This is Johanna Rothman’s July 2026 Pragmatic Manager Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. (Looking for the video? I post the video within a few days of publication on my YouTube channel.) Are you drowning in work? While I mostly speak with project and program managers, or “people” managers, everyone […]
If you recently published a book, as I did, you might have this same experience. The scammers are out in full force. Here’s what keeps happening to me. I receive an email with a Gmail address, from a person who claims to represent a “reputable” book club. (I find it interesting that they tell me
I am so pleased to announce that my newest book, Effective Public Speaking: How to Use Content Marketing With Stories to Show Your Value, is out everywhere. If you write books or consult as part of your income, this is the book you need to up your content marketing game. I wrote this book because
Maybe you’ve had this conversation with a manager: You want to do something that costs some money. Maybe go to a conference, bring in some training, or something a little out of the ordinary. The manager says, “No, that costs too much.” Or, as a consultant, a manager says, “Your proposal is too much for
This is Johanna Rothman’s April 2026 Pragmatic Manager Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. During a recent conference, I was on a panel with some really smart colleagues. One of the first audience questions was, “What’s your most valuable management tool?” Some of the other panelists mentioned how they use
My Effective Public Speaking Kickstarter ends Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at noon Eastern. If you’re on the fence, get off the fence and back it. It’s time.
Public Speaking Myth Nine: I Have Nothing to Say If you focus your writing or consulting, you might not think you have anything to say to “everyone.” You might even feel some imposter syndrome. That’s a myth, because the most effective public speakers choose one aspect of their expertise to highlight. Just one. Use your
Public Speaking Myth Eight: Speakers Should Copy Someone Else Many less-practiced speakers think they need to copy someone else’s speaking style. But audiences can see right through that lack of authenticity. Instead, show your enthusiasm by being more of you. I am not saying bring your “whole self” to the stage. I swear a lot—I
Early in my public speaking career, a fellow speaker asked me to sit in on his session and offer feedback afterwards. I did. And I had a very tough time staying awake. His slides were too dense, his delivery was almost a monotone, but there was a reason for that: He did not tell a
Several of my fiction writer friends say they write fiction for one of two reasons: They want to read this kind of book. And/or They want to live in a world like the one they wrote about. These dear writers think that means they have nothing to say to other people. Hello? At the very