Communication

TEDx Grand Rapids – Making Meaning of Connections

May 16, 2012

It’s six days out from last week’s TEDx Grand Rapids event and I’m still processing. TED events are well-known for their brief, powerful speaker presentations proffering Big Ideas (see my list of quotes from the 2012 TEDx Grand Rapids speakers).  Frankly, A TEDx event can be daunting—such BIG ideas, presented by people with amazing stories [...]

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Do Your Words Encourage or Deflate?

April 10, 2012

I love “people equations”—any formula (scientific or otherwise) that can provide a framework that helps us interact more effectively with clients, peers, suppliers, leaders, and team members. I recently encountered an article that quoted positive-psychology expert Martin Seligman as saying that he uses something called the “Losada Ratio” when talking with people he cares about.  [...]

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4 Workplace Communication Tips for Twenty-Somethings

March 7, 2012

Patti Lamberti is a professional in residence who teaches courses in journalism and new media at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Communication. In her post Tech Savants, she gives us the rundown on what twenty-something’s think about a mainstream workplace communication tool: “Email is for old people.” Ouch. Anybody who’s had a conversation (or more [...]

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7 Questions That Help Conversations Move Forward

February 2, 2012

The other day I attended a webinar led by Al Switzler, co-author of the books Crucial Conversations and Influencer. During the webinar Al made this point about interacting with colleagues: If your response to frustrating conversations is to increase the frequency of your key point or the volume of your delivery, but you don’t change [...]

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Stack Your Phones at the Next Company Meeting

January 17, 2012

There’s a new game making the rounds these days called Phone Stack. Have you played it? The basic gist is this—when you dine out with friends, everyone puts their phones in the middle of the table and then embarks on a huge game of chicken— who  can resist the siren call of their phone for [...]

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Be Out Loud with Your Gratitude

November 24, 2011

        Today is the American holiday of Thanksgiving. I love a holiday that celebrates gratitude. Novelist Gladys Bronwyn Stern once said, “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone”. I agree with Gladys. Don’t be silent. Let someone know how much they mean to you. It doesn’t need to be a grand gesture. Just [...]

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Are You a Workplace Curator?

November 1, 2011

I recently attended a local art competition called ArtPrize.  The free event is billed as “radically open”, meaning any artist, venue and citizen can participate. The openness creates a pretty random experience: grab a map, walk around downtown and check out the art. One of my favorite venues featured 25 artists in the Women’s City [...]

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Tag Teaming Recognition

September 28, 2011

Peer-to-Peer Recognition Spreads Responsibility across the Organization This is the final installment in a three-part series on employee recognition. I want to thank guest columnist Cori Curtis of Baudville for sharing great these insights with the readers of The People Equation.     Guest Post by Cori Curtis, Certified Recognition Professional One of the most [...]

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5 Tips for Building Your Superhero Power at Work

July 26, 2011

When we were kids, all it took was donning a beach towel cape and running through the neighborhood to make us feel strong and competent. A simple garment addition and voila! We were superheroes.  Then, we grew up and went to work. At your place of employment, you might be less inclined to feel the superhero [...]

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Professionals Don’t Offer Excuses

June 1, 2011

  As a workplace professional, you know that making excuses doesn’t cut it, so you strive to avoid acting the victim if your work actions don’t make the grade. But is there ever a time when an explanation is warranted to help clarify your actions? After all, because you’re a professional and you always aim to do your [...]

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