expressyourselftosuccess.com

Public Speaking: Introducing a Speaker

Guest Contributor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:09 +0000

by Greg Smith Crafting an introduction speech should prepare the audience for what they’re about to hear, provide some context and “warm them up.” By doing this, you introduce the speaker in such a way that ...

The Ten Biggest Mistakes of Business Networking – Part 2 of 2

Guest Contributor — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:32 +0000

by Mark Perl In a previous article, which was part one of two, we looked at five of the biggest mistakes made in business networking. Laurie’s Note: Knowing what not to do is sometimes just as ...

Public Speaking Tips: Anthony Robbins

Laurie Wilhelm — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:00:12 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Here’s a clip of Anthony Robbins on stage. I’ve posted this as an example of an excellent public speaker. It’s one thing to read tips on public speaking and it’s another thing to see ...

Using Negotiation Skills to Reach a Compromise

Guest Contributor — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:37 +0000

by Wayne Hemrick What are the skills needed to be a good manager? Effective negotiating skills, certainly. Knowing how to handle negotiations in the workplace is essential to any manager. In the world of business, negotiations ...

Public Speaking: Make It Move to Make It Memorable

Guest Contributor — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:27 +0000

by Nancy Daniels Laurie’s Note: Body language in communication is a very important part of the message. Be sure to use it well and to your advantage to capture the listeners’ attention. While I cannot take credit ...

Techniques for Effective Communication at Work

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:38 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm These days, the importance of communication is becoming greater. While we spend a lot of time and effort on the skills we need to do our job, such as accounting and finance skills, ...

The Ten Biggest Mistakes of Business Networking – Part 1 of 2

Laurie Wilhelm — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:11 +0000

Mark Perl Laurie’s Note: Knowing what not to do is sometimes just as important as knowing what to do. For a successful career, it’s essential to understand the many advantages of networking and to have some ...

Negotiating Your Viewpoint

Laurie Wilhelm — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:48 +0000

by Dr. Chester Karrass Negotiations in the workplace are common and having effective negotiating skills take time to aquire. Here are some successful negotiating tips: An exchange of viewpoints can be a very tough negotiation. Ideas are ...

Create Presentations That Sizzle! Four Tips to Help You Bring Your Audience to Life

Laurie Wilhelm — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:00:59 +0000

by Angela DeFinis Laurie’s Note: Dramatic presentation skills require work and practice. Take some advice from Angela DeFinis’ article below and become a more effective presenter and speaker. 1. Structure Your Message Use a clear structure with a ...

Tips on Meeting Facilitation

Laurie Wilhelm — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:00:57 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm When you’re “in charge” of a meeting, it’s up to you to ensure the conversation stays on track, the time allotment for discussion is followed, and that everyone gets a voice. Here are ...

Brevity in Business

Guest Contributor — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:00:31 +0000

by Randy Siegel Laurie’s Note: Improving communication at work requires preparation and thought. Effective communication skills will benefit you in many different situations at work and at home. This article outlines the importance of brevity, one ...

How Do You Respond to a “Take It or Leave It” Demand?

Guest Contributor — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:00:04 +0000

by Dr. Chester Karrass Laurie’s Note: Here are some more negotiation steps to assist you when you’re involved in negotiations in the workplace. What do you do when the other party gives you a firm but polite ...

Management: Five Tips for Winning Over Others

Guest Contributor — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:50 +0000

by Duncan Brodie Laurie’s Note: Improving management skills is an ongoing process for many managers. Skills that include influencing colleagues are useful in a variety of situations and environments. Here are five techniques in influencing people: Good ...

Your Audience Loves You. If Not, At Least They’re On Your Side

Guest Contributor — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:00:44 +0000

by Jeannette Kavanagh Laurie’s Note: Dr. Kavanagh offers a couple good free tips on public speaking in the article below. Public speaking involves numerous elements that go beyond the actual writing of the speech – understanding ...

How to Effectively Demotivate Staff

Laurie Wilhelm — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:00:30 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm There’s a lot of information online on how to motivate staff and get work done effectively and efficiently. However, there’s little information on how to demotivate them. Give these ideas a try and ...

How to Plan Your Negotiations More Effectively

Guest Contributor — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:00:25 +0000

by Frank Atkinson Laurie’s Note: This article outlines some great negotiation steps for effective negotiating skills. Be clear on your purpose by following some of these successful negotiating tips. In any kind of negotiation the planning stage ...

