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two women shaking hands after skill-based hiring

Three Tips for Skill-Based Hiring

In a September 2016 Forbes magazine article, an internationally known recruiter (Jorgen Sundberg) was quoted as saying that the cost of onboarding an employee is $240,000.00, while the Department of Labor indicated that the cost of a bad hire was 30% of her or his annual wages. The article went on to state “While the…

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Ripple on a silence pond

The Power of Silence

A good facilitator makes it look easy-breezy, which is part of the magic. If the facilitator has accomplished this feat, then she is good! When one goes and graduates from “facilitator training school,” as I have, the first lesson is that “it takes twice as long to prepare, as it does to deliver.” Fortunately, over time and with practice, the preparation time is cut down considerably.

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I'm Sorry in blocks

The Two Most Difficult Words in the English Language: I’m Sorry

“It’s not if we make mistakes; rather, how we handle them,” to (not very humbly) quote myself. Lessons I’ve Learned Over the Years: When I goof, saying “I’m sorry” stands alone, and is powerful. Providing an explanation serves to dilute the apology, and often reads as an excuse, a la, “Sorry I’m late; I ran…

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delegation represented with game pieces

The Dialogue of Delegation: Be Focused and Intentional

The ability to delegate is a key leadership competency. Yet, many supervisors and managers fail to do so. When asked why they don’t delegate the most common reasons are: “It’s easier to do it myself.” “It takes more time to explain what I want someone else to do than to do it myself.” “I can do it better anyway.” As challenging, and even…

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missunderstood Absolutes in Everyday Communication

Word Choice: The Use of Superlatives and Absolutes in Everyday Communication

Before becoming a leadership consultant, and while in my corporate career, I relied upon others working in this important field for sage advice. One can liken these practitioners to “workplace psychologists,” offering must-have leadership tips, whether through one-on-one coaching or team building, all with the aim of improving workplace relationships, motivation, and productivity. Through the…

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focus on the issue

“Focus on the Issue, Situation or Behavior, Not the Person:” How a Zenger Miller Basic Principle Informs Consequential Communication

While employed as the Human Resources Director at Times Mirror, a former holding company for a number of media groups – newspapers, television stations, radio stations, magazines, book companies, and training companies – I had the good fortune of becoming a certified Zenger Miller facilitator, which the company considered the lead Times Mirror training organization…

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technology at our fingertips

Technology at our Fingertips: Intentional Communication

In this day and age of technology at our fingertips, methods, and modes of communication come in a variety of formats: emails, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, and websites, including personalized websites, to name some of the many. The list goes on and on, and it’s growing in leaps and bounds. While technology is…

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