You probably remember the story of the collapse of a section of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia this summer that was expected to result in a local traffic nightmare for at least months while the fix was planned and executed. Instead, the repair was accomplished and traffic restored in astonishingly record ...
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… because I have a pretty cool vinyl collection. So, before he actually saw it in action, I found myself trying to explain what this thing was and how it worked to one of my grandkids. And that then led to me trying to explain tape – 8-tracks, cassettes, and ...
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We’re living in a time of relentless talk where we’re encouraged to continually spew our opinions (and photos of most of our meals) through social media. And broadcast infotainment and angertainment is populated by any number of talking heads, many of whom clearly have their sphincters on the pulse of ...
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According to the Pew Research Center, 16% is the pathetic number of Americans who say they trust the federal government always or most of the time. That’s among the lowest level in seven decades. Lowest level in seven decades. That may not be the best news for this democracy. ...
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So, I was lined up in my position at an airport gate the other day and one of the people waiting in front of me used the term “airport vultures,” meaning people waiting to board who crowd the gate regardless of where their seats are or when their boarding position ...
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A lot of the work that’s done with the public is just generally difficult. Jobs with the greatest burnout have always seemed to be those in the service industry – servers, retail employees, catering to everyday people. So it stands to reason that successfully facilitating people in meetings that deal ...
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I’ve been fortunate enough to have been facilitating a community group of concerned people in a small town around a large and highly controversial proposed mining project for more than 10 years. It may actually take another 10 years for it to come to fruition – if it ever does ...
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I encounter teenage girls fairly frequently (that sounds a lot creepier than I intended) and I have found – not universally, but quite often – that they have a rather unusual speaking affectation. I’ve often found this particular sound coming out of them a little weird, but sort of dismissed ...
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In previous issues, we’ve talked about the power and benefits of making informal conversation – small talk, chitchat – with people and various stakeholders prior to the meaty conversations that you’re likely going to have. Small talk breaks the ice a little, greases the wheels, starts to build a tiny ...
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So, there are better, more effective ways of crafting emails, but consider the message that the medium itself sends. If you have the option of actually talking with someone face to face, even when it’s less convenient for you, get up, move, walk, drive if you have to, but go ...
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