Gracie Communications

I took a time out this morning and volunteered to lead a reading group in my daughter’s 3rd grade classroom. They were studying action verbs or, as Mrs. Pappas called them, Wow Verbs. They started with a story full of boring words like went, got and going. Within 20 minutes, the stories were full of dancing, swishing, galloping, skidding, racing action. I could even hear the difference in their voices as they read their action-packed versions. These new stories were fun, even exciting.

On the drive home, I started thinking about how we as adults tell our own stories. (more…)

There is a lot that a communications campaign can do, but it can’t take the place of good, old-fashioned customer service. There are many companies out there that talk a good game but how well do they really listen to their customers and try to meet their (ever-changing) needs? (more…)

Does anyone remember the TV show, “Frasier” or am I showing how old I am?

For those who didn’t catch the show during its 11-year run (1993 – 2004), here is a synopsis. Frasier, a former regular at the bar on “Cheers,” moved to Seattle to host a radio psychology talk show. He would start every listener call with the melodic and empathetic phrase, “I’m listening.”

Truth be told, Frasier rarely was listening. (more…)

Ten years ago, a friend gave me a lovely little book, “The Art of Doing Nothing,” that encourages Type A personalities (like me) to relax, nap, drink and enjoy life. I discovered it the other day on my bookshelf and was drawn to the Art of Listening section. Listen to this…

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