On Point Communications, LLC’s Post

Level Up at Influence! I attended my first NSA convention in the ’90s. It was overwhelming, but it was an incredible experience. On my flight home, I pulled out my notes and list of “to-do’s.” I had 70+ things on the list, and just reading them exhausted me. When I returned home, I ensured my notes were safely tucked away and saved, but I rarely looked at them. Why? There were too many ideas.      "When you try and do everything, you do nothing." My strategy changed. Each year, I come home with less and less on my list. Was it because there weren’t any great ideas shared? Not! I realized I needed to have a better strategy going into the convention. Here’s what I did. I reviewed the agenda several times before attending the meeting. I looked at all the great offerings and asked myself four questions. 1. What will I implement immediately in my business? 2. What will I implement in the next 90 days? 3. What would I like to implement within the next year? 4. Do I need additional resources or help implementing the above? When I approached things this way, suddenly, I felt less burdened and more excited! I was out of overwhelm and into implementation. As we approach this year’s meeting, I hope you come away with new ideas, tactics, and techniques. I certainly will. But I’ll surely have fewer to-dos than I did several years ago. I hope to see you in Denver! #speakingbusiness #speaking #professionalspeakers

Ottobock CX Team. Berlin. The Signal through the Noise. Sometimes it need only be a small blip. In other moments, it’s a sledgehammer blow to our consciousness that stops us, moves us, strikes us in a fashion that remains long after the communicator has stopped talking. Signal through the noise. Together with the workshop players, I experienced a multitude of such signals last Friday. It’s easy to overload or misinterpret the meaning of a “hook”. A hook can be the smallest personal opinion, feeling or observation that generates freshness. This is a freshness that tells a regional manager, VP, board member that although she might join twenty meetings this week, although she may look at ten presentations, THIS one will be.... a moment. Something that can only come from THAT presenter, for one reason: they’ve personalized the argument. “Personal” doesn’t have to imply the sharing of emotional experiences from our life outside work (although it can). It rather denotes a moment wherein we tell others what something MEANS. Means for us, for them, for our customers, the world. To be personal is to share our view and our voice. Late last year, I found myself in a room with a CFO. Global summit. His “state of the numbers” talk. 20 slides. Each positively packed with numbers. A veritable Jackson Pollock of integers. “I can’t change these slides”, he warns me. No need for such a warning: I’m not here to be a slide doctor. I AM here to ensure this leader tells us what all the information means, how these numbers enrich our understanding of the timeline: past, present, future. We want HIS vision and yes, his feelings on the topics. Back to our team. A mix of professional storytellers and others who also tell stories through who they are and what they do. What's beautiful is that the signal blips, flows or even thunders differently for each human. One of the big teaching moments for all of us is seeing a shy, quiet person pull us in with his communication. He reminds me of actors with gentle power on film. The requirements are twofold: finding the fascination in the material, and having an intention to make an enjoyable connection with your listeners. With these elements in hand, any piece of information can cut through. Signal through the noise. #communicationtraining #storytelling #ottobock #pitchtraining #selfdevelopment Thank you Martin Böhm for creating the space, Martin Wider for your collaboration and Anja Lübbeke for helping to make this happen. Bravo to the other players: Saskia Willich Marcus Laudan Nicole von Bergen Irwin Pulanco Peter Franzel Daniela Pedross Victoria Kaminski JessicaErnst Miriam Sendler Christin Müller Hannah Grempe Laura Naujoks Petra Krausse Marina Fehrmann Jan-Alexander Wahl Jens-Luis Mölck Bastian Hose Charlotte Erdsiek Kamilla Schneemann Sophie Heidenreich Manuela Napp Podlasly Uwe Lohmann Sebastian Andrea Marx Magnus Kühn Ramona Winter Wolfgang Neubauer Karl König Lara Schröder Petra Ullmann Gesa Liss

