Blog - Catherine Johns

Your Most Important Audience? Might Be You.

Listen to the audio version of this post here. If you and I are in touch on anything like a regular basis, you’ve heard a lot from me about sparkling communication. How to speak more powerfully. How to write with greater impact. How to listen deeply; it’s the real key to communication. And we’ve…

Siri, Alexa, and you

Listen to the audio version of this post here. “I’m not a woman or a man. I’m an A.I.” That’s what Alexa would tell you if you were cheeky enough to inquire about her gender. Why “her” gender? Well, “Alexa” is hardly a man’s name. Like Michaela, Roberta, and Theodora, it’s the feminine version…

Will They Read What You Write?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. You write every day at work, don’t you? Emails, proposals, maybe a blog or social media post. You might even crank out an old-fashioned put-it-in-an-envelope-and-mail-it letter now and then. Here’s the thing. How much of what we write does somebody actually read, understand, and act…

What To Do When One Door Closes

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Sometimes you know it’s the perfect moment for the next right thing. Other times, somebody lets you know it’s time to move on. Either way, most of us have had or will have the experience of moving on to a new position, even a new…

Can Friendship Happen On Zoom?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Remember what it was like to make friends? You met somebody; you found some common ground. You liked their warmth. Or their intelligence. Or their sharp wit. Or … It’s a lot harder now that we’re never together, isn’t it? Here in Chicago, some parents…

Who Do You Trust? Who Trusts You?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. It’s not surprising that trust is an increasingly rare commodity, is it? The global communications firm Edelman is out with its 21st annual Trust Barometer revealing “widespread mistrust of societal institutions and leaders around the world.” They surveyed thousands of people in 28 countries and…

What To Say About Chaos In The Capital

Listen to the audio version of this post here. We were all preoccupied with the news last week, weren’t we? Some were glued to TV Wednesday afternoon, riveted by the images of mayhem at the United States Capitol. Others relied on Twitter for updates. And some got firsthand reports from friends at the front,…

Will The Real YOU Please Stand Up?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Ever feel like you’re swimming upstream when it comes to your work or the way you do it? Even without a global pandemic, plenty of barriers show up along the way to derail our professional lives altogether or send us in a completely different direction.…

The More Things Change …

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Everybody from op-ed writers to late night comedians to your best friend is talking about being done with 2020. We are so glad to see this year end, aren’t we? No need to list all the reasons for that here. We’ve been talking about them…

What Does Trustworthy Look Like?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. How do you know you can trust a person? A lot of folks will tell you they decide to believe in someone based on what they do rather than what they say. It’s pretty good advice, even when the person hasn’t said anything yet. Our initial…

Ever say “NO” to a virtual meeting?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Sometimes you feel like Zooming. Sometimes you don’t. It can be just too much, what with team meetings and client conversations and networking get-togethers. And then there are social gatherings on top of it all. (I’m crushed that I have to miss my National Speakers…

Jargon Is A Barrier To Communication

Listen to the audio version of this post here. It’s a hard habit to break, speaking in “the special words or expressions used by your particular profession or group.” It’s a good habit to break, if you want to make a real impact on anyone outside your particular profession or group. So why do…

How’s Your Virtual Charisma?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. You’ve heard me say how important it is now that we all discover how to shine on the virtual platforms we’re all using. Some of the old rules for commanding a room and connecting with the people in the room apply even when it’s…

How Much Is Too Much?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. In a virtual meeting or at the front of a real-world room, it’s easy to fall into a trap when we’re speaking to attract clients and referrals. When we’re out to highlight our contribution to the company and advance to a new position. Or when…

What Are You Wearing To Work Today?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Working from home has changed a lot of things, hasn’t it? Some of us are commuting from the bedroom to the basement. Negotiating with partners and kids for workspace and bandwidth. Connecting with colleagues and clients only on virtual platforms and feeling Zoomed-out as a…

How To Begin With A Bang

Listen to the audio version of this post here. You’re about to present your big idea in a Zoom meeting. Or you’re on MS Teams telling a potential client why they should choose your firm for the project. Or maybe your professional association’s holding its first virtual conference—you hope your breakout session will net…

