Idea generation strategies for your product!

Have you ever sat in a successful brain-storming or other product development meeting, where all the participants were involved and ideas were pouring forth? It's rare, isn't it?

Brainstorming was developed in the 1941's, yet many companies still use the 73 year-old method developed by Alex Osborne. How many other ideas this old does a company today use?

In Business Speech Improvement's seminar on Executive Communication Strategies, we discuss why traditional brainstorming is ineffective, cover the modern day research on a much better method, and then practice it. A group of 4 strangers working on a properly phrased question often generates 40 or more responses to it. Although some are duplicates and some may not be exactly what is needed, there are wonderful answers there as well.

For example, instead of "thinking outside of the box", let's wonder if the box needs to be there in the first place!

Another strategy that Alex Osborne developed is called SCAMPER. The acronym stands for substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, reverse.

For example, imagine that you are improving a blender, a common household small appliance. What type of user are you targeting here? Let's say you are going for the person who exercises at lunch-time and needs a very light blender with a tiny motor he can take to work, to whip up a "power shake" he can quickly drink after his work-out. 

What kind of tiny motor can he substitute for the heavier ones, given the small quantity of material to be blended? Can two functions of the current blender be combined, possibly allowing only 3 speeds? Can part of the blender be adapted

so that it is lighter? Can the top be modified so that it screws on, in case it needs to be carried home with some liquid still in it, if washing is not an option at work? Can the jar be put to another use as a cup for the processed power shake? Could something on the device be eliminated to make it lighter? Instead of making a part bigger, could you reverse it and make it smaller?

This is but one of many "idea generation" strategies covered as a communication skill in the Business Speech Improvement workshop on Executive Communication.  Contact us to schedule the Executive Communication workshop for your group!

Easily confused words in English

English has many words that are similar, and this can be confusing for both native and non-native speakers.  Examples are accept vs except,  advise vs advice, insure vs ensure, corps vs corpse and many more. The problem comes when a writer sends a document or e-mail to a person who knows the difference between the right and the wrong word.

To improve your knowledge of easily confused words, start with a list of them. There are many such lists of easily confused words online. One to start with is http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/confused_words_english.html  .

Choose 5 word pairs that you yourself often use and confuse, write them down where you can see them, and study them briefly twice a day. When you have learned them, choose 5 more pairs. It's important to choose words that you are likely to say or write, so you will learn them faster and get more benefit out of this effort.

Great communication requires the choice of the proper words to convey your meanings. Make up your list of easily confused words today!

American English pronunciation and why you shouldn't say "furnitures"

American English is a complicated language. As a speech coach, I frequently hear complaints about all the exceptions to the rules and other irregularities that don't occur in more regulated languages such as Spanish.

Recently I saw an ad from someone who wanted to sell "furnitures". English has a concept known as mass or uncountable nouns. These are categories in which it is difficult to count each individual item, such as air, water, grass, information, sugar or peace. It also includes collections of items, such as mail, garbage, furniture or clothing.  All of these do not have plurals, so we do not put an "s" after them.

This concept and many more are included in the intensive seminar on American English Pronunciation Improvement for Non-native Professionals, to be offered October 6 -8, 2014, in Durham, NC (USA). This is a customized seminar, with only 6 learners. Each will get an individual speech assessment and a speech improvement plan designed specifically for him or her.

Feel the relief of knowing you are practicing with your speech coach's help - and knowing you are saying the words correctly! As one surprised professional commented recently, "You mean I have been saying this wrong all these years?"

 Get more information on this unique program, and enroll today!