Just Saying

Do you frequently think of the cost of poor communication? As it is getting easier to spread the word, it also is getting more expensive in variety of areas. In this episode, I share some considerations of the range of real risks we face when we should have said nothing at all. The post Ep. 208 – Talk isn't cheap appeared first on Just Saying.

E-mails can be incredibly beneficial or simply a brutal part of our day. In this multi-part series, I discuss the value of stepping away and editing with a more critical eye before hitting send. The post Ep. 207 – Writing a solid e-mail, part 2 appeared first on Just Saying.

Do you ever think why people hate getting e-mails and delete them so quickly? In this multi-part series, I get to the root of writing e-mails that are easy to open, read and respond to in a timely manner. The post Ep. 206 – Writing a solid e-mail, part 1 appeared first on Just Saying.

Why are people misunderstood? In the third installment of this series, I talk about what to do if the misunderstanding is really your fault and how to be open to that possibility and reflect honestly on what went wrong. The post Ep. 205 – Misunderstandings, pt. 3 appeared first on Just Saying.

Call back episode #167 recorded November 20, 2020 When writing chapter 14 of the book “Noise,” I was inspired to design a simple deck of cards to help manage scheduled times of silence so they wouldn't become noisy appointments. So… pick a card, any card – you're all set. Link: Thebrieflab.com/store The post Call Back EP – Take 5 Quiet Cards appeared first on Just Saying.

Why are people misunderstood? In the second installment of this series, I talk about what to do if the misunderstanding is not at all your fault and how to handle it calmly and confidently. The post Ep. 204 – Misunderstandings, pt. 2 appeared first on Just Saying.

Why are people misunderstood? In the first installment of this series, I talk about how to lower the level and frequencies of misunderstandings that happens in our personal and professional lives. The post Ep. 203 – Misunderstandings appeared first on Just Saying.

What starts as constructive criticism can often devolve into useless complaining. I talk about different ways to break the cycle of negativity and change the conversation. The post Ep. 202 – Leaving the complaining club appeared first on Just Saying.

Making resolutions are hard. In this episode, I'm talking about making better, smarter BRIEF resolutions. The post Episode 201 – Creating a better, SMART BRIEF resolution appeared first on Just Saying.

For our 200th episode, I take a moment to celebrate, consider and reflect on key learnings over the years both in doing this podcast and in 15 years of business. The post Episode 200 – A time to celebrate appeared first on Just Saying.

Call back episode #94 recorded June 17, 2019 The place where you work is sucking the life out of everyone – it's just how we roll, you say. What can you do to prevent it and push back? The post Call Back Episode – Enduring a culture of long and confusing appeared first on Just Saying.

Call back episode #105 recorded September 04, 2019 If you had some quiet time, what would be the sounds you'd hear other than silence? Strong listeners know how to savor the sweet sounds others seem to miss. Links: https://thebrieflab.com/noise/ Dumb and Dumber Mockingbird scene The post Call Back Episode – Quiet Time: the sweetest sounds appeared first on Just Saying.

Call back episode #69 recorded December 17, 2018 If you're watching television and the sound gets too loud, you grab the remote control and hit mute. What if you could do that for all the noise in and around you? The post Call Back Episode – Hitting mute more often in your life appeared first on Just Saying.

Call back episode #143 recorded May 04, 2020 We are all using the term “virtual” these days but it can be terribly misleading. What are we really trying to say? The post Call Back Episode – Defining what “virtual” really means now appeared first on Just Saying.

Call back episode #142 recorded April 27, 2020 18 years ago, I was a tech marketer that developed (oddly enough) a sub-specialty in video teleconferencing (VTC) and its role in the SARS pandemic. Today, I marvel at what's possible for all of us. The post Call Back Episode – VTC's and me: seeing is believing appeared first on Just Saying.

Charley tackles questions about how to learn BRIEF principles outside of a team setting…and how to make them stick. The post Episode 199 – FAQ: How do I build the discipline of brevity on my own? appeared first on Just Saying.

I developed a tool that will help you avoid a lot of the issues that make meetings bad in the first place— a lack of advanced planning and organization. The BRIEF Meeting Prep Cards are a visual mapping tool to prepare for and run effective meetings.   Links: https://thebrieflab.com/tools/ The post Episode 198– BRIEF Meeting Prep Cards appeared first on Just Saying.

