ErocaGabriel's JumboTweets
Empathy
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: BUILD YOUR CAPACITY FOR EMPATHIZING WITH OTHERS. Empathy is an innate talent, but it can be developed and it’s essential to building lasting business relationships. Here’s how to develop your capacity for empathizing with others: Practice naming what you observe others thinking and feeling. Then, help others name what they’re thinking and feeling. Empathy is the capacity to understand and it's a powerful aid in creating commonality at work.Stubbornness
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: ARE YOU BEING TOO STUBBORN? It can be difficult to recognize stubbornness in yourself. Look for these signs that you’re being too stubborn – or inflexible in your decision-making – at work. 1) You stand your ground for the wrong reasons such as you hate being wrong; 2) You insist on making your point no matter what; 3) You point out all the reasons another’s idea won’t work; 4) You visibly feel anger when others try to persuade you when you don’t agree with them; 5) You commit halfheartedly to another’s idea because you know you’re not going to support it by doing your part. Take heed.Busy Or Productive
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: BEING BUSY ISN’T THE SAME AS BEING PRODUCTIVE. Busy falls short of goals. Productive achieves goals. What helps turn busy into productive? Being busy is action WITHOUT reflection. Being productive is action WITH reflection. Stop, take a breath, step back and reflect on a daily basis. Are you achieving what you want to achieve? If not, reflect on what you need to do to achieve your goals. Then, do it.Pushover
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: ARE YOU ACTING LIKE A PUSHOVER AT WORK? Here are six communication patterns that say you are.1) You don’t speak up during team meetings or one-on-ones; 2) You realize your point of view on a topic after the discussion ends and you still won’t speak up; 3) You blame your colleagues for not giving you a chance to speak up; 4) You feel overwhelmed at what you have to do; 5) You have little time to focus on your critical priorities; 6) Your peers get promoted before you. Take heed.Out Loud
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: READ YOUR WRITTEN WORK OUT LOUD BEFORE PUBLISHING. Whenever you’re writing – an article, a memo, an email, a marketing brochure, etc. – read it out loud in your voice before you publish it. Reading out loud is a final professional touch to publishing written work and, above all, it will help you see the cohesiveness of your thought and word. Lastly, you will hear how others hear you, an important communication tool in establishing rapport and building relationship.Strategy
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: PUT PEOPLE, NOT TECHNOLOGY, FIRST IN CRAFTING COMMUNICATION STRATEGY. Communication is a broad field that includes 1) mass communications, 2) intra- and interpersonal communication and 3) organizational communication. It's important to note that digital technology acts as an enhancer to strategy. It's not a primary, but a secondary communication capability. To craft communication strategy in your organization or personal life, put people, not technology, first.Comm Strategy
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: PUT PEOPLE, NOT TECHNOLOGY, FIRST IN CRAFTING COMMUNICATION STRATEGY. Communication is a broad field that includes 1) mass communications, 2) intra- and interpersonal communication and 3) organizational communication. It's important to note that digital technology acts as an enhancer to strategy. It is not a primary, but a secondary communication capability. To craft communication strategy in your organization or personal life, put people, not technology, first.Digital Technology
PUT PEOPLE, NOT TECHNOLOGY, FIRST IN CRAFTING COMMUNICATION STRATEGY. Communication is a broad field that includes 1) mass communications (yes, with s), 2) intra- and interpersonal communication (no, without s), and 3) organizational communication (again, without s). It's important to note that digital technology enhances communication capability and is not primary, but secondary. To craft communication strategy in your organization or personal life, put people, not technology, first.Digital Technology
PUT PEOPLE, NOT TECHNOLOGY, FIRST IN CRAFTING COMMUNICATION STRATEGY. Communication is a broad field that includes 1) mass communications (yes, with the s), 2) intra- and interpersonal communication (yes, without the s), and 3) organizational communication (again, without the s). It's important to note that digital technology enhances communication capability and is not primary. To craft communication strategy in your organization or personal life, put people, not technology, first.Empathy