Techniques for Effective Communication: Five Easy Steps to Powerful Communication

Guest Contributor — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:55 +0000

by Cookie Tuminello Laurie’s Note: Improving communication at work requires thought and preparation. This is especially important if you’re presenting an idea to a difficult boss and you need to brush up on your explanation skills. ...

Unconstructive Complaints and Constructive Comments

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:00:03 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Nobody likes a complainer. Complaints aren’t just negative comments. They’re unhelpful opinions and judgements that serve no constructive purpose because they focused on weaknesses, faults, and flaws. They provide no direction to finding ...

Even Professional Public Speakers Make Mistakes – Here Are The Top 10

Guest Contributor — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:33 +0000

by Heather Hansen Laurie’s Note: Want some good free tips on public speaking? Here are ten that are not often thought of but are very important to build your skills for public speaking. Have you ever been ...

Effective Negotiating Skills: Negotiating Space

Guest Contributor — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:00:53 +0000

by Dr. Chester L. Karrass Laurie’s Note: Today’s post highlights an element of effective negotiating skills. Complement this with good interpersonal skills and you’re well on your way to good negotiations in the workplace. Today you will ...

Avoiding Conflicts at Work: How to Share Office Workspace

Laurie Wilhelm — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:00:04 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Workplaces today have fewer and few offices and more and more cubicles. Common courtesy isn’t always so common but it’s essential if we want to create cooperative working environments. When we’re not being ...

How to Convince People to Accept Your Ideas

Guest Contributor — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:00:07 +0000

by Richard Stone Laurie’s Note: Influencing colleagues is essential when you’re trying to get them to buy-in to your initiatives. To have better and more effective communication in the workplace, avoid pushing your ideas onto others ...

One Annoying Act You Should Avoid Committing In Your Presentation

Guest Contributor — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:51 +0000

by Kelvin Lee Laurie’s Note: Dynamic presentation skills can be learned by knowing what to do – and what not to do. The article below discusses one big thing you shouldn’t do. It is hard to ...

Improving Communication Skills: Ask for What You Need

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:31 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Just ask. It’s as simple as that. The problem is that we make it difficult to ask for a variety of reasons. Some are that we don’t want to be an inconvenience impose admit we ...

Sharpening Your Negotiating Skills: Seven Keys to Become a Powerful Negotiator

Guest Contributor — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:00:49 +0000

by Steve Reynolds Laurie’s Note: This article on effective negotiating skills has lots of good information that you can use for your negotiations in the workplace. Improving mangagement skills requires that you learn to negotiate well ...

Communication Breakdown with Non-Native Speakers: Do’s and Don’ts for Co-Workers

Guest Contributor — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

by Lisa Scott Laurie’s Note: When you’re improving personal communication or building better interpersonal relationships by improving communication at work, try these tips for communication when you’re working with someone who speaks English as a ...

Conflict and Interpersonal Communication: Repairing a Relationship Once It Has “Gone Wrong”

Laurie Wilhelm — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:00:36 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Are you in a relationship that “went wrong”? You’ve had a argument or a misunderstanding and, even though you’re still talking with one another, the relationship is tense and awkward. It doesn’t matter if ...

The Um’s Have It

Guest Contributor — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:27 +0000

by Joan Curtis Laurie’s Note: Need some public speaking help? Read on for some good tips on public speaking that will make you a better communicator and more enjoyable to listen to. I recently noted an entire ...

How To Be Assertive: Here’s The Formula

Guest Contributor — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:00:37 +0000

by Larry Barkan Laurie’s Note: This article provides you with some really effective communications tips on how to be assertive at work. Whether you’re wanting to know how to deal with difficult people at work, improving ...

Effective Communication in the Workplace: Support and Persuade

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:00:39 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Whether at work or at home, we all encounter times when we need to persuade someone for something. We could be looking to our boss to support our proposal, to our colleagues to ...

Seven Common Mistakes in Leading Teams

Guest Contributor — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:00:35 +0000

by Duncan Brodie Laurie’s Note: Improving management skills require working on your team communication skills because these are key to ensuring the success of the group. Learn how to effectively lead a goup using the points ...

Nine Secrets to Better Speaking

Arvee Robinson — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:00:52 +0000

by Arvee Robinson Laurie’s Note: Here are some great free tips for public speaking. Whether you’re delivering inspiring speeches or humorous speeches, once you’ve read through Arvee Robinson’s article, I’m sure it’ll help you to improve ...