Charley interviews Cameron Cruse— military wife, entrepreneur, and successful Shark Tank contestant. R. Riveter's line of American-made bags and accessories are all constructed by military spouses stationed throughout the country, providing mobile, flexible income to these modern-day Rosie the Riveters. Cameron shares her business journey and core insights as to how she prepared to give […] The post Episode 197 – By my guest: Cameron Cruse, R.Riveter Co-Founder appeared first on Just Saying.

The power of threes has this magical ability to center people. In just three simple words, you can be impactful, memorable, and finished. Test it out. The post Episode 196 – Just three words appeared first on Just Saying.

No one wants to hear that they are being long-winded. In this episode, Charley answers questions about how to provide feedback and share the BRIEF method in business and personal relationships. The post Episode 195 – FAQ: Sharing the BRIEF method appeared first on Just Saying.

Sometimes it’s impossible to connect with someone because of an all-consuming distraction happening in their life. We need to recognize those moments where it’s time to cut our audience loose and call a break. The post Episode 194 – I’ve Gotta Pee appeared first on Just Saying.

What is work going to look like post-pandemic? Charley sits down with Hellene Garcia from Neat, a company dedicated to providing advanced Zoom collaboration. The duo discusses hybrid work, finding work-life balance, and rebalancing communication in a post-pandemic world. The post Episode 193 – Be my guest: Hellene Garcia (Neat) on post-pandemic communication appeared first on Just Saying.

“Primer” is my newly released podcast that provides brief summaries to get you primed on a variety of subjects that matter personally to me. In each episode, I give my own quick take on people, books, events, issues, arts & entertainment, etc. More information can be found at www.personalprimer.com. The post Episode 192 – A primer on “Primer” (my new podcast) appeared first on Just Saying.

Our mindset affects how we use our attention. In this episode, Charley answers questions about how to develop mindsets that help us positively frame situations and turn obstacles into opportunities. The post Episode 191 – FAQ: Managing your mindset appeared first on Just Saying.

To be a better communicator, you need to when it’s time to speak up and when it’s time to shut up. In this episode, I provide some counsel on how to be much more aware when it’s time to throttle up or throttle down. The post Episode 190 – Speak up, or shut up appeared first on Just Saying.

Charley sits down with Malachy Walsh, author of Socratic Scribbling. Malachy spent some 25 years at J. Walter Thompson working directly with some of the world’s favorite brands. His new book reveals how he was able to leave his mark in advertising, namely through classical rhetoric and a deep appreciation of the Great Books. The post Episode 189 – Be My Guest – Malachy Walsh Interview appeared first on Just Saying.

In this episode, I dive deeper into knowing your audience by sharing a proprietary tool we have developed to help you define who they are and how you want to engage them in much more concrete, realistic terms.   Download the DRAFT Card here: https://thebrieflab.com/tools/ The post Episode 188 – DRAFT Cards appeared first on Just Saying.

What do you do when you have a mixed audience and everyone needs different info?  Charley fields this question and several others on one of the most foundational communications skills: knowing who you are talking to.  The post Episode 187 – FAQ: Understanding your audience appeared first on Just Saying.

Our audience isn’t always seeing the person that we are. They are frequently seeing the person that we are not. In this episode, I talk about the importance of cleaning up your communication to show the world who you really are. The post Episode 186 – A distorted view appeared first on Just Saying.

Charley sits down with Dr. Breiter from the Northwestern University School of Medicine to discuss addiction, technology and why our brains desperately need quiet time. The post Episode 185 – Be my guest: Dr. Hans Breiter, Professor of Psychiatry appeared first on Just Saying.

We can engage in lengthy, thoughtful and endless discussions to the point where we are incapable of ever making a decision. We need to be more deliberate and decisive so we hear the word no quicker and we can move on with our lives. The post Episode 184 – Getting to no faster appeared first on Just Saying.

In our new FAQ segment, I address a series of questions surrounding how to take the principles of the books BRIEF and NOISE and make them work at home and in social situations. The post Episode 183 – FAQ: Being brief on the spot, away from work appeared first on Just Saying.

What would work (or life) look like if we could frequently and intentionally step away from technology for a moment or two? In this episode, I explore how giving yourself a break can strengthen your focus and help you gain some self-mastery. The post Episode 182 – Stepping away for a minute (from digital devices) appeared first on Just Saying.

Every day, there is something really important we have to do. Sometimes it’s obvious, but most times it’s not. If we are unprepared for these big moments, we are most susceptible to the noise all around us. The post Episode 181 – The big moment appeared first on Just Saying.