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: EMPATHY CAN HELP EMPLOYEES LEARN FROM MISTAKES. Instead of displaying anger and frustration when an employee makes a mistake, display empathy. Take time to understand how the mistake happened and coach the employee on what to do the next time. Learning is key. Empathy aids learning. Anger and frustration inhibit learning.What's Right
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: LEAD WITH ‘WHAT’S RIGHT’ TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE. If employees only hear ‘what’s wrong’ from you, they will brand you bad news and avoid you. You’ll have little, if any, opportunity to improve performance. Generally, use a 2-to-1 ratio, i.e., two ‘what’s right’ to one ‘what’s wrong,’ when talking with employees about performance. ‘What’s right’ shows that you respect your employees and that you want them to succeed in their jobs -- respect, an attitude and behavior that improves performance.Passive-Aggressiveness
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: NAME PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVENESS AS A WAY TO MANAGE IT EFFECTIVELY. Managing a passive-aggressive employee is difficult because you never really know what is going on. The most effective way to manage passive-aggressive behavior is to name it without blaming and shaming the employee. Make a neutral comment such as 'I can see that you are uncomfortable with,' 'What do you think about,' or' How are you feeling about.' Stay calm and focused. Be clear about your thoughts and feelings. State your expectations.Trustworthiness
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: DEMONSTRATE TRUSTWORTHINESS BY DISPLAYING WARMTH AND STRENGTH. The most important quality to display at work is trustworthiness. Trustworthiness is primary to success. Intelligence and motivation are also important, yet secondary to trustworthiness. To be seen as trustworthy, demonstrate BOTH warmth AND strength by developing two types of competence, interpersonal AND operational.Cut To The Chase
CUT TO THE CHASE WHEN ASKING FOR WHAT YOU WANT. Cut to the chase when asking for what you want. Communicate: 1) The most important information up front. ‘Frank, I need your help in calming an upset customer.’ 2) The backstory. ‘He’s upset because we didn’t detail his car the way he wanted.’ 3) The reason for your request. ‘He’s given us several referrals and I don’t want to lose him as a customer.' 4) The big picture. 'I think talking to the boss will keep him coming back.’Cut To The Chase
CUT TO THE CHASE WHEN ASKING FOR WHAT YOU WANT. Cut to the chase when asking for what you want. Communicate: 1) The most important information up front. ‘Frank, I need your help in calming an upset customer.’ 2) The backstory. ‘He’s upset because we didn’t detail his car the way he wanted.’ 3) The reason for your request. ‘He’s given us several referrals and I don’t want to lose him as a customer. 4) The big picture. I think talking to the boss will keep him coming back.’Feedback
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: CRAFT A PROFESSIONAL STRATEGY FOR MANAGING NEGATIVE FEEDBACK. Negative feedback can throw you off guard and into default reactions that badly mark your professionalism. Manage negative feedback by crafting a strategy and practicing it in your mind. How would you manage feedback differently? Remember: Don’t get defensive and don’t over apologize.Feedback
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: CRAFT A PROFESSIONAL STRATEGY FOR MANAGING NEGATIVE FEEDBACK. Negative feedback can throw you off guard and into default reactions that badly mark your professionalism. Prepare to manage negative feedback by crafting a strategy and practicing it in your mind using previous feedback. How would you manage it differently? Remember: Don’t get defensive and don’t over apologize.Mistakes
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE. We make mistakes no doubt. Yet, a marker of intelligence is to not make the SAME mistake repetitively. Adopt an 'I don't make a mistake twice' mindset. Then, learn from all the mistakes you make until you reach your goal.Silence
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: Silence does not necessarily mean yes. It can mean no, I don't know or I don't care among other things. Are you fluent in silence?Silence
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: Silence does not necessarily mean yes. It can mean no, I don't know or I don't care among other things. Are you fluent in silience?Direct Communication
