| Building and Protecting your Reputation |
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It's getting harder and harder to find any news that isn't about you-know-what, but I will keep avoiding the topic.
In other news, there has been a viral video about The Pope not wishing to have his ring kissed (honestly), a complaint about "Sharenting" - the act of parents sharing news and pictures of their kids online - after Gwyneth Paltrow posted a picture of her and her 14-year-old daughter Apple Martin skiing, and a Norwegian immigrant was given a nice job in Manchester.
BAFTA - the British Academy of Film and Television Arts - decided to bend its rules to allow nominations for the wonderful "Killing Eve", despite the fact that it had already been shown in the USA before being seen in Britain. Well done them. It was a superb series, and I am sure that from its fourteen nominations, it will pick up a bunch of gongs.
And something you may have missed - A cookbook by the creators of the Pinch of Nom recipe blog has smashed the record for the UK's fastest-selling non-fiction book.The Pinch of Nom cookbook sold 210,506 copies in its first three days on sale. It also means Pinch of Nom is the ninth fastest-selling book of any description - behind novels by JK Rowling, Dan Brown and EL James. Pinch of Nom co-creator Kay Featherstone said the success was "absolutely incredible".Featherstone started the slimming blog with partner Kate Allinson after Allinson's sister pestered them to lose weight three years ago.Well done them! |
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The MediaMaestro is Scott Walker, who with his group, the Walker Brothers, became a pop idol in the 1960s, but who later immersed himself in experimental music that influenced such artists as David Bowie and Radiohead.
He died at the age of 76 last week, leaving a remarkable legacy of songs and collaborations, the like of which we will probably never see again.
He left the group in 1967 to start a solo career that became a rejection of his rock-star phase. He retreated into the studio to create avant-garde music that was hard to categorize: electronic with big blocks of sound, his baritone voice now used to almost operatic effect. For many years, he did not appear in concert.
Some of his lyrics were published last year in the book “Sundog,” with an introduction by Irish novelist Eimear McBride, who compared him to James Joyce. A perfect comparison in my view. |
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The MediaMug is much-criticised airline Ryanair. They thought they were on to a PR coup when they posted a tweet making fun of a British airways plane that landed in Scotland instead of Dusseldorf.
But the reaction on social media was swift and savage. People suggested books for Ryanair, including “Customer Services for Dummies”. In January, Ryanair was named the UK’s least-liked short-haul airline for the sixth year running.
Holidaymaker Nigel Johnstone was among those to hit out at the budget airline for its move to hit out at BA. He tweeted: "Hey Ryanair, you may not know this but the subject is navigation, not geography."
Andy Hollinson posted: "British Airways are missing a trick. Ryanair would have charged double for the second destination."
Oops. Be careful when criticising other companies on Twitter.
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| Speaking Tip - Think like your audience |
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When you deliver a speech, you and your audience share many common aims. For example, you both want -
to have an interesting time to share an enjoyable experience to laugh to focus on the important issue to make best use of the time to feel satisfied to keep things simple to finish on time
In fact, almost all of your interests coincide. So a speech becomes a co-operative exercise if you really understand what's required.
The best way to prepare for a speech is to think what you would want to hear if you were in the audience. What would you focus on? What would you understand? What would be the outcome? Think like your audience and you will find that speeches become a pleasure, not an ordeal. |
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| Media Tip - Listen, note, make your point |
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Questions, whether from a journalist or member of a live studio audience, can cause you stress and lead to a flustered response. Here are some techniques to help you respond with confidence and clarity.
1) Listen carefully, right to the end of the question. There is often a temptation to formulate a response while the questioner is still speaking. This often stems from a desire to appear to be very knowledgeable, by not even having to pause for thought before answering.
2) Make notes If you are taking part in a debate in front of a studio audience, and you are answering a question which is preceded by a story, or it is clear that the questioner has several points to make, it is quite acceptable to take notes. You will thus ensure that you cover all of their points. Don't just write down the question, but also jot down a few key words to use in your reply.
3) Go for the easy response A questioner may include several points, effectively asking several different questions. Pause for a moment, and then offer an answer to the easiest one. Of course, you don't tell the questioner that. Instead, you say "Let me take your second question first." Deliver a full response, and then say "Remind me of your other points". More often than not, they will ask you to move on, or will have forgotten what else they asked. |
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| Social Media Tip - Relationship glue |
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For some people, social media is a way of finding new customers, a new audience, or a new market. I must admit, I do a little self-promotion on Twitter and Facebook now and again. But when I reflect on my main use of social media, it's not about connecting with new people. I use it far more to keep in touch with people I already know. I suspect you may be the same, and if you sat down and analysed your Facebook posts or Tweets, very many of them would be directed to someone you have met, or probably know quite well.
So for me, social media is like glue that holds relationships together. It's sadly not possible to meet people face to face that often, especially if they live on the other side of the world. A direct message on Twitter, a response to their posting on Facebook, or even a quick Zoom call when you see them online, all help to keep you connected. Next time you meet you can focus on the important stuff like who buys the next round of drinks.
On a regular basis, I stop what I'm doing and make contact with at least three people around the world that I know but haven't spoken to for a while. It takes five minutes, and it's a great way to keep in touch. Why not try it? The results will be amazing. |
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