Laptop

How to Foster Useful Communication

Ever notice how the same people tend to talk a lot in meetings and those who are usually quiet never speak up?

Quiet COOs against intense outspoken CEOs are a common example of how communication in most top-level meetings is quite lopsided, with one party doing all of the talking.

So, what can you do about this?

Notice the Value Others Can Have in a Conversation

As the Chief Operating Officer, or as another leader, you might often feel as if you could have added good value to the conversation, if only you were given the chance to speak up. This applies to all of your employees as well.

In other words, if you are a COO who has to remain quiet when the C-Suite team meets, then the least you can do is encourage the quieter employees who report to you to speak up in meetings and join the conversation. Why? Because you know what it feels like to be stuck being silent, so try your best to make sure others don’t feel that way.

If you’re a CEO, you need to seek other people’s knowledge and opinions. You are essentially second in command to no one, meaning that you have no outside perspective if you don’t encourage others to speak up to you.

Engage with All Participants

In order to run successful meetings, you must engage with every single meeting participant, especially the ones who typically remain silent. With some encouragement, these people could really add value to the discussion.

During meetings, foster dialogue with the newcomers or quiet employees first, and then move around the table, moving up in seniority as you solicit feedback.

Leaders should always give feedback last so that they don’t sway the group one way or the other. This is actually one of the key employee management tips that are taught in CEO, CFO, and COO training seminars to help executives build a more cohesive team.

Try the Post-It Note Strategy

Another way to encourage others to share their ideas is through the Post-It note strategy. It’s easy: simply give every meeting participant some Post-It notes and instruct them to write down five to ten ideas, one per note.

Then, get everyone to put their ideas up on the wall and get them to read them aloud. It’s an opportunity for everyone’s ideas to be out there and listened to and if everyone is doing it, it’s a lot less nerve wracking.

“Your employees are going to be much more invested in the ideas this way because they feel as if their voices were heard. If they feel this way, they’ll work a lot harder to make the ideas come to life.” – Cameron Herold

Eliminate Distractions

To foster useful communication it is essential that people aren’t distracted by emails or tests. Sometimes it can be useful for people to bring their phones or laptops to meetings to make notes, but emails and texts distract others and yourself from the task at hand.

If you suspect that someone is emailing, ask them to stop and show everyone what they’re doing. If you catch them emailing, they owe $10 to the company’s entertainment fund or company charity. It works like a charm!

If you call someone out on it and you’re wrong, you owe them lunch instead. It’s a fun way to enforce meeting etiquette without rebuking and insulting employees. Plus, it encourages people to pay attention to the moment. It’s hard for people to want to speak up if they think that no one is going to be paying attention anyway!

Communication is essential in any good company, so it’s important for leaders to know how to encourage it in others.

How do you foster useful communication? Any good tricks? Let us know in the comments below.

If you have questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to help. Please send an email, and my team will get in touch with you!

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2017 and has been edited for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Who is Sponsoring You This Year?

I just realized how lucky I am. 55b

Over the past twenty years that I’ve been a business coach, I’ve worked REALLY hard to build awesome companies, build great teams, and build the trust of entrepreneurs around the world.

I was just getting ready to upload this photo and realized that these six companies are ones I’m humbled to have built the trust of.

Five of these great brands have paid $2,500 each to put their logo on my laptop for 2010.

The companies are: Outsourcing Things Done, Maverick Business Adventures, Grasshopper.com, Media Temple, and Hire Better.  I got so lucky to find such awesome ones.  And in the process I turned down many others (some who just didn’t get in early enough, and others who weren’t just the perfect fit yet).  Anyway – thanks to all of them.

Yes they are paying me – but you all know me – I wouldn’t rave about them if I didn’t love them.  And if anything changed – I’d be the first to give them there money back and take the sticker off too.

I’m lucky to have such great brands supporting me that you’d be smart to check out too.

Lastly, yes there are 6 stickers here.  I gave one free spot away to the non-profit that I support.  I contacted the CEO of Kiva.org and asked him if he’d like to be on my laptop with the other brands.  He loved the idea and said yes.  I then told him I’d give them the spot for free because their mission was so similar to mine.  They are all about helping entrepreneurs grow too.

This year, I’ll be speaking in front of tens of thousands of entrepreneurs.  They’ll all see these six logos.  And trust me, I’ll be raving about them all year too.

For more information on this topic, check out: Generating Free PR.

Only 1 Spot Left (4 of 5 Laptop Ads Now Taken)

To days ago I decided to sell 5 spots on my laptop to 5 great brands to advertise on for 2010 (4 are already taken, only 1 left).

Another company will be taking the back of my iPhone – so that’s now sold too.