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: DIRECT COMMUNICATION IS THE NEW SEXY. When it comes to being aware of and understanding another's boundaries or claiming your own boundaries in the American workplace, direct communication – albeit, respectful, direct communication – is a quotidian response. Keep in mind the need to ‘say what you mean and mean what you say’ when relating to others or you’ll find yourself going around in circles that lead nowhere.New Job
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: IS IT TIME TO START LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB? Yes! If: 1) you’re in a job that is monotonous, i.e., you could do it in your sleep; 2) you’re not learning on the job, i.e., your work doesn’t stimulate you mentally or emotionally; 3) you’re under-performing, i.e., your ‘highest and best’ use is negated; 4) you feel undervalued, i.e., you’re not recognized for your contribution and you’re burned out or counterproductive. Your career progression is not up to your employer. It’s up to you. Go after what you want!New Job
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: IS IT TIME TO START LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB? Yes! If: 1) you’re in a job that is monotonous, i.e., you could do it in your sleep; 2) you’re not learning on the job, i.e., your work doesn’t stimulate you mentally or emotionally; 3) you’re under-performing, i.e., your ‘highest and best’ use is negated; 4) you feel undervalued, i.e., you’re not recognized for your contribution and you’re burned out or counterproductive. Your career progression is not up to your employer. It’s up to you. Go after what you want!Nonverbal Cues
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: NON-VERBAL CUES ARE CULTURALLY-BASED. You’ve learned to ‘read’ non-verbal cues such as tone of voice or facial expression in your culture from birth. Yet, those cues may not translate to a culture outside of your own. If you’re met with a blank stare when you’re expecting a nod of the head, ask a follow-up question. It will help you zero in on WIGO (what is going on) and give you a place to go in your conversation.Competence
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: HOW WELL DO YOU COMMUNICATE? Is it easy for you to talk to people with different world views? Are you aware of their points of view and do you understand them even if you don't buy-into them? Are you able to travel between and be a part of a variety of personal and professional circles? If so, your communication competence is optimal (sharp) in contrast to minimal (dull) or satisfactory (in-between).Competence
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: HOW WELL DO YOU COMMUNICATE? Is it easy for you to talk to people with different world views? Are you aware of their points of view and do you understand them even if you don't buy-into them? Are you able to travel between and be a part of a variety of personal and professional circles? If so, your communication competence is optimal (sharp) in contrast to minimal (dull) or satisfactory (usable).Competence
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: HOW WELL DO YOU COMMUNICATE? Is it easy for you to talk to people with different world views? Are you aware of their points of view and do you understand them even if you don't buy-into them? Are you able to travel between and among a variety of personal and professional circles? If so, your communication competence is optimal (sharp) in contrast to minimal (dull) or satisfactory (usable).Perfection
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS PERFECT EXCEPT IN A MARTINI. As a former professional bartender, I’ve spent countless hours making one Perfect Martini after another, i.e., 2 oz. vodka or gin, ½ oz. each of sweet and dry vermouth, shake, pour and sip. Were it all that simple when it comes to making a career. Stop waiting for the perfect job. You’ll fall into an all or nothing trap that leads nowhere. Proactively seek a role that’s ‘good enough’ and gets your career moving. It will advance your knowledge, skills and abilities and set you up for a real and reachable ‘dream’ job in the future.Feedback
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: FOCUS ON YOUR PEOPLE MANAGEMENT SKILLS: People management is a professional capability much like financial management. It significantly impacts people, process and profit. To develop greater knowledge, skills and abilities, get regular feedback from others, e.g., a mentor, a boss, a colleague, a coach, a consultant and yes, from your employees, too. Gallup reports only one in ten people possess the talent to manage (Gallup Business Journal, 4/13/15). Are you one of them?Perfection