Telling Someone Something That’s Uncomfortable to Say

Laurie Wilhelm — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:00:41 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Have you ever had to tell someone something that made you uncomfortable? Something like the skirts your colleague wears are too short and she looks really unprofessional or that her breath is bad? ...

Office Gossip – What to Do About It

Laurie Wilhelm — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:00:51 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm On one hand, we know that gossip and gossiping isn’t OK. On the other, we often like to hear the “dirt” on someone. Not only that, but it’s hard to cut off gossip ...

Attitude is Everything

Guest Contributor — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:00:02 +0000

by Tom Northup Laurie’s Note: Workplace attitudes can make or break your career. When you do a great job and have a great attitude, you can expect great opportunities. When you do a great job and ...

How Not to Offend Staff

Guest Contributor — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:00:08 +0000

by Richard Stone Laurie’s Note: If you’re a manager, effective communication in the workplace is essential when aiming to achieve the department’s objectives and goals. This article will help you avoid unnecessary conflicts that can become ...

How to Stand Out from the Crowd

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:00:28 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm OK – maybe not “stand out” from the crowd but certainly be noticed and liked by the people you’re with. The easiest way to do this is to be attentive. On a tactical ...

Stop The Show With Your Pitch

Guest Contributor — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:49 +0000

by Cindy Yantis In this short article by Cindy Yantis, she shares some tips on public speaking by outlining what actors do when they deliver their role. Her recommendation to then rehearse (and rehearse, and rehearse!) ...

To Be a Top Negotiator – Just Behave Like One, Part Two

Guest Contributor — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:00:18 +0000

by Robert Etherington Here is part two of Robert Etherington’s helpful article on effective negotiating skills. They’re useful behaviours to follow during negotiations in the workplace and ones that will help lead you to a good, ...

Interpersonal Intelligence: Relationship Construction or Demolition

Laurie Wilhelm — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:00:28 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Have you ever watched one of those videos showing the demolition of a building? It’s quite spectacular to watch a huge and solid structure crumble within seconds. It seems unimaginable that it could ...

Profitable People Skills – Pay Back Time?

Guest Contributor — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:00:15 +0000

by Shawna Schuh Here’s a refreshing article on improving social skills. Whether we’re coping with difficult people at work, a difficult boss, or a complete stranger, Shawna offers some wise advice on how we can handle ...

Presentation Training – How to Rule the Room With a High Performance Presentation

Guest Contributor — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:54 +0000

by Kristin Thompson Laurie’s note: Kristin Thompson offers three good tips for public speaking. Presentations are part of public speaking so to know one well, you’ll know the other. With her effective communication tips for better ...

Interpersonal Communication Skill: Know What You Need to Communciate

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:00:55 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Good communication skills come in handy pretty much everywhere. Knowing what you want to say – not a general idea of what you plan on saying – and thinking about how to say ...

To Be a Top Negotiator – Just Behave Like One, Part One

Guest Contributor — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:00:57 +0000

by Robert Etherington Laurie: This is a valuable article that discusses some of the best techniques you can use during a negotiation. Communication has to be clear – and by communication, that doesn’t mean that you’re ...

Essential Tip For Humor in the Workplace – Humor in the Workplace is a Serious Matter

Guest Contributor — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:19 +0000

by Nara Venditti Laurie: I think everybody loves a good joke. In our diverse workforce, however, humour needs to be used with caution. Even with effective workplace communication, we need to be aware that our well-intended ...

Limit Your Presentation to a Few Key Points to Reduce Stage Fright

Guest Contributor — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:00:42 +0000

by Doug Staneart Laurie: While Doug Staneart focuses on presentations in this article, these suggestions are also great tips for public speaking. Specifically, he offers some solid public speaking help in this article as he smartly ...

If Having to Negotiate Makes You Tense, Consider These Negotiating Tips

Guest Contributor — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:00:44 +0000

by Charles H. Newman Laurie: Learning from the experience of others is invaluable. Over the next few weeks, Charles Newman will take us through his hands-on experiences in negotiation. Steps to follow vary from situation to ...

Tips for Communication: Take an Inventory of Your Communication Habits

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:00:22 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Ever find yourself saying too much? It’s like you can’t help but tell someone in great detail exactly what you mean, how you would do it, or your experience when that project was ...

