How to Ask for What You Want Asking for what you want is an essential life skill that yields enormous positive benefits (e.g., the thing you want!). But like so many other life skills—budgeting, doing laundry, cooking breakfast, driving in snow—no one teaches...
How to Fix Passive-Aggressive Communication Direct, affirmative communication promotes peace and power. Passive-aggressive communication kills both. When you want something from someone, expect resistance, and then try to circumvent it by going covert with your...
Say More with Less I’m reading a book called Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less which, ironically, uses an astounding number of words to say, “Use fewer words.” My friend recommended it to me, probably because I am a wordy writer. Why use 7 words...
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...
3 Ways to Use Your Voice Effectively When you speak, others may hear and notice what you say, but not nearly as much as how you say it. The way you use your voice can and does convey an astounding array of emotions and traits. It holds the key to getting and...