Darren A Smith
Comment & OpinionHow hotel query can help us check in with customers better
says Darren A Smith of Making Business Matter
Comment & OpinionThe tiresomeness of the chase: how to get better responses
If a person keeps missing the deadline, and there are no consequences, why, asks Darren A Smith of Making Business Matter, would they complete the task?
Comment & OpinionStop digging with the assumption shovel and open up your next negotiation
The assumption shovel is shaped by your past experiences, biases and expectations
Comment & OpinionPlay chess, not draughts, with these top negotiation tips
Negotiating is harder to do than haggling, taking more time, effort, and skill. Here’s Darren A Smith of Making Business Matter’s guide
Comment & OpinionIn negotiations? Make sure you know GSCOP and competition law
Darren A Smith of Making Business Matter on some horror stories from his travels training suppliers
Comment & OpinionOne-to-one meetings: why they don’t work and how to fix them
There are three key ways to help drive performance via one-to-one meetings, says Making Business Matter’s Darren A Smith
Comment & OpinionA fresh approach to training could stop us being ‘stunted sharks’
Chat GPT says emails, and meetings are 70% of what we knowledge workers do. It certainly feels like it sometimes, says Darren A Smith of Making Business Matter
Comment & OpinionSeven techniques to help you solve the big problems at work
Soft skills like problem solving are becoming increasingly important, says Darren A Smith of Making Business Matter
Comment & OpinionFour ways to keep people focused in screen meetings
Jaden Smith’s house headwear got Darren A Smith of Making Business Matter thinking about Microsoft Teams
Comment & OpinionYou can’t manage time – but you can stop firefighting
‘Time management’ is a paradox: you can’t manage it, says Darren A Smith of Making Business Matter
Comment & OpinionHow the World Prawn Forum taught me to be good at networking
Here’s what 20 years of networking in person and online have taught Making Business Matter’s Darren A Smith about how and why we must network
Comment & OpinionDo better than saying ‘hope you’re well’ in emails with the push/pull method
‘Hope you’re well’ is the equivalent of the paper straw cover in McDonald’s, says Darren A Smith of Making Business Matter
Comment & OpinionUse the Presentation Compass to keep your audience engaged
If you’re monotone, don’t move, and aren’t engaging, then it is likely that the audience won’t engage either
Comment & OpinionDon’t be a butterfly, hit the big tasks with a 20-minute focus
We can definitely focus for 20 minutes. Proven research tells us this. The rest is up to you
Comment & OpinionSuccession planning: make it easier with these two key questions
Why don’t we do succession planning? We’re busy, sure. But the problem is that there’s no reward
Comment & OpinionFive PowerPoint tips to help end the cycle of boring presentations
Use these five tips to move from ‘instantly forgettable’ to ‘wonderfully memorable’
Comment & OpinionMum’s the word: a simpler way to improve customer service
No online advice will ever surpass the training I witnessed many years ago
Comment & OpinionWork wars: how to avoid escalations and keep conflict in check
Here’s how to reduce your conflicts by 20% and your escalations by 50%
Comment & OpinionHow to present successfully when you’re the size of a postage stamp
For most people, presentations are now a fabulous opportunity to get some emails done
Comment & OpinionWho inspires you when it comes to your ‘kryptonite’ moments?
Whenever he wanted to be better at something, my sales coach modelled himself on someone he thought was good at that thing