by Christi Barrett | Communication, Mutual Understanding
How many times have you asked a question – hoping to engage others – and the only response is silence? That can be pretty unnerving, and if you’re like me, your first impulse is to keep talking, to provide more background, to fill the dreaded empty...
by David Wheatley | Communication, Mutual Understanding
I’m reading The Power of Questions by Scott Richards. One question I try to ask myself regularly is, “Why Am I Talking?” Easily remembered as WAIT, this could be a helpful mantra for many people. Distracted by excitement or impatience or...
by Christi Barrett | Communication, Leadership, Wellness
“The more you practice listening and simply saying less, the more you will learn.” Those braniacs at Brains on Fire are at it again. Their blog is full of simple wisdom, including this post called Shhh. Listen. Keep track of how many times you choose NOT...
by Christi Barrett | Leadership, Organizational Climate
Top leaders think they have their finger on the pulse of the organization. In reality, what they believe about the culture (how things really work) is often based on misconceptions or incomplete information. As Hagberth Consulting Group puts it, CEOs are personally...
by Christi Barrett | Coaching, Leadership
Experience is a wonderful teacher. If you’ve ever tried to convince someone of something by using your gift of gab, you know what I mean. It’s hard to talk people into changing their minds. Once people have experienced something for themselves, they...