Many people hate to ask for what they need. It’s the boss who says, “I shouldn’t have to ask my employees to do something. They should just do what needs to be done.” Of course that would be nice, but that’s not how things work. It’s the boyfriend or girlfriend who says, “I shouldn’t have to ask for what I need in …
3 Little Communication Strategies That Bring BIG Cooperation
Every day, in every organization, large change initiatives are being launched, each one requiring the cooperation of its employees to be successful. Unfortunately, research shows that approximately 70% of these change initiatives fail — an average that holds up in countless analyses across different industries, time frames and geographies. So what differentiates the 30% of change initiatives that succeed? There …
How to Listen Your Way to the Top at Work and at Home
Listening is not natural, and it’s not automatic. Oh sure, hearing is natural, for most people. That’s nothing more than sound waves hitting your eardrums. But listening has to be learned, as one little girl discovered after finishing her first week of school. “I’m just wasting my time,” she said to her mother. “I can’t read; I can’t write – …
Three Ways to Make Difficult People Less Difficult
Difficult people are everywhere. They’re the ones who cut you off in traffic or buy up all the paper products in the store during the pandemic so no one else can have any. Or they’re the ones at home or on the job who zero in on your weaknesses, giving you too many critical looks or stinging comments. These difficult …