Communication

Documentation protects you… unless it buries your point. Many years ago, I wrote the most detailed audit report of my life. We’re talking 40 pages 🤦🏽♂️ → Charts. → Narratives. → Appendices. → Footnotes. It was bulletproof. At least, I thought so. I handed it to the client expecting appreciation. What I got? “Can you just tell us what you want us to do?” They didn’t care about the 18 pages of background. They didn’t want the full history of the control environment. They wanted direction. Clarity. Action. That’s when it hit me: I wasn’t writing for them. I was writing for me. → To protect myself. → To prove I did the work. → To make it look complete. But complete ≠ compelling. Documentation only matters if someone reads it. Here’s what I learned the hard way. People won't: • Act on what they don’t understand. • Sift through clutter to find the message. • Thank you for being thorough if they feel overwhelmed. So I started writing differently. → Clearer summaries → Shorter sections → Visuals that guide, not distract → And I stopped trying to include 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨—        only what mattered Because when your business writing reads like a novel, nobody finishes it. But when it reads like a conversation? → People engage. → They listen. → They act. Struggling to balance clarity with completeness? Our trainings help you communicate in a way that gets results. P.S. Ever write a report so long even 𝘺𝘰𝘶 didn’t finish it?

I don’t expect my team to work during my time. (10 things I do expect from them) My team is in the Philippines. That’s a 15-hour time difference. If I asked them to work my hours, it would mean  starting at 11 p.m. and ending at 8 a.m. their time. I don’t want them: burnt out exhausted sleep-deprived I want the opposite. But here are my non-negotiables: Tell Me What’s Going On ↳ If you’re stuck, tell me early. ↳ Problems are fine. Silence isn’t. Be Mindful of Actions Impacting Others ↳ What you delay, someone else waits on. ↳ You’re part of a chain. Keep it moving. Stick to Deadlines You Commit To ↳ If you say Friday, I expect Friday. ↳ Reliability builds trust faster than skills. Ask Questions When You’re Unclear ↳ Clarify now, avoid rework later. ↳ Asking shows you care about doing it right. Take Ownership of Mistakes ↳ Own it fast—no blame game. ↳ Fix it, learn from it, and move forward. Work During Time Overlap ↳ Be available for meetings and quick feedback. ↳ Real-time collaboration solves problems faster. Notify When You’re Away ↳ We all have a personal life—just keep me posted. ↳ Silence creates doubt. Communication builds trust. Deliver More Than Expected ↳ Add value I didn’t ask for. ↳ Impress clients by going the extra 1%. Keep Learning New Skills ↳ Today’s tools are outdated tomorrow. ↳ Learning makes you future-proof. Be Proactive, Not Just Reactive ↳ Spot problems and suggest 2-3 solutions. ↳ Take the lead on improvements. What makes us successful isn’t when we work. It’s how we work. It’s how we communicate. It’s how we show up for each other. Helpful?  ♻️Please share to help others. 🔎Follow Michael Shen for more.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞. – 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐓𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐧 I get asked often- how do you communicate effectively as a public speaker? Lately, I’ve found myself on the podium a bit and while public speaking terrifies many, I actually draw energy from it. Most people think great communicators are born that way. Nope. They just prepare better. Here’s my fool-proof method to sound sharp, engaging, and at high-stakes events: 1.    𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡. Yes, all of it. Sounds tedious, but trust me—seeing your words on paper reveals the clunky bits. 2.    𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝. If your tongue stumbles, so will your audience. Fix it. Swap out heavy words for simpler ones. 3.    𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟. Stand in front of a mirror and speak. Notice where you ramble. Edit again. 4.    𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫. Give it a day or two. During that time, you will revisit the speech in your head whether you like it or not. Next day, come back to it with fresh eyes. 5.    𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭: Read it aloud, practice at least thrice in front of a mirror. Now, the secret sauce: Start with a short self-deprecating story. If you can make people laugh, you’ve got them. Then, give them a fresh perspective. Something they hadn’t thought of before. And finally, end on a positive note. Leave them wanting more. Remember, great communicators aren’t just talkers. They’re also editors, timers, and storytellers. #CommunicationSkills #PublicSpeaking  

