It was a high-stakes meeting. Others had given their opinions, and I decided I should speak up, too. So I did. As I was speaking, though, I began to have the sense that I wasn’t saying exactly what I wanted to say. I tried to convey confidence through a strong voice and gestures, but I’m
On a Minneapolis radio station in the early 90s, a satirical disc jockey called the Chucker used to conduct hilarious interviews of famous people. The Chucker was obnoxious. The bigger the celebrity’s ego, the more the Chucker would frustrate them with his demoralizing behavior. Go listen to the recordings. They’ll make you squirm. Perhaps some
Megan Tamte is comfortable being vulnerable. She allows people to see her for who she really is—even when it’s messy. For the founder of the fast-growing women’s retailer Evereve, it’s something that goes back to the styling floor of her first store, in Edina, Minnesota, where Megan remembers facing “uncomfortable and awkward situations all the
This post was originally published on Nov. 5th, 2014. It was modified and reposted on Aug. 26th, 2019. The leader of a business association once took me out to lunch to recruit me for membership. He had his work cut out for him. I had two legitimate hesitations in joining: First, I’m uncomfortable adding another
I have two colleagues, both of whom I’ve known for about the same amount of time. With one, I’m somewhat guarded, not willing to be completely transparent. But with the other, I’m surprised at how vulnerable and candid I can be. The question is, why the difference? I know them equally well. Neither has any
My friend has been trying hard to fit in at his company. Like all of us, he carries insecurity and tries hard to say and do the right things. So he was excited to join the recent team diversity and inclusion training day. Here’s a chance to connect authentically with other team members, he thought.
In recent posts, I’ve explained the importance of valuing ourselves and others for who we are more than what we do. In fact, who we are is at risk, but we do everything possible to minimize it. And the harder we try, the more anxious, bitter and tedious we get. In attempting to minimize all
The CEO of a consulting firm asked me how our company has landed among the “Best Places to Work” for the past five consecutive years. After considering a number of factors that drive employee engagement, I told him, “One-on-ones.” “Oh yes,” he said. “We do those, too.” So then I described what one-on-ones are like
“I love you!” Kari called out to our boys as they got on the school bus recently. “I love you too!” Shelly, the bus driver, yelled back. She was being funny, but Shelly meant it…about every family that puts kids on her bus. She responds to kid’s curiosities, educates around holidays, protects around bullies, anticipates
An employee has a brainstorm, a great idea to address an unmet need in your market. But it’s admittedly a little “out there,” not the usual thing your organization goes for. Does he decide to bring up the idea anyway? Another employee has spotted a possible flaw in your latest product, the one that’s set
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