My work provides me the opportunity to interact with a large number of highly motivated people who are eager to put their skills to use. Most are excellent individual contributors, but when it comes to managing others many of them struggle to know how to delegate. The will/skill matrix is a helpful framework when leading a team or managing others. The two dimensions of “will” and “skill” can help you understand which tasks are appropriate for delegation. “Will” speaks to an i

The Basic Communication Model Explained When communication breaks down, we too often label it “miscommunication.” Unfortunately, this word doesn’t help us understand how to improve or prevent similar situations from occurring in the future. An understanding of the basic communication model helps to identify more precise causes of miscommunication and improve the way we communicate with others. The basic communication model depicts communication as a process of sending and rec

For most of my life my default response when a new opportunity has been presented to me has been yes . That approach has served me well. Saying yes has allowed me to learn about myself, develop new skills, and meet interesting people. But more recently I’ve found benefit in exercising caution before committing to new opportunities. Before taking on a new commitment, consider whether you are really excited about it, and if you decide you aren't, then say no . However, being

by Joyce Sutphen Tilt your head slightly to one side and lift your eyebrows expectantly. Ask questions. Delve into the subject at hand or...

My first 40 hour a week job was painting college dormitories the summer I turned 15. A combination of the manual labor and repetitiveness of the tasks reinforced my desire to go to college, but there were a few things about that job that I really enjoyed. In addition to interacting with a wide variety of interesting people and learning a useful trade, I learned a lesson about the rhythm of work. Being a painter involves more than painting. We could only paint after we moved t

A couple years ago I was at an outdoor gathering with a large group of friends and acquaintances. I was standing alone near the door of a pavilion watching my children play in the distance when a friendly woman who I had met a few times walked up and said, “I know you don’t like small talk, but isn’t it a beautiful day?” It was a beautiful day, but I was struck most by what came before her question. She reminded me that I had once told her I struggle with small talk. I do str

Most meetings aren't memorable, but I recall attending one where an important topic was on the agenda, and I knew leaders within the organization attended with the intent to listen. However, when the dialogue headed in a direction that made one leader uncomfortable, he stopped listening and made a variety of statements I suspect he wishes he could take back. We’ve all been there. I’ve earned two degrees in communication, read books about listening, attended workshops on liste

Much attention is given to how to form relationships; however, have you ever learned how to end one? The Exit Voice Loyalty Neglect Model helps us think about our options when we are not satisfied with an existing relationship; but if we choose to exit, the model doesn’t provide much guidance on how to proceed. A better understanding of how to end a relationship can help when resigning from a job, parting ways with a personal or professional organization, or ending a friends

by Meg Wheatley There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about. Ask “What’s possible?” not “What’s wrong?”...

Chances are you have sent an email to a coworker, customer, or potential employer and then wondered why you didn’t get a response. You are not alone. With professionals receiving, on average, over 100 emails each day, many messages go unread and unanswered. So, what should you do if you don’t get a response to your email? Consider whether email is the best channel. Too often we choose email because it’s the communication channel that works best for us, but consider what might