Everyone has complaints from time to time and I’m not trying to imply with this post that we should blow off every complaint that comes our way. What I’m talking about here are the chronic complainers. Those workplace whiners who are the only ones to ever face bad coffee, rainy weather, long commutes, difficult bosses, and […]
“Love love love” is in the air this week! I was trying to think of a Valentine’s Day related post for this year and looked to last year’s post for inspiration and to avoid “reinventing the wheel” by inadvertently repeating it. Then I realized, the message from last year’s post bears repeating. I realized that when I […]
Some people say that public speaking is one of the top things people fear. In fact, these same people say that most of us would rather get root canal or be audited by the IRS than to have to give a speech. I don’t know if I agree people would rather face an IRS audit, […]
Let’s face it, the world is a critical place. Television shows’ “humor” is based on personal attacks and put-downs. Most reality television is based on people being rejected on every level from love to singing talent. Even in our homes and workplaces, the ratio of negative feedback we receive from others (and give to others) to positive feedback is incredibly disproportionate. […]
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. — Ralph Waldo Emerson On the morning of the presidential inauguration, as I was getting my first cup of coffee, my phone rang. It was my daughter. The first thing I noticed was that she was awfully chipper for a college student who was up at 7:30 a.m. […]
My best friend’s mother, Mary Joy Brooks, died on October 4th after a more than 11 year battle with stage four metastatic breast cancer. It was a miracle really that she survived as long as she did. However, I think she outlived the grim statistics because of the way she viewed her illness and how […]
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 […]
I’m one of those people who fought getting a smartphone for a long time. My excuse? I didn’t want to be THAT connected or accessible. I already feel like I’m a slave to my laptop. Although I have an office, my laptop and phone live on my kitchen table. It’s difficult to walk by and see emails […]
When I teach workshops on communication, I always mention that it seems most people use their best communication skills with strangers and and their worst communication skills with those they love. There are many reasons, but it mostly happens because we feel it’s “safe” to do so. My boss might fire me for telling him he’s […]
If traditional networking leaves you feeling like a circling vulture, or the roadkill being circled, here’s a different approach that helps achieve the same, or even better, outcome.