Three Steps to Making a Connection

Guest Contributor — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:00:32 +0000

by Ann Halloran Laurie: It takes time to work on ourselves, our skills and to keep improving. Social skills are no different. Whether at work or at home, when you focus on any interpersonal communication skill ...

Your Role As a Presenter

Guest Contributor — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:00:43 +0000

by Graham Young Laurie: Graham Young does a terrific job at comparing a presentation to one’s favourite restaurant. He offers some solid public speaking help and he’s written it in a way that’s easy to remember. ...

Seeing Through the Mistake

Laurie Wilhelm — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:09:17 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm I was helping a friend, Linda, the other day – she wanted a shelf put up in her utility room and I confidently said I was the person to make it happen for ...

Creating Community Discourse – Moving From Debate to Dialogue

Guest Contributor — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:49 +0000

by Marty Jacobs Laurie: This is a very smart article. It’s written from a community perspective, but the contents can easily apply to creating an effective workplace communication approach. Encouraging dialogue is an excellent way to ...

Five Reasons Why Your Boss Hates You

Guest Contributor — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:00:17 +0000

by Simon Stapleton Laurie’s note: I think we’ve all experienced working with difficult people. Dealing with difficult bosses can be a challenge and can take some effort and time to create an amicable working environment. Simon ...

Business Presentation Skills – How to Bring Your Data to Life With a Story

Guest Contributor — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:00:21 +0000

by Stuart P. Corrigan Laurie’s note: We don’t often think that giving a presentation is public speaking, but it is. When we seek to improve public speaking, we’ll improve our presentation skills. Stuart Corrigan offers a ...

Six Tips on Dealing With Conflict at Work

Guest Contributor — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:00:16 +0000

by Adam Young Laurie’s note: There are many different conflict resolution styles. Some conflict techniques work better than others but all provide a starting point for conflict resolution in the workplace. Adam Young provides some good ...

Leadership Coaches – Sorting Out the Noise From Your Team

Guest Contributor — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:00:12 +0000

by Jodi Wiff and Mike Krutza Laurie’s note: Effective team communication involves uncovering and discussing issues that have a detrimental effect on team work. Building a solid team foundation relies on effective workplace communication that allows ...

Presentations – Five Irresistible Principles

Guest Contributor — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:00:54 +0000

by Loraine Antrim Laurie’s note: Most of us need tips for communication. Improve yours by following some of this great advice provided by Loraine Antrim and you’ll have better public speaking skills. Whether you’re presenting ...

Mediocre Groups Refer To Candor As Incivility

Guest Contributor — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:00:32 +0000

by Todd Dewett Laurie’s note: Effective workplace communication involves knowing when you have to say something you’d rather not – and doing it. In the following common situation, what is of primary importance? Communication skills. Top ...

Conversation is Give and Take

Laurie Wilhelm — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:44:44 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm I was at a dinner party last week with a bunch of friends, one of whom brought her husband, Ted. Although I’ve known her for years, I’d never had the opportunity to meet ...

Conflict at Work – Making Peace With the Groan Zone

Guest Contributor — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:46:22 +0000

by Tammy Lenski Get me outta here! That’s the thought a lot of people have during workplace conflict. It’s the thought you have if you’re uncomfortable with conflict: I don’t like this. It’s messy. Maybe even painful. ...

Top Seven Tips For Reducing Workplace Negativity

Marlene Chism — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:06:08 +0000

by Marlene Chism Negativity is the number one productivity problem in the workplace. Signs of negativity include backstabbing, gossiping, power struggles and lack of teamwork. The end result is absenteeism, low morale and turnover. Here ...

‘Changing it Up’ in Public Speaking

Guest Contributor — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:31:46 +0000

by Nancy Daniels Imagine addressing an audience with your 40-minute presentation and not even before you have finished your 1st major point, you see that their reaction to you is not quite what you had anticipated. ...

Classic Sales Negotiation Tactic – I’ve Got to Talk to My Boss

Guest Contributor — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:56:18 +0000

by Dr. Jim Anderson Picture this scene: it was about 20 years ago (ouch!) and I was still dating my wife when she suddenly had to replace her car. She knew exactly what she wanted: a ...

How Are You?

Laurie Wilhelm — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:04:59 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm I interact with quite a few people throughout my day and am frequently asked, “How are you?” It’s a common question, one that flows nicely after “Hello” but it’s not always meant to ...

