

The Harmonizer takes time to experience life. Details matter: at least personal details, like the dog’s name and the kids’ games. The thoughts and feelings of just about everyone, but especially those close to you, matter to The Harmonizer in You as well. The Harmonizer in You loves and appreciates the beauty of life. Success is defined by the quality of relationships and by how much richness there is in each moment. The Harmonizer in You has the ability to savor every moment. So savor this report!

 

graph

 

The Language of The Harmonizer in You

The Harmonizer in You speaks words that nurture, connect, and appeal to listeners’ hearts and emotions.
The Harmonizer shares stories and personal examples that move people emotionally.
Favored phrases are: “How does that feel?” And: “Don’t you just love it when…?”
Unless listeners completely lack heart, they are moved by your harmonizing words.
The Harmonizer doesn’t analyze people; he/she embraces them with graceful,
personal, and aligned expressions.
The Harmonizer likes to say Yes! to others..

Strengths and Balances for The Harmonizer in You 

There’s a lot to love about The Harmonizer in You. You couldn’t ask for a better or more supportive friend and team member. Review the strengths on the left.

Of course there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. The center column has possible pitfalls of the style. But take heart – the right has mottos and reminders to inspire balance.

Strengths

Potential Foible

 Balance Mottos

Generous

Can give to the point of depletion

 Share the fruit, keep the seed

Nurturing

Will smother and/or enable

 Empower, not enable

Collaborative

Often avoids decisive stands

 Own your expertise

Supportive

Tends to neglect own aspirations

 Be your own advocate

Amiable

Will avoid conflict

 Care enough to share honestly

Attentive/listens

Can be intrusive

 Respect autonomy

Accommodating

Will overcommit

 Under-promise to over-deliver

Encouraging

Can reinforce denial

 Useful feedback is a gift

Trusting

Tends to overlook warning signs

 Trust and verify

Sensitive

Can personalize

 It’s not all about you

Subtle

Sometimes hints instead of asks

 Say what you mean

Conversational

Can lose focus on outcome

 Converse in context

Personal

Sometimes overshares

  Court first, then engage

Relational

Can be “too touchy-feely”

  Imposed intimacy is abuse

Forgiving

Prone to play victim

  Don’t water your weeds.


A P
ersonal, Confessional Illustration

  • In creating this landing page, The Harmonizer in Me initially moved me to write too personally. I remembered to “court first” and revised it to be somewhat less personal.
  • I wrote a heart-felt tribute (well, they were love-letters) to the styles and realized on reflection that they were too touchy-feely for an initial report. I remembered to “converse in context.” I can demonstrate how I relate to and appreciate the different styles without gushing about them for five pages!
  • I kept my focus too positive to the exclusion of listing foibles and offering remedies. I remembered “useful feedback is a great gift.”

I balanced The Harmonizer in Me to create a more effective landing page – and saved some heart for later.

You

How well did you relate to all of this? If you are a high Harmonizer, you probably identified with almost everything I wrote. If your inner Harmonizer is tempered by other styles, you probably recognized yourself in some aspects, but didn’t sense I was talking totally about you.

In part 1 of The SpeakStrong Method eCourse, you can see just how high or moderate your inner Harmonizer is. You also will get a better sense of how the other styles influence you.

Next Step: The SpeakStrong Method,
Express Yourself Effectively eCourse
Part 1: Know Thyself: Self Knowledge for Effective Self Expression

The fourteen day eCourse: The SpeakStrong Method Part 1:

  • Walks you through the Know Thyself competency of The SpeakStrong Method.
  • Gives Self Knowledge for Effective Self Expression.
  • Builds a foundation for saying what you mean through style archetyping and self-knowledge.

