Lawrence Bernstein’s Post

For 20 years, our Director @Lawrence Bernstein has been asking one question. It’s the secret behind all great communication: “Does this pass the coffee shop test?” No wonder that was the title of his first TED talk. And for us it was no surprise that it was selected as the TEDx ‘Editor’s Pick’ for June. With over 30,000 views in its first week, it’s a phrase we expect to hear even more regularly from now on! The coffee shop test runs through everything we do at Great Communication, from award-winning speeches to training that transforms the way businesses, charities and other organisations communicate with clients and staff. Get in touch to learn how our courses, seminars and talks can help you achieve your goals: -             The Art of Persuasion -             Briefing Senior Leaders -             Customer Care and Communication -             Writing for success #tedtalk #ted #tedx #greatspeeches #communicationskills

After a busy day in London yesterday for a client lunch and the Falcon Chambers summer party, it was a lovely sunny morning for our breakfast catch-up with the one and only Michael Metliss. We were all trained by Michael, and pupils of his school of legal drafting. The aim is concise, clear drafting without any legal gobbledegook. When I was first starting out as a lawyer, I thought you were expected to write in a certain/ formal style. The reality is that most people (and especially clients) want to keep things simple, short and easy to follow. Some highlights from The Metliss Rule Book of words/phrases to avoid: * Unfortunately/however/but (smacks of bad news, and usually superfluous) * Acknowledge safe receipt (usually unnecessary and safe is superfluous) * The same (always superfluous and suggests bad syntax) * Hereof/herewith/thereof etc (banned!) Any more tips on words/phrases to avoid to keep your drafting concise? Michael has recently started as a consultant for Great Speech Writing & Communication - if anyone needs a speech writing or drafting training, he’s your guy! With Katie Kozlowska Cassandra Fleming

PwC has launched a round of “silent lay-offs” in the UK, telling affected staff not to inform their colleagues why they are leaving but instead to adhere to some robotic “suggested wording” provided by HR if they want to send goodbye messages. Did nobody stop for a moment to think how this would be received?

Delighted to announce that our very own Ben Timpson has won a 2024 Cicero Speechwriting award for his outstanding work with Google Director Faz Aftab. Faz’s opening address at Women of Silicon Roundabout was selected as one of the year's most vital speeches, arguing passionately for women to take their rightful place in the AI revolution. Read the full speech here: https://lnkd.in/gwaqYXWw David Murray #WomenOfSiliconRoundabout #TechInnovation #InclusiveTech #TechDiversity #WomenInLeadership #effectivecommunication #influentialleader #executivecommunication #strategiccommunication #Google

Great leaders don’t rely on just talent and experience to cut through the noise. They have a secret weapon to take control. The Briefing Process. Over the last year, we’ve worked with Ben Timpson to develop The Briefing Course – translating decision making skills used by senior military leaders for business people. The feedback in trials has been overwhelming – and we are incredibly excited to open this up for general enquiries! Visit https://lnkd.in/eXZk64ph or contact Ben direct at ben@greatcommunication.co.uk Lawrence Bernstein Anna O'Kennedy Ben Timpson #leadership #ChiefOfStaff #communication #influence #briefing #leadershiptraining #communicationcourse #professionaldevelopment #leadershipskills #communicationtraining #careeradvancement #leadershipcoaching #communicationstrategies #leadershipsuccess #communicationexcellence #CLevel #Executivesupport