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS PERFECT EXCEPT IN A MARTINI. As a former professional bartender, I’ve spent countless hours making one Perfect Martini after another, i.e., 2 oz. vodka or gin, ½ oz. each of sweet and dry vermouth, shake, pour and sip. Were it all that simple when it comes to making a career. Stop waiting for the perfect job. You’ll fall into an all or nothing trap that leads nowhere. Proactively seek a role that’s ‘good enough’ and gets your career moving. It will advance your knowledge, skills and abilities and set up you up for a real and reachable ‘dream’ job in the future.Fluency
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: LANGUAGE FLUENCY MATTERS. Fluency, the ability to express yourself easily and articulately, is an important factor in presenting yourself as a trustworthy leader. Trustworthiness is the first step in building rapport and establishing relationship, the basis of doing business in community. Pair fluency with genuineness for greater levels of trust between you and those you lead.Stuck
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: NEED FRESH AIR? FANCY A STROLL? Are you stuck on a problem with no solutions in sight? Imagine yourself on a catwalk in your mind. Look up, down, left, right and around. Let go of rationality and open up to your intuition. What do you see, hear and feel? Jot down associations including images, words, sounds, feelings, people, things, etc. You’ll be taken to a ‘higher’ playing field where you’ll understand how the parts fit into the whole. Once there, let solutions arise.Conflict
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: LEARN TO MANAGE CONFLICT WELL. Your team is as effective as its ability to manage conflict. Conflict is managed via five styles: 1) avoiding, 2) accommodating, 3) compromising, 4) collaborating or 5) competing. Each style can be effective depending upon what is going on (WIGO). As a people-manager, a working knowledge of what works and what doesn’t in managing conflict is essential. After all, when it comes to people, conflict is.Conflict
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: LEARN TO MANAGE CONFLICT WELL. Your team is as effective as their ability to manage conflict. Conflict is managed via five styles: 1) avoiding, 2) accommodating, 3) compromising, 4) collaborating or 5) competing. Each style can be effective depending upon what is going on (WIGO). As a people-manager, a working knowledge of what works and what doesn’t in managing conflict is essential. After all, when it comes to people, conflict is.Resilience
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: PAIR RESILIENCE WITH REFLECTION. Resilience, alone, will not do the trick. Reflect on what you did and how you did it to make necessary changes in attitude and behavior as you overcome adversity. Rise again, but with greater wisdom or you’ll hit a plateau with little hope for gain and benefit.Work For Self
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: IN THE 21ST CENTURY, YOU ALWAYS WORK FOR YOURSELF. A mindset aimed at helping you develop your career potential to the max in the 21st century is ‘work for myself’ whether you do in actuality or not. Here’s why: Motivation is intrinsic. A ‘work for myself’ mindset can ‘goose’ your motivation at all the right times, i.e., higher performance, promotion, changing companies, quitting your day job, etc. With stronger motivation comes greater success. Go for it!
Names
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: REMEMBER PEOPLE’S NAMES. Quaint? Yes, and it works. Remembering a person’s name is the first step in establishing rapport with her because it helps you to connect to her emotionally. 1. Get it right the first time. Ask, if you don’t catch her name when introduced. 2. Use it right away. ‘Hello, Jane. It’s nice to meet you.’ 3. Link it to something familiar, e.g., ‘My niece’s name is Jane, too.’ 4. Don’t overdo it. Use her name naturally in conversation, not artificially.Confidence
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: COACH TO BUILD CONFIDENCE. Don't dismiss an employee who doesn’t have confidence. Build it. 1. Hone in. Does he have the building blocks from which to build confidence, i.e., focus, logic and self/social awareness? 2. Give him specific feedback about his work performance, iteratively (repeatedly to himself), e.g., ‘You did a good job of organizing volunteers to give the right information to potential patrons at the fund raiser.’ 3. Dig in. Help him accept your compliment. Insist, gently.Trust
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: WIN TRUST BY BEING HUMAN. It’s impossible to trust someone who’s always rational, serious and in control. As a manager, have the courage to show your human-side. Laugh, show concern for others, and ask for opinions if you want to win trust from your employees. It’s okay to be yourself, your professional, human self.
