Complaining reached its peak in our house recently. Kids complaining about food, about homework, and about each other. Us complaining about kids complaining. Us complaining about work, about how busy we are and about something the other did or didn’t do. We have a lot of happiness and love in our family, but we’d slipped
I live in a neighborhood with narrow streets. Parked cars are allowed on one side of the street. This makes it nearly impossible for two oncoming cars to pass each other. There are no signs or guidance as to how to navigate this predicament. But behavior expectations develop over time. I expect, for instance, that
Criticism: The expression of disapproval of someone or something based on perceived faults or mistakes. Sometimes that’s a verbal punch to the face. It may be a facial expression of disapproval or a tone of voice that betrays annoyance. Perhaps it’s a passive/aggressive comment. You might not realize that you’re delivering criticism, but your expression
This post was originally published on August 14, 2018. It was modified and republished on July 29, 2019. What is the power of the pause? To put it to light, think about a time when two or more people were cordial and cooperative. That is until someone said something that changed the dynamic. Suddenly, someone
This post was originally published on September 18th, 2018. It was edited and republished on July 15th, 2019. Distinctly I remember a day in September when I was feeling like the best version of myself..for awhile. Rolling through conference calls, I said what I wanted to, listened when I needed to, and promoted good ideas.
This post was originally published on December 22, 2015, and updated on June 11, 2019. Most people have an ideal self-image—one that often comes from things we admire or dislike in our own parents. Other people can crush this ideal through their criticism and we are wired to protect and defend. This defensive side of
Once upon a time, there was a guy who would find any excuse to hang out in our office. It wasn’t creepy hanging out. He always had a legitimate reason for being there, despite not working for the company. Perhaps he’d be dropping off a book for someone, or coming in for a meeting, or
Around age six, Tommy Caldwell’s father determined to make his son tough. So he started him rock climbing. Sure enough, Tommy became one of the best climbers in the world. But at age 22, while in Kyrgyzstan for an expedition, he was held hostage by rebels — and he ultimately had to kill his captor
We’ve all been there at one time or another. A colleague leaves work early. Your child shouts at you. Your partner doesn’t meet one of your needs. In some way, you don’t appreciate their actions. The person’s behavior just doesn’t work for you. When that happens, do you have the courage to tell that person
Are you dealing with relationship tension or conflict this holiday season? Feeling bitter or resentful toward anyone? Consider, just for a moment, that there may be another side to the story you’re telling yourself. Here’s an example: A client recently hired me to coach their leadership team, a process that started with me interviewing each
Matt Norman is president of Norman & Associates, which offers Dale Carnegie Training in the North Central US. Dale Carnegie Training is a global organization ...READ MORE