Perspectives

For Better Results, Think INSIDE the Box listening skills rapport

In the world of coaching, I frequently heard "Think outside the box" as being the best way to solve a problem. And I've said it, too. But now I'm reconsidering.

What if the best way to find better solutions is to, first, look within the box?

Communication training, for most of us, is limited. We...

Continue Reading...
3 Tips for Good Client Communication client communication nonverbal communication rapport

People like to be kept in the loop, especially when it involves a legal case. There's just something about turning over a big deal to a stranger, you know?  So, the question becomes, "How do we keep clients in the loop?"

Clients may not like to make calls for status updates. Sometimes they...

Continue Reading...
Don't make a funny face...It might freeze like that! listening skills nonverbal communication

Imagine you are interacting with a person and you notice something about their nonverbal communication. Maybe they seem aloof, and it's not consistent with your experience of them. That'd be a great time to engage listening skills such as asking questions. Investigate. And if we don't really know...

Continue Reading...
Don't Hit the Brakes When You're Getting in Front of Conflict! conflict resolution nonverbal communication

"Get in front of it." People say that a lot lately. But when it comes to conflict, that may be easier said than done. Yet, it's important for conflict resolution. 

You want to keep conflict from growing and requiring more complex conflict resolution efforts. You need to nip it in the bud....

Continue Reading...
Does Double Jeopardy Apply to Victims? client communication conflict resolution

Victims have power. They do. It's just not their own. Instead, it belongs to the role - People want to jump into rescue people in that position. And in conflict resolution, it's not an effective position for consistent results.

It's sort of like a person leading by title instead of by character...

Continue Reading...
"They Don't Understand!" emotional intelligence listening skills

"They don't understand!" is a common phrase that I hear in a number of contexts, and unfortunately it often means conflict isn't far away, either in the rearview mirror or around the corner.

I cringe when I hear this because of all that it entails. It implies that the speaker knows what the other...

Continue Reading...
Haters're Gonna LOVE...or at Least Respect client communication de-escalation listening skills

Have you or a client received a negative comment on social media? A lot of people are under the belief that "haters' gonna hate," and therefore attempt to ignore or block them. But is that really the best idea?

If the person isn't already a client, ignoring may be easy. But easy isn't always the...

Continue Reading...
Swear to Tell the Truth... nonverbal communication

I grew up around some people who swore so fluently it almost became its own language. They could string them together as if they were prose. I didn't swear until I was 19, though, and I remember where I was when it happened.

In the lounge on my floor in the college dorm, my swear became a...

Continue Reading...
Aisle Take Blame for $1000 collaboration conflict resolution emotional intelligence

On November 8, 2016, the world experienced a new level of blame, rocking the world of social media as people took in what, for some, was a surprising result. Over a week later, I still see posts blaming others. I don't know how beneficial that is.

Is it creating deeper friendships? No. I bet there...

Continue Reading...
4 Reasons Why Your "Opponent" May Be Your Most Effective Teammate collaboration de-escalation

I don't know about you, but I find that working against people doesn't really get me where I want to go. It takes time, energy, and focus away from what I want to achieve, and it also doesn't help others help me.

Think about it for a second. If someone appears to you to be a pain, to where you...

Continue Reading...
Are You Giving Your Clients What They're REALLY After? client communication emotional intelligence

When you go to a movie, play, musical, or concert, you aren't going just to see or hear it; you're going for the experience of it, the state that doing so effects in you. Maybe it's to laugh or be uplifted; maybe it's to feel emotionally moved or scared. Whatever it is, you aren't just going so...

Continue Reading...
Beyond De-escalation™ is Scheduled to Launch in November! de-escalation

De-escalation is something you may not need daily, but it may still be worth learning. Some de-escalation skills can be used regularly for more effective communication in many everyday occasions. And that's Beyond De-escalation™ is about.

Our de-escalation system, scheduled to be available...

Continue Reading...