Read The Table
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: LEARN HOW TO ‘READ THE TABLE.’ Before a waiter approaches, he ‘reads the table’ – he reads everything from how you, the guests, look to how you, the guests, feel. As a manager ‘reading the table’ is a valuable interpersonal skill-set that can make or break a tough conversation, a job or even a career. A lot of managers take a direct, verbal approach to managing people, e.g., I speak, you listen, or because I told you so. They often fail to pay attention to indirect, non-verbal cues that can help them understand what is going on (WIGO), e.g., a worried look, crossed-arms. WIGO is not only the rational, but the emotional. Listen and observe before you speak.Guacamole
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: DON'T PUT PEAS IN YOUR GUACAMOLE. One of the biggest problems people managers have is over-talking a point. Simplify your words and say what you want to say. Say it directly. Say it clearly. Then, stop. Wait for a response. Listen. Learn. Repeat. Don't put peas in your guacamole. Peas flatten the taste; likewise, over-talking. It flattens the point.Bully At Work
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: IF YOU SEE A BULLY IN THE HALLWAY, SHOW HIM THE DOOR. Workplace bullies wreak havoc in organizations by upending focus at individual and team-levels. They seek attention or control and use gaslighting and scapegoating to manipulate other staff. Name the behavior of a bully and spell out consequences. No one should have to endure being bullied at work. Heads up, a manager can also be a bully.Bully At
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: IF YOU SEE A BULLY IN THE HALLWAY, SHOW HIM THE DOOR. Workplace bullies wreak havoc in organizations by upending focus at individual and team-levels. They seek attention or control and use gaslighting and scapegoating to manipulate other staff. Name the behavior of a bully and spell out consequences. No one should have to endure being bullied at work. Heads up, a manager can also be a bully.Your You're
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: ME: This just in from Grammar Nerd Emily, my dead grandmother. GRANNY: Dear Eroca, 'Stop using your and you're incorrectly. I mean it! Love, Granny. PS Your is a possessive adjective. It refers to something a person has or owns. You're is a contraction, a short combined form. You're equals you are.' ME: OK. I get it, Granny. ME THINKING: Whew! Grammar Nerds, they're everywhere.Fu Manchu
MY FAVORITE AMERICAN ESCAPE ARTIST, FU MANCHU, ORANGUTAN:: One balmy night in October 1968, Fu Manchu, an orangutan at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha slipped through a barricade of air ducts, scrambled across a dry moat and sidled up to a locked door. He plucked a wire from underneath his tongue and swiftly picked the lock. After which, Fu Manchu led his family and friends onto the wide walking paths circling the zoo and up a tree or two. When zookeepers arrived at work in the morning, they were stunned to see Fu Manchu and other orangutans hanging out. Fu Manchu’s escapes, as there were several, were widely reported in the Omaha World Herald at the time and discussed around dinner tables in the far reaches of Nebraska, including my family’s dinner table. ‘Who knew,’ my step-father, Leon, said, ‘that animals were so smart?’ Below is a picture by Tom Forster of Willie, Fu Manchu’s son, as there are no known pictures of Fu Manchu available.Grammar Nerd Emily
ME: This just in from Grammar Nerd Emily, my dead grandmother. GRANNY: 'Stop using your and you're incorrectly. I mean it! Granny. PS Your is a possessive adjective. It refers to something a person has or owns. You're is a contraction, a short combined form. You're equals you are.' ME: OK. I get it, Granny. ME THINKING: Whew! Grammar Nerds, they're everywhere. Eroca ; )Louis Armstrong
MY FAVORITE AMERICAN JAZZ MUSICIAN, LOUIS ARMSTRONG: I became besotted with 20th century American jazz when I was a girl because of Louis Armstrong (1901 – 1971). For a nine-year old who loved to dance to her own tune, Armstrong was magic – magic because of his dexterity as an improviser. He would bend the lyrics and melody of a song for exquisite personal expression in unique ways every time he picked up his horn. Armstrong had a long and illustrious career beginning in the ‘jazz age,’ the 1920s. His most famous songs include ‘Hello, Dolly,’ ‘What a Wonderful World,’ and ‘Ain’t Misbehaving.’Feedback
