Most people would rather get a root canal than initiate a conflict or problem discussion with a coworker, employee or family member. Unfortunately, most problems don’t just go away or get better on their own. In fact, they usually get worse. If you have an issue you need to discuss with someone else, it’s important […]
When it comes to things they don’t want to do, people generally don’t go quietly. They passively or actively resist, question, argue, and sometimes get angry. Even if they never open their mouths, they’re likely thinking, “I don’t have to do anything! Just watch me!” Whether speaking to a customer, an employee, or to a child, beginning with, “You’ll […]
In the 20 plus years I’ve been in the adult working world, I’ve found that people vary greatly in their ability to “leave it at the door.” There are some people who have all types of personal problems or issues going on in their lives and no one at work ever hears about it. Others […]
Many of you already know that the Houston, Texas area has been devastated by Hurricane Harvey. My family is very lucky that we’ve managed to stay dry and have power. However, too many others are not as lucky. Even in my small community of Friendswood, Texas, it’s estimated that 3000 homes have flooded. I’ve spent […]
One of the things I’ve noticed about the organizations I’ve served in more than 20 years in business, is that the organization’s “conflict culture” is almost always a direct reflection of the dominant conflict style of the organization’s leader. If the conflict style is weak or negative, it becomes a cancer in the organization, destroying […]
How many times have you been in a situation when a person’s mouth said one thing, but everything else about them seemed to be saying something else? For example, when you ask your boss if she has time to discuss a problem, and she looks at her watch, lets out a heavy sigh, and says, […]
I recently hired a contractor to do some work at my house. He was supposed to arrive at 10 am on Wednesday. At about 9:45 I closed my cats up in the bedroom and put my dogs in their crates, anticipating his arrival. 10 am came and went. Then it was 10:20. I called him […]
I recently received an email from a manager asking for help. She works in a medium-sized organization and struggles with delegation, even when the things she’s delegating are in her employees’ job descriptions. She feels guilty and finds herself apologizing for asking or reminding people to do their jobs. I can tell you she’s not […]
The other day I was in a doctor’s office waiting room when a woman sitting across the way said LOUDLY to the man next to her, “What time was your appointment? Mine was supposed to be more than 30 minutes ago.” The man replied, “I know, I’ve been here for more than 45 minutes!” The woman’s comments […]
As a communication fanatic, I may be biased, but I think it’s time people stop taking communication for granted and start adding up the cost of poor communication. Too many people assume because their mouths work, their ears work, and they can read and write, that means they’re communicating. To a certain degree, they’re right. They […]