The most recent two brands to take spots are:

3rd spot went to Media Temple – an awesome company that hosts websites for large companies like (Starbucks, Sony & Volkswagen) & small companies (too many to list 😉

media temple logo

The company grabbing spot #4 is Grasshopper.com – Great brand that launched last year in an awesome way sending chocolate covered grasshoppers to thousands of bloggers & media.  They provide a virtual phone system designed for entrepreneurs.  Check em out.

grasshopper.com

The first two spots went to Outsourcing Things Done and Maverick Business Adventures who I introduced on the blog post before this one.

If you want your company name & logo in front of thousands of entrepreneurs and business people throughout North America and occasionally globally along with these four early adopters this year – move fast.

Only 1 spot left.

I’ll be speaking at dozens of conferences again, flying business class on all flights, and spending time in airport business lounges.  My MacBook Air is with me and pretty much always out and being used.  I take it out in all my meetings regardless of who I’m working with.

And I’m also planning to post about it the companies sponsoring my laptop on my Blog, Twitter, FaceBook & LinkedIn.

If you sponsor my Laptop for 2010, your logo will be seen by tens of thousands of influential business people & CEOs.

I’m also planning to get my laptop some press this year too…

It’s pretty widely known that my nickname is ‘Connector’ so you know I’ll be telling everyone that your company is sponsoring my laptop too.

The price for a spot is $2,500. That comes out to about $200 a month, or $50 a week. Your company logo will stay on my laptop all year, and you’ll “own” that piece of real estate on my laptop case.

If anyone asks about your sticker, I’ll send him or her to whatever website/email address you want. Want in? Email me – Cameron@BackPocketCOO.com

3 Spots Left (Originally 5 Ad Spots Available on Laptop)

Yesterday I decided to sell 5 spots on my laptop to 5 great brands to advertise on for 2010 (2 are already taken, only 3 left).

And someone offered to pay to advertise on the back of my iPhone – so that’s now sold too.

The 1st brand to grab a spot was Outsourcing Things Done.  They are an awesome place for entrepreneurial company to get a ton of misc stuff done far cheaper than using full time staff.

OutsourcingThingsDone

The 2nd brand to grab a spot is Maverick Business Adventures (yes the company owned by internet guru Yanik Silver).  This company of his organizes fantastic adventures for select groups of entrepreneurs every couple months.

Maverick Business Adventures

If you want your company name & logo in front of thousands of entrepreneurs and business people throughout North America and occasionally globally along with these two early adopters this year, you gotta move fast.

Only 3 spots left.

I’ll be speaking at dozens of conferences again, flying business class on all flights, and spending time in airport business lounges.  My MacBook Air is with me and pretty much always out and being used.  I take it out in all my meetings regardless of who I’m working with.

And I’m also planning to post about it the companies sponsoring my laptop on my Blog, Twitter, FaceBook & LinkedIn.

If you sponsor my Laptop for 2010, your logo will be seen by tens of thousands of influential business people & CEOs.

I’m also planning to get my laptop some press this year too…

It’s pretty widely known that my nickname is ‘Connector’ so you know I’ll be telling everyone that your company is sponsoring my laptop too.

The price for a spot is $2,500. That comes out to about $200 a month, or $50 a week. Your company logo will stay on my laptop all year, and you’ll “own” that piece of real estate on my laptop case.

If anyone asks about your sticker, I’ll send him or her to whatever website/email address you want. Want in? Email me – Cameron at BackPocketCOO dot com

Get Your Company Brand & Logo Exposure (3 Spots Left)

Laptop Advertising - 5 Spots Available for 2010
Laptop Advertising – 5 Spots Available for 2010

First 5 (2 Sold – Now 3 left) great brands will get these spots…

Want your company name & logo in front of thousands of entrepreneurs and business people throughout North America and occasionally globally this year?

This year I’ll be speaking at more EO & YPO chapters than ever before.  I’m even speaking at three EO & YPO Global Leadership Conferences this year.

I’ll also be speaking at dozens of conferences again, flying business class on all flights, and spending time in airport business lounges.

My MacBook Air is with me and pretty much always out and being used.  I take it out in all my meetings regardless of who I’m working with.

If you want to sell franchises, or market subtly to entrepreneurial audiences this is a great way to get some exposure.

I’m also planning to post about it on my Blog, Twitter, FaceBook & LinkedIn.

Sponsor my Laptop for all of 2010? This will get your logo seen by tens of thousands of influential business people this year.

I’m also planning to get my laptop some press this year too…

It’s pretty widely known that my nickname is ‘Connector’ so you know I’ll be telling everyone that your company is sponsoring my laptop too.

Ya – and it’s capped at 5 (2 Sold – Now 3 left) placements…

First come first serve (but I have to like the brands)… i.e. the only chair company I could rave about is Herman Miller with their Aeron, and my favorite headsets are from Headsets.com etc.