It Seems So Black And White

Listen to the audio version of this post here. There’s been a lot of black-and-white lately. I don’t mean racial rhetoric, although there’s been plenty of that too, in a campaign season that included demands for racial justice, demands to defund police and threats about upending suburban life, among other things. No, when I…

What You Say To Yourself Without Words

Listen to the audio version of this post here. We all know that our body language influences the way people perceive us. They make up their minds in an instant whether we’re happy or sad, icy or friendly, comfortable in our own skin or self-conscious. Silly as this may sound, it’s not just about…

Nervous About Your Zoom Presentation?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “I’m not good at speaking. I get too nervous.” Stage fright keeps so many people from sharing their expertise and wisdom with the world. And now there’s Zoom fright! I’ve been coaching the presenters for a…

Thank You For …

Listen to the audio version of this post here. It’s not exactly a newsflash that gratitude is good for us. Thanking people for their effort, expertise, or contribution generally gives them a warm feeling, often a warm feeling about us. And someone who knows they’re appreciated is more likely to continue being generous with…

Can you stop foraging and focus?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Imagine this article is a tasty morsel. In fact, imagine you are a squirrel, and this paragraph is an acorn. You gobble it quickly … it’s not that big. And there’s another one right here beside it. You can have an entire delicious meal, just…

The First Step To World Peace

Listen to the audio version of this post here. With acrimony and division all around us, you know how hard it can be to see things from a different perspective. Maybe you’ve heard me talk about trying to understand other people’s point of view by stepping into their map of the world. Okay, so…

Getting Ready For The Big Day

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Imagine you have a major presentation coming up for an important client. Or a meeting where you hope to persuade the powers that be that your plan is the way to go. Or an interview for the job of your dreams. The stakes are high.…

A Break In The BlahBlah

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Seems like we’re always rushing, doesn’t it? Even in these days when we’re not literally going much of anywhere, there’s this sense of pressure to get things done, to respond immediately, to move the project along. Think about the language we use. We’re forever jumping…

Check Your Surge Capacity

Listen to the audio version of this post here. You can hardly count the ways life has changed—for all of us—in the past six months. You can certainly feel them. And feel them, and feel them, and well, you know. Your clients and colleagues feel the changes too. So do your friends and your…

Hey, What’s Happening To Your Glabella?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. If you’re like most Americans, you didn’t pay much attention to the political conventions. I, on the other hand, watched just about every minute of both of them. Yes, there were moments when I wanted to throw something at the TV. And, it was such…

Singing Their Song

Listen to the audio version of this post here. With all the remote work we’re doing now, it can be a challenge to develop rapport with a potential client or customer or even with colleagues. When we all just log into Zoom or jump on a conference call and start talking, we miss an…

“The Connect”—Why You Need It

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Political campaigns and conventions are such an opportunity to study what works … and what doesn’t … when it comes to getting a message across and persuading people to pick you. That’s a priority for presidential candidates, of course. It’s also crucial for all of…

Ambition, Opinions and Smiling

Listen to the audio version of this post here. As the speculation intensified—”Who will Joe Biden choose as his running mate?”—so did the endless sexist blather. Whoever your favorite is, or if your own pick is None of the Above, you’ve no doubt heard the critiques from all quarters. “She’s too ambitious.” “She’s way…

Your Virtual Presentation—It’s Not A Lullaby

Listen to the audio version of this post here. You see a lot these days about “Zoom fatigue.” Staring at that screen all day, meeting after meeting. It wears us out. I wrote about the reasons our eyes glaze over in those sessions, back when virtual meetings still felt a little bit fresh and…

That Word—What It Means For Women

Listen to the audio version of this post here. You’ve heard about the Big Bitch Brouhaha on Capitol Hill. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called out the congressman who’d insulted her in vivid terms. And she actually repeated those vivid terms on the House floor. Barrels of ink and pounds of pixels later, we know how…

Going To Work Where?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. With all the talk about opening up again, there are still a lot of questions about where and how we’ll be doing our work. There does seem to be agreement on one thing: work is not going to look the way it did before COVID-19.…

When They Just Don’t Get It

Listen to the audio version of this post here. You know how it feels to be misunderstood. Often, we expect people to do a better job of interpreting what we say. If they did, they would understand what we really mean. Much of the time, that expectation turns out to be a mistake. I’ve…

