Team building events, motivational books, communication classes — they all leave us with a wealth of information and excited about the things we’ve learned. Upon finishing with any of these trainings we’re brimming with enthusiasm and telling whomever will listen about how we’re going to change the way we do things at work and in our lives. At least that’s how it is for the first few days. Then things often slip back into their normal place, and all that great, juicy info we absorbed (and often paid for!) sinks back into the recesses of our minds. Just like your…

The concept of feedback is something that comes up often in our team building and corporate training programs, and nine time out of ten, participants say that they want their feedback one way — straight up. Don’t beat around the bush, use metaphors, or hem and haw, just give it to me straight, they say. Fire it off — I can take it. But what people say and what people want – or are ready to handle – are often quite different. I mean, if I were to write myself as a character in a crime novel, I’d be the…

Unless you’re in a tiny startup or mom ‘n pop small biz, large groups are the norm for most organizations. These might be departments, divisions, or teams — and if you’re like many organizations, you make sure these groups meet on a semi-regular basis. Often these meetings go very much the same way. The most vocal, outspoken, and extroverted individuals state their piece and the rest of the group nods along in semi-compliance. Meanwhile, as you don your manager hat, you may be wondering to yourself what the more soft-spoken or reflective members of the group have to say on…