Your Intended Message

The Dirty Dozen Words That Destroy Your Message

12 Words and Phrases That Sabotage Your Communication Communication Tips from George Torok Episode 283 In this episode we explore: * why vague words prevent listeners from seeing what you mean * how double negatives create confusion and weaken your intent * where emotional trigger words derail your message * how insulting phrases show unintended arrogance * why self-diminishing language lowers your authority * how dishonest openers destroy trust * why clichés signal lazy thinking * when jargon works and when it alienates people * how slang phrases degrade the message * why absolutes distort meaning * how weak adverbs dilute clarity * how filler words clutter your message and add noise ----- George Torok is known as The Speech Coach for Executives. He helps business leaders speak with more confidence, clarity and consiness. Learn more about communication coaching with George at https://speechcoachforexecutives.com/ [https://speechcoachforexecutives.com/] Arrange for weekly presentations tips at https://toroktips.com/ [https://toroktips.com/] ----- Key Learning Points from George * eliminate vague words like “stuff” and “things” because they communicate nothing * avoid double negatives which confuse listeners and weaken your intent * beware emotional trigger words that create unintended reactions * drop insulting phrases that imply superiority over your audience * stop using self-diminishing phrases that reduce your credibility * remove dishonest or insincere qualifiers that signal lack of authenticity * avoid clichés that show lazy thinking and add no value * use technical jargon only with those who understand it * remove slang terms that degrade your message and your audience * limit absolutes, which are usually inaccurate exaggerations * avoid weak adverbs like “very,” “really,” and “pretty” * eliminate filler words that clutter your message and reduce clarity ----- ----more---- Your Intended Message is the podcast about how you can boost your career and business success by honing your communication skills. We’ll examine the aspects of how we communicate one-to-one, one to few and one to many – plus that important conversation, one to self. In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.   Your host is George Torok George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.   Connect with George www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com [http://www.speechcoachforexecutives.com/] https://superiorpresentations.net/ [https://superiorpresentations.net/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/] https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills [https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills1]

Charisma, Connection & Credibility: Roz Usheroff

Fear, AI & Leadership: How to Stay Human in a Digital World The Truth About Executive Presence Episode 282 (Roz is based in Florida) In this coversation with Roz Usheroff we explore: * how authenticity shapes executive presence * why emotional intelligence matters more than polish * how leaders can support people through AI-driven uncertainty * the rise of “quiet cracking” and what it signals * why psychological safety fuels innovation * where charisma comes from and how it works * the power of host behavior in building trust * how leaders can read the room and adjust * why embracing imperfections increases credibility * how to seek useful feedback without creating defensiveness ----- About our guest Roz Usheroff: Roz is the founder of the Usherfoll Institute whose core mission is to help people discover and understand their unique talens and embrace their leadership capabilities that lead to both personal and corporate profitability. She is host of The Roz Usheroff Podcast that is designed for professionals who want to enhace their leadership presence, personal brand and career trajectory by developing executive presence. Learn more about Roz and her services at https://usheroff.com/ [https://usheroff.com/] ----- Key Lessons from this conversation with Roz Usheroff: * authenticity is the foundation of executive presence and differentiation * emotional intelligence is more important than polish or perfection * leaders must help people navigate fear, uncertainty and AI disruption * psychological safety drives innovation and engagement * charisma is not extroversion; it is the ability to connect and make people feel seen * host behavior builds trust, approachability and stronger leadership presence * leaders must read the room, adapt and adjust based on emotional cues * perfection erodes connection; humanity strengthens credibility * feedback must be sought strategically through third-party questions * avoid being an “advice monster”; ask deeper questions before offering solutions ----- ----more---- Your Intended Message is the podcast about how you can boost your career and business success by honing your communication skills. We’ll examine the aspects of how we communicate one-to-one, one to few and one to many – plus that important conversation, one to self. In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.   Your host is George Torok George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.   Connect with George www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com [http://www.speechcoachforexecutives.com/] https://superiorpresentations.net/ [https://superiorpresentations.net/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/] https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills [https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills1]

A Better Way to Drive Change: Jeff Wetherhold

Why Top-Down Change Fails and how leaders can fix it How to lead change without burning out or losing your team Episode 281 (Jeff is based in Maine) In this conversation with Jeff Wetherhold we explore: * why 88% of change initiatives fail and what leaders consistently overlook * how treating change as a communication challenge shifts results * how ambivalence, not resistance, explains employee behaviour * how motivational interviewing helps leaders reduce resistance * why reflections help people reveal their own motivations * why benefits must be discovered rather than declared * how top-down directives undermine trust and buy-in * how leaders can engage skeptics without burning out * why individual conversations drive organizational change * how leaders can begin using these tools immediately ----- About our guest, Jeff Wetherfold: Jeff has 20+ years understanding what helps or hinders change for people and organizations. He is a former behvioral science researcher who has learned and worked extensively in the fields of change management, process improvement, motivational interviewing and leadership communication. Learn more about Jeff and hisspeaking, training and coaching services at https://www.jeffwetherhold.com/ [https://www.jeffwetherhold.com/] ----- Key lessons from this conversation with Jeff: * in this conversation we explore why 88% of organizational change fails and what leaders overlook * in this conversation we explore why change is primarily a communication challenge, not a technical one * in this conversation we explore how leaders mistakenly assume employees hold fixed attitudes toward change * in this conversation we explore the concept of ambivalence and why every person has reasons both for and against change * in this conversation we explore why top-down change efforts almost always fail * in this conversation we explore how motivational interviewing helps leaders move people toward change * in this conversation we explore why leaders need more reflections and fewer questions * in this conversation we explore how to identify and amplify employees’ intrinsic motivations * in this conversation we explore why benefits must be defined by employees, not assumed by leaders * in this conversation we explore why organizational change succeeds only when individuals choose to change ----- ----more---- Your Intended Message is the podcast about how you can boost your career and business success by honing your communication skills. We’ll examine the aspects of how we communicate one-to-one, one to few and one to many – plus that important conversation, one to self. In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.   Your host is George Torok George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.   Connect with George www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com [http://www.speechcoachforexecutives.com/] https://superiorpresentations.net/ [https://superiorpresentations.net/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/] https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills [https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills1]

