Tag Archives: consultants

TweetChats – #AskEoC

What is #AskEoC?

The purpose of our Twitter Chat (titled #AskEoC) is to come together to answer questions, address concerns, and share stories and resources around topics that are of interest to you. Experts on Call (EoCs) will be online and available to answer your questions, suggest readings, and provide additional resources to help you as you. A new topic will be picked each month based on the interests of the group.

Why Participate in #AskEoC?

Participating in our #AskEoC offers several benefits, such as: building community, making new friends, learning from others, connecting with experts in the field, and discussing interesting topics.

When is #AskEoC?

#AskEoC date and time is TBD. Please check back for dates and times.

Submit a Topic or Question:

What topics or questions would you most like to explore during an #AskEoC? Your curiosity and questions help to enhance the dialogue and learning for all those involved in the chat. Kindly send all chat questions to Kathy at Kathy@CompanyofExperts.net. Please be sure to add your Twitter name e.g. @yourtwittername so we can credit you with the questions during the chat.

Stay Informed:

The official Twitter account for #AskEoC is @ExpertCompany. Follow this twitter account to receive information about upcoming #AskEoC chats, exclusive offers, specials and discounts for various trainings, online programs, webinars and podcasts.  In addition to receiving discounts, we also post new events, as well as industry related videos and articles that my interest you and your colleagues.

Tweet Chat Instructions:

To participate in our #AskEoC, you will need to have a twitter account. Make sure you add a photo and brief bio about yourself so that we may get to know each other better as we exchange ideas, thoughts, links, and resources during the #AskEoC.

Below are additional links to help you learn more about Tweet Chat:

Ask an Expert

Real People, Real Answers

Get answers to your important questions with the help of our Experts on Call! The Company of Experts hosts a series of webinars and telephone conferences that connects you with industry experts who can answer questions on a wide variety of relevant and specialized topics. Each webinar will feature a new Expert on Call – offering new insights and perspectives to your questions. Experts on Call are selected based on their unique background and expertise.

Established in 1989, Company of Experts, Inc. is an international network of people with outstanding expertise in numerous areas. This network of individuals service the needs of community colleges, schools and universities, businesses and corporations, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations.

The Company of Experts’ “Ask an Expert” program was created to provide our friends with an interactive space in which they can freely and openly ask questions. It is our commitment to fostering a comfortable and relaxed online space to share information, wisdom, and expertise ensures that you will get the right answer to your questions. The webinars/phone conferences are low cost, with fees charged to cover costs to support technology, and support.

What topics or questions would you most like to explore during an Ask an Expert session? Your curiosity and questions help to enhance the dialogue and learning for all those involved. Kindly send your topic of interest to Kathy at Kathy@CompanyofExperts.net, call the office at (702) 228-4699, or submit your question below.

Ask our Experts a question today:

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How to Lead Under Fire

Author: Steve Tobak, cnet.com

stressed-while-at-workIf you’re not periodically under fire by your management and peers then your career’s probably not going anywhere. It’s sort of like “no pain no gain.” If you push the envelope and take risks, then you’re going to get mercilessly grilled from time to time. That’s just the way it works. And if you seriously want to get promoted and make something of yourself, you have to learn to handle it. No, I’m not talking about growing thick skin and becoming a human punching bag. I’m talking about learning to handle getting fired upon like a true leader. Everyone will walk out of the room thinking you’re the next Lou Gerstner or Jack Welch. Okay, maybe not, but they’ll definitely think more of you and will more readily accept your ideas, proposals, and most importantly, promotions.

How’d I learn this stuff? By spending much of my career selling innovative strategies to risk averse CEOs, CFOs, and management teams. Sure, I probably came across as whiny and defensive in the early days, but in time I learned the ropes. Here they are:

How to Lead Under Fire

1. Don’t get emotionally attached to your ideas. It’s good to be passionate about your ideas, but if you’re emotionally attached to them, it’ll come through when you’re getting grilled. And managers are incredibly distrustful of ideologues trying to shove things down their throats. It’s all about positioning. In your mind, you have to be willing to walk away. That little separation will give you the appearance of perspective and poise under fire.
2. Learn to embrace alternative views. The best way to respond to most objections is by first embracing them, then explaining why your plan is better or at least equivalent. Again, it’s a positioning game. But there’s a subtle but significant difference between, “My approach is better and here’s why,” and “That’s an interesting idea; here’s why I think this might be a better approach.”
3. Master the art of zinger retorts. When you’re getting grilled there will inevitably be some real zingers. Well, there’s only one way to beat a zinger and that’s with a zinger retort. How do you get good at zinger retorts? By getting good at thinking on your feet, which is really equal parts knowledge, experience, preparation, and of course, self confidence. Also, it’s essential to maintain a sense of humor under fire.
4. Know your stakeholders. Of course you need to know your material cold and expect the worst. Unfortunately, that’s not even close to good enough. You also have to know the stakeholders, aka your audience, and have a pretty good idea of their likely objections. A few one-on-one premeetings are a good idea. Then you’ll be ready to counter effortlessly.
5. Never, ever lose control of the meeting. It’s your meeting, or at least your time to present, so you’re in charge and you need to act like it. I don’t care if the CEO and CFO start going down a rat hole on some mindlessly trivial point. You have to be adept at all the usual techniques for keeping meetings on track, on topic, and on time. Come to think of it, that’s probably a topic of its own.

Source:
Tobak, Steve. “The Corner Office mobile edition.” BNET Blogs mobile edition. CBS Interactive, 25 Mar. 2010. Web. 26 Mar. 2010. .

A Vision of Students Today

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o&feature=related

a short video summarizing some of the most important characteristics of students today – how they learn, what they need to learn, their goals, hopes, dreams, what their lives will be like, and what kinds of changes they will experience in their lifetime. Created by Michael Wesch in collaboration with 200 students at Kansas State University.

Learning Styles Don’t Exist

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIv9rz2NTUk

Professor Daniel Willingham describes research showing that learning styles are a myth