Public Speaking – The Power of Demonstration

Guest Contributor — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:37:03 +0000

by Barbara Busey Your job as a speaker is to make your content interesting and memorable. Facts, statistics, numbers or raw data alone won’t do that. Humanizing your speech — adding human interest to it — ...

Five Tips For a Complaint-Free Office

Marlene Chism — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:41:59 +0000

by Marlene Chism As a leader it is your duty to make sure the rules are enforced. Even though some rules may seem unimportant, you have to see the big picture. Just as there is a ...

Learning to Become a Powerful, Persuasive Speaker is Like Training to Run in a Marathon

Arvee Robinson — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:48:57 +0000

by Arvee Robinson After diligently training for over five months to run in the Los Angeles Marathon, I can’t help but notice the similarity between learning how to become a more powerful speaker and how to ...

Socially Charming

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:34:52 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Yesterday, I was introduced to the most charming person that I’ve met in a long time. It’s rare to come across an individual like her. Most people are friendly and present themselves well ...

How to Negotiate a Better Deal

Dr. Neil Flanagan — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:08:11 +0000

by Dr. Neil Flanagan Despite the best efforts of some of the world’s best academics and practitioners to develop winning strategies, there is no universal set of irrefutable rules governing the complex process of negotiation. We ...

Confrontations at Work

Julie Bartkus — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:26:16 +0000

by Julie Bartkus When you say the word “confrontation,” how does it make you feel? For most people it is not a comfortable feeling. My workshop participants often admit that the thought of confronting someone brings ...

Impressions Don’t Stop After the First One

Laurie Wilhelm — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:40:32 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm I see a lot of tips offered to job seekers about what they should wear for their interviews to make a good first impression. I’m often surprised at how obvious the points on ...

The Relationship-Building Card

Laurie Wilhelm — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:38:43 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm I’ve often heard the recommendation to send a real hold-in-your-hands thank you or appreciation card to friends or clients for that extra-special acknowledgement and to strengthen your relationships. The only card I’ve ever ...

Be Kind

Laurie Wilhelm — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:31:54 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Recently, I was driving through North Dakota, USA. It’s a beautiful state and if you’ve not been there, I recommend a visit. Even though the scenery was beautiful and the people were friendly, ...

Six Tips For Helping Teams Resolve Conflict

Bill Walsh — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:27:44 +0000

by Bill Walsh Conflict is a natural part of any organization. Unfortunately, when conflict exists in a company or business it can cause stress, negative attitudes, and result in a decrease in productivity. Conflict management training ...

How to Talk to Shy People

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:37:49 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm We’ve all come across shy people at work or in our social circles. Unfortunately for some shy people, their shyness can be wrongly judged as arrogance, conceit, or superiority when, in fact, they’re ...

Am I Communicating With Respect? Ten Steps to Communicating Respectfully

Anne Warfield — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:41:22 +0000

by Anne Warfield In order to improve communication with others, you need to make sure you are always conveying that you respect them as a person. Sadly, I must say I often see this trait missing ...

Why are we rude?

Laurie Wilhelm — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:13:56 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Do you interact with rude people? Do you think our society is getting ruder? Rudeness covers a lot of territory. It can be talking on your cell phone at a restaurant, interrupting someone, ...

Top 10 Ways to Improve Communication Within the Team

Lynn Ferguson — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:34:17 +0000

Effective communication is such an important part of successful teams. When team members effectively communicate, they are well equipped to work through any team challenge or opportunity that comes their way. There is no one-size-fits-all ...

Good Communication Skills: Speak to be Understood

Laurie Wilhelm — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:37:05 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm You may think that you’re speaking clearly and it’s easy to follow what you’re saying, but expressing yourself effectively isn’t as easy as we sometimes assume. Like any skill, it can take some ...

Thinking on Your Feet

Robert Britt — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:42:34 +0000

by Robert Britt Have you ever been in a situation where you had to blurt out an answer in a hurry and either the wrong thing came out or nothing came out at all? It’s a ...

How to Influence Group Members to Work Well Together

Laurie Wilhelm — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:04:55 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Projects which are assigned to groups benefit from the variety of personalities and perspectives of its members. These personalities and perspectives, however, also bring with them challenges as we try to work productively ...