If taking it is as transformational as preparing it has been, it will turn your world around – in a good way!
Includes:

  • A SpeakStrong Method guide
  • An eCourse lesson each day for fourteen days
  • Action steps you can take as you go about your day
  • Printable SpeakStrong Style Quiz with graph and coding instructions
  • In-depth elucidation of the four main styles
  • Communication examples in the native voice of each style
  • Cartoons for each style
  • Ways to customize style-typing to your unique nature
  • Personal email support
  • Certificate of completion

eCourse Agenda

Lesson 1: Excellence Through Wholeness: The Method
Lesson 2: Youer than You: Explore Your Full Spectrum and Meet Your Inner Archetypes
Lesson 3: Soar with the Expansiveness of Spirit: The Visionary in You
Lesson 4: Relate with the Connectedness of Soul: The Harmonizer in You
Lesson 5: Perceive with the Clarity of Mind: The Analyst in You
Lesson 6: Succeed with the Power of Will: The Achiever in You
Lesson 7: Optimize the Visionary in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 8: Optimize the Harmonizer in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 9: Optimize the Analyzer in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 10: Optimize the Achiever in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 11: Uniquely You: Creative Archetyping
Lesson 12: Every Voice at the Table: A Foundation of Inner Wholeness
Lesson 13: Moving Forward: Summary, Action Steps and The SpeakStrong Book
Lesson 14: Closing Quiz: Assess and Certify

Learn more at:

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Home Page

If you’re looking to develop a persona to impress and persuade, this isn’t the site for you. 
If you’re looking to tap into the power of authenticity, Welcome!
Come on in and enjoy this brief introduction to The SpeakStrong Method. 

 Click on the fork in the road below to continue your journey – or enjoy the SlideShare below before you embark.
Thanks! I look forward to helping you express your true self effectively!  
Meryl Road1 250
 
 

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Express Yourself Effectively: The Achiever in You

Your Leading Communication Style Is…

You knew you rule, now it’s official! Your SpeakStrong Communication Style Quiz indicates that your leading style is…drum roll please…

Achiever                              

Achiever:Task-Oriented with a Swift Pace

Part 1 of The SpeakStrong Method helps you express your true self effectively by deepening your experience of your natures. According to this quiz, your leading nature is Achiever. That doesn’t mean you always embody the traits listed below. It does mean these qualities influence you strongly.

Later in the training we look at other styles and how their qualities influence who you are and how you communicate. But now it’s time to…

Meet Your Achiever Self

acheiver

The Achiever in You is highly focused on direct action for results.
The Achiever wants what he/she wants and he/she wants it NOW, with little patience for excuses or social nicety. 
Getting things done is key to this style. In order to accomplish goals effectively, eliminating waste is essential.

 

graph

The Language of The Achiever in You

The Achiever in You uses verbs, the language of action.
The Achiever likes action steps, imperatives and directives that move toward a clearly stated goal.
Favored phrases are “Make it happen” and “What’s the bottom line?” “Success” and “Win” are preferred as well.
Unless listeners completely lack motivation, Achiever words get them going.

 

Strengths and Balances for The Achiever in You 

There’s a lot to respect about The Achiever in You. You couldn’t ask for a more effective friend and team member.
The Achiever in You makes sure things get done. Review Achiever strengths on the left.

Of course there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. The center column has possible pitfalls of the style.
But keep moving forward – the right column has mottos and reminders to inspire balance.

 

Strengths Potential Foible  Balance Mottos
Targeted/Goal-oriented Can miss or dismiss “collateral damage”  No end can justify the unknown costs of the means
Intense Will burn people out When’s recess?
Impassioned Sometimes intimidating Shine your light, manage your flame
Pragmatic Inclined to use and manipulate people Cherish the goose that lays the golden egg
Focused Can overlook opportunities and unintended ramifications

Think globally as you work locally

Purposeful The utilitarian can obscure beauty Just be. There’s more to a rose than what it can get you
Directive Prone to dominate and miss input All of us are smarter than any of us
Candid Sometimes insensitive There’s more to truth than being right
Decisive Impatient with the process If 100% buy-in comes at the price of 50% efficiency, it’s expedient
Deliberate Can miss opportunities The shortest distance between two points isn’t always a straight line
Quick Can skip critical steps/cut corners Slow down to speed up
Efficient Can efficiently do something that shouldn’t be done Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things
Strong Will substitute strength for skill You’ve got to be tough if you’re going to be stupid
Willful Uses willpower to triumph over obstacles An ounce of inspiration is worth a pound of willpower

