When everyone’s responsible, no one’s responsible. Ask your kids why the house has been turned into a disaster while you were away at a conference; they’ll … Read more
Can You Identify Effective Leaders by Their Communication Habits and Emails?
You may not be able to tell a book by its cover, but you can definitely tell productive leaders by their communication habits and their emails. Here’s how: … Read more
How to Manage a Constant Complainer
Complainers are convinced that your executive team, the dock workers, and the technicians stay up nights trying to figure out how to deceive them, ruin … Read more
The Politics of Going Around Powerless People to Reach Decision-Makers
Powerless people typically refuse to admit they have no real authority. They may tell you they’re recommenders or influencers, but you know them as … Read more
What Does Your Workspace Say About Your Competence?
It was what came after the colonoscopy that gave me the creeps. The gastro doctor came to me as a referral from my family physician, so I’d booked my first … Read more
4 Ways to Improve Cross-Functional Communication
The weather forecaster issues a tornado warning, so you get out your new flashlight to make sure it’s working in case the electricity goes out. It’s not. … Read more
When Empathy Is Bad for Business
If you’ve ever watched TV coverage after a crazed killer has gunned down innocent victims in a shooting rampage and felt your own muscles tighten as … Read more
How to Stop a Micromanaging Boss
Maybe you haven’t worked for micromanaging bosses, but no doubt you’ve heard about them. Employees buzz about these bosses over lunch, complain about them … Read more
8 Communication Habits to Make You a Better Leader
Editor’s note: I’d like to welcome back Dianna Booher as she revives the “HR Communication Corner” column. Though she had bid the … Read more
Top 21 Communication Tips for 2021
Nobody decides to be a poor communicator. They become ineffective through neglect. Instead of mindful, intentional communication, they adopt clichés and … Read more
Start With a Joke — or Maybe Not!
The standard line among professional speakers about the importance of humor, even in serious business or technical presentations, goes like this: Question: … Read more
Say What You Have to Say, Don’t Read Your Script
We’ve just come through a political season where we heard (or saw?) speakers reading their scripts — during the conventions, during Supreme Court … Read more
5 Leadership Communication Habits That Destroy Unity
Cyberbullying has received increased attention during the last few years, focusing primarily on children and teens. But adults can be bullying victims as … Read more
Getting a Grip on Common Grammar Errors
HR often plays the parental role within an organization, particularly in sensitive or crisis situations like mergers, natural disasters, layoffs, or … Read more
Do You Have Executive Presence?
At a SHRM mega-session years ago while speaking on the topic of executive presence, I included an audience demonstration about the body language aspect of … Read more
Handling Hecklers in the Cheap Seats — Virtual and Otherwise
You have 60 seconds to name all the movies that include a scene like the following: The heroine (or hero) is standing in front of a gathering of … Read more
Secrets Savvy Presenters Use to Keep a Q&A Helpful
A boss’s offhand comment, “Be sure to leave time for Q&A,” often causes great concern among presenters. Maybe they have flashbacks of presidential … Read more
5 Steps to Think Clearly When You Write
An employee at a large oil company submitted a suggestion that netted him $18,000 from his company’s incentive-awards program. Although I can’t share the … Read more
How to Turn Down Applicants Tactfully — and Truthfully
Eggs and rejections should be done over-easy. Turning down applicants with class pays off in your long-term recruiting efforts and reputation as a great … Read more
How COVID-19 Has Changed Communication for the Better — and the Worst
When you have yet another email hitting your inbox with an invitation to an online meeting, how do you react? Eager to take part or irritated at the … Read more