Recently, I chaperoned a large group trip for a bunch of teenagers—over 300 of them. I had to keep track of about 35 of them myself, and punctuality was the most pressing issue of the trip. If any one person was late for the bus or the meeting point, it held up all 300. While … Read more
Some words and phrases give off the wrong vibe, tone, or meaning. We’ve explored several of these over the course of this blog, and today we’re adding one more to the list. How do these conversations hit you? 1. “Hey Marco, what time is the meeting?” “I have no idea.” 2. “Say Abril, how many … Read more
We all have our own unique styles of communication. Whether it’s derived from nature or nurture, one’s personality style, or one’s language of appreciation, how we communicate and prefer to be communicated to are different. And sometimes we perceive what someone else is trying to say through the lens of our own preferred style, which … Read more
Effective communication avoids misunderstandings. It can also clear up existent misunderstandings. In our quest to be understood, we may accidentally slip into using one of these versions of a potentially manipulative accusation: “You misunderstood me.”“You must have misunderstood me.”“You don’t get it; you’re not listening.”“If you really heard what I said, you’d understand.” Even though … Read more
We all have situations where we feel stuck and think there’s no way forward. Let me give you some examples: I need to address someone’s obnoxious behavior in meetings, but I don’t know how to bring it up. I’m bothered by a team member’s disengagement, but I’m having a hard time putting into words what … Read more
Based on the book by Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, there are five dysfunctions in a team that create tension, conflict, and stress. These dysfunctions are heightened in times of change. Each dysfunction builds on the one below, and they are all built upon the foundation of trust. Dysfunction 1 – Absence … Read more
How are your communication habits? Would others agree with your assessment? Do they change during times of stress? Change and stress complicate situations and relationships. It’s when we need more communication with each other, but what generally happens is just the opposite. Communication, transparency, empathy, and authenticity build relationships, and good relationships are good for … Read more
We have a habit of withholding in times of stress and change. But what we need to do is get back to the basics of communication and embrace the power of SMaC. Too often we find ourselves in only one circle or one overlap, when we need to be aiming at all three—Be Specific, Be Methodical, and … Read more
In times of change, we tend to avoid adapting to others’ personality styles. Our reduced capacity to adapt can cause us to revert to unhealthy habits, especially in conflict situations. If you don’t know your DiSC personality style, use this simple chart to identify where you are. It’s also a good tool to use to identify … Read more
Now that we’ve looked at each phase of the Kubler-Ross Change Curve in detail, let’s apply it to a real life situation. It’s 8:20 AM and you’re already late for work, but it’s your turn to bring the Friday bagels for your team. They’re expecting it. So you turn left instead of right, calculating in your … Read more