 

A Personal, Confessional Illustration

  • In creating this landing page, The Achiever in Me wanted immediate completion. I reminded myself to “slow down to speed up.”
  • The Achiever in Me drove me to keep writing past the point of inspiration – when the inspiration of my spirit waned into the pressure of will. I remembered “an ounce of inspiration is worth a pound of willpower” and went dancing instead.
  • This section was the hardest for me, because I realized how I’ve felt the tyranny of The Achiever in Me for most of my life. And yet I have trouble completing things! My Inner Achiever and I still have some collaborating to do.

I am balancing The Achiever in Me not just to create a more effective landing page. I also balance The Achiever in Me to create a more balanced and joyful life where completions come without pressure.

If this style-typing process has half the impact on others that it has had on me, it will be well worth every bit of effort and bump.

You 

How does this report motivate you? If you are a high Achiever, you may have seen yourself throughout it. (If you’re like me, it might have stirred you up a bit.) If your inner Achiever is tempered by other styles, you probably recognized yourself in aspects, but didn’t conclude I was talking about you.

In part 1 of The SpeakStrong Method eCourse, you can see just how high or moderate your inner Achiever is.

Next Step: The SpeakStrong Method,
Express Yourself Effectively eCourse
Part 1: Know Thyself: Self Knowledge for Effective Self Expression

The fourteen day eCourse: The SpeakStrong Method Part 1:

  • Walks you through the Know Thyself competency of The SpeakStrong Method.
  • Gives Self Knowledge for Effective Self Expression.
  • Builds a foundation for saying what you mean through style archetyping and self-knowledge.

If taking it is as transformational as preparing it has been, it will turn your world around – in a good way!
Includes:

  • A SpeakStrong Method guide
  • An eCourse lesson each day for fourteen days
  • Action steps you can take as you go about your day
  • Printable SpeakStrong Style Quiz with graph and coding instructions
  • In-depth elucidation of the four main styles
  • Communication examples in the native voice of each style
  • Cartoons for each style
  • Ways to customize style-typing to your unique nature
  • Personal email support
  • Certificate of completion

 

eCourse Agenda

Lesson 1: Excellence Through Wholeness: The Method
Lesson 2: Youer than You: Explore Your Full Spectrum and Meet Your Inner Archetypes
Lesson 3: Soar with the Expansiveness of Spirit: The Visionary in You
Lesson 4: Relate with the Connectedness of Soul: The Harmonizer in You
Lesson 5: Perceive with the Clarity of Mind: The Analyzer in You
Lesson 6: Succeed with the Power of Will: The Achiever in You
Lesson 7: Optimize the Visionary in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 8: Optimize the Harmonizer in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 9: Optimize the Analyzer in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 10: Optimize the Achiever in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 11: Uniquely You: Creative Archetyping
Lesson 12: Every Voice at the Table: A Foundation of Inner Wholeness
Lesson 13: Moving Forward: Summary, Action Steps and The SpeakStrong Book
Lesson 14: Closing Quiz: Assess and Certify

 

Learn more at:

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Articles &

SpeakStrong Article Index Page

How to Speak Strong:
Meryl’s Article Index

Article Reuse Policy

New Communication Dynamics

1. Losing My Preachiness: An Empowered New Communication
2. The New Dynamics of Communication
Contemporary Influence Principles. How to update your communication skills for today’s new workplace.
3. From a good way to manage a gossip problem to a dynamically great one.
How to turn a communication challenge into an opportunity
4. Wait! I thought we had a relationship!
Fake authenticity in an age of social media
5. Communication Alchemy
The power of “yes, and…”
6. From Rankism to Dynamic Dignity
How to shed hierarchical limits and enliven synergy

