Listening Practices: Tips and Traps

Have you ever noticed how GOOD it feels to be really listened to? It’s impactful, particularly when the listening goes beyond just the words you’re speaking. That kind of artful listening conveys respect and value to the speaker, and promotes positive relationships of all kinds. And, like any art, it takes practice. According to widely […]

The Rewards of Really Listening

Joanna and Cyndi are sitting at a coffee shop. Joanna has just gone through a divorce and is telling her friend all about it. To a casual observer, it looks as if Cyndi is listening. But take a look at the thoughts running through Cyndi’s head: Really, people get divorced all the time; it’s time […]

How Well Do You Delegate?

  Whether you work with others, or alone, you may still suffer from the “Lone Ranger Syndrome”—that managerial malaise that causes folks to work excessively long, hard hours because only THEY know how to do something right. Whoa, Silver! There is a cure. Effective delegation is a learnable time management skill that can dramatically increase […]

7 Ways to Motivate Yourself Every Day

  There are some days when it feels impossible to get motivated. Yet in order to achieve your goals, motivation is essential. Without it, nothing is accomplished. Responsibilities and tasks pile up. Life becomes overwhelming. Motivation becomes even harder to find. However, with a few simple strategies you can motivate yourself every day. Here are […]

WAIT – Why Am I Talking?

In a world filled with constant conversation, embracing the idea of waiting before we speak can be a game-changer. I recently read a piece on the importance of “waiting to speak”,and as the holidays approach with gatherings of family, friends, and colleagues, I thought this concept was worth sharing. This approach is especially valuable not […]

Quiz: How Well Do You Motivate Others?

  Pay, praise and promotions may have some effect on motivation levels in the workplace. But these three Ps pale in comparison to more personal factors, such as the Top 5 of the oft-cited research by Rewick and Lawler: job challenge, accomplishing something worthwhile, learning new things, developing skills and abilities, and autonomy. Take this […]

Are you like Goldilocks?

  Do you remember the childhood story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”? In case it’s a bit fuzzy or you missed it, Goldilocks was this curious girl who wandered into the home of three bears looking for food, a comfy place to sit, and a cozy bed to sleep in. The gist of the […]

Putting the Value Back in Performance Evaluations

  We have disposable contact lens, disposable cameras, disposable headphones on airplanes. Lest we add disposable employee appraisals to the list, we might want to consider ways to put more “value” into performance evaluations so that they become more like a roadmap for development than a shortcut to nowhere. Performance appraisals for all employees are […]

A Good Laugh Is Good for Business

“The arrival of a good clown into a village does more for its health than 20 asses laden with drugs,” observed Thomas Sydenham, a 17th century British physician, who may have been the first doctor to recommend laughter as the best medicine. Dental practice owners and managers today are increasingly acknowledging that laughter is good […]

Top 10 Ways to Cool Your Anger

  Left unchecked, anger can damage relationships, careers, even lives. Here are 10 simple ways to cool your anger before it gets out of control:   Take several deep breaths. Breathe in calmness and then release anger as you breathe out. Do something physical. Take a walk, go to the gym or walk some stairs. […]