It happens all the time. I introduce myself in a social setting and share my name. Seems pretty straightforward, right? Unfortunately, no. Here’s how the exchange usually goes: "Hi, I’m Sara Canaday.” “Sara Kennedy?” “It’s Canaday with a C.” “Are you from Canada?” (usually accompanied by a chuckle and a wink) “Well, no. But it’s [...]
When Brad spoke during meetings, people listened. And I mean really paid attention—the set-down-your-coffee-and-stop-checking-Facebook kind of listening that’s usually reserved for announcements by top executives. Even though Brad was a mid-level manager, he was known for making observations or recommendations that invariably helped to solve pesky problems that had the rest of the team stumped. [...]
In Part 1 of this blog (“Corporate Blind Spots”), I discussed the link between a company’s success and its reputation (perceptions held by customers, partners, vendors and even employees). Many organizations don’t have a clear picture of how they are perceived, and these blind spots are often holding them back. Uncovering that true reputation and [...]
When we are introduced to new co-workers, we typically don’t receive copies of their resumes along with the nice-to-meet-you handshakes. We might sit through an hour-long meeting with the new guy on the team and not have any idea about his experience, accomplishments or degrees. But chances are, at the end of that hour, we’ve [...]
It’s the classic battle of Perception versus Reality. We all hope that our “messages” (verbal and nonverbal) are received by others the way we intended them, but many different factors can prevent that from happening. We may not be aware that our behavior or tone is inadvertently contradicting our message. The “disconnect” can take many [...]
If you read the biographies of passionate people who made huge differences in our world -- Lincoln, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. -- many had harsh critics who considered them over the top or simply too intense. In light of their overall accomplishments, history may have softened those judgments. Being passionate about a cause is [...]
Thousands of messages fight for our attention every day. When it comes to promoting ourselves for jobs and promotions, we face a mountain of competition when we try to get our unique story through the communication clutter to the right people. For some, the solution is cranking up the volume on their personal sales pitch. [...]
For years, we were warned about the evils of tooting our own horns. Don't brag. That's not polite. Always be humble. Truth is, the world is a different place today. Workplaces are frantically busy. People are focused on their own tasks. If we sit around silently and hope someone else will recognize our value, we [...]
Most elementary schools select a group of upper-grade students to participate as part of the Safety Patrol. These kids get to wear special vests and are charged with making sure the smaller kids get safely across the street near the school. They can quote all the traffic regulations verbatim and are shocked when some hooligan [...]
When it comes to the social side of corporate life, most of us are familiar with certain personality types and behaviors that spell trouble: people who gossip or flirt a lot; people who spend lots of time stirring up drama. But are there any dangers on the other end of the spectrum -- for people [...]