Three Ways To Tell Someone That They Need Soft Skills Training
We’ve all worked with or for these folks because our workplaces are filled with them… The manager who thinks they know everything but hasn’t a clue about how to manage their team. The newly promoted boss who is the go-to subject matter expert but doesn’t know how to delegate or give feedback, so they either micromanage everyone, or do everything themselves, or both. The manager who says, “I...
There Is No Law Requiring You to Respect Anyone’s Opinion
Now that the election is over, some are insisting that the opinions of Trump voters must be respected and that labeling him and them bigots, misogynists, fascists, neo-Nazis, autocrats, and racists is disrespectful and needs to stop. First, let’s be clear, when you respect someone or something, it comes from a genuine place inside of you wherein you acknowledge, appreciate and honor someone...
Back to School? Be Respectful!
Every August when I was a kid, as I headed out each morning to start yet another year of school, my parents commanded me to “be respectful.” My teachers were to be respected, my coaches, the principal, the nurse, the school staff, and yes, even the crossing guard – all were to be treated with respect by me. Never mind the kids, my parents told me. The ones who taunted and bullied me at the bus...
Managing Conflict with Respect: Essential Techniques for Leaders
Whether it’s friction between individuals or groups, stereotyping and negative assumptions, miscommunication and a silo mentality, clashes between different personalities and behavioral styles, or a dismissive attitude and resistance to feedback, these challenges are all too common in today’s organizational environments. Let’s explore the current state of workplace conflict...
“DEI Hire?” Seriously?!
Calling someone a “DEI hire” is a racist, bigoted, and misogynistic insult. It implies that the only reason a person in a position of power or authority got their job was because of a handout or a numerical preference based on race, ethnicity, or gender. It also wrongly assumes that any white male in a senior position earned his role purely on merit, which anyone who has worked with or for an...
Handling Political and Social Tensions in the Workplace
Who Should Read This? If you’re part of the C-suite, working in HR, leadership development, diversity, equity and inclusion, learning and development, or organizational and cultural development, this blog post is for you. You’ll find this content particularly useful if you’re looking for: Practical, proactive approaches to mitigate workplace tensions. Real-world examples of what can be...
This Independence Day – Character Matters
Recently I had the honor to meet a former US Army Colonel and current non-profit CEO at a prestigious leadership awards event in San Diego (he won!). Our conversation turned to the coming election, and I wondered aloud if this would be our last time celebrating Independence Day as a functioning democracy. The Colonel paused thoughtfully for a moment and then responded in a way that offered...
Take Pride In Our Differences!
It was August 22rd, 1978 and my very first day as a freshman at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. All of the theater school students were gathered together in the mainstage for a welcome speech by the school’s director. As I looked around me, I realized it was a very diverse group of young people, all with stars in their eyes, just like me. And within a week after I started taking...
Clash of Ages: Navigating the Multigenerational Workplace
Currently there are five generations at work in almost every organization, and they have an enormous range of experiences and influences. The oldest is the “silent generation,” – also known as the traditionalists – born between 1928 and 1945. As children they most likely experienced the impacts of the Great Depression and WW2, and were alive before the miracle drug penicillin was...