Imagine that you missed a deadline that you promised you would deliver on. You see you boss approaching your desk. He says, ‘Hey (their name) got a minute?’
What initial language would make you less defensive about the missed deadline. ‘Help me out here’ or ‘You missed the deadline’? 
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We’ve all heard of a post-mortem. What about a pre-mortem?
Wikipedia states: ‘A pre-mortem — also known as a premortem — is a managerial strategy in which a manager imagines that a project or organization has failed, and then works backward to determine what potentially could lead to the failure of the project or organization. 
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Michael Kelly
“Bob, of the voices you like, what are the features that make them attractive?
Bob Carr
“I think what you wrote recently about Obama’s voice was very significant . . . you focused on the pacing, and his voice gathers pace and groups words together so that he holds our interest . . . Continue reading
Michael Kelly
“Bob, give us an example or two of how your voice has helped you in achieving the success you’ve had in your public life?”Continue reading
Michael Kelly
“Bob, if you had to choose three lessons on what makes a great speaking voice, what would those lessons be?”
Bob Carr
“I think the first lesson is to separate yourself from the text and look the audience in the eye . . . and that animates a voice.Continue reading
Colin Powell, former United States Secretary of State, lists 15 lessons on handling the media (on pages 132-133 of his book, It worked for me). He shared these Lessons with a person named Cal, whom he was mentoring, in the following manner:
“Cal, with respect to the press:
1. They get to pick the questions. You get to the pick the answersContinue reading
Earlier this week I heard Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr being interviewed on the radio. I’ve worked with Carr in the past in producing the audio product, Choice Voice: Lessons from great speaking voices.Continue reading
In 2008 I produced a CD with Bob Carr entitled Choice Voice. Lessons from great speaking voices. Edition One: Bob Carr. Many things could be said about Carr’s personal communication (I’ll have more to say in the next weeks/months now that he is Australia’s foreign minister).Continue reading