Speaking Strong

1. Some Boats Need to be Rocked
We learn not to speak up at a very early age. Meryl shares her personal story of “putting a false front forward,” her wake-up call and transformation.
2. Beyond Blame: The Dos and Don’ts of Responsibility
It’s important to hold people accountable without attack. This article shows you how to call attention to what needs fixing without fixing blame.
3. The SpeakStrong Award
A description of the I Said It Strong Award for powerful communication.
4. A Tale of Pippi and Izzie: How to Elevate Your Word Choice by Elevating Your Thinking
The Metaphor behind the SpeakStrong Award.
5. A Convenient Truth at Toastmasters
A story of how Meryl began to learn and grow from constructive criticism, spoken strong, at a Toastmasters meeting.
6. A Sophisticated Vocabulary of Feelings
A SpeakStrong list of words to describe our feelings.
7. The Good Old Boys Club
Chipping Away at the Legend and the Reality
8. Beyond the Good Old Boys Club
A SpeakStrong Approach to Balancing Power
9. The SpeakStrong “We Use Recycled Packaging” Sticker
A downloadable image for an Avery Sticker Template
10. Take the Time to Say It Right
The folly of gotta-go communication.
11. Reasonableness Is Your Best Revenge
To escalate or not to escalate? You have more options than you think.
12. SpeakStrong in a 60 Second Ad
Ten Steps to a Compelling Message
13. Horton Hears a Who Stirs Controversy: Communication Author Offers a Clarification
14. The Things We (Can’t) Need to Talk About
Staying silent about eight important issues can leave you powerless
15. Risky Conversation Assessment Form
16. Constructive Anger: How to SpeakStrong when you’re seeing red
Seven ways to handle anger
17. Sex and the City provides the role model of sisterly love…sort of: A SpeakStrong definition of friendship
18. The Secret Power of Tears
How to cry your heart open and SpeakStrong in love.
19. Be the Soul, Love Soul to Soul
Reflections on the wisdom of Jeffrey Armstrong
20. A Surprising Way Into a Man’s Heart
21. Adventures in Relationship Marketing
Using your networks and other people’s networks to get the word out
22. Emotional Map: How to Speak Strong when you are unsure of how you feel
23. All Sides of the Moon: A look at change, death, and positive realism
24. Brand Aid: How to Go from Generic Speaker and Trainer to a Thought Leader with Your Own Unique Message
25. Personal Brand Aid: How to clarify and communicate your uniqueness
26. Strategic or habitual silence?
Lessons from a determined mother squirrel and a hapless canine
27. How to Speak Strong to get a doctor to listen to you
It’s my body and I’m telling you, this is not normal
28. Nurture, Nudge, and Sometimes Shove
The importance of SpeakStrong skills for bold people
29. Back off, bully! Stand your ground with PowerPhrases

 Meryl’s Shareable Parables

1. The truth about Truth, and a story about Story
A SpeakStrong rewrite of an Israeli folk tale
2. Fact and Fiction Separate Themselves from Each Other
3. He and She: a Netflix set-up, reckoning, and communion
4. Keep Your Eye on The Ball: Puppy lessons about priorities, distractions, and focus
5. Half Glass’s Egoic Adventures: A lesson in labels, perspectives and identity
6. Cinderella Sequel: Sad and Happy Endings, New Beginnings, and the Flow of Life
7. All Sides of the Moon Lyrics

Assistants, Support Staff and Managing Up

1. Savvy Assistants Speak Strong: Key Conversations for Administrative Assistants
2. Speak Strong, Smart, and Sweet: The 3 Sources of Power for Assistants to Master Tough Conversations
A SpeakStrong PowerPoint Presentation
3. When a Manager Lies PowerPhrases to get your manger to level with you

Persuasion

1. Speak to Create Anticipation: How Foreshadowing Can Hook Your Listeners and Even Get You a Job
How to keep people on the edge of their chair through skillful foreshadowing that creates anticipation.
2. Pippi Power = IQ + EQ + SQ: Speak Smart, Speak Sweet, Speak Strong for Communication Skill
Framing your communications with reason, positive emotions, and strategy for powerful, persuasive communication …Speaking Strong.

