Let’s assume an angry reporter doesn’t confront you every day to ask why your organization has committed some scam or why you’re improperly handling … Read more
Why Has Employee Engagement Improved During the Pandemic?
Not long ago, the National Bureau of Economic Research officially declared that the United States entered into a recession in February 2020, ending one of … Read more
How to Stop People From Rambling
You run into ramblers everywhere: On a Zoom webinar. In the boardroom. In your training class. The reasons vary: They have extensive experience. They want … Read more
Anti-Racism Conversations Should Not Be Easy
Well-intentioned conversations about racism are happening at companies across the country, but if not handled correctly, they can leave Black employees … Read more
Empathy Is Not a Soft Skill
This year dawned like any other. For many of us, especially those fortunate enough to work in the HR space, things seemed downright rosy. The economy was … Read more
Feeling Trapped by Forced-Option Questions From Leadership?
The old “Have you stopped beating your spouse?” dilemma captures this problem well: “Yes or no?” Either way you answer, you’re in trouble. During a … Read more
Oh No! Not Another “Conversation” About Race!
Not long after the social-justice uprising following the death of George Floyd, I was on a video call with a group of leaders inspired to dismantle racism … Read more
How to Keep Hypotheticals From Burying You
Suppose you’re in a staff meeting or rolling out a new policy in an all-hands meeting, and Rani, an employee, poses this question to you: “You say that … Read more
Capture Mentoring Moments for Career Growth
Early in my writing career, an executive assistant to the CEO of a large oil-tool company astounded me with her business acumen — and how she got it. More … Read more
How to Guarantee Employees Understand You
Envision the last time you presented new information to a group of employees in an extended session of one to three hours: Rolling out new software and how … Read more