What Happens When They Mirror Your Mood?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. What state are you in? It’s not your location I’m looking for. I’m curious about the way you’re being at this moment. That means the emotion you’re feeling. And the way you’re thinking. How you’re holding your body. The way you’re moving—or not. Your energy…

It’s Not Optional

Listen to the audio version of this post here. “I’m not versed in public speaking.” We’ve seen this a lot lately. Somebody says something somewhere. Somebody else is offended. Controversy ensues. Exhibit A: Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director for Menswear. No, I’m not a fashionista either – I couldn’t tell you much about Louis Vuitton…

Is F2F Gone for Good?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Yes, there’s Zoom. And phone calls. And of course, texting. None of it is a substitute for real, live human contact, is it? We might miss face-to-face meetings more or less, depending on our personality or temperament and on what we were accustomed to, pre-pandemic.…

Getting Around To It

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Some of us are launching whole new careers because the pandemic has upended the old one in ways that seem insurmountable. People in retail, fitness and hospitality are among those reinventing themselves as their employers close for good. Some of us are adjusting. Doing the…

Many Things Are True

Listen to the audio version of this post here. It’s hard to keep up with the fast-paced events happening all over the country, isn’t it? To say nothing of all the opinions we keep hearing from the experts and people with lived experience and our family and friends. Trying to sort it all out…

Where’s The Meaning In The Mayhem?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. How are you holding up? Seriously. It’s a lot, isn’t it? The pandemic. The economic collapse. Now the demonstrations along with the looting and destruction that accompanied them. Stores and restaurants just beginning to come back from the CoronaCrisis have been shut down again, some…

Don’t Let Your Mask Mess Up Communication

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Maybe you believe anyone out and about without a face covering is selfish to the point of being a public menace. Or maybe you’re mocking those mask-wearing “sheeple.” However you feel about face masks, they’re required in many places now. And there’s no doubt they…

Where’s The Brighter Side?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. “Too much checking has ruined many a good story.” My WLS co-anchor Jim Johnson used to joke about what can happen when you track down the details on a juicy news story. Sadly, sometimes you have to ditch the whole thing. The facts turn out…

Reopening And Rage — What To Do Now?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. You’ve seen the stories I’m sure. Customers at a just-reopened Cape Cod ice cream parlor erupt when their sundaes aren’t ready for pick-up. They spew such abuse at the teenage cashier, she quits at the end of her shift. The owner says, “People have forgotten…

Twitter, Feng Shui and your Zoomroom

Listen to the audio version of this post here. You’ve probably seen some odd things during video conferences. You may have even done some odd things during video conferences. Now that we’ve moved all our meetings from offices and conference rooms to our laptops, there are still some things to think about. A big…

The New Meetings, Same As The Old Meetings

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Sometimes the online meetings we have now seem vastly different from the gatherings we used to have in a conference room or a restaurant’s meeting room. Everyone’s in their own home, we get glimpses of their real life, and nobody’s at the head of the…

You’re Invited. But How?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Funny, the things that can spark a debate. There are plenty of major life-and-death issues on which opinions differ dramatically. And then there’s … online scheduling software. I set off a firestorm the other day with my thoughts about Calendly and company. Namely, it rubs…

Are You Zoomed Out Yet?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. We’ve all been adapting to business meetings, sales conversations, and networking events on Zoom. Not to mention what were wryly called Zeders, the virtual Easter dinners, and those newly ubiquitous video Happy Hours. Some of us are having fun with this sort of Jetsons-ish way…

Ready To Take The Pledge?

Listen to the audio version of this post here. Tell me if this sounds familiar? I’m on a webinar – there are a lot of those, these days, right? It’s a subject I genuinely want to know more about, and the woman who’s running the thing is clearly an expert. So, I start out…

Another F*ing Growth Opportunity

Listen to the audio version of this post here. You hear people talking about lemons and lemonade … rainbows in the aftermath of a storm … and the search for the silver lining. I’m on board with the effort to look at the bright side when things are bleak. I always say it’s in…

Fancy Meeting You Here

We’re all Zooming now, aren’t we? Or Skyping. Or maybe you’re using an enterprise videoconferencing system while your whole company is working from home. You know I’m eager to return to face-to-face communication. And, it doesn’t look like that’s happening soon. We should all get better at the virtual meetings that are (and may remain)…

Can we stop “distancing” already?

