Thinking Out Loud

Empathy and Sympathy

Professional opera singers have voice coaches and professional baseball players have batting coaches. What they tend to emphasize are the fundamentals, and so it is with practicing good communication. Read More

Stating the Obvious

Stating the obvious—one of those phrases I say frequently in the office—is an interpersonal communication basic. As a prevention tool, stating the obvious is very effective. Let me give a quick example to illustrate the point. Read More

Good Intentions

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” the saying goes. We all know what that really means: If you don’t ever follow through, then talk is cheap. There’s a point to be made, yet the idea of having good intentions often gets a bad rap. Read More

Respect

“You mean, you want me to treat you like the man on the street?” That’s a quote from a wife to a husband in a counseling session. Her husband’s reply was, “Well, yes.” Then there was a long silence while this statement settled in with all of us. I spoke next, “What does it mean to be treated like the man on the street?” Read More