Disagreements happen. It is how we respond to them that will improve the relationship or break it apart. There is no benefit in trying to re-hash what happened and force agreement on the details. Every time we remember an event, our memory of it changes just slightly. In addition, no two people see things in Read More
Several years ago, Tom Hanks starred in a movie called Cast Away. If you recall the movie, Hanks’ character is marooned on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes in the South Pacific. He attempts to survive on the island using remnants of his plane’s cargo. His wife, played by Helen Hunt, is certain he Read More
A friend of mine, who is a referral marketing expert, says that in order to be terrific, you need to be specific. He suggests that business professionals who want to do business by referral are often far too general in their requests of other people. Leaders (supervisors, managers, team leaders etc.) are often guilty of Read More
The other day, I was teaching a workshop and after one of the activities, I asked the group to share their thoughts, comments or questions. One of the participants said the model for conversation that I had just reviewed was familiar; he had learned and used similar things many times in the past, and this Read More
There is a lot of attention on diversity and inclusion in our workplace today. The idea is that many perspectives (diversity) and making people feel an important part of the team (inclusion) pay dividends for today’s business. One of the reasons these concepts are becoming popular can be found in a relatively new field of Read More
When we think about Valentine’s Day, we often think of romance and personal relationships. With relationships in mind, I’d like to propose you take time this Valentine’s Day to improve your workplace relationships with customers, vendors, co-workers, etc. – and not at all in a romantic way. I’m sure some of you may work with Read More
Once there was a carpenter who decided to retire after a long and storied career. When he told his boss, the builder, of his intentions, the builder asked the carpenter if he would do one last job. The carpenter reluctantly agreed. He approached this project like none other. In the past, he had always given Read More
There have been violent rain storms across the country recently. The photos of flooded streets, twisted trees, and roofless buildings serve as a reminder of the destructive power in nature. We would do well to remember the destructive power within us, as well, when we lose our temper and act out against others. Often, the “others” Read More
In one of my favorite books, the authors Kathi Elster and Katherine Crowley write, “Let’s face it, the relationship at work between a boss and an employee often becomes a minefield of emotional misinterpretations.” I couldn’t agree more, and it’s not just between the supervisor and their direct report, it is between employees at all Read More
Several years ago, a colleague had a sign in her office that read something like, “I get plenty of exercise jumping to conclusions, pushing my luck and dodging deadlines.” People always got a good chuckle after reading it, mostly because it wasn’t true – especially the part about dodging deadlines; she always had tasks done Read More
