Are you in? Communication is at the root of every conflict, misunderstanding, and damaged relationship. Communication is also at the root of every successful collaboration, empathetic exchange, and enviable relationship. I’m going to say something very bold here. We’ve been communicating all wrong. It’s time for a full blown revolution. I declare that when a majority begin practicing a new approach to…

Especially when it comes to employee retention! I stood in line at the post office behind a small business owner shipping 50 identical boxes containing what he described as “Christmas gifts for their best customers”. I watched as each identical box went out into the world with the intention of…

Adult growth and development theory tells us that as we enter our 40s and 50s, our focus shifts away from comparing ourselves to everyone around us and more toward the question of “Who am I?” Are you noticing this within yourself? Do you find that learning about your unique strengths, motivations, habits of attention, and other…

Feedback is essential for growth and development and it’s an important part of working with others. While some types of feedback hold much more importance to us than others, reactions to feedback are influenced by the emotional energy of the moment, even if we’re not conscious of it. For example…

Identifying and Developing High Potential Staff A Navigating Challenging Challenging Dialogue® Framework The Challenge Managers easily mistake high-performing employees as high-potential. And this mistake can have a high cost to the organization. High performers are defined as employees who consistently succeed in completing (or exceeding) tasks or achieving goals. High potential employees…

Most all of us have had the experience of having what we believe will be a simple conversation and suddenly realizing we’ve said something about the other person’s “motha”, slammed down the lid of our laptop and are now sitting alone feeling shame at how we behaved. Why does this…

What do horses and employees have in common? Recently I participated in a horsemanship clinic with an expert whose focus is helping build connection between the horse and rider. As she was working with me she said, “When your horse is under pressure, their fight or flight instinct is right…

Don’t you wish there was an answer for unanswerable questions? “Will there be layoffs?” “When are we going back to work in the office?” “Will I be safe at work?” “What happens if my daycare isn’t open yet?” If you are a boss, supervisor, leader, business owner or people manager…

Today we’re going to talk about awkward kitchen parties, because I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. I’ve been wondering, What if we had parties, celebrations, and speeches for the people who stay? I mean, think about it. How many times have you attended a going-away celebration for…