Sales

1. Don’t Be Seduced by a Shady Sales Rep: Six Indications You’re Talking to a Shark
How to know the difference between talented sales professionals who overcome your objections to help you get something you need and a sales shark who is more;interested in separating you from your money than providing a service.
2. Ten Tips to Speak Strong at a Trade Show
How to communicate at a trade show in a way that closes the sale and gets results.

Email

1. E-mail Mastery: A Speak Strong Approach to Effective E-mails
Four SpeakStrong keys to powerful e-mails. Learn how to write e-mails;that get results the first time.
2. Dos and Don’ts of E-mailing: A Speak Strong Approach to E-mail Mastery
Dos and don’ts of emailing. Article provides suggestions to make your emails more effective. It also provides examples of bad emails and email practices.
3. How to Write Strong Subject Lines in Your E-mails
Top ten dos and don’ts of how to use subject lines more effectively.

Performance Management

1. Free Phrases for Your Employee Performance Review of an Amazing Employee: A Speak Strong Visit to the Bright Side of Performance Review Phrases
An article to counter the vicious performance review phrases that circulate the net with uplifting “bonus superlative” performance review phrases.
2. How to Give a Performance Review- Dos and Don’ts
Tells new and seasoned managers how to give a performance review with ten dos, don’ts PowerPhrases and Poison Phrases.
3. How NOT to Write a Performance Review
A list of humorous but sarcastic actual performance review phrases explained.
4. Employee Review Preparation Form
A list of questions for employees to answer in preparation for their own performance review.
5. Instant Performance Documentation Form
A simple form for ongoing documentation of employee performance, both positive and negative.
6. Bonus Superlative Performance Review Phrases
7. How to Say It Performance Reviews Store Page
Extended information about the book: How to Say It: Performance Reviews.
8. ‘Ask the Right Question’ Problem Solving Worksheet for an Essential Managerial Problem Solving Exercise
A managerial problem solving exercise to walk the manager through the steps of diagnosing employee performance problems.
9. ‘Ask the Right Question’ Problem Solving Worksheet
The blank form for the ‘Ask the Right Question’ Problem Solving Worksheet for an Essential Managerial Problem Solving Exercise.
10. The Totally Integrated Performance System Workshop PDF Flyer
This easy to master and eminently useful system is designed to help supervisors enable their employees to perform their best work. This seminar or workshop provides the understanding you need to implement the system and the words to use in its execution.  – Downloadable PDF flyer.
11. How to Be the Assertive Manager Your Employees Want to Produce Results For: Management Skill Training for Effective Communication
Management Skill Training tips to help managers assertively manage employees.

Workplace Communication

1. How to Stop Passive Aggressive Behavior in the Workplace
Dos and don’ts about dealing with passive-aggressive coworkers, dealing with passive-aggressive coworkers in the workplace and how to stop passive aggressive behavior in the workplace.
2 . How to Tell Someone They Smell Bad at Work: Power Phrases to Address Poor Hygiene
A lighthearted but practical discussion of how to tell someone they smell bad at work – and how NOT to tell them. Provides words to use and not to use.
3. Put Sarcasm in Its Place: How Sarcasm Alerts You to Your Need to Speak Strong
A look at sarcasm and irony, and how to use sarcasm to indicate the need to Speak Strong.
4. How to Tell the Boss He’s Wrong
The dos and don’ts of challenging a decision, questioning a practice, and disagreeing with the boss.
5. How to Ask For a Raise
The Top Ten Dos, Don’ts and PowerPhrases for Getting Paid What You Deserve.
6. How to Use Reflective Listening Scripts: The Top Ten Dos, Don’ts, and PowerPhrases to Promote Understanding
How to use reflective listening scripts to increase clarity and understanding and defuse anger. Useful word phrases in active listening.
7. How to Ask For Equipment
What not to say and how to ask for equipment at work.
8. How to Delegate Work
How to delegate more effectively for great results.
9. How Joel Told His Boss He Was Wrong
The story of how a 17 year old employee told his boss with 40 years of experience that there was a better way to do his job.
10. How to Handle Interruptions
What to say to minimize interruptions at work.
11. Let’s Get Personal
Credible communication is collaborative, even when you’re the expert
12. Secrets to Speaking Strong in Customer Care
A triple team approach to communication mastery
13. From Gobbledygook to PowerPhrases
How to Overcome Bureaucratic Buzzwords and Speak Strong, Smart and Sweet
14. You Don’t Call Me “Old” and I Don’t Call you “Kid”
Intergenerational communication in the workforce
15. The Gift and Poison of Mirrors
How to give and receive feedback that doesn’t take you out

