At Emphasis, we're always highlighting the importance of keeping your reader at the front of your mind. In the past, that reader would always be human. Today, there's a second audience to play to – and it’s just as important. Search engines such as Google...
Tim Cawood
Communication Lab 6: life without email
Subscribe via RSS / iTunes | Download | All podcasts 55 minutes Fed up with email? Learn how to ditch it altogether from special guest Luis Suarez. He relies almost exclusively on social media for business communication, despite having a senior role in IBM and...
Communication Lab 5: separated by a common language
Subscribe via RSS / iTunes | Download | All podcasts 32 minutes Listen now to the latest programme, featuring linguistics expert Dr Lynne Murphy talking about the differences between UK and US English. Further reading Hear something you want to know more about? Here...
Communication Lab 3: difficult conversations
Subscribe via RSS / iTunes | Download | All podcasts 31 minutes In this podcast, communication strategist David Levin joins Rob Ashton and Andy White to discuss strategies for approaching difficult conversations in the workplace. Further reading Did something in...
Communication Lab 2: the secret life of pronouns
Subscribe via RSS / iTunes | Download | All podcasts 32 minutes Rob Ashton and Andy White discuss the secret life of pronouns, proofreading tips and why the Freedom of Information Act may have taken all the excitement out of government communications. Further reading...
Communication Lab 1: introduction
Subscribe via RSS / iTunes | Download | All podcasts 34 minutes In this series of lively podcasts, Emphasis CEO and former scientist Rob Ashton puts language under the microscope, over a Bunsen burner and quite possibly into one of those things that looks like a...
How to write a winning business plan
Whether you’re setting up a new business venture or trying to get the go-ahead for a project, there’s one essential document you need. Rob Ashton, Chief Executive of Emphasis, gives a step-by-step guide to writing a good business plan. Why you need one...
Getting to grips with using ‘that’ and ‘which’
'That' and 'which' can sometimes be used interchangeably. But it’s not always correct to do so. The general rule is: use ‘that’ to define and use ‘which’ to inform or add information. Defining These are the spending cuts that the Board agreed. Here, the spending cuts...
How to break technology addiction and improve concentration
New research from Kent University’s psychology department confirms what many of us already know from experience. Far from helping us become more efficient, the constant interruption of technology is weakening our ability to concentrate and slowing us down at...
How to overcome writer’s block
Fear is the underlying emotion behind writer’s block. An inability to start writing hours before deadline may trigger the fight or flight response, leaving us in a cold sweat and frowning at a blank screen. But psychologists have found that the causes of...
The write road to brilliant public speaking
Writing before high-pressure situations can raise your performance in them, according to new research. It may seem counter-intuitive, but taking a moment to focus on your fears by jotting them down can help you to rise to the challenge. And this can apply to anything...
The easy way to boost your brain power
Step away from the keyboard and pick up a pen. That’s the latest expert advice for anyone who wants to study and remember more effectively. We learn better when writing by hand than when we type, according to Anne Mangen, associate professor at the University of...