I’m auctioning off five (2 Sold – Now 3 left) sticker spaces on my MacBook Air cover for $2,500 a piece. That comes out to about $200 a month, or $50 a week.

They will stay on my laptop all year, and you’ll “own” that piece of real estate on my laptop case. If anyone asks about your sticker, I’ll send him or her to whatever website/email address you want.

Want in? Email me – Cameron at BackPocketCOO dot com

book-4

Meetings Suck: Turning One Of The Most Loathed Elements Of Business Into One Of The Most Valuable

We all know that meetings suck, right?

You hear it all the time. It’s the one thing that almost everyone in business can agree on.

Except it’s not actually true… 

Meetings don’t suck.

We just suck at running meetings.   

When done right, meetings not only work, they make people and companies better.

In Meetings Suck, world renowned business expert and growth guru Cameron Herold teaches you how to use focused, time effective meetings to help you and your company soar.

This book shows you immediately actionable, step-by-step systems that ensure that you and everyone in your organization improves your meetings, right away.

In the process, you’ll turn meetings that suck into meetings that work. 

In life, we always hear about people who’ve made huge decisions from their gut – without data.Today, I want you to make a decision, not only from your gut, but also from some data.  A decision that is only $12 per employee but will be priceless for your business.

Right now, your gut is telling you something is wrong with your company’s meetings.  You KNOW everyone complains about meetings.

People HATE going to them, they HATE running them, and they really have NO idea which meetings are truly necessary but they hold meetings simply because they think that is what they SHOULD do.

Even some of the smartest CEOs in the world complain about meetings – Elon Musk publicly told employees at Tesla & SpaceX to walk out of meetings if they weren’t being run properly.

I sent Elon a message saying that wasn’t going to fix anything – the key is to fix the root of the problem – NOT continue to ignore why meetings suck.

A Meeting is – Any phone call, video call or occasion where 2 or more people meet to discuss or work-through office topics.

Most employees on average spend 1-2 hours per day in meetings.

And likely, none of those employees – front-line staff or leaders – have had any training on how to attend meetings or participate in them, LET ALONE How to RUN THEM.

Consider this…

If the Average employee spends just 1 Hour per day in meetings – that’s 1/8th of their time.

If the Average employee earns $50,000 per year.

And they’re spending 1/8th of their time in meetings, that means you’re paying $6,250 dollars per year for just ONE employee to attend meetings.

The reality is, employees spend 1/8th of their time – and 1/8th of your company’s payroll – doing something they have literally NO idea how to do.

The Reality is…

95% of employees are booking & leading meetings – and they have NEVER been trained on how to run them.

95% of employees have had NO training on how to show up and participate in the meetings they attend daily.

And 95% of employees and companies have no idea what meetings are even necessary to hold.

Meetings CAN be hugely effective – IF you know how to run them

Meetings don’t SUCK, we just SUCK at running meetings. 

Investing $15 per employee – to help ensure the $50,000 a year you spend on them is an obvious and easy choice.

This could be the most impactful $15 you’ll ever spend and will save the company’s money, time and resources instantly.

Buying a copy of Meetings Suck for 100% of your employees and having them read it this month will have a huge impact on your company’s success.

book-5

Free PR: How To Get Chased By The Press Without Hiring A PR Firm

Public relations has always been an essential part of doing business which is probably why you’re shelling out big money to an outside PR firm. But the truth is that you don’t need them. You already have all the necessary tools in-house to do as good a job as the so-called experts. 

Cameron Herold and Adrian Salamunovic have taught thousands of company execs how to exploit free media coverage and ditch these expensive, often ineffective outsiders. 

Cameron & Adrian have also built in-house PR teams, spent decades learning how to generate Free PR and how to leverage public relations to complement their sales and marketing strategy. 

In Free PR, you’ll learn how the media world operates while you gain invaluable insider knowledge and actionable advice on how to: 

  • Build your own in-house PR team
  • Provide effective interviews
  • Score great media coverage for free with just a few easy steps 

Landing public relations coverage for yourself and your company is a powerful tool to help elevate your personal brand. PR is easier to generate than marketing, PR is easier to leverage than marketing and PR is more cost effective than marketing. In other words, Public Relations is more critical than ever in growing your brand and your business. 

You’ve got more passion, commitment, a larger stake, and a deeper understanding of your business than any outside PR firm could ever have. So stop wasting money and take the reins yourself.  Learn the secrets to landing TONS of Free PR for your company.

What they’re saying:

“I think PR is the core for promoting any business. Public relations acquires customers! That’s what’s cool about this book.”

– Kevin O’Leary,  Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank

“The ultimate guidebook for those looking to get press, grow their brand, and get in front of the masses. Free PR is the roadmap you’ve been looking for.”

– Peter Shankman, Founder, Help a Reporter Out (HARO)

“Adrian and Cameron will show you the secrets of getting massive exposure for your business. This book is packed with actionable insights from two guys that actually know how to to do it.”

