What if you could always effectively communicate and persuade employees, customers and leadership? Our special double-length episode celebrates one of America’s most successful communicators, Booker T. Washington. His method illustrates one of the world’s oldest communication methods: the “five canons” of classical rhetoric. Click here for our episode on the first canon’s tool, the “common topics.”Questions? Comments? Ideas for future …
The 3 elements of training that sticks
It’s the model of education that built a culture that has lasted millennia. It’s so profound–and so simple–that we can explain it in 15 minutes. Are you using all three elements in your training? Questions? Comments? Ideas for future episodes … or interview subjects? Email Mike and Mark.
Find your tribe: You grow in community
Benjamin Franklin, in his early 20s, did something that would change his life–and America. And you can do it too. Questions? Comments? Ideas for future episodes … or interview subjects? Email Mike and Mark.
New resources on our, well, Resources page
How did a French aristocratic lawyer in the 1830s make so many insights about the United States of America? How is so much of it still relevant not just to society–but to how we run businesses? Visit our Resources page. Go straight to the list of items for our Workplace Book Club and scroll to the bottom. There you’ll find …
Refining Rhetoric listener? Classical Conversations supporter? Click here.
If you heard Mark Ramsay’s interview on the Refining Rhetoric podcast, welcome! We have a number of items that may interest you: *More on Mark and his PCC status with the International Coach Federation *An excerpt from his upcoming book, “The Lost Tools of Business” *A free online self-assessment on your professional life *Our Resources page, featuring DISC, the personality …
The 5 questions you need to think things through
Are you interested in thinking things through? Communicating? Since the time of Aristotle, there has been a powerful tool to help you do both. Mark explains. Download the free handout with sample questions and an example here on our extensive Resources page. Questions? Comments? Ideas for future episodes … or interview subjects? Email Mike and Mark.
Does your pursuit of excellence have a purpose?
The warriors in the Iliad … Pa in the Little House stories … and you and me. We all want to improve and excel. But why? There are good ways to answer that question–and some incredibly destructive ones as well. Questions? Comments? Ideas for future episodes … or interview subjects? Email Mike and Mark.
The devil’s playground
Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, the brothers should have specified periods for manual labor as well as for prayerful reading. We believe that the times for both may be arranged as follows. … With these sentences St. Benedict begins chapter 48 of his influential Rules. I’ll spare you the history lesson except to say that his short …
Jane Austen’s manual for … sarcasm
What is sarcasm? Can it be acceptable? What is the most effective form of feedback? The Workplace Book Club is back! This time we tackle an excerpt from “Emma,” another novel by Jane Austen. (Download our free excerpt and discussion guide.) If you think you’re about to read a bit of a romance novel, you’re in for a treat. Austen …
What you should study in school (or life)
I recently had the chance to speak to the incoming freshmen in the Honors Program at my alma mater, Eastern Kentucky University. Back in my day, we didn’t have fancy launch banquets. But then again, I started there almost 30 years ago, which means I sat at a table of people 30 years younger than me. First things first: You …