Five Roles Every High-Performing Team Needs: Mark Murphy

Don't force teamwork, harness your team's superpowers Great teams don't need to be friends Episode 280 (Mark is based in Georgia) In this conversation with Mark Murphy, we explore: * why you don’t have to like your teammates to perform well together * how forced fun can kill real teamwork * the five essential roles that make up every high-performing team * how to diagnose what’s missing when your team is stuck * why adaptive leadership means the best person leads in each situation * how understanding others’ strengths makes collaboration easier * why leaders should stop trying to fill every role themselves * how team diversity creates synergy instead of friction * what new team leaders often get wrong * how real teamwork feels more like training for a marathon than going to a party ----- About our guest, Mark Murphy: Mark is a New York Times bestselling author with books, Hiring for Attitude, Hundred Percenters and his latest, Team Players: The Five Critical Roles Your Need to Build a Winning Team. You can learn more about Mark, his books, reserch and programs at his website https://www.leadershipiq.com/ [https://www.leadershipiq.com/] Take the free quizs to clarify your leadership traits. ----- Key Lessons from this conversation with Mark Murphy: * teams don’t need to be friends to be effective * fake team-building activities can actually hurt performance * high-performing teams rely on five critical roles: director, achiever, stabilizer, trailblazer, harmonizer * it’s okay not to like everyone on your team—focus on results, not relationships * leadership on great teams is adaptive—who leads changes based on the situation * knowing your strengths and appreciating others’ roles builds trust and efficiency * team balance matters more than team bonding * great leaders don’t try to play every role—they delegate and empower others * when teams stall, identify which missing role is causing the blockage * success is measured by outcomes, not by how much fun the team has ----- ----more---- Your Intended Message is the podcast about how you can boost your career and business success by honing your communication skills. We’ll examine the aspects of how we communicate one-to-one, one to few and one to many – plus that important conversation, one to self. In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.   Your host is George Torok George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.   Connect with George www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com [http://www.speechcoachforexecutives.com/] https://superiorpresentations.net/ [https://superiorpresentations.net/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/] https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills [https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills1]

Catch People Doing Things Right: Lessons from Ken Blanchard’s Editor Martha Lawrence

Praise in Public, Criticize in Private Leadership Lessons with Martha Lawrence Episode 279 ( Martha is based in San Diego, CA) In this conversation with Martha Lawrence, we explore: * how the culture of positivity shaped Ken Blanchard’s leadership philosophy * why The One Minute Manager changed how organizations lead and communicate * how to apply “catch people doing things right” both at work and at home * the fine line between genuine praise and shallow flattery * what “servant leadership” really means in practice * how leaders can help team members by asking better questions * how Martha Lawrence turned trauma into meaningful creative work * why apologizing and letting go of ego strengthen leadership * how Ken Blanchard modeled love and humility in leadership * how positivity and purpose can transform organizations and lives ----- About our guest Martha Lawrence: She's a vertern book editor who has edited hundreds of book including major bestsellers - Feel the Fear and Do it Anyways and The One Minute Enrepreneur. As the executive editor at Blanchard, she worked with business guru, Ken Blanchard for over two decades. Learn more about Martha and her new book at https://marthalawrence.com/ [https://marthalawrence.com/] Books by Ken Blanchard https://www.kenblanchardbooks.com/ [https://www.kenblanchardbooks.com/] Wow! More resources from Ken Blanchard https://www.blanchard.com [https://www.blanchard.com/]/ ----- Key Lessons from this conversation with Martha Lawerence: * Positive leadership is rooted in valuing people as much as results. * The One Minute Manager principles — clear goals, one-minute praising, and one-minute redirects — remain timeless leadership tools. * Catching people doing things right is more effective than focusing on mistakes. * Praise in public, criticize in private — simple rule, powerful impact. * Servant leadership means inverting the hierarchy: leaders serve their teams. * Leadership is learned behavior; empathy and humility can be practiced. * The best leaders help others grow by asking, “How can I help you do your job better?” * Adversity can become the catalyst for purpose and contribution. * Apologizing well is a leadership strength, not a weakness. * Real leaders let go of ego — as Ken Blanchard says, ego means “edging good out.” ----- ----more---- Your Intended Message is the podcast about how you can boost your career and business success by honing your communication skills. We’ll examine the aspects of how we communicate one-to-one, one to few and one to many – plus that important conversation, one to self. In these interviews we will explore presentation skills, public speaking, conversation, persuasion, negotiation, sales conversations, marketing, team meetings, social media, branding, self talk and more.   Your host is George Torok George is a specialist in communication skills. Especially presentation. He’s fascinated by the links between communication and influencing behaviors. He delivers training and coaching programs to help leaders and promising professionals deliver the intended message for greater success.   Connect with George www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com [http://www.speechcoachforexecutives.com/] https://superiorpresentations.net/ [https://superiorpresentations.net/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetorokpresentations/] https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills [https://www.youtube.com/user/presentationskills1]