In this case, when business communicators are trying to be polite, they are only undermining their credibility, decreasing employee engagement, and decreasing their influence. The question, "Will you do me a favor?" isn't as polite as you think. When we ask someone to...

If you have never heard the phrase “manage up,” it’s an easy way of referring to how business professionals communicate and interact with their leader for maximum effectiveness.  When I conduct leadership training sessions or workshops, one of the most popular...

Leaders who read my blog, my social media posts, or have heard me as a keynote speaker know I believe the following to be fundamental truths regarding leadership communication: High caliber leaders use positive communication as opposed to negative. They strive not...

People don't leave companies. They leave people. The #1 reason good employees quit is due to dissatisfaction with their immediate supervisor. It's not a secret that turnover is expensive! Estimates of the financial cost vary widely. The most consistently cited number...

I always tell leaders and business professionals to stop saying “I’m sorry” and start saying "I apologize.”  This small change in your daily communication can make a big difference because: When we say “I’m sorry” all the time it loses it’s impact and we aren’t taken...

Stop thinking of yourself as a problem solver and start being a problem giver. Would you like to be the kind of leader that others like to work with and for?  Do you want to lead a team that is engaged and collaborative? Are you looking to enhance buy-in and...

Giving a presentation can be a pivotal career opportunity. It is an opportunity most business professionals want to maximize. We want to do everything we can to increase our likelihood of success and to avoid those things that can sabotage our success. Giving a...

Emotional intelligence, often known as EQ, is one of the fastest growing job skills.   Leaders and professionals with high EQ are typically: Better problem solvers Better listeners More emotionally stable More open-minded Better crisis managers More flexible More...

Emotionally intelligent leaders have the ability to identify, understand, manage, and use emotions in positive and constructive ways. Business professionals who possess high levels of emotional intelligence are able to be the master of their emotions and not let their...

High caliber leaders and communicators know how important it is to communicate positively as opposed to negatively.  One effective way to check yourself and determine if you are actively communicating in the positive is to monitor your use of the word “don’t” or the...