Has this ever happened to you? You are in the midst of a crucial conversation and the other person becomes very emotional or intense. They might even begin to yell or behave in a hostile fashion. Most people will the get drawn into a discussion of this inappropriate...

When dealing with negative people, be relentless. Relentlessly positive, that is. The focus of my recent webinar "Snipers, Steamrollers, and Chronic Complainers" was on words to choose and words to lose in order to train difficult people that their difficult behavior...

You know the type, don’t you? The person who makes blanket statements such as “that won’t work” or “it will take too much time” or “that will cost too much money” in response to every new idea or proposal? These people are what I call  Wet Blanket Negativists. They...

Difficult people are everywhere. There are exploders, snipers, steamrollers, and chronic complainers in our personal lives and in our professional lives. While it might be possible in our personal lives to avoid difficult people to a degree, it is virtually impossible...

Conflict is inevitable, in even the very best workplaces and relationships. Some people, however, seem to engage in conflict and confrontation with more confidence and with less escalation. Here are are few tips to help you do the same. Q- TIP!   Quit taking it...

Conflict is inevitable in even the best workplaces. When people see things differently, have competing agendas, or are not in total accord regard decisions, conflict occurs. While is conflict inevitable, it is not necessarily bad. Healthy conflict can create better...

Keys for Better Self-Talk During Emotionally Charged Situations Key#3 (part 3 of 3) Have you ever tried to calm yourself down in an emotionally charged situation by using self-talk such as “I am calm” or “I am patient?” If so, great job! That means you are using key...

Keys for Better Self-Talk During Emotionally Charged Situations Key #2 (part 2 of 3) In a previous post we learned that self-talk during emotionally charged situations is more effective if you plant the desired behavior (I am calm) in your mind instead of the...

Key #1 (part 1 of 3) We all tend to talk to ourselves, especially during emotionally charged situations. If you are looking to stay more calm, cool, and collected during emotionally charged situations, your self-talk can be a great tool if it fits a few key criteria....

As a leader, you’ve likely been to countless workshops, read numerous books, and accepted sage advice from mentors. Some of it fabulous, some not. The worst communication advice that I hear and read over and over again is that leaders, for the sake of transparency and...