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 […]
Over the years, I’ve seen an evolution in terms used for negative feedback. The first term I remember hearing is constructive criticism. The problem was, most of the criticism wasn’t constructive, so it was really just criticism. Then someone decided to soften the term and call it constructive feedback. However, once again, it wasn’t very constructive, so […]
Last week I wrote a post with advice on how to offer a sincere apology. Since then, I’ve had several readers contact me complaining, not about the steps I offered, but because they didn’t understand WHY they should have to apologize in the first place. “Great advice, but why should I apologize if I didn’t […]
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 […]
When customers are unhappy, they’re generally not on their best behavior. Unfortunately, no matter how much customers “push your buttons” as a professional customer service provider, you have to remain on yours. It’s not easy, but you can keep your cool when customers heat up by using these five techniques: 1. Take responsibility for your […]
Many people can relate to the frustration of receiving a voicemail message that is unclear, incomplete, or so long-winded that even the sender wouldn’t want to hear it again. That’s probably the reason so many of us only listen long enough to find out who called and then delete the message and call the other […]
Your heart is pounding. Your thoughts are racing. You’re in a total panic. Why? You have Electronic Communication Regret, commonly known as ECR – a condition occurring in thousands of people every day who hit SEND without really thinking things through. Although the condition isn’t fatal, it can have debilitating, long-lasting, life-altering side effects, including, […]
With Independence Day just two days away, I’ve been thinking a lot about the things that hold us back in life and keep us from being truly free, especially things over which we have 100% control. If you’re tired of suffering under the tyranny of technology, being ruled by bad relationships, or being held captive by […]
With Independence Day just two days away, I’ve been thinking a lot about the things that hold us back in life and keep us from being truly free, especially things over which we have 100% control. If you’re tired of suffering under the tyranny of technology, being ruled by bad relationships, or being held captive by […]
