Press/Articles/Books
Use Vivid Language to Persuade People to Accept Your Idea
Asking an audience to do something or to agree with your viewpoint is more persuasive when you use vivid language and description that enables people to visualize the impact on them and others.
read moreHow Managers can Provide Effective Feedback
Feedback might be a manager's best tool for building stronger, more collaborative teams. Presenting specific, useful feedback in a way that is supportive and encouraging demonstrates caring and inspires trust.
read moreGathering Quality Information Requires Good Questions
Business professionals need to gather information every day, and that requires that they ask many questions. They don't think of it as interviewing, but careful consideration should be given to the questions, just as a journalist does. Good questions elicit the best information: clear, specific details.
read moreKeep Difficult Conversations in Balance
Uncomfortable conversations often get derailed because the core issue is lost in emotions: anger, embarrassment, resentment. Managers should not avoid having difficult conversations, because that can lead to further problems. But if both people try to understand each other's perspective and if both agree on an outcome that helps each person, the discussion is less likely to become toxic.
read moreWhat Managers and Executives can Learn from Herb Kelleher
Authenticity is rooted in transparency and an ethical code. Those qualities are scarce in many corporate environments, but they are essential to a leader's success, because employees are demanding candor. Here are a few ways to become more
read moreRecommended Resources For Corporate Communications Pros
News Writing and Reporting: The Complete Guide for Today’s Journalist, by Christopher Scanlan. Why Business People Speak Like Idiots: A...
read moreShould You Ditch Laptop Note-Taking?
A psychologist says that we remember more when we handwrite because the brain has time to absorb the meaning. Business professionals and students...
read moreUse Judgment when Texting to Candidates
Using text messaging as a communication tool in hiring might be practical, but remember that writing leaves an impression. A recent story in the...
read moreBeing an Effective Communicator Demands Good Listening Skills
Being a good communicator is not just about speaking and writing; you also need to be an attentive listener. We assume we must have the ability to...
read moreBy Ken O’Quinn
As a contributing author in this book on leadership, Ken offers insights and tips for managing difficult conversations, providing effective feedback, and being authentic. Order here.
Perfect Phrases for Business Letters (McGraw-Hill)
Provides the right words and phrases for any situation - quickly. The book was reprinted in Japanese because of high-volume sales there.
TD at Work — Business Writing for Managers
The Association for Talent Development invited Ken to write this 22-page booklet for the TD at Work series.
Current Blog Post
Use a Dash for Emphasis, a Hyphen for Clarity
People often confuse dashes and hyphens. Dashes are used for three reasons, most commonly to mark off information that you …