Leadership coach and consultant.
“Nav-Insight” The everyday experiences we have on the job are just a reflection of the ways we interact with others. Let’s call these our “habits of communication.” When our habits of communication reflect our values and aspirations, we usually feel pretty good about our exchanges with others. Over time, this alignment helps us enjoy the […]
It’s normal for teams to get caught up in conflict and difficulty from time to time. After all, we are all working in an environment that forces us to do more with less, while we face continuous pressure from change and uncertainty. This “react-first” climate is a breeding ground for the kind of communication snafus […]
My new book, Beyond the Job Description, got a nice 5-Star review on Goodreads. ————————————————————————– This is hands down the BEST career advice book that I have read. I bought it because I enjoy my job and am doing ok in it, but I’ve been too close to the bottom of the work pyramid for […]
Beginning in 1990, a collaborative effort to map the entire human genome began. The project was finally completed in 2003 and for the first time the 20,000—25,000 genes in human DNA were identified. The sequences of the three billion chemical base pairs were determined and the information was stored in electronic databases for analysis, study, […]
The term “competitive advantage” refers to factors that can be leveraged to stand out, get ahead, and win in a given pursuit. In business, competitive advantage matters significantly when you are operating in a climate of hyper-competition with ever-increasing costs of doing business. Knowing and using your competitive advantage wisely in the marketplace can make […]
Communication is an intrinsic aspect of our working lives. There is not a single collaborative initiative we pursue that does not require some form of communication with others. And there is not a day that goes by where the interactions we have with other people do not in some way “influence” the quality of our […]
The thing about shortcuts is that there are no short cuts to effective communication. Despite the prevalence of three-step processes to get difficult conversations right, listen better, persuade others, etc. it takes a deeper level of focus and effort to shift unwanted patterns of communication. However, re-making communication at work can have dramatic effects on […]
Almost four hundred years ago the seminal philosophers John Locke and David Hume implicitly defined “communication” as a tool for the transmission of pure ideas, meaning ideas themselves are what matter, not the way they are expressed and exchanged. This perspective not only took hold, but it has survived until this day as the dominant […]
Many have tried and just as many have failed. Well-meaning and highly skilled supervisors, trainers, executive coaches, management consultants, and human resources professionals have all accepted the challenge of “improving” communication within their teams. For those of us who have had the wonderful experience of attending a communication skills workshop of some kind, only to […]
“What’s the difference between a stalking lion in the bush and your boss? Nothing!” Of course, if you are fortunate enough to have a supportive, trust-based relationship with your manager this isn’t the case. However, for people on shaky ground with a direct supervisor, experiencing a difficult conflict with a colleague, or stressing over uncertainty […]