by Laura Camacho, PhD

As a leader, telling people what to do is easy. I love it. The only problem is it doesn't work. Asking questions engages the brain at a deeper level than simply listening. Questions also foster co-creation, build better relationships, and spark new ideas.

by Laura Camacho, PhD

Have you ever noticed how the best professional photographers make brilliant first impressions and connect with models and ordinary people like you and me to get that stunning photograph? Today, I’m sharing 3 nonverbal communication tips I learned from a professional photographer and author, Nicholas Boothman. You probably already know that nonverbal factors are often much more impactful than your word choices.

by Laura Camacho, PhD

Influence is a skill set, not just reserved for the big shots. What to focus on is being memorable for the value you add to the conversation. Welcome to the ABCs of Influence, with the specific details that make a difference in the art of influence.

by Laura Camacho

At least 80% of what we do, probably 99%, is communicating. We ask people to buy things, do things, approve budgets, make changes, show up, and go here, instead of there. Being articulate is an asset you can cultivate.

by Laura Camacho

You probably know it’s better to ask questions than to tell your team the answer. But answering their questions is so much faster! Easier! Who has time to play Socrates?

by Laura Camacho

The Covid Lockdown changed so many things. More people than you think are feeling awkward with social situations, especially those related to work. It’s like falling off a bicycle, you just have to get back on. Social anxiety is like a mindset. OK, I realize some people have a psychological diagnosis related to social anxiety, but for most of us, it’s a mindset. It’s time to lose that. Just be your iconic self.

by Laura Camacho

There are conflicting statistics about how many emails people receive at work every day. It’s at least 100 emails. While we’re not sure how many we get each day on average, what we can agree on is that we get too many. Because emails tend to reach larger audiences than texts and phone conversations, rethinking the way you respond to an email is a good investment of your brain power. It’s a way to contribute more value to your company.

by Laura Camacho

If you want a different outcome, ask a different question. That’s how real change happens. It’s also an easy way to start a more interesting conversation or bring up a delicate topic.

by Laura Camacho

The first step of any successful pitch is to understand your audience.

While all your audiences need accurate, timely, and curated information, the C-Suite audience has far more responsibility and much less time and brain space than others in the organization. Being highly organized and structured helps them retain and remember your recommendations. Winging it is for amateurs. These questions can help you help THEM!

by Laura Camacho, PhD and Culture Fixer

The number one thing everyone seems to want in their communication toolbox is confidence on demand. As a well-seasoned (at times too spicy!) executive communication coach, I have engaged in literally thousands of deep conversations with leaders from everywhere. We chat with the shared goal in mind: to be a better communicator.

by Laura M Camacho, PhD and Culture Fixer

Small changes in the way you communicate can bring big changes in the life you live. I see this reality every single day.

by Laura Camacho

If there’s one thing you can do to make things better for your employees and your company, it’s asking for feedback. But asking a general, “Do you have any feedback for me?” can be overwhelming for an employee because the question is too broad. One principle of excellent communication is the proactive practice of making it easy as possible for others to do what you want them to do.

by Laura Camacho

You are surely familiar with email drama. Perhaps you got involved in one yourself, where the misinterpretation of a message, or one that got sent to the wrong person, spun off into a totally unproductive soap opera segment.

by Laura Camacho, PhD

So many clients share with me that they feel super confident speaking up in their team meetings, when sharing with their boss, and even other stakeholders. But there are always certain situations where their minds turn to mush and they feel like confused second graders being hauled to the principal’s office. And those are precisely the meetings that can boost your visibility and let executives perceive your leadership potential.

by Laura Camacho

When you don’t say anything at a meeting, the assumption is you have nothing to say. If you seriously want to raise your Leadership Presence quotient, start speaking up at every meeting. Here are three easier ways to speak up, when you feel so nervous your voice may be shaking.

by Laura Camacho

Working remotely and communicating almost exclusively by video has raised awareness of how important it is to make your point in a way that sticks in people’s brains. In talking to my clients, there are two common problems with what you would think would be a simple thing to do: answer a question in a meeting.

by Laura Camacho

How are your virtual meetings going? Does your schedule include time to be social? Does everyone in your world feel closer, more connected, than they did before everything shut down because of the pandemic?

by Laura Camacho, PhD

A compelling point of view acts like a magnet for high-performing employees, top-tier investors, and ideal clients. In our time of purpose-driven profits, people want to know what you stand for, what your priority is, what drives you to action. The answers to these questions can be simmered down to a key message known as your Point of View.

by Laura Camacho

As a formerly-awkward person who still gets stumped in conversations, here are some of my go-to phrases and questions to get the conversation moving in a more productive way.

by Laura Camacho

My favorite way to teach communication skills to my client companies is through a series of 2 to 3-hour workshops over many months. It’s hard to sit still all day and science shows that people have a really hard time paying attention after 90 minutes of teaching. Furthermore, it’s great when learners can build their body of knowledge on a topic over time.

by Laura Camacho

As a communication coach to leaders all over this beautiful planet, my clients and I spend a great deal of time discussing how communication affects perceptions. In fact, one of my most important tasks is to help clients improve their self-perceptions so that they become more confident.

by Laura Camacho

The holiday social scene is so much fun. And exhausting. Not only that, it’s the chance to catch up with family, acquaintances while making new friends. Parties are also public relation opportunities so you be sure to let everyone know what’s new in your business.

by Laura Camacho

Just because you don’t know how to do something doesn’t mean it can’t be done. 

According to the psychological concept of “agency”, which is essentially your belief in your own abilities, you will not achieve more than you think you can. That means if you want to build your business, you have to have the belief that you can do it. 

by Laura Camacho

You know failure is part of success, but what is the best way to get the most benefit from those painful and maybe embarrassing mistakes? 

by Laura Camacho

You probably were not aware of this when you started your business but now you know. Thriving businesses must sell. A lot. Ideas. Solutions. Products. Services. Add ons. Contracts. Upgrades. ROI…

by Laura Camacho, PhD

If you stay in business long enough, you eventually develop the level of mental and emotional fortitude you need to succeed.

by Laura Camacho

Working in the professional development and communication coaching world for over 20 years, it’s apparent that there are patterns of communication, and patterns of business success. I venture to say to there is more variety in the type of businesses that stay profitable, but they all manage to find and serve clients.

by Laura Camacho

If you work in public relations, probably you’ve written press releases (or at least drafts of them) even before the event took place. That’s a smart move as you have too much to do and it helps to stay on top of the work load.

by Laura Camacho

You’ve been told that the most effective speech or presentation is focused on the audience. Here’s a tool to help you do that. The result is that your audience feels alignment with you and is more likely to accept your message. The tool is called Feel Know Do.

by Laura Camacho

Few activities help an entrepreneur get precious visibility more than public speaking. The only thing it costs you is time. Yet who is busier than a woman entrepreneur? How can you leverage that public speaking opportunity when you have so little time to prepare? As someone who’s been helping women become more effective speakers for almost twenty years, there’s one area you can laser focus on to knock the talk out of the ballpark.