Some of us might have had the misfortune of witnessing road rage while driving. But all of us have been forced to listen to “car horn rage.” Honking their car horn is the way many drivers express themselves— even when it’s obvious that the noise will have absolutely no impact on traffic conditions. I just read…
Details
The other day I spent about three frustrating hours on the phone trying to talk to an actual human being. I had to tackle some business issues with my financial institution, my insurance company, and my Internet service provider, all in one morning — what a mistake! After wading through the usual voice mail prompts…
Details
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve received an email that concludes with “please don’t hesitate to contact me,” I’d be a rich woman. It’s such a popular way to end a business email. Yet, it always rings a little false. For one thing, it’s an unnecessarily complicated way of saying, “I’d be…
Details
Clutter. We all have it in our lives, whether it’s that kitchen drawer stuffed with decades of smoke detector manuals, or stacks of paper under a sticky note saying “To Be Filed.” In the past few months I’ve faced a whole new level of clutter, because I’ve been getting ready to move out of my…
Details
I am sure you’ll agree that both in our personal and in our business relationships we need to know that we’re being understood and our concerns are being taken seriously. I’m always pleased when someone who is looking to do business with me seems genuinely curious about the kind of work I do at The…
Details
I’ve often blogged about the importance of words because our words have a powerful impact. It’s the reason I chose the word “human” instead of “soft,” in the heading of this post. To me, the idea that essential communication skills are “soft,” suggesting they are less important than “hard” or technical skills, is just plain…
Details
Which of the following sentences do you think is true? A. One of the greatest benefits to communication is the cell phone. B. One of the great barriers to communication is the cell phone. Both could be true. Unfortunately “B,” the cell phone as a barrier to communication, is becoming all too common. Just the…
Details
When U.S. President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this summer what made the biggest news was Trump’s now infamous “would” vs. “wouldn’t” gaff. In the press conference following the meeting, Trump talked about how Putin claimed Russia had not interfered with the 2016 U.S. elections. Trump appeared to agree with the Russian president,…
Details
I love watching professional tennis matches: the impressive strategizing, the physical feats, and the sheer intensity of play. And even though pro tennis players make their incredible skill and athleticism look like second nature, of course it takes an enormous amount of effort and training to reach that level. The fact is, being a pro at anything — whether it’s…
DetailsDesigned by Tenth Floor Studios