Ever notice how some leaders seem to have a sixth sense for meeting dynamics while others plow through their agenda oblivious to glazed eyes, side conversations, or everyone needing several "bio breaks" over the course of an hour? Research tells us executives consider 67% of virtual meetings failures, and a staggering 92% of employees admit to multitasking during meetings. After facilitating hundreds of in-person, virtual, and hybrid sessions, I've developed my "6 E's Framework" to transform the abstract concept of "reading the room" into concrete skills anyone can master. (This is exactly what I teach leaders and teams who want to dramatically improve their meeting and presentation effectiveness.) Here's what to look for and what to do: 1. Eye Contact: Notice where people are looking (or not looking). Are they making eye contact with you or staring at their devices? Position yourself strategically, be inclusive with your gaze, and respectfully acknowledge what you observe: "I notice several people checking watches, so I'll pick up the pace." 2. Energy: Feel the vibe - is it friendly, tense, distracted? Conduct quick energy check-ins ("On a scale of 1-10, what's your energy right now?"), pivot to more engaging topics when needed, and don't hesitate to amplify your own energy through voice modulation and expressive gestures. 3. Expectations: Regularly check if you're delivering what people expected. Start with clear objectives, check in throughout ("Am I addressing what you hoped we'd cover?"), and make progress visible by acknowledging completed agenda items. 4. Extraneous Activities: What are people doing besides paying attention? Get curious about side conversations without defensiveness: "I see some of you discussing something - I'd love to address those thoughts." Break up presentations with interactive elements like polls or small group discussions. 5. Explicit Feedback: Listen when someone directly tells you "we're confused" or "this is exactly what we needed." Remember, one vocal participant often represents others' unspoken feelings. Thank people for honest feedback and actively solicit input from quieter participants. 6. Engagement: Monitor who's participating and how. Create varied opportunities for people to engage with you, the content, and each other. Proactively invite (but don't force) participation from those less likely to speak up. I've shared my complete framework in the article in the comments below. In my coaching and workshops with executives and teams worldwide, I've seen these skills transform even the most dysfunctional meeting cultures -- and I'd be thrilled to help your company's speakers and meeting leaders, too. What meeting dynamics challenge do you find most difficult to navigate? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments! #presentationskills #virualmeetings #engagement

Transformation is often measured in tools, timelines, and revenue. But there's another layer one that doesn't show up in dashboards: cultural transformation. 🌏 When people from different parts of the world come together to work as one team, misalignment isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable. Communication styles, expectations, and norms don’t always line up. And sometimes, even a simple question can spark unexpected tension. Take this example: A quick check-in like "What’s the update on this?" Or a straight forward question on client escalation, might feel completely routine in one culture but come across as confrontational in another. Intentions get lost, feelings get hurt, and frustration builds.  No one is wrong. But everyone feels it.  So, what can be done? ✅We built cultural bridges, placing individuals who understood the nuances of both sides to interpret tone, context, and intent. These weren’t just translators; they were empathy amplifiers. ✅We swapped roles, encouraging team members to shadow each other, experience different workflows, and gain perspective from the other side. Walking a mile in someone else’s shoes changes everything. ✅We invested in immersion, allowing team members to experience working in another location. What once felt confusing over email started to make perfect sense in person. These efforts didn’t erase differences, and that’s not the goal. The goal is understanding. Because trust isn’t automatic in distributed teams, it’s earned through openness, patience, and genuine curiosity. And here’s the truth: There may never be a single fix. Cultural tension is part of the package when building global teams. The win isn’t in eliminating friction but in learning to navigate it gracefully. When teams move from blame to curiosity, from assumptions to questions, that’s where the magic happens. So whether you're an executive or an implementer, I encourage you to approach hard conversations head-on, to listen a little deeper, and to build teams that don’t just span time zones but truly connect across them. 🤝 What’s helped your team bridge the cultural gap? #leadership #culture #empathy #trust #respect

