Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Can't quite master the ideal tone for the emails you send employees and customers?  Or, do you have employees whole struggle with the tone of their emails?  You might want to check out ToneCheck . ToneCheck , a software program that works with Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007 and 2010, helps to ensure your tone is clearly communicated and understood. It acts somewhat similar to an email spell checker, and you can select the suggested alternatives or ignore the advice. The program evaluates words and phrases for the intensity of eight primary emotions, allowing you to adjust the overall tone before you send your message. ToneCheck scans your messages for terms that may be inadvertently conveying: • Affection • Friendliness • Amusement • Excitement • Sadness • Grief • Fear • Uneasiness • Anger • Shame Over 165 billion email messages are sent worldwide each day. The average worker will spend 10 years of their work life dealing with email. And, sometimes, perhaps a...

In his new book, Social Marketology , Ric Dragon , CEO of DragonSearch , recommends business leaders and marketing team leaders follow these eight tips to avoid making social media mistakes: Avoid mixing the technologies used for the organization's social media with individuals' personal accounts. Ensure that employees both on and off the social media team receive training. Think before deleting or editing users' comments or posts.  While making your decision, ask if your action might cause a backlash. Respond quickly. When a mistake is made, sincerely apologize. When appropriate, use humor. Have a policy in place. Have a top-responses document prepared to be used. Ric Dragon on developing a brand voice and market segmentation strategy:

Leadership communications expert David Grossman recently answered what I believe are some of the most pressing communications challenges leaders face today: How to present to a diverse employee audience with a single presentation How often a leader should communicate What's the best way to deliver bad news How to be sure employees receive a consistent message when leaders must rely on middle managers to deliver it How to effectively communicate via e-mail versus phone David's answers , published in his blog today on his website, are straight-forward, practical and actionable.  And, that's what I like most about David's approach -- in his books , on his blog and via his  speaking engagements. Thanks David!

Communications expert David Grossman of The Grossman Group has a new eBook that's free and available for download. Based primarily on input from users of LinkedIn who answered a question posted by David, the eBook talks about the greatest mistakes that a leader can make that should be avoided. Two of the most powerful parts of the eBook for me are these compelling statements : Rest assured that employees are talking among themselves, shaping understanding, and drawing their own conclusions, especially with the prevalence of social media, which has made the exchange of everything from business news to gossip easier and more common than ever.  Effective communication means that you need to be a part of this conversation --and not in a way that dominates or tires to silence, but in one that lets you listen, engage, and connect proactively. The greatest mistake is not making mistakes .  If you don't make mistakes you're not pushing hard enough; moving fast ...

If you are struggling with how best to connect with your customers online whether it's via a company Blog or your website, consider these five approaches from the best-selling book, The Network Is Your Customer , by David L. Rogers: Try Branding, Not Selling -- Offer a story, entertainment, or a compelling idea that you can link convincingly to your brand, rather than trying to sell products or services directly. Offer Utility -- Provide content and interaction that helps solve a problem or answers a critical information need for your audience. Show A Personal Face -- Engage customers by showing a personal side and an authentic voice in digital content rather than the objective and authoritative voice of an institution. Focus On The Particular -- Focus on niche audiences and their specific needs and interests, rather than trying to engage every possible customer with the same content. Make It A Game -- Use the interactive, goal-based play of online games to engage custome...