Charley digs into why headlines are disproportionately important, how to avoid becoming clickbait and when you should take the time to prepare a good headline. The post FAQ: Better headlines build a bridge appeared first on Just Saying.

One way to lower the noise is to start and end every day with a short and powerful headline. In this episode, I share some ways to set the tone from your very first thought and end the day more intentionally the same way. The post Episode 179 – Daily headlines: 1st and last thought of the day appeared first on Just Saying.

Charley interviews popular comedian Aaron Weber on the importance of preparation, how to grab the audience’s attention quickly, and the power of laughter in all communications. Be sure to follow Aaron everywhere @realaaronweber and at http://aaronwebercomedy.com/. He is also the co-host of the popular podcast @natelandpodcast. The post Episode 178 – Be my guest: Aaron Weber, Comedian appeared first on Just Saying.

There’s no shortage of technical advice on how to manage your time better. In this episode, I keep it super simple: lower the noise frees up lots of time. HBR article: https://hbr.org/2020/01/time-management-is-about-more-than-life-hacks The post Episode 177 – The morass of time management appeared first on Just Saying.

In our new FAQ segment, Charley addresses a series of questions surrounding how to lower the noise during quiet time and some of the inherent challenges this precious time presents. The post Episode 176 – FAQ: Tackling the issue of quiet time appeared first on Just Saying.

Sometimes we fire off a text or send an e-mail, when we should have just picked up the phone. In this episode, I talk about the value of an old-fashioned phone conversation to make a better connection. The post Episode 175– Phone calls appeared first on Just Saying.

Charley Thornton interviews author and international business leader Simon Bureau about how different cultures view brevity. They dig into email, the importance of context and what elements of communication are universal. For more on Simon, visit his profile: linkedin.com/in/simonbureau/ The post Episode 174 – Be my guest: Simon Bureau on culture and communications appeared first on Just Saying.

As Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” So too, our daily life as communicators needs a quick scan. In this episode, I discuss how to review and plan as a daily practice and also look back on a wild year, while looking forward to an exciting year ahead. The post Episode 173– The Daily Scan (Looking back and ahead) appeared first on Just Saying.

In our first new FAQ segment, Charley Thornton dissects some of the problems with multitasking in meetings, the underlying reasons almost everyone does it, and some simple ways to stop the madness. The post Episode 172 – FAQ: How to discourage multitasking in meetings appeared first on Just Saying.

All great managers know how to field the best lineup against their opponent and not let to their game plan get too predictable. In the battle against constant noise, I suggest using a practical tool I have developed that ensures you compete every day to win. The post Episode 171– The Lineup appeared first on Just Saying.

Leading an effective meeting may look easy to outsiders, but insiders know that success requires a willingness to carry the burden of conflict, ambiguity, time constraints and personal differences. In this episode, I dive into the skills you need to get good at herding cats. The post Episode 170 – The uneasiness of great meeting facilitation appeared first on Just Saying.

Call back episode #71 recorded January 07, 2019 Gratitude is the engine that drives people forward when everyone else gets stuck spinning their wheels. The post Call Back Episode – It’s a good time to say thanks appeared first on Just Saying.

Charley Thornton speaks with John Borta, Sr. Director of Leadership Effectiveness at Grainger. They discuss the big mistakes people make when it comes to meeting facilitation and how to avoid them. The post Episode 169- Be my guest: John Borta, meeting facilitation expert appeared first on Just Saying.

While suffering the loss of my beloved SUV, I realized that it’s easy to lose trust quickly and permanently. In this episode, I share many of the real risks of poor communication and how trust ranks high on the list. The post Episode 168– Losing trust forever appeared first on Just Saying.

When writing chapter 14 of the book “Noise,” I was inspired to design a simple deck of cards to help manage scheduled times of silence so they wouldn’t become noisy appointments. So… pick a card, any card – you’re all set. Link: Thebrieflab.com/store The post Episode 167– Take 5 Quiet Cards appeared first on Just Saying.

Call back episode #82 recorded March 2019 A ski-school story inspired a closer look into the value of mastering going slow, so you could gain more control going fast. Links: Skiing moguls the slow way (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIhw0z1d1ko The post Call Back Episode – Being deliberate appeared first on Just Saying.

It’s possible to deliver a clear message and get the tone all wrong. Maybe it should be empathetic, not urgent; upbeat and not matter of fact; or serious versus sarcastic. Take a few moments and carefully consider not only what your audience needs to hear but also how it should sound. The post Episode 166– The critical role of tone appeared first on Just Saying.