We know from years of research that human connection is critical to our well-being. That loneliness is toxic. That we need relationship to each other. And yet here we are. With everyone from the federal government to the mayor to our doctors telling us (over and over and over 🙄) to practice “social distancing.” Can…

Who Gets Your Attention? Are You Sure?

Maybe this will be familiar to you. I’m watching the news, deeply engrossed in some story about the latest outrage in Washington D.C. and pondering what I might post about it. Gradually, I become vaguely aware of this familiar sound coming from my left. Wait, is that … It could be … Yes, I think…

Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are

What are you hiding from? Okay, maybe you’re one of those people who bravely seizes every opportunity. You put yourself out there—front and center. You don’t always get what you want, but you know that if you don’t ask, you don’t give ‘em a chance to say “yes.” Or maybe … You keep a low…

Don’t Go Down In A Hail Of Bullets

PowerPoint has been around for more than 30 years now. For much of that time, expert speakers have been encouraging us to use it more creatively and effectively than the engineers who designed it to show information to each other. Include more images, they tell us. And fewer words. Ditch distracting special effects. And for…

Walk the Talk to Make the Sale

So, this email showed up in my inbox: “Good morning and happy Saturday. I hope you are enjoying your weekend…and I was wondering if there was anything that I could help you with.” That’s wonderful. Except it’s Monday. Now I understand this is an automated message. The guy didn’t just sit down at his computer…

Ready To Change The Conversation?

If it seems like everyone is angry all the time, it’s not your imagination. People really are on edge. Spoiling for a fight. Quick to take offense. And of course, some are quick to give it. Political conversations are a minefield. And that’s spilled over, don’t you think, into other parts of our lives. How…

When Audience Participation Goes Sideways …

You’ve probably run into one of those people who treats audience participation as a chance to hold forth. They present a challenge for a speaker, don’t they? This question arrived in my in-box from an HR expert: “During my presentation, I paused to ask questions and opinions. I like getting some conversation going instead of…

How Do You Do Natural Networking?

If “networking” conjures up schmoozing at some professional society meeting, rattling off your elevator speech, and thrusting your card at everyone within arm’s reach, it’s time to expand the way you think about networking. Natural networking happens anywhere people come together for any purpose. Like for instance … well, come back with me to the…

How Should You Be Like Mr. Rogers?

Mr. Rogers is having a moment, isn’t he? If you haven’t seen It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, I recommend it. Frank and I both relished the film, even though we didn’t grow up with Mr. Rogers. (We grew up before Mr. Rogers!) So, when I stumbled across the podcast Finding Fred, I dove…

Who’s Sneezing For You?

Yes, it’s cold-and-flu season, as those commercials about coughing-sneezing-and-runny-noses remind us. Incessantly. This is about a different kind of sneezing. The kind of sneezing that gets you clients. Or gets you promoted. Or gets you elected. This sneezing is about spreading your “ideavirus.” The concept comes from Seth Godin, who says it’s way past time…

Talking Too Much

You might know somebody like this. Advice columns have been full of questions lately about how to handle the people who interrupt you, talk over you, or just never listen to what you have to say. (Yes, I still read advice columns—it’s satisfying to spend a moment on other people’s problems instead of my own.)…

January 1, 2020

I don’t know about you, but I’m not a big one for New Year’s Resolutions. Mainly because I had a long history of resolving … and then reneging on whatever promise I’d made to myself. There’s something about a whole new decade, though, that seems made for a fresh start. (Yes, the purists tell me…

Tis The Season, Like It Or Not

Sometimes you feel all fa-la-la-la-la. Sometimes you don’t. I debated staying out of your inbox this week. Maybe you don’t celebrate Christmas. Maybe you do, and you’d rather mark the occasion without emails like mine. Maybe you’re too busy to even look at your email. By the time you stumble across this one it’ll be…

Your Work: Do Tears Go With The Territory?

We all know there’s no crying in baseball. What about crying in banking though … or accounting … or sales? Some might assume the famous ban on bawling from A League of Their Own applies in any field. You’re supposed to take whatever the manager (or the colleague or the client) dishes out and keep…

Are You Ready To Own It?

