Pretty soon after we’re born, our parents start encouraging us to talk. “Say mama,” or “Say dada,” they cajole, beg and bribe us to speak. We learn from early on that talking gives us a lot of control over situations and others. Therefore, many of us develop some really bad talking-related habits, such as: Stagehogging, […]
Whether it’s listening talking to someone and assuming that because they say, “uh huh,” that they understand or sending an email and deluding yourself into believing because you received a read notice, that the person actually read your message, none of us can afford to ASSUME that communication has taken place in any situation. We […]
Every year around this time I post communication tips for talking with your child’s teacher. However, these tips are about more than talking with the teacher. They’re about creating open communication and building an effective parent-teacher relationship that will serve you when things are going well and when your child hits some inevitable bumps along […]
One day an old man was casually walking along a country lane with his dog and his mule. Suddenly a speeding truck careened around the corner, knocking the man, his mule, and his dog into the ditch. The old man decided to sue the driver of the truck, seeking to recoup the cost of the damages. […]
The other morning I was on the phone with a colleague and within about 90 seconds, I was reminded why I didn’t like him — It was his bad listening habit. Throughout our short conversation, I didn’t get to finish one sentence because he completed every one for me. Sometimes his “guess” about what I […]
The holiday season is a time when many people turn their attention to giving. Although this should be a joyful process, it is often one filled with stress, as we struggle to come up with ideas of what to give others. This year, why not focus on the gift of excellent communication? It’s something that […]
Many people have heard that empathy is putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. This is a simple way of saying that we should try to see things from the other person’s perspective and try to understand how they feel—simple to say, but not as simple to do. Many of us try to be empathetic, but […]
In my September 3rd post, I discussed how to Improve Your Listening in Six Easy Steps. However, sometimes the first step to improving your listening skills is to eliminate any bad habits you’ve developed. Here are some of the most common poor listening habits. I’ve been guilty of several. What about you? 1. Interrupting […]
Let’s face it, most people love to talk more than they like to listen. The squeaky wheel gets the grease after all, right? In fact, everything we learn from the time we’re young reinforces the value of talk over listening. We wait for baby’s first word, bribing and cajoling them to say something … anything […]
Technical expertise isn’t enough to ensure career success. You must have excellent communication skills to achieve career longevity.
