It’s what we do. We talk about each other, yet we don’t like it when we know that others are talking about us, “talking behind my back.” Sometimes we worry that what someone might be saying is something they wouldn’t say directly to us. This may well be true and that thought makes us feel bad. Read More
Are you having the kind of conversations you want to have around the kitchen table or the staff-meeting table? If not, do something about it. First, do your homework, which begins by looking at yourself. What potential obstacles might you be putting in the way? Do genuine fears hold you back from discussing what you believe is important—what are they? Could you be assuming a negative outcome to a conversation, which might prevent you from starting one in the first place or might project a defensive/negative position that sets a shadow over the discussion from the beginning? Or do you wait for an opening that is not likely to occur? Read More
Empathy is tricky business; it’s also natural and part of being social creatures. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that someone has empathy because what they see happening is very different from what you see. Empathy, however, is part of us all even though we feel it, have it, and express it (differently). Read More
Is it okay to hurt others? No, not to deliberately be mean and to intentionally cause hurt but sometimes it is necessary to bring up a topic or issue that we know may hurt or upset the other person. And because we know that person’s feelings may get hurt, we are reluctant to begin a conversation where that is likely to occur. Read More