Mar 20, 2016 | Communication
Are asking questions a good strategy for getting ahead, or should you just sit idly by? The question is a good one because contrary to the business truism “There are no bad questions,” several types of questions can have a negative effect on subordinates. As a...
Mar 5, 2016 | Communication
Every business and industry has its own jargon, common shorthand or acronyms. Most jargon consists of terms that would be unfamiliar to outsiders. I get it – it’s nice to feel like you’re part of a tribe. You have an internal pride about having your own...
Feb 28, 2016 | Communication
That’s right, it’s here again – performance evaluation time. Are you ready to hear your manager’s suggestions for improvement and criticism? Sometimes, it can be hard to take these criticisms, especially ones like, “You need to be ‘more assertive’ in your...
Feb 8, 2016 | Communication
When team members communicate remotely, words and their meanings can be lost in long phrases, extended stories or worse yet not understood at all resulting in communication breakdown and a lack of trust. As a manager, you might think communication skills aren’t...
Jan 31, 2016 | Communication
Communication has changed in the workplace—with many conversations starting with a digital handshake, in which someone reaches out through an email, Twitter, SnapChat, text, or instant message. Yet, if you were to ask baby boomer workers to rate the communication...
Jan 26, 2016 | Communication
Last week I completed a skills development training for a city agency. The attendees in the class were the closest targets to which citizens vent their anger, they were the front facing customer service employees. As an exercise, I asked them to compile a list...