Communication Styles

1. How to Bridge the Four Different Communication Styles: Seven Steps to Communication Style Development
Seven quick tips to help you communicate with the four different communication styles: Achiever. Reflective, Likeable’s, and Visionaries. Bridges the gap between communication styles.
2. The Logician and the Dramatist
Learning How Not to React
3. Six Steps to Rerail the Derailed Discussion
How to Talk to Your Communication Nemesis

Bio

1. Meryl Runion’s Biography Page
Meryl’s biography, Founder and President of SpeakStrong, Inc.
2. About Meryl Runion
A more personal introduction to Meryl, author of PowerPhrases!

Sensitive Issues

1. 9/11 and Other Life-Changing Traumas
How and Why We Need to Talk
2. Educate, Don’t Excoriate: SpeakStrong to turn a diversity blunder into a diversity breakthrough
A SpeakStrong approach to stepping through diversity’s minefield.

Book and Movie Reviews

1. Made to Stick Delivers
A book review from the author of PowerPhrases! of how to present ideas in a way that people understand.
2. What Really Ails Our Sicko Healthcare System?
A SpeakStrong Review of Michael Moore’s Latest Documentary
3. Hypnotic Writing is a Persuasive Mixed Bag
A SpeakStrong Review of Joe Vitale’s Marketing Book. How to write persuasively without becoming manipulative
4. Retiring the Generation Gap
A SpeakStrong Book Review of Jennifer Deal’s book on debunking the Generation Gap myth

Reprint/Reuse Policy:

You have permission to use any of Meryl Runion’s web articles in your newsletter, publications, or on your web site. Please:

1. Let us know when and how you are using the article via email:
2. If it is a web posting, please link back to this article.
3. Place Meryl’s tag line at the end of the article with all her contact information. If on-line, please make certain that her web address links to her site, http://www.speakstrong.com/
Thanks!

Tag line:

Meryl Runion and Speak Strong (SpeakStrong) provides Power Phrases (PowerPhrases) and other tools to help you improve communication skills at work and at home.

She is the author of the books Speak Strong, PowerPhrases!, How to Use PowerPhrases, Perfect Phrases for Managers and Supervisors, and How to Say It: Performance Reviews. She can be reached at 719-684-2633 or by email:

You can also follow Meryl on Twitter: http://twitter.com/merylrunion.

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Articles & Read More »

Express Yourself Effectively: The Visionary in You

SpeakStrong Communication Quiz Results

Your Leading Communication Style Is…

Hats off! Celebrate! Your SpeakStrong Communication Style Quiz indicates that your leading style is…drum roll please…

Visionary! 

Visionary: People-Oriented with a Swift Pace

Part 1 of The SpeakStrong Method helps you express your true self effectively by deepening your experience of your natures.
According to this quiz, your leading nature is Visionary. That doesn’t mean you always embody the traits listed below. It does mean these qualities influence you strongly.

Later in the training we look at other styles and how their qualities influence who you are and how you communicate. But now it’s time to…

Meet Your Visionary Self

floater icon nobckThe spirit of The Visionary in You soars to great heights. The Visionary is highly social and tends to be on the go.
Fun and adventure keep The Visionary in You vital and alive as does being the center of attention.
The Visionary in You looks toward the future, is full of ideas of possibilities and thrives on change and innovation. 

 graph

The Language of The Visionary in You

Visionary words inspire and persuade. They appeal to the imagination. 
The Visionary uses metaphor and imagery to tell stories that paint motivating pictures in peoples’ minds.
The Visionary likes phrases like: “What if?” And: “Imagine this!”
Unless listeners completely lack imagination, they see the vision too.
The Visionary doesn’t overload people with detail. Words tend to be general, colorful, and optimistic.
The Visionary in You likes to say Yes! to life.


