How to Make Small Talk Less Awkward I hate small talk. At least, I used to. In social interactions, I used to plaster on a fake smile, fumble my way through uncomfortable questions and answers, and secretly wish I could be shoving toothpicks up my fingernails...
7 Essential Ingredients for Honest Conversations Obviously, there are actually only two truly essential ingredients for an honest conversation: Have a conversation. Be honest. But being honest is a bit complicated, isn’t it? If your experience is anything like...
3 Tips for Delivering Feedback Considering most people want to do good work and meet expectations, delivering constructive feedback sure can feel like picking your way through a minefield of misunderstanding, hurt feelings, defensiveness, and conflict. And with...
The 4 Components of Belonging “Everyone here looks down on me.” Over a Zoom coaching call, the executive assistant at a large global corporation hunched over and looked downward, hugging herself. “I’m not a city girl. I come from a very small rural town and I...
When & How to Use The Language of Connection Most people don’t give much thought to the specific words they use. Words just spill out automatically and are expected to accurately convey a message. How about you? The way you phrase things sends its own...
Self-Deprecating Humor: Use It or Lose It? As you may already know from my leadership guide, I generally advise against using self-deprecating humor. Most of the time, it does not convey confidence and credibility. But as is the case with virtually all...
