Conversations
Changing People Who Don’t Want to Change
I want to sort this out, but (insert name here) just doesn’t want to do anything. It would be great if we could just discuss the situation, but (insert name here) doesn’t want to talk about it. I try to be reasonable, but (insert name here) is just so difficult. So, mediation isn’t an option, is it?…
Read MoreKeeping the Peace at Christmas
Keeping the Peace at Christmas What’s important to you this Christmas? Is it making sure the kids are happy? is it keeping the peace between your brothers and sisters?What about making sure you don’t argue with your mother-in-law? And then there’s the presents and the food… Does the whole idea make you grumpy? Christmas…
Read MoreHealth & Safety Message Ignored? Try a Different Approach
Health & Safety Message Ignored? Try a Different Approach Is your health & safety message ignored? At Christmas time, no one wants to think about dangers and rules, so it’s even harder to make sure that health and safety issues are addressed. Many health and safety professionals try and get the message across by…
Read MoreSpeak Out or Suffer in Silence? Tips to help you choose what’s best
“Speak out? It’s more than my job’s worth.” “Say something? Last time I tried that, I got shouted at.” “It’s nothing to do with me, why should I risk saying anything?” “Speak out? Why bother– it won’t make any difference.” How can we work out what will be the best option? On the one hand,…
Read MoreNo one listening? Try something different
“There is no one listening! I keep telling them they have got it wrong. But they just don’t take it on board!” My client was getting more and more frustrated and angry with his customers who seemed oblivious to a critical problem. I asked what made him think there was no one listening. “They won’t change. So they…
Read MoreTalking about money
Talking about money Not talking about money can cause serious problems in business, relationships, and health. So can talking about money if we get it wrong. Many of us see money in the way prehistoric man saw fire—we know it is something powerful, but we’re not too sure what to do with it or how…
Read MoreStarting a Sensitive Discussion–Some Hints
No one likes to be the one starting a sensitive discussion. We’ve all been there..everyone thinks someone should say something, anybody could, but no one does….and then it all goes wrong. That’s why these situations are described as “the elephant in the room” –it’s too big to talk about and if no one says anything,…
Read MoreProblem Customers
Do some people make your heart sink? How much time do you spend finding reasons not to call them? How hard have you tried to make it work? Are there some people that you spend lots of time and effort for little return? At business networking events or on-line forums, people moan about their problem customers and ask…
Read MoreListening–it’s magic
Want to win clients, gain influence and find friends? Stop talking and start listening… There is so much noise out there, so many people shouting about how great they are–and what do people really want? They want to be heard, they want someone to listen. If you are listening, really listening, you are working magic.…
Read MoreGiving Bad News in a Good Way
We all like to be liked and thought of as kind people, so resist giving bad news or negative feedback. We tend to put it off, sugar coat it or do the infamous “feedback sandwich.” (Adam Grant on why the feedback sandwich doesn’t work) Most of these tactics actually make it worse. So we avoid talking…
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