TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators
Dr. Ben Crosby
94 episodes
5 months ago
Ben Crosby is a professor of rhetoric and a communication skills consultant. He teaches courses in public speaking and presenting, argumentation and debate, technical and professional communication, persuasion and selling, and the history of rhetoric. His work is regularly published in his field’s top academic journals and conferences. He is also the author of Presentations as Performance: A Professional’s Guide to Better Speaking. In his free time, he spends time with his wife, Rebecca, their four kids, and their cat, Arza. He is an avid Utah Jazz fan.
All content for TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators is the property of Dr. Ben Crosby and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Ben Crosby is a professor of rhetoric and a communication skills consultant. He teaches courses in public speaking and presenting, argumentation and debate, technical and professional communication, persuasion and selling, and the history of rhetoric. His work is regularly published in his field’s top academic journals and conferences. He is also the author of Presentations as Performance: A Professional’s Guide to Better Speaking. In his free time, he spends time with his wife, Rebecca, their four kids, and their cat, Arza. He is an avid Utah Jazz fan.
You’ve just finished your presentation and now it’s time for the Q&A, but nobody is asking questions! What do you do? TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
It’s in your messaging, and the fix is simple. People listen more when you speak less. This works in professional AND in personal settings. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
Who doesn’t wish to be a better conversationalist, and in so doing, appear more intelligent? This helps both in professional and personal life. The trick is in asking the right questions. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
Tips to own your Q&A. Be brief! Be honest! Break eye contact. Yep, break that eye contact! TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
30% of the population don’t suffer from Impostor Syndrome, that means 7 out of 10 do! Are you in that lower percentile group? Great! But not so fast. Beware of the “falsely confident” type, the Dunning-Kruger type. The sweet spot is the “healthy confident” type. Embrace the discomfort of growth and become a learner, a grower, and join the healthy confident club. You are worthy of this! TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
Appreciating versus evaluating. When done right, your answer will connect with and further engage the audience. So don’t say “great question”, rather, say “thank you for that question because…” TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
Stoicism originated in ancient Greece, likely at this very site! Who are the Stoics, what was their philosophy, and how did they get their name? TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
When healthy, learn and embrace the symbols and practices that make up the culture of your new company, department, or team. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
(Step 3 of 6) Restating their question with this simple technique is so critical to owning the Q&A. “I want to make sure I understand your question, what your asking is…” TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
When presenting, or leading a meeting, you’d do well to remember that the audience members are your guests - and you are the host. Xenia is the ancient Greek concept of hospitality. It is an institutionalized relationship rooted in generosity, gift exchange, and reciprocity. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
There is an art to inviting questions and an art to listening. Listen thoughtfully and without interruption so that your response is true to the question. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
Idiot…low IQ or just a reference for someone unwilling to engage, defend, or even change their mind? Don't be an idiot. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
Socrates knew that to effectively persuade others, you must first have the courage of your convictions. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
The presentation is over and now it’s time to invite questions. If you’re using close-ended phrasing, you’ve likely lost all momentum. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
Ben visits and opines on the birthplace of classical rhetoric, Athens Greece. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
Your customer service team should be an extension of your sales team. In addition to resolving concerns, train & incentivize them to feature added services in their resolution communications. This team is critical to company success! Increase loyalty, profit, conversion, and reputation. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
A customer service team is a direct connection between your customers and your company. They must be professional, patient, and have a people-first attitude. This team can increase loyalty, profits, conversion, and image. So ongoing training is a must. Customer Service is THE Most Important Team You Have.
To persuade their audience, the ancient Greeks taught 3 essential elements known as Phronesis (Wisdom), Arete (virtue) and Eunoia (goodwill). Employing this is easier than you might think and well worth the practice. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
Are you an interrupter? Or, are you the one who struggles to enter the conversation? Learn this loophole and ask the “permission-seeking question.” TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
Rather than openly stating your opposition, use a persuasive line of questioning the next time you disagree with a colleague. TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators. Visit us at TriviumU.com.
TriviumU: Timeless Training for Professional Communicators
Ben Crosby is a professor of rhetoric and a communication skills consultant. He teaches courses in public speaking and presenting, argumentation and debate, technical and professional communication, persuasion and selling, and the history of rhetoric. His work is regularly published in his field’s top academic journals and conferences. He is also the author of Presentations as Performance: A Professional’s Guide to Better Speaking. In his free time, he spends time with his wife, Rebecca, their four kids, and their cat, Arza. He is an avid Utah Jazz fan.
