Want to improve your communications? Follow these 3 lessons from a dog
Marcel the Therapy Dog doesn’t speak, write, or communicate in human-centric ways. Yet he's an expert in the art and science of in-person calls to action. He commands attention to get humans -- especially me -- to follow his directions again and again. You can...
Want to become a better communicator? Build a “pause” habit
Will you please pause for our cause? Our cause: Pause before communicating to make us all better communicators. As context, here’s why we members of the Habit Crew (Sam Yankelevitch, Jim Thompson, and I) advocate the practice of pausing. It’s the ideal habit to make...
Why we need to defend DEI/ESG: they’re good for people, the planet, and profits
Did you expect the growing conservative backlash against DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and ESG (environment, social and governance), the key non-financial factors that many investors use in their analysis. I didn’t. And if you’re not familiar with what’s been...
How to balance compassion and accountability for behavior change
“How do you balance compassion and accountability?” Kendra Kinnison, the Coach.me CEO asked me this question after my commencement talk to the latest Coach.me habit certification class in February. After answering, I thought more deeply about how you need both...
Want to live your best life? Take time to exercise, eat well, and sleep
“Adopt good habits for exercising, eating and sleeping.” These eight words summarize how to take care of yourself, especially your mental and physical health. Granted, it’s not always clear what constitutes the best exercise, the healthiest diet, and the ideal amount...
Why mutuality matters more than reciprocity in a human-centered world
“Reciprocation – You, then me, then you, then me… Be the first to give: Service Information Concessions From the “Principles of Ethical Influence,” a Pocket Guide by Dr. Robert Cialdini This pocket guide has maintained a place of honor in my wallet for years. The...
Why deleting this word from your vocabulary can make you a better leader
Is "Perfect!" one of your favorite catchphrases? If so, please reconsider -- unless you want to promote perfectionism. Perfectionism has become a polarizing topic -- maybe not as extreme as politics and the pandemic, but still controversial for a number of reasons....
Want to signal what’s important to you? Wear your values on your chest!
“Celebrating since 1770” – the tagline for the College of Charleston’s recent birthday party. This tagline, which adorned banners, T-shirts and other memorabilia, was a clever way to deal with the College’s delayed birthday. Back in 2020 before the Covid shutdown, the...
15 ways managers can stay in touch when 1:1 meetings don’t seem feasible
How do you make it easier for managers and employees to stay in touch whether they're working remotely, in-person or hybrid? And regardless of the work mode, they're probably feeling crunched for time. Fifteen coaches weighed in with communication tips in this Forbes...
