Thinking Out Loud

Julian is a high energy guy who speaks quickly because he has so many thoughts occurring simultaneously. He is also quick to react emotionally in highly charged situations, no matter whether what is happening is good or bad. In his role as an EMT (emergency medical technician), Julian stays very focused—calm yet intense—and draws on deep knowledge and experience in emergencies. He is admired for his knowledge and ability to respond effectively in very complex situations, and his co-workers learn a lot from Julian, although sometimes feel intimidated by his intensity when he speaks to them. Read More

Gerry owns and runs a small manufacturing company. His General Manager, Brian, handles the day to day operations—assigning work, managing projects, and billing customers. Gerry and Brian get along well, and in fact, Gerry hopes to sell the business to Brian in about five years. He sees his own younger self in Brian, with similar values and work ethic. Read More

The Los Angeles Lakers have a history of being a winning franchise, rivaling only a few other successful teams in the NBA. This season and last, though, they have endured criticism and changes in the coaching staff, have openly demonstrated their frustration, and lost more games than they should have. Considering the team’s range of talent this conduct and the losses seem puzzling. In fact, with all of that talent, one could argue they would need to do little to be a winning team. But clearly, that’s not what’s happening and their leader Kobe Bryant is trying mightily to exercise his leadership. Being a great player, however, doesn’t mean he knows how best to lead this team. Read More

When contemplating having an important conversation, we tend to think of all the things we would like to say, as well as the negative replies we might hear. Important conversations, however, involve two people trying to come to an understanding in a dynamic environment, with no way of knowing how the conversation will unfold. This give and take experience is a process involving many skills: Read More