✋ 10 Things I Hate About Policies (and What We Should Do Instead) Let’s be honest: most corporate policies aren’t helping people make good choices. They’re long. They’re vague. They’re legally sound, but practically useless. I’ve worked in legal and compliance long enough to say this with love: most policies are written by lawyers for lawyers—not for the humans they’re meant to guide. Here are 10 things I hate about traditional policies—and what I believe we should do instead: 1. Written for lawyers, not people. They sound like a deposition transcript. Real people need real words. 2. Law citations before guidance. I don’t need to see “FCPA, UKBA, ISO 37001” before you tell me what to do when someone offers me playoff tickets. 3. “Including but not limited to.” The unofficial mascot of policy clutter. Retire it already. 4. The exception maze. Don’t bury nuance at the bottom. Acknowledge gray areas like grown-ups. 5. Training required just to understand it. If I need a course to decode the policy, the policy has failed. 6. All “don’ts,” no “do’s.” Fear-based rules freeze people. Clarity-based ones empower them. 7. Walls of text. White space is your friend. So are headers, visuals, and clean design. 8. Peanut butter approach. Stop sending the credit card policy to everyone. It’s lazy compliance. Target people who actually need it. 9. Undefined audience. Who is this for? Managers? HR? Everyone? I shouldn’t have to guess. 10. Assume we’ll figure it out—or else. Bad policies punish. Good ones guide. ✨ Want better policies? Start here: - Use clear language. - Show people what to do, not just what not to do. - Make it role-relevant. - Design it like you want someone to actually read it. Let’s write policies that help people make good choices—with confidence and clarity. #Compliance #Culture #PolicyReform #MakeGoodChoices #LegalDesign #HumanCompliance #Ethics #Leadership #UserExperience

Here's how to simplify your pitch and 10x your sales: 1. Talk less, sell more. Short sentences = more sales. Hemingway once bet he could write a story in 6 words that'd make you feel something: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." Your pitch should pack the same punch. 2. Complexity is for people who want to feel smart, not be effective. The worst salespeople make simple things sound complicated. The best make the complex simple. 3. Complexity says, "I want to feel needed." Simplicity limits to only what is needed. 4. Read your pitch out loud. I remember when I'd asked my COO to read the manuscript of my book. He chose to do it aloud. All 258 pages. Ears catch what eyes miss. The final version reads like butter. 5. "Be good, be seen, be gone." This was the best sales advice I ever got. - Good: Deliver value - Seen: Make an impression - Gone: Don't overstay your welcome People buy from those they remember, not those who linger. 7. Speak like your customer, not a textbook. We like to sound sophisticated. "We create impactful bottom-line solutions." But we like to listen to simple. "We help small businesses explode their sales." Which one would you buy? 8. Every word earns its place. Your pitch should be lean and mean. - Be specific - Avoid cliches - Check for redundancy - If it doesn't add value, cut it out 9. Abstract concepts bore. Concrete examples excite. ❌ "We'll increase your efficiency." ✅ "We'll save you 10 hours a week." Paint a picture. 10. People buy on emotion & justify with logic So tap into their feelings: - Fear of missing out - Desire for success - Need for security Then back it up with facts. 11. The "Grandma Test" never fails. If your grandma wouldn't get your pitch, simplify it. No jargon. No buzzwords. Just plain English. 12. Benefits > features. Dreams > benefits. ❌ "Our group hosts 10+ events per year." ✅ "Our program helps you close deals." 🚀 "Let's take back Main Street through ownership." 13. Use power words: - You - Free - Because - Instantly - New These words grab attention and drive action. Two final things to keep in mind... Simplicity isn't just for sales. Apply these principles to: - your business operations - your thinking processes - your next investment - your relationships - your to do list Sales isn't just for car dealerships. You pitch when you: - Negotiate a raise - Interview for a job - Post on social media - Hire someone for a job - Talk to an owner about buying their biz If you found this useful, feel free to share for others ♻️

Hybrid Meetings ≠ Inclusive Meetings. I’ve lived it - and here’s 5 practical tips to ensure everyone has a voice, regardless of location. I spent more than 10,000 hours in hybrid meetings while as a remote leader for The Clorox Company. I was often the 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 remote attendee - while the rest of the group sat together in a conference room at HQ. Here’s what I learned the hard way: 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲... ...by showing who gets heard, who feels seen, and who gets left out. If you're leading a distributed or hybrid team, how you structure your meetings sends a loud message about what (and who) matters. 𝟱 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 – who will actively combat distance bias and invite input from all meeting members 2️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿 – to monitor the chat and the raised hands, to launch polls and to free up the facilitator to focus on the flow 3️⃣ 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗶𝗻 - so that there is equal access to the chat, polls, and reactions 4️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 – pair remote team members with in-room allies to help make space in the conversation and ensure they can see and hear everything 5️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 – be ready with a Plan B for audio, video, or connectivity issues in the room 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳? 𝗧𝗿𝘆 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹-𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. If even one person is remote, have everyone log in from their own device from their own workspace to create a level playing field. 🔗 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 for creating location-inclusive distributed teams in this Nano Tool I wrote for Wharton Executive Education: https://lnkd.in/eUKdrDVn #LIPostingDayApril