Leadership Communication During Uncertain Times

Debra Hamilton — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:27:30 +0000

by Debra Hamilton Change is all around us. Effective leadership communication during times of change creates stability and trust. Leaders at all levels must communicate change and share information as soon as possible. Here are tips ...

Making Space: Guidelines for Respecting Personal Space

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:10:14 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm At work, at home and in our social circles, we carry with us a sense of our own personal space that we often unconsciously protect. Respecting another’s personal space is key in maintaining ...

Good Tips on Poor Listening

Laurie Wilhelm — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:55:48 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm There’s a lot on the internet on the importance of listening, active listening, effective listening, and how to be a good listener. But there’s very little instruction on how to be a poor ...

How Words Add Fuel to the Fire

Anne Warfield — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:51:56 +0000

by Anne Warfield Do You Ask Or Dictate? There is definitely a certain finesse to doing things that either magnetically pulls people to you or repels them away. So why do some people tick you off with ...

Three Steps to Resolve Your Complaints

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 01:24:49 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm We all complain. Sometimes, our complaints are legitimate and we voice them because we want to draw attention to a situation which we’d like to improve. Complaining can also be therapeutic when we ...

Taking No for an Answer

Laurie Wilhelm — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:46:02 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Have you ever been invited to a party and didn’t want to go but you also didn’t feel comfortable simply saying ‘no’? So instead of going you made up an excuse to get ...

Are You an Annoying Coworker?

Ken Okel — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:33:02 +0000

by Ken Okel Multiple workplace studies have found that one of the biggest reasons why people leave their jobs is that a coworker has annoyed them out of the workplace. Now with the economy being in ...

Five Ways to Make Others Feel Included

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:41:36 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm To one degree or another, we all want to be accepted. We’re social beings and we like feeling that we’re part of the group, we enjoy being recognized and acknowledged and we desire ...

Body Language Communicates

Laurie Wilhelm — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:28:25 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Last week, I was walking through a mall and passed a table where some volunteers were raising money for charity. As one mother and her young son passed by the table, the boy ...

I’m Not Yelling

Laurie Wilhelm — Sat, 30 May 2009 13:26:55 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm I heard a snippet of a conversation as I walked by a guy talking on his cell phone. At first, I didn’t hear what he was saying, but I could pick up from ...

Interpersonal Skills: Making Assumptions

Laurie Wilhelm — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:05:42 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm We all make assumptions. I think they’re part of our survival mechanisms. We have so much coming at us on a daily basis that making assumptions is part of our mental filtering system ...

The Importance of Greeting Others in the First 90-Seconds

Laurie Wilhelm — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:52:29 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm Have you ever been greeted by someone who didn’t even look at you? Or when they asked, “How are you?” it was obvious that they really didn’t care how you answered? It probably ...

Don’t Take It Personally

Laurie Wilhelm — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:57:12 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm I know – easier said than done, right? It’s taken me years to really understand what “don’t take it personally” means and how to do it. I used to think that I should just ...

The Strength of Kindness

Laurie Wilhelm — Tue, 12 May 2009 00:17:08 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm This morning, I read a blog post by Roger at A Content Life. I knew it was going to be another good post just from the title, Beware of False Kindness. He made ...

Interpersonal Skills: You’re Amazing

Laurie Wilhelm — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:03:55 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm I’ve been trying out a new way to approach everybody, from my friends and acquaintances to people I don’t know like cashiers, wait staff, and receptionists. I’m assuming from the get-go that everyone ...

Self-Expression: Is it OK?

Laurie Wilhelm — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:13:57 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm We may not always remember this, but we all have the opportunity to choose how we express our feelings. The consequences of our expressions are no big deal when we’re feeling good. At ...

An Important Interpersonal Skill

Laurie Wilhelm — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:19:01 +0000

©iStockphoto.com/ZoneCreative “So much attention is paid to the aggressive sins, such as violence and cruelty and greed with all their tragic effects, that too little attention is paid to the passive sins, such as apathy and ...

Courtesy is a Daily Act, Not a Random Act

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:08:40 +0000

For whatever reasons, I’m hearing a lot about random acts of kindness. I think it’s fun, to be sneakily kind on the side, but it’s made me think (again) about where courtesy ends and random ...

Interpersonal Skills: Here to Listen

Laurie Wilhelm — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:34:23 +0000

by Laurie Wilhelm The other day, my friend was told some bad news. Really bad news. She wanted to talk to her friends about it. When she did, they listened to the story and commiserated by telling ...