One of the things bloggers always want to know is “What are my most popular posts?” They want to know so that they can meet the needs of their readers. However, when I look at my top five blog posts for the past six years, they’re quite frankly, all over the place. Why Laziness is […]
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 […]
I was with a group of healthcare leaders when one person posed the question, “How do you manage conflict?” Many of the responses I heard surprised me. There was a lot of advice to “wait and see what happens,” “let it go,” and “rise above.” The advice given seemed to directly contradict what healthcare leaders would […]
It’s so ironic that one of the shortest words in the English language, “no” – just two letters and one little syllable, can cause so many people so much trouble! That being said, I understand the simple act of flat out saying, “NO,” to another person carries with it a lot of emotional baggage both […]
Last week I gave readers the opportunity to take a communication style quiz that helped them identify whether their primary communication style was passive, passive aggressive, aggressive, or assertive. Many of those who took the assessment have sent me emails and messages lamenting their styles and asking how to “fix” them. First off, with the […]
In today’s competitive employment environment, it’s increasingly important to do everything you can to get and stay relevant in your organization and your area of expertise, and to be able to communicate that relevance to others. From job knowledge and the latest trends, to technological savvy, employers have increasingly higher expectations that their employees will do their […]
For those who don’t know it, when I’m not training on communication, customer service, and working relationships, I foster animals for my local animal control facility. Right now, I’m fostering a mother Chihuahua and her four puppies, who turned 6-weeks old this week. They’ve just gotten to the age where they’re really a lot of […]
I have a love/hate relationship with email. On one hand, I love the emails I receive that: Clearly communicate their purpose Are concise Are formatted strategically Have subject lines that are aligned with the email body (for subject line tips, check out this previous blog post on the subject) Use proper grammar and punctuation Are sent […]
The other day I was in my office finalizing a proposal I had to submit that day. I was tired, stressed, and had FINALLY gotten into the flow of writing, when my cell phone rang. I glanced down and recognized the name of the caller, but made the decision NOT to answer it, because I […]
Most people would agree that conveying a sense of confidence at work is integral to making a good impression, communicating assertively, and for leaders, to inspiring people to follow them. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that instead of communicating confidence, they’re actually sending messages of weakness through their nonverbal communication. Emotional leakage is a term […]