Positive feedback? Hurry through it. It doesn’t feel 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭. Negative feedback? That’s what we can 𝘧𝘪𝘹. That’s where the real work is. Too many engineers and leaders treat positive feedback like it’s background noise. I’ve seen this in clients, teammates, and honestly—myself, at times. But here’s the problem: when you train your brain to only listen for what’s wrong, every feedback session starts to feel like a threat. You miss the information about what’s working. You lose the signal that says “𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.”. That makes feedback harder to give and harder to receive. This is how we create feedback-phobia. Positive feedback isn’t fluff. It’s a reinforcement tool. It tells your brain, “𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩—𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨.” ↳ If you’re receiving feedback: slow down when someone tells you what you did well. Ask why it worked. Positive feedback is data. ↳ If you’re giving feedback: don’t let the good parts get skipped. Pause and say, “𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥. 𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘵.” What kind of feedback are you wired to notice—and what might you be missing? When was the last time you let positive feedback actually land? Give this a repost ♻️ to help others find this message ✍🏻 You might like my weekly newsletter https://lnkd.in/gxtnCFay

Your brain is wired to avoid conflict at all costs. Avoiding hard conversations doesn’t eliminate problems-it multiplies them. I’ve worked with countless first-time managers, VPs, and even senior executives who freeze when it’s time to: - Give tough feedback - Address poor performance - Set firm boundaries - Have that uncomfortable talk with an underperforming team member Why does this happen? Because biologically, your brain still thinks conflict = danger.  When faced with confrontation, your amygdala (the fear center of your brain) hijacks your response system. - Heart rate spikes. - Hands get clammy. - Your brain perceives the conversation as a threat, triggering fight, flight, or freeze.  This is why so many leaders either: - Overreact (aggressive, defensive, emotional outbursts) - Shut down (avoid the issue, sugarcoat, delay tough calls) The result? - Performance issues linger. - Low accountability erodes culture. - Leaders lose credibility. The best organizations-the ones that scale, retain top talent, and build elite teams-don’t just train leaders on strategy. They train them on emotional regulation and communication.  How Elite Leaders Stay Calm & In Control During Tough Talks  1. Hack Your Nervous System with Tactical Breathing Your breath controls your physiology. Try box breathing (4-4-4-4): Inhale 4 sec → Hold 4 sec → Exhale 4 sec → Hold 4 sec. Navy SEALs use this under combat stress—it works in boardrooms too.  2. Reframe the Conversation in Your Mind Instead of “This is going to be a brutal conversation,” say “This is an opportunity to align expectations and help someone grow.” Shift from confrontation → collaboration.  3. Use Nonverbal Cues to De-Escalate Lower your tone. Slow down your speech. Maintain open body language. People mirror your energy—if you stay calm, they will too.  4. Replace “Softening” Phrases with Direct, Clear Statements - “I feel like maybe there’s a small issue with your performance…” ✅ “Here’s what I’ve observed, and here’s what needs to change.” Clarity is kindness. Sugarcoating only confuses people.  Why This Matters for Companies Investing in Leadership Training - 85% of employees say poor leadership communication causes workplace stress. (Forbes) - 69% of managers say they’re uncomfortable communicating with employees. (HBR) - Companies with emotionally intelligent leadership see 34% higher retention rates. (Case Study Group at Cornell) If your company isn’t training leaders on handling tough conversations, you’re losing talent, productivity, and trust. Want to build a leadership culture where tough conversations drive growth instead of fear? Let’s talk. #LeadershipTraining #ExecutiveCoaching #CommunicationSkills #LeadershipDevelopment #CultureOfAccountability #EmotionalIntelligence #HighPerformanceTeams