Thinking Out Loud

We have a tendency to mentally rehearse anticipated difficult conversations. Often with these we tell someone off, explaining why we acted a certain way or what they did wrong. Frequently we take a self-righteous tone. These conversations rehearsed are usually not the ones we end up having, if indeed we have them at all. An exercise like this is a good way to blow off steam, making it possible to focus on what really might be constructive, especially if we remember that there are two people in the conversation.  Read More

We learn to make good decisions through practice. With young children, we start by giving them two choices, then gradually widen the possibilities and provide more choices. There is no formula to learning to make good decisions but using this child development model provides a basic guideline: start small and add choices if and when needed.

Much new information about how our brains process information has become available in recent years with many psychologists and behavioral economists studying the decision-making process. Read More

My son, Noah, and I developed a new communication tool. It’s versatile, has many applications and is straightforward. Fast Company just published an article about it (click here). We’ve used it to:

• Guide leadership communication
• Focus professional development conversations
• Structure difficult conversations
• Plan communication strategies
• Diagnose communication breakdowns

This tool can also be used in your personal life and in conjunction with the Communication Styles Framework, which gives it even more strength. After you read the article at Fast Company, if you’d like to know more I can send you the original article which has more detail.

Daniel becomes easily irritated when Jon speaks. The two men sit on a community development committee in the town where they live. Both are well respected and valued for their participation. They don’t know each other personally even though they have served together for years. Each represents a different constituency, but that’s not the source of their friction.  Read More