PEOPLE MANAGERS, GET CANDID FEEDBACK. ASK FOR IT! Getting useful feedback is the fastest and most effective way to improve your performance. Yet, you won’t know what’s working and what’s not if you don’t ask, Ask what can I do better in the future not what did I do wrong. Be clear that you want useful feedback and don’t judge any feedback you get. Take feedback seriously by doing the following: Listen. Observe. Respond. Finally, give people many opportunities to give you feedback.Mari Sandoz
MY FAVORITE AMERICAN BIOGRAPHER, MARI SANDOZ. Sandoz (1896 – 1966) was a first generation American born to Jules Ami Sandoz, a Swizz immigrant and Nebraska homesteader. Mari, with only an 8th grade education, was determined to write at an early age. Her father, Jules, was an eccentric, domineering and oft-times cruel man who told her ‘writers and artists are the maggots of society.’ On his death bed, much to Mari’s surprise, Jules asked her to write his biography. Six years later, Mari published the critically well-received and commercially successful Old Jules (1935). Learn more: www.sandozcenter.comReferences
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: GIVE YOUR JOB REFERENCES A HEADS UP. Chad asked me to be his reference and I was more than willing to give him a good one. Unfortunately, I didn’t know what the job entailed or whether it was a fit for Chad. Tips for the Chads of the world: 1) Find out what the hiring manager wants to check; 2) Give your references a heads up on what they need to say in the reference; 3) Lastly, never ask someone to be a reference if you don’t know for sure what he or she is going to say.Roberta Flack
MY FAVORITE AMERICAN SONGSTRESS, ROBERTA FLACK. When I headed to college, Flack (b. 1937) had recorded the Grammy-winning 'Killing Me Softly With His Song.' Her versatile, soul-filled voice was a daily swoon in my undergraduate life. Flack influenced a generation of Baby Boom women, the first female collective in America to 'kick in closed societal doors,' with her timeless songs of life, love and politics. Check Flack out on Spotify for a musical upper.Ask For Help
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: KNOW WHEN AND HOW TO ASK FOR HELP. Knowing when and how to ask for help strengthens trust. There are 3 steps: 1) Help others. Build a reputation as an employee who’s willing to lend a hand. 2) Make your request specific, doable and time-bound. ‘I need a list of all customers who purchased green-colored toads with black spots in the last quarter by noon tomorrow.’ 3) Explain why you need the help, i.e., ‘the list will help me get the project done on time and under budget.Truman Capote
MY FAVORITE AMERICAN NONFICTION NOVELIST, TRUMAN CAPOTE: When I was a girl, Capote (1924 – 1984) published one of the first nonfiction novels in America, In Cold Blood (1966), based on the 1959 Clutter family murders in Holcomb, Kansas. Capote was arguably the most significant originator of narrative nonfiction as the genre is called today. It was from studying the methods Capote used in writing In Cold Blood that I learned how to research and write the true life story. Capote is also well-known for his novella, Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1958); a quote follows from same: ‘Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot.’ Learn more: www.biography.com/people/truman-capote-9237547Agile Leader
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: BECOME LESS DICTATORIAL AND MORE AGILE AS A LEADER. The 21st century calls for emotionally and intellectually agile leaders. Here’s 3 tips to move you toward agility. 1) Self-awareness AND social awareness. Yes, know thyself. Yet, how does your behavior affect others? 2) Speaking AND Listening. Yes, you’re the boss. Yet, how much time do you spend listening rather than speaking? 3) Power over AND Power with. Yes, it’s your decision. Yet, when do you include others? People management is simple, yet, complex. Do you see?Favorite Georgia O'Keeffe