A keynote speaker is en route to his next gig in Atlantic City when his chauffeur remarks, "You know, George, I've seen your speech so many times, I bet I could deliver it myself!" The speaker, intrigued, agrees, "Alright, we're 30 minutes away. Go ahead and give it a shot." The chauffeur delivers a flawless 45-minute keynote. He pauses dramatically, uses engaging hand gestures, tells impactful stories, and even earns laughter that crescendos into a standing ovation. However, trouble brews when the Q&A session begins. After the first question, the chauffeur, looking exasperated, declares, "That's such a trivial question—my chauffeur could answer it! George, come on up!" After delivering over a thousand live speeches, I can say the best part is always the Q&A. It's where the audience engages with content so they can apply it to their products and services to win more sales, and increase connection. You never know what you'll get. Last week, I was asked, "Do you feel that this concept of compliance versus commitment applies to dating?" These are my favorite conversations! Thank you Peter Stark, CSP, for the perfect anecdote! #Keynotespeaker, #heartandsell, #roadwarrior, #mtivation, #Womenwhosell

In the last two weeks, we have tackled two hallmarks of good strategic thinking – EXPLORE (cast a wide net for ideas) and TRANSLATE (distill to the most relevant idea).   I started our chat: “Today, let’s do the third prong: MESSAGE – get good ideas to the right person at the right time. What do you typically do to get your ideas green lit?” They smiled: “So glad we are doing this MESSAGE part; my strengths are definitely in EXPLORE + TRANSLATE. So that last ‘partnership idea’ I had I went to my boss to bat it around. However, when I am pitching the next great thing, we need SVP support or even higher; and that’s where I get stuck.” I said: “I see, what stops the progress? Budget?” They threw up their hands: “Yes and perceived value, it seems. But I am not in those meetings.” I said: “So, then, let’s go to the first tenet of the MESSAGE model – ‘the WHO’! Who is in these meetings and how well do you know them?” They said: “My boss, their peers, but also my skip, and sometimes their peers. Bummer: I know very few.” I said: “Well trying to get something greenlit with them, or even influencing in a crisis – depends on not only knowing them but knowing what motivates them. So, who should you start with? This will take time, but it is worth it.” They said: “I know this so well, and it’s just finding the time.” I said: “I hear that constantly from most execs I work with; this might be the most important thing you do for the short- and long-term – make and maintain these connections. So, let’s measure it – how many meetings per month do you want to try to do?” They smiled: “Ok, I’m game. Let’s say 4 per month.” I nodded: “Great! Get to know them is the primary goal, but also, figure out what makes them tick.” They said: “How should I figure that out?” I said: “Cialdini is the master on what motivates decision-making (6 Principles here: https://lnkd.in/gYwyduHH). In your meetings, ask what they need most to make their decisions; like data from studies (authority), data from competitors (social proof), or being an outlier (scarcity). Usually, execs have a preference.” I reviewed: “Strategic thinking is EXPLORE widely, then TRANSLATE; and if your MESSAGE falls flat, it doesn’t matter if you have a great idea. So..... 1. Get to know the WHO (usually boss’s peers and skip level/peers). 2. Know what MOTIVATES decision-making (e.g., Cialdini’s authority, social proof, likability, etc.) 3. Gear your idea to the right decision-maker at the right time!” They smiled: “Going to make meetings with skip levels now!” ----- How do you MESSAGE ideas to the right person at the right time? ----- Have a leadership/career dilemma to chat about: https://lnkd.in/gvaJrMVY ----- Want to work on STRATEGIC INFLUENCE with 50 peers? Join Ethan Evans and me for Cracking the C-Suite, Oct 5-6: https://lnkd.in/gZGVccdA

Great series of posts about strategic thinking and strategic influence. It's especially important here to understand factors we can control and to focus on those few conditions we are able to change.