– Dan Martell,  Serial Entrepreneur & Investor (Intercom.io, Unbounce)

“I told Cameron to write the book on generating free PR. I’m excited to see that he’s finally sharing his secrets with the world. This is a must read for any entrepreneurial company and marketing team.”

– Verne Harnish, Founder of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and author of Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0)

book-3-1

Vivid Vision: A Remarkable Tool For Aligning Your Business Around a Shared Vision of the Future

Many corporations have slick, flashy mission statements that ultimately do little to motivate employees and less to impress customers, investors, and partners. 

But there is a way to share your excitement for the future of your company in a clear, compelling, and powerful way and entrepreneur and business growth expert Cameron Herold can show you how. 

Vivid Vision is a revolutionary tool that will help owners, CEOs, and senior managers create inspirational, detailed, and actionable three-year mission statements for their companies. In this easy-to-follow guide, Herold walks organization leaders through the simple steps to creating their own Vivid Vision, from brainstorming to sharing the ideas to using the document to drive progress in the years to come. 

By focusing on mapping out how you see your company looking and feeling in every category of business, without getting bogged down by data and numbers or how it will happen, Vivid Vision creates a holistic road map to success that will get all of your teammates passionate about the big picture. 

Your company is your dream, one that you want to share with your staff, clients, and stakeholders. Vivid Vision is the tool you need to make that dream a reality.

miracle-morning

The Miracle Morning for
Entrepreneurs: Elevate Your SELF to
Elevate Your BUSINESS

READY FOR EXPLOSIVE GROWTH AS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND ACCELERATED SUCCESS IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

A step-by-step guide to enjoying the roller-coaster ride of growth — while getting the most out of life as an entrepreneur. A growth-focused approach: The book is divided into three sections, which cover planning for fast growth, building a company for fast growth, and leading for fast growth. Each topic the author covers — from creating a vision for the company’s future to learning how to generate free PR for a developing company — is squarely focused on the end goal: doubling the size of the entrepreneur’s company in three years or less. A down-to-earth action plan: Herold’s experienced-based advice never gets bogged down in generalities or theory. Instead, he offers a wealth of practical tips, including: How to design meetings for maximum efficiency; How to hire top-quality talent; How to grow in particularly tough markets; How to put together a board of advisors — even for a smaller company; How even the busy entrepreneur can achieve a work/life balance.

READY FOR EXPLOSIVE GROWTH AS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND ACCELERATED SUCCESS IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

Hal Elrod’sThe Miracle Morning has helped redefine the mornings and the lives of millions of readers since 2012. Since then, careers have been launched, goals have been met, and dreams have been realized, all through the power of the Miracle Morning’s six Life S.A.V.E.R.S.

THESE SIX DAILY PRACTICES WILL FUEL YOUR EFFORTS TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE.

Now The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs brings you these principles in a whole new light—alongside the Entrepreneurial Elevation Principles and the Entrepreneur’s Elevation Skills. These are essential skills that you need to create a successful business and personal life. Cameron Herold— Bestselling Author and a widely-respected expert on entrepreneurial mindset—brings his wisdom and insight to you using Hal Elrod’s powerful Miracle Morning framework.

DEVELOP A VISION FOR YOUR BUSINESS, AND BECOME THE INFLUENTIAL AND INSPIRING LEADER YOU WERE ALWAYS MEANT TO BE.

The principles and skills you’ll find in this book will help you to channel your passion and achieve balance in a remarkable new way. – Learn why mornings matter more than you think – Learn how to master your own self-leadership and accelerate your personal development – Learn how to manage your energy—physical, mental, and emotional – Learn how to implement Hal Elrod’s invaluable Life S.A.V.E.R.S. in your daily routine – And much more… You’re already an entrepreneur. Now discover how to take your success to the next level by first taking yourself to the next level. The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs is your roadmap to masterfully building an empire with a powerful vision, utilizing your areas of personal genius, with the right team at your side.

Start giving your business and your life the very best opportunities for success, right now.

A step-by-step guide to enjoying the roller-coaster ride of growth — while getting the most out of life as an entrepreneur. A growth-focused approach: The book is divided into three sections, which cover planning for fast growth, building a company for fast growth, and leading for fast growth. Each topic the author covers — from creating a vision for the company’s future to learning how to generate free PR for a developing company — is squarely focused on the end goal: doubling the size of the entrepreneur’s company in three years or less. A down-to-earth action plan: Herold’s experienced-based advice never gets bogged down in generalities or theory. Instead, he offers a wealth of practical tips, including: How to design meetings for maximum efficiency; How to hire top-quality talent; How to grow in particularly tough markets; How to put together a board of advisors — even for a smaller company; How even the busy entrepreneur can achieve a work/life balance.