ARTICLE ARCHIVE
Communication
Leadership
Presentations
Customer Service
Written Communication
Communication
Communication Lessons from Mr. Rogers
I never thought I'd write about Mr. Rogers. I grew up with Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Green Jeans and I must admit that when I first saw "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood," I chuckled at (what seemed to me) his odd communication style. Read More
Misconceptions about Listening
You have two ears and one mouth. Therefore, you should listen twice as much as you speak ! When you were a child, did anyone ever tell you that? Think about it. If two people sat down for a discussion and followed that principle, there would be total... Read More
Managing the Communication Situation
One communication mistake we all make from time to time is: failing to manage the situation. We forget that the situation is one of the key communication elements, just like tone of voice and body language. Read More
Where are Men and Women From?
Both genders are from the planet Earth. No matter how different our approaches to communication might be, we can decode each other's language through awareness of a few basic differences. Questions about male and female... Read More
Sherlock Holmes and Listening
Recently I saw a TV show featuring a medical examiner who went beyond interpreting evidence when investigating a homicide. She and her father, a retired police officer, acted out what they thought happened. Read More
Can You Hear Me Now? Tuning In, So They Don’t Tune Out
Are you being heard when you speak? Not just through cell phone static, but in face-to-face meetings? When talking to some people, do you feel like yelling: Pay attention! Listen up! Read More
Leadership
Creating an Environment for Open Communication
To suggest that you want to create a workplace environment where individuals speak freely is like saying you want to create a workplace environment that contains oxygen. People will always find ways to speak freely. Read More
Hesitation about Delegation
Delegation is usually most difficult for leaders who are quite skilled at the task they're trying to delegate––or when they really enjoy the task. In both situations it's natural to be reluctant to let go. However, as organizations grow... Read More
Delegation and Inspiration
We've all heard stories of the heroic boss who regularly rolls up his or her sleeves to work tirelessly alongside the staff. Some of you have worked for this boss. Some of you ARE this boss. In fact, this approach... Read More
Dealing with Delegation Deterioration
A client recently asked me: "How should I handle an employee who says, ‘I guess there are some things I'm just not meant to learn'?" Read More
Presentations
Handling an Antagonistic Audience
Even if you have overcome anxiety over speaking in front of an audience, you may still be anxious about the possibility of facing a hostile or confrontational audience member. It seems scary, but is truly... Read More
Customer Service
Politely Hurrying a Customer Encounter
Customers! You can't do business with them and you can't do business without them! One of the challenges facing those of us who serve clients or customers is: How do you speed up a conversation with someone who is long-winded? Read More
But and Can't– Two Little Words
That Can Lead to BIG Problems
When dealing with customers, clients and co-workers, do you ever wonder why something you said was like the match that lit the short fuse? Why do people sometimes get angry or frustrated so quickly? Read More
Steps to Success with Angry Customers
You pick up the phone and a customer says, YOU PEOPLE! All of your senses jump to attention as you wonder: Why couldn't I get through a single day without one of these calls? Phone rage, like other rages in the news, is on the rise. Read More
Upgrade Your Voice Mail Message
Have you listened to your voice mail message recently? Your customers, clients and co-workers have. When your voice mail message stands in for you, what do they hear? Read More
Making the Most of Voice Mail
Do some people still hate voice mail? I think it's one of the greatest innovations ever. It has virtually eliminated busy signals and allows you to leave
information for others when they are not available at the time... Read More
Written Communication
Eight Tips for Proofreading a Moving Target
When you try to proofread, do you find yourself pushed by deadlines and going so fast that it feels as though you’re proofreading a moving target? When you’ve given a document a quick look and sent it on, inevitably someone brings it back... Read More
The Department of Redundancy Department
I recently saw a t-shirt that read: "The Department of Redundancy Department." A frequent error most of us make when speaking and writing is using two words, when one word would have been sufficient. Redundant phrases... Read More
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