MY FAVORITE AMERICAN PAINTER, GEORGIA O’KEEFFE: O’Keeffe (1887 – 1986), a legendary American Modernist painter, developed a style all her own at a time when conformity ruled. O’Keeffe, who felt stifled by the mimicry of her time, found an early champion in Arthur Wesley Dow (1857 – 1922), the influential arts educator, who encourage her to express herself. O’Keeffe was the first woman in America to be given an independent exhibition for her works at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA, NYC). Below ‘Flowers Galore’ by O’Keeffe.Difficult Conversations
Communication of the Day from Treat Consulting: LET’S FACE IT. DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS ARE PART OF MANAGING PEOPLE. Here’s how to make difficult conversations easier. Don’t let the word difficult side-swipe you. Frame the conversation as a dialogue (two-way), not a monologue (one-way). What are the key points you want to talk about? No more than three. What is the other person’s point of view? Ask him. Say what you have to say in a courageous, honest and fair way. Wait for his response. Continue on point and don’t apologize for having the conversation.Networking
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: DEVELOP A NETWORKING STRATEGY BEFORE NETWORKING. Most people network like they're throwing spaghetti against a wall. They hope it sticks and when it doesn't, well, they tried. Network strategically. Focus your networking. Who or what type of business person do you want to meet? Check your contacts for an introduction or attend a networking event with your focus in mind. Stick to your focus to build rapport, establish relationship and create business partnerships.Picotte
MY FAVORITE AMERICAN WOMAN PHYSICIAN PIONEER, SUSAN LA FLESCHE PICOTTE. Move over Dr. Quinn. Dr. Picotte was the real thing. Picotte (1865 - 1915) was the first Native American woman to become a physician in the US. She advocated for better health care for her people, the Omaha, and founded a reservation hospital in Walthill, NE in 1913 (hospital now on the National Historic Register). Picotte's greatest natural talent: her ability to communicate cross-culturally.In this, Picotte was ahead of her time, way ahead. There's more here: www.biography.com/…/susan-la-flesche-picotte-biography-factsRGB
MY FAVORITE AMERICAN SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, RUTH BADER GINSBURG: 'You can't have it all, all at once. Who—man or woman—has it all, all at once? Over my lifespan I think I have had it all. But in different periods of time things were rough. And if you have a caring life partner, you help the other person when that person needs it. Live on and opine, Notorious!We Not Me
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: USE ‘WE’ NOT ‘ME’ TO BUILD RAPPORT AND ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR TEAM. A glaring mistake many managers make when they’re new on the job is to focus primarily on ‘getting attention’ and ‘gaining control,’ i.e., ‘me.’ Instead, during the first thirty days in a new job, focus primarily on 'building rapport' and 'establishing relationship' with your team, i.e., ‘we.' The more you signal 'we,' the more your team will choose to follow you. For example, signal ‘we’ not ‘me’ in conversation by saying ‘we, us or you,’ not ‘I, my, or me.'Metaphors
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: USE METAPHORS TO ENGAGE AN AUDIENCE. Metaphors offer a shortcut to understanding and light up the mind with pictures, sounds or feelings, the mind’s natural language. For example, when you read ‘each blade of grass was a tiny bayonet pointed firmly at our bare feet’ what do you see, hear or feel? Metaphors simplify and clarify. They make the ordinary odd and the odd ordinary. To stand out as a speaker or writer, avoid the cliché metaphor (e.g., ‘a chip off the old block’). Use metaphors that are unique and revealing. They’ll resonate with your audience emotionally and help you to engage their minds.Ted Kooser 1
MY FAVORITE AMERICAN POET, TED KOOSER: 'It is all around us, free, this wonderful life; clear jingle of tire chains, the laughter of ice that breaks under our boots. Each hour's a gift to those who take it up.' The Wheeling Year: A Poet's Fieldbook (2014).Enthusiasm
