When we’re trying to handle criticism, it’s easy to feel defensive. We want to explain ourselves and defend our actions. However, while doing all that talking, we’re not listening. By being defensive, we can miss out on the opportunity to learn while we’re handling criticism. How to Handle Criticism: Grow From It We spend a lot of time and…
Have you found yourself in a situation that requires you to gain cooperation when you’re not officially in charge? Whether you’re communicating with a client, a boss, a colleague or even your family, figuring out how to pull rank when you have no rank to pull requires perspective, strategy and clear communication. The first step to gaining cooperation from…
“Please and Thank you, they’re called the magic words. If you want nice things to happen, they’re the words that should be heard.” These are lyrics from a song sung by Barney the Dinosaur and his sidekick kids in a children’s show my daughter and I watched faithfully when she was growing up. And, I think there’s a lesson in…
Do you have something fantastic to focus on and look forward to? Having a worthy goal is one way to rekindle your passion and stay positive…even amid negativity and challenges. I frequently ask the audience members in my keynote presentation “How to Stay Positive and Focused in Uncertain Times” to contemplate and complete the phrase “Someday I will…” to…
I watched with awe The Avengers, was wowed by Wonder Woman and emboldened by Black Panther. Yet, each of us has some cool characteristics in common with the superhero we love to admire. We too have superpowers that can be used for the greater good while eradicating evil. No cape or tights required! The 10 characteristics below were originally shared by…
It’s tough to have a conversation WITH POSITIVE WORDS when the WORDS in your mind ARE NEGATIVE. Imagine the voice in your head shouting: “He’s so arrogant!” or“She’s so indecisive!”, or other not-so-nice words even as you’re saying to a colleague “I’d love to collaborate with you”. In fact, one of the biggest challenges in communication is when…
Several years ago, as we were emerging from an economic downturn, I wrote an article based on my popular presentation “How to Stay Positive and Focused in Uncertain Times.” The suggestions in that article still hold true and offer hope today. Focus on what you can control You can’t control the national economy or who is currently in this…
The question is how do you communicate that you care to your clients, co-workers and even your kids?!! Communicating with compassion is especially important in situations that require working together in a problem-solving or conflict resolution situation. In the words of leadership guru John Maxwell: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”…
How to Respond When Someone Asks Your Opinion and You Have Nothing Nice to Say Have you ever been cornered by a colleague and asked a potentially incriminating question: “What do you think about the new boss?” or, “What do you think about the co-workers new hair cut?” or “What do you think about the CEO’s new (controversial) policy?” The…
“I told you so” along with “That’s a dumb idea,” “I knew you couldn’t do it” and “What were you thinking?!!” are just some of the nasty comments that may catch us off guard when they come our way. Even worse is when those well-intentioned, but hurtful comments come from people close to us such as co-workers or family. I…