I’m sure that my first grade teacher, Sister Mary Mercy, wouldn’t happy if she caught me saying this but let’s face it, some people are just jerks. Look, I’m a committed believer and practitioner of respecting people’s opinions and treating others with civility, regardless of how they honestly feel or how misinformed they might be. But the fact is, there are people who are just full of B.S., and dealing with them is a challenge. I finally found an idea. Read More …
Government, as the least trusted, is in the most precarious shape of all institutions … but there are opportunities to consider. Read More … And, as long as we’re on the subject, consider this recent synopsis from Edelman on the current paradox of trust in the U.S. even during our current period of economic growth. Read More …
A sincere, well stated apology is the most important thing to deliver when you’re dealing with someone who has, or feels like they have been wronged or mistreated. If you’re dealing with someone or some group that has a real grievance, it’s the only way that you’re going to get beyond their animosity directed at you and your organization. Clients often have… read more →
A lot of people hate conflict; they avoid it, ignore it, pretend it doesn’t exist and kick the can down the street hoping somebody else will deal with it some other time. Other people attack and bulldoze forward and still some others just roll over to it. None of these result in the best outcomes. Understanding how we intuitively deal with conflict is probably… read more →
As people rely more and more on email, text, social and all other impersonal ways to connect to others, we know we’re losing something in translation. If you’re wondering what this means to you, consider the research from Western University that says face to face requests are 34 times more effective than emailed ones. We… read more →
As I’m writing this, I’m on hold again with the customer service department of my cable company that delivers my TV service, internet and telephone landlines. My phones were abruptly disconnected due to a technical change on their end after I’d been promised by two previous customer service reps that the change would “cause no… read more →
People believe what they choose to believe. For some people choosing means weighing verified, peer-reviewed facts on all sides of issues, and for others it means agreeing with whatever and whoever reinforces how they want to feel. Read More …
Propaganda, obfuscation, spin and bull$%#t are now facts of public life to a degree that we haven’t seen before in the U.S. and helping people recognize and consider truth vs. lies will now be part of the job description for those of us engaged in the work that we do. Here’s some simple help. Read… read more →
I’m ok remembering three (3) things when I go to the grocery store, but if the list blooms into four or more items, I better write it down. And no, it’s not age (and yes, I do have clothes old enough to vote) and I’m not alone. The rule of three, which has been around… read more →
Public participation, when done effectively and authentically, actively engages people in the conversation or issue that you’re trying to resolve. The Core Values established by the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) does a good job of defining what that really means and differentiates public involvement from traditional public relations. Engaging people requires a different… read more →