The Power of Motivation in Decision-Making “Who is making the decisions, and are they the right ones?” That’s the question Jakob Maciolek, Partner Manager at Microsoft, dives into during our latest In Real Life episode of The Partnership Path. Jakob shares how understanding what truly motivates people—from personal goals to corporate objectives—can transform your partnerships. Whether it’s uncovering hidden agendas or aligning on long-term goals, his insights are a masterclass in decision influence. “Ask the right questions, listen closely, and empathize with their journey,” Jakob advises. It’s about becoming a trusted partner, not just a business associate. Tune in to learn how to decode motivation and drive impactful partnerships.  https://lnkd.in/g3hvgACE P.S. What’s one strategy you use to understand your stakeholders’ motivations? 

How to Influence the Right People in Partnerships Are you influencing the right people? That’s the million-dollar question we tackle in this week’s In Real Life Episode of The Partnership Path with Jakob Maciolek from Microsoft who shared his framework for pinpointing decision-makers in partnerships: ➡  Focus on stakeholders with long-term, business-oriented goals. ➡  Decode answers to uncover whether they think short-term or big picture. ➡  Always ask: What alternatives are they considering? his isn’t just about tactics—it’s about building trust and partnerships that last.  “The depth of someone’s answers can reveal their influence on decisions,” Jakob notes. Catch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/g8c7Ywfx

"𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁: 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗷𝘂𝗶 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀 — 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗛𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲?" The CEO's email was short but clear: Kinyanjui was now the head of the tender committee. So, how did this happen? During the Monday meeting talk with the CEO, Kinyanjui used his years of experience in sales and tenders to point out problems like the rush and confusion caused by last-minute tender requests which often had no strong intel from the agents. And sometimes brokers.These issues were not only making their work harder but were also stressing everyone out. Kinyanjui suggested setting up a tender committee to make things smoother and make sure they only go after tenders that have strong intel. This would help reduce stress and focus on the most promising opportunities. He also requested for an administrative assistant to help with routine tasks of printing and copying so he could concentrate on the more technical aspects of the tender process. This was a step towards having clear roles and support to reduce last minute rushes. The CEO liked the idea and made Kinyanjui the head of the new committee. He also asked for recommendations within a week as the tender season was starting soon. This was a chance not just to improve how they handle tenders but also to create a more open and efficient workplace. Kinyanjui was aware that not all of his colleagues would welcome the change, but he prioritized his own productivity and mental health. Firm in his decision, he was ready to face any challenges that might come, confident that the benefits would ultimately outweigh the initial resistance. With the first meeting just minutes away, Kinyanjui headed to the boardroom to prepare. As he arranged his notes and planned his opening remarks, the weight of the moment settled on his shoulders. Who would stand with him, and who would stand against him? Only time would tell. He took a deep breath as the door began to open, signaling the arrival of the first team member." #Leadership #WorkplaceEfficiency #MentalHealth

We often forget that happy employees lead to happy customers. Our people will never make our clients feel more welcome, happy and engaged than they themselves feel. Our people won't go the extra mile for our customers when they don't feel that we'd do the same for them. Relationships have to be the priority for all successful teams. When we create safe spaces and give people the opportunity to connect, incredible things happen. In a workshop I facilitated last week it was amazing to hear attendees say that although they knew their company values, they hadn't ever explored together what these values look, sound and feel like as a lived reality. By the end of the workshop people were feeling more seen, more valued, more hopeful about how things would be in future and more empowered to speak up and own their space. When we invest in the relationships in our teams, the ROI is always exponential. _________________________________________________________________________________ Hi, I'm Claire. I'm passionate about reinventing the way we lead ourselves, our teams and our businesses to maximize talent, leverage strengths & embrace opportunities. Interested in doing the same? Share, comment and tag people who would be interested in joining the conversation and follow me for more.

Setting up Zoom's Intelligent Director with Logitech gear? Our new video guide makes it simple. Learn the essentials—from equipment to calibration—for seamless integration and an enhanced meeting experience. #Logitech #Zoom #IntelligentDirector #logilife