This week, I’m posting my blog early because with Thanksgiving just two days away, we’re officially starting the holiday season- including the stress of family gatherings. Family holiday gatherings should be a time to reconnect, enjoy great food and drinks, and most of all, to celebrate the “reason for the season.” However, for many families, Thanksgiving dinner and other […]
The money taboo is nothing new. For most of us, how much we have, how we choose to spend it, and whether we’re having financial difficulties, are all very personal. Revealing this information can make us feel vulnerable to other people’s judgment and can affect our self-esteem. Additionally, no matter our age, most of us […]
15 years ago, when we put a pool in our backyard, I had the unfortunate honor of being the only person home when they “turned over” the pool to us. That means I was the one who was taught how to clean the pool, backwash the filter, empty the skimmer baskets, etc. So for the […]
Not many people realize that silence is a very powerful communication tool—sometimes even more powerful than nonverbal communication or words. Doubt it? Try this. Look a person in the eye, ask him or her a question, and then wait for a response. Remain silent and simply maintain eye contact and provide your undivided attention. What […]
While the entire Texas coast is still trying to recover from Hurricane Harvey, many of my clients who were affected by the storm are calling to say they need help in the area of communication. Even though budgets are tight and many have been hit by expenses that couldn’t have been foreseen when budgets were […]
One of my personal pet peeves is bad voicemail greetings. I can’t stand calling someone’s home and hearing a four year old giving a voicemail greeting. Having the whole family on the line drives me crazy, too. In the workplace, it’s voicemail greetings like the ones below that make me want to hang up and call someone […]
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 […]
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 […]