I’m willing to bet you’re terrific at something. And it’s entirely likely you’re not willing to own it. You have plenty of company there. The Kennedy Center just handed out this year’s Lifetime Achievement Awards. One went to Linda Ronstadt, noting her worldwide album sales of more than 50 million, 30-some gold and platinum records,…

It’s The Wind-Up … And The Pitch!

How would you respond to this LinkedIn message? “Catherine, I hope you’re having a great day. My name is Dr. So-and-So, leadership and empowerment coach. It’d be great to connect to learn more about your work, and review if there’s a fit for my services within your organization or for yourself. Looking forward to connecting.”…

Your Talk’s Like a Turkey …

We can fall into a trap when we’re speaking to attract clients and referrals. Or when we’re out to highlight our contribution to the company and advance to a new position. Or when we’re hoping someone in the room will hear us … and hire us. Naturally, we want the audience to think we know…

Getting On The Same Page

You know that sense you get sometimes in a conversation? The two of you are on the same wavelength. Singing from the same hymnal. Seeing eye-to-eye. English has loads of idioms to describe that delightful feeling of rapport. I experienced it the other day when I sat down for breakfast with a new friend. In…

Can We Ever Like Powerful Women?

What do we have against women who run for president? Unsettling news for Democrats emerged from a poll in six battleground states where electoral college votes put the president over the top in 2016. Although national polling gives several Democrats a solid edge over Trump, those six key states present a different view. Especially for…

Less Really IS More

Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director at Steppenwolf Theatre here in Chicago. She’s directed big hits on Broadway as well, she’s a Tony-award winner, and she’s a professor at Northwestern University. She is a very big deal in theatrical circles. No, I’m not about to audition for a role in a play. I’m telling…

Practice Makes Perfect. IF You Do It.

What makes it so hard to rehearse for your business presentations? Every expert on speaking recommends rehearsal. Yes, that includes me. At the same time, just about every would-be speaker says, “Awww, I really don’t wanna rehearse.” Or something to that effect. Yes. That also includes me. I have a speaking engagement coming up, with…

The Signals You Send

When you’re leading a meeting, conducting a conference call, or having a sales conversation, your state is absolutely critical. No, not your geographical location. I’m talking about the way you’re being. That means the emotion you’re feeling and the thoughts you’re thinking. How you hold your body and how you move. Your energy level. All…

Your Body Is Your Key To Communication

You can’t do a presentation if you’re not present. In fact, when it comes to communicating, you can’t do much of anything if you’re not present. And yet, people try all the time to run a conference call, or a department heads’ meeting, or a big speech on a stage without being fully present in…

How Creative Are You?

Does the very question send you into a song-and-dance about how you don’t have a creative bone in your body and you never have? Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who owns every bit of your creative spirit. You make your living doing graphic design or photography or playing piano. You may even refer…

You’re The Kind of Person … Or Are You?

You’re all set for an important meeting with a client or colleague. You’ve done your homework, you’re completely prepared for this conversation, and you arrived early so the two of you can get right down to business. Because that’s the kind of person you are. Responsible, respectful, caring about relationships. You wait. And wait. And…

Conversations Connect us. Or Not.

You know how it feels when a conversation is so much fun you wish it could go on forever? Frank and I had one of those when we went to dinner with a business friend of mine. She and I had never been out socially; we’d certainly never met each other’s husbands. Still, it seemed…

Have You Heard The One About … Workplace Humor?

Why do we even try to be funny at work? There are definite benefits to laughing on the job. And, if you’re in charge of anything … or anyone … humor can be a minefield in a meeting, conference call, or presentation. Maybe you want to boost morale. Bring the team together. Generate some positive…

Gender Judo: Not Just For Women

You know professionals come to me to develop Executive Presence; they want to be more potent and persuasive at work. It’s rare that my mission is: Make this person more likable. The NY Times Gender Editor is scoffing at a request to recommend a “likability coach” for a woman who comes off as a little…

Are You Ready For Extreme Interactivity?

There’s a time to deliver a well-crafted, well-rehearsed speech. Most business presentations are not that time. Not that we skip the crafting and rehearsing. We’re generally better off, though, in a conference room, board room or online meeting, to skip the speechifying and have a conversation with our audience. Business presentations almost always benefit when…