Strengths and
Balances for The Visionary in You

There’s a lot to enjoy about The Visionary in You. You couldn’t ask for a more dynamic friend and team member.
Review the strengths on the left.

Of course there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. The center column has possible pitfalls of the style.
But the good news is – there are mottos and reminders to inspire balance.

Strengths

Potential Foible

 Balance Mottos

 Expansive

 Tends to  overreach

 Less can be more

 Open

 Sometimes lacks discernment

 Courtship precedes marriage

 Imaginative

 Can be unconnected with reality

 Head in skies, feet on ground

 Big thinking, global

 Often overlooks details

 Pixels matter

 Creative

 Prone to neglect completions

 Stop starting, start finishing

 Enthusiastic

 Can seem ungrounded

 Enthusiasm: curb it but don’t kill it

 Multi-dimensional

 Will lack focus and go on tangents

 One foot in front of the other

 Spontaneous

 Often fails to plan

 Well begun is half done

 Intuitive

 Can lack common sense

 Intuit and verify

 Optimistic

 Sometimes overcommits

 Space for Grace

 Swift

 Can be impatient and sloppy

 Do it well instead of over

 Symbolic,  metaphorical

 Can confuse symbols with reality

 Seek facts behind the fanfare


A Personal, Confessional Illustration

  • The Visionary in Me inspired me to write way too much for this landing page. I remembered that “Less can be more.”
  • The Visionary in Me disclosed more symbolically in the initial draft than most readers would be ready for. I remembered to “court first.”
  • The Visionary in Me created a multi-dimensional draft that lacked focus. I remembered to “put one foot in front of the other.”

I balanced the Visionary in me to create a more focused landing page – and saved some of what I know for later.

You

How well did you relate to all of this? If you are high Visionary, you probably identified yourself in almost everything I wrote. If your inner Visionary is tempered by other styles, you probably recognized yourself in some aspects, but it didn’t seem like I was talking totally about you.

In part 1 of The SpeakStrong Method eCourse, you can see just how high or moderate your Inner Visionary is.

Next Step: The SpeakStrong Method,
Express Yourself Effectively eCourse
Part 1: Know Thyself: Self Knowledge for Effective Self Expression

The fourteen day eCourse: The SpeakStrong Method Part 1:

  • Walks you through the Know Thyself competency of The SpeakStrong Method.
  • Gives Self Knowledge for Effective Self Expression.
  • Builds a foundation for saying what you mean through style archetyping and self-knowledge.

If taking it is as transformational as preparing it has been, it will turn your world around – in a good way!
Includes:

  • A SpeakStrong Method guide
  • An eCourse lesson each day for fourteen days
  • Action steps you can take as you go about your day
  • Printable SpeakStrong Style Quiz with graph and coding instructions
  • In-depth elucidation of the four main styles
  • Communication examples in the native voice of each style
  • Cartoons for each style
  • Ways to customize style-typing to your unique nature
  • Personal email spport
  • Certificate of completion

eCourse Agenda

Lesson 1: Excellence Through Wholeness: The Method
Lesson 2: Youer than You: Explore Your Full Spectrum and Meet Your Inner Archetypes
Lesson 3: Soar with the Expansiveness of Spirit: The Visionary in You
Lesson 4: Relate with the Connectedness of Soul: The Harmonizer in You
Lesson 5: Perceive with the Clarity of Mind: The Clarifier in You
Lesson 6: Succeed with the Power of Will: The Achiever in You
Lesson 7: Optimize the Visionary in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 8: Optimize the Harmonizer in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 9: Optimize the Clarifier in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 10: Optimize the Achiever in You: Build on Strengths and Balance Weaknesses
Lesson 11: Uniquely You: Creative Archetyping
Lesson 12: Every Voice at the Table: A Foundation of Inner Wholeness
Lesson 13: Moving Forward: Summary, Action Steps and The SpeakStrong Book
Lesson 14: Closing Quiz: Assess and Certify

Learn more at:

method

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