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: GREAT MANAGERS ARE INNATELY ENTHUSIASTIC. Who’s your favorite…Teacher? The best teacher I’ve ever had was Elton S. Carter, Ph.D. (Communication) who taught at the University of Nebraska at Omaha when I was in graduate school. Dr. Carter was overwhelmingly enthusiastic about his work. You can’t inject enthusiasm into a teacher. The same goes for a manager. A manager’s enthusiasm for his/her work is innate – oh, and by the way, making sure employees are successful is a big part of his/her work. Seek enthusiasm in all.Willa 1
MY FAVORITE AMERICAN AUTHOR, WILLA CATHER: While a student at the University of Nebraska in the early 1890s, Willa Cather wrote theater and music reviews for the Nebraska State Journal newspaper that were often so unrelenting in their critique that she developed a reputation among the traveling performers as a real "meat ax" critic.Coaching
Communication Tip of the Day by Treat Consulting: WHEN COACHING EMPLOYEES, THINK BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER. Coaching consists of three steps: before, during and after. What’s the common thread across the three steps? If coaching doesn’t lead to change, it hasn’t been effective. Before coaching: focus on what to say and how to say it. During coaching: Say it honestly and sincerely. After coaching: Follow up. Lastly, keep notes on who, what, where, when and why. Coach with an eye on change.People Management
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: MAKE PEOPLE MANAGEMENT A PRIORITY ON YOUR TEAM. 1) Don't ignore people issues. For example, it's time for a 'heart-to-heart' if Concetta is socializing too much and not doing her job. 2) Managing people is a daily activity -- not a weekly, monthly or annual one -- and it calls for you to (as Gallup says) engage. 3) Listening and observing are the basic communication skills you'll need to engage as a manager. 4) Good people management is practical -- not magical -- and it can be learned.Less Personal
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: MAKE OFFICE POLITICS LESS PERSONAL. Tina: 'On Sunday, Justin let loose. He told me I was unprofessional in my work relationships & he threw down a snarky remark about my performance. I was pissed, but I responded calmly & directly.The next day Justin apologized & I accepted. I could have made 'it' personal, but I didn't.' Tina's poise saved the day.She could have responded in kind, but she put resiliency, the name of the game, into play.Late Night 1
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: Nix the late night emails to your staff. It's 11:50p and you've remembered a task your staff needs to do tomorrow. Do you send them an email? Well, no. Most staff will think a late-night response is required. Put the task on your 'to do' list and send an email in the morning. Let them rest at night so they're productive during the day.Late Night
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: Nix the late night emails to your staff. It's 11:50p and you've remembered a task your staff needs to do tomorrow. Do you send them an email? Well, no. Put the task on your 'to do' list and send an email in the morning. Most staff will think a late-night response is required. Let them rest so they're productive in the morrow.Inner Circle
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: Prove yourself worthy of the CEO's inner circle. It's important to do your job and make your numbers. However, more importantly, be a confidant to the CEO; e.g., let him/her know bad news up front, be loyal (nix behind his/her back coalitions), etc. Earn your way into a relationship with the CEO based upon integrity and trust.Debate
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: Encourage more debate at work. Center debate on how work is performed, not on personality or values. Healthy debate gives rise to creativity and produces better decisions and stronger financial outcomes.Synergy
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: Seek synergy as you expand your network beyond the usual players. Synergy: The creation of a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. #communication #network #consultingDowager Crowley Quote
Communication Tip of the Day from Treat Consulting: 'A lack of compassion can be as vulgar as an excess of tears.' Dowager Violet Crowley, Downton Abbey. Whadyano? 'And-both thinking from the Edwardian Age.
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