Innate strategist with a passion for change, communication and alphabetizing my spices. Prosci and PMI certified.
I remember sitting in my Sociology courses, listening to my professors telling tales of the profound, history-making discoveries by renowned Anthropologists. <sigh> Dream life. One women in particular captivated my young feminist attention—Margaret Mead. I won't delight you with the details of her work, just know I wanted to BE her. Badly. Traveling the world, … Continue reading Are We There Yet?
An AAR is a great tool when used effectively. Used ineffectively, it becomes another blame game that corrodes morale and true collaboration.
Where do we pick up our bad habits? Parents? Older siblings? Influential friends? Maybe, but I'll offer another—teachers. Yes, I said it—teachers. "Ok, class, your assignment is to write a 5,000-word essay." <collective groan> Well, esteemed teachers, it is my opinion, therefore, that you are, solely, though perhaps unjustly, insomuch as responsible for one of … Continue reading Breaking Bad (Habits)
I had just given a 3-minute intro on myself and my field of work—no small feat. I mean, few actually know what human change & communication is, so to explain it in a couple of minutes was something to be proud of. Prior to my speech, I felt empowered. I was sitting at a table … Continue reading Why Are You So Mean To Me?
We all have a fantasy world. Mine has Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). In fact, the words Policies, Procedures and Plans make my mind wander off to explore the infinite possibilities... Wait? Aren't standardization and infinite possibilities on opposite ends of the spectrum? Oh no, my friends. In fact, I'd argue they're dependent upon one another! … Continue reading What’s SOP?
How does an introvert develop a passion for effective communication? By disaster. I spent several years with the American Red Cross as both an employee and volunteer. And it was in the disaster planning arena where I gained my favorite story on communication gone wrong. In the disaster response world, agencies and organizations prepare by … Continue reading Communicating Under Fire
Dangerous? A verb? Yes. Think about it. How often have you said... They should have thought of that. (Because you have the advantage of hindsight?) My husband/wife should XYZ. (Because your way is best?) They should know that. (Because you do?) Don't get me wrong—I'm guilty. Probably more often than I care to admit in … Continue reading Should—The Most Dangerous Verb
Marketing is big business. Not kind-of big, $500-some-billion a year big. Backed by research. Supported by data. Created as a gift to all of mankind! Okay, too far, but you get my point. But do we apply marketing techniques to our own internal changes? Let's explore. We have the customer (employees) and the product (change). We want the … Continue reading Why Stop Marketing at the Employee Entrance?
You received the dreaded negative post-project feedback: lack of communication. And because you are a passionate and proud professional, you took this allegation seriously. So you consulted the team, tallied the emails, counted the WebEx sessions, and came to the only logical conclusion—they're idiots. Entirely possible, but what if there's an element of truth? What … Continue reading Too Close for Comfort?
You've been sending email for as long as you can remember. Probably picked up technical tips and tricks along the way. But what