Tag: emotional intelligence
When a Good Thing Triggers a Surprisingly Bad Response
This holiday season I gave a small gift to a local supplier as a token thank you. It was clear from her immediate reaction that she’s not used to receiving client gifts. She started out... Continue reading
Have You Expressed Your Gratitude for Your Colleagues?
Most people like Thanksgiving for its relative lack of commercialism and its inclusivity. It’s all about food, friends, and family — an opportunity to be together in some semblance of comfort and caring. In many... Continue reading
How to Give Uncomfortable Personal Feedback, with Grace
Most people feel awkward raising personal issues with colleagues. That’s especially true when those issues concern the physical body, seem like an inherent expression of the person themselves, or are things we would feel mortified... Continue reading
How to Start Restoring Your Boss’s Faith, and Your Own
Most of us have made at least one big mistake at work, and had a hard time getting back on an even keel. But it doesn’t help to wallow in self-doubt. Luckily, there are usually... Continue reading
Please Don’t Do It That Way: How Not to Help
“This doesn’t make sense to me!” Halfway down the train car, a woman’s voice was rising. She was assisting one of her two daughters with homework, and her aggravated tone caught my attention. “This doesn’t... Continue reading
This is a Surprising Twist to Try When You Give Feedback
Standard guidelines for performance feedback call for content that’s specific, behavioral rather than personal, consistent, and delivered immediately after the triggering situation. But I’d like to suggest an alternative approach. If the behavior you’re trying... Continue reading
Warning! Coaching Won’t Resolve These 5 Problems
Lately, more and more leadership development, employee feedback, and general management is being outsourced from actual business decision-makers to Human Resources business partners and professional coaches. But coaching isn’t necessarily the answer for every employee... Continue reading
What Can You Do When a Customer Explodes?
I just watched a customer take offense in a situation where no one was actually in the wrong. She reached into an awkward -- although salvageable -- circumstance, and pulled out a negative experience for... Continue reading