Communication Archives - Catherine Johns

Who’s Sorry Now?

Who's Sorry Now? You see them in the news all the time—the non-apologetic apology. “Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends.” “I sincerely regret any miscommunication that contributed to this result." “I’m sorry if anyone was offended by that picture of my children holding AR-47s.” "We are disheartened by the way this situation unfolded…” And of course, there’s the classic non-apology: “Mistakes were made.” The truth is, mistakes are made. Often. Sometimes, by us. You’ve been there, I’m sure. You make a sharp remark and then wish you’d kept that thought to yourself. You misinterpret what somebody said and respond more harshly than you should have. You miss a deadline, show up late for an appointment, or fall short on a commitment. That’s when it’s time for a sincere apology. Emphasis on “sincere.” Not back-handed, not a fauxpology, but an honest-to-goodness acknowledgement of our own screw-up and an expression of remorse.

Catherine Johns | Sep 27, 2023

photo By The White House from Washington, DC - President Trump Visits St. John's Episcopal Church, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90897809

Business Communication, Communication, Speaking, Writing

Speak Their Language

Speak their language. What do you say? A better question might be “How do you say it?”.
Marketing genius Seth Godin was writing about writing this week. I had speaking in mind, though, when I read this in his newsletter: “It’s tempting to simply focus our attention on the text itself… But messages merely begin with the text. The rhythm, presentation, source, and context deliver most of what we take away from a message.” Amen to that! A client preparing for an important speech came to my office dining room table this week with a copy of her speech. It was fine. And “fine” isn’t exactly a home run, is it? My job is to help my client bring this talk from fine to fabulous.

Catherine Johns | Sep 20, 2023

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Careers, Communication, Growing Your Business, Women in Business

#girlblog

How did you react to the “#girlblog” title? Maybe you smiled. Or maybe you thought, “Who is she calling a “girl” … and why? Or maybe you shrugged and moved on. Your response may well depend on your age. And your familiarity with TikTok. We’ve seen a wave of #girl the past few months. Girl dinners, random food from the fridge, eaten alone, possibly standing over the sink. Hot girl walks, taken without a companion and without regard to how the walker looks. Even girl rotting, which seems to mean lying around your room doing nothing for hours on end. Young women have shared images of their girl moments on social media. Eating, walking, or lounging, what they have in common the absence of male participation. Thus #girl. For many of us, “girl” has long felt insulting or patronizing. As full-grown adult women, we want to be seen as equals to our male counterparts, not children to be patted on the head and indulged. Or dismissed.

Catherine Johns | Sep 13, 2023

photo of Catherine Johns on the first day of kindergarten

Business Communication, Communication

Apparently, They Really ARE Just Like Us

Apparently, they really ARE just like us. Anderson Cooper makes 12 MILLION dollars a year from CNN alone. Toss in what CBS pays him for his work on Sixty Minutes, royalties from his books, and speaking fees. The guy is a celebrity and a mega-millionaire. And yet, he told a New York Times interviewer he’s long since stopped paying attention to the business side of news. It just doesn’t interest him. “For me,” Cooper said, “the solution was to focus on what I had control over: getting better at interviews, improve my writing, stop saying ‘um.’” Just like every speaker I’ve ever coached, platform professionals as well as those who need to be more effective with an audience for the sake of their business or career. The goal is to get better at the craft. And stop saying “um.”

Catherine Johns | Sep 6, 2023

photo of Anderson Cooper speaking with attendees at the 35th Annual Cronkite Award

Business Communication, Communication

Where Do You Shine the Spotlight?

Where Do You Shine the Spotlight? Never mind what we see on TV. The silly hats, the banners, the t-shirts featuring vulgar slogans. Whether you lean right or left politically, the chances are good you don’t lean very far. Most of us are pretty much in the middle … maybe just a pale, pale blue or a very light red. Political scientist Ruy Teixeira is jabbing at progressives, in particular, as he promotes a centrist manifesto, a series of statements he thinks most regular Americans would agree with. They’re the kind of beliefs that you or I might espouse if we were brave enough to talk politics over dinner. Teixeira and his colleagues at the American Enterprise Institute may be brilliant political specialists. He could use some help from a communication specialist. I’m happy to oblige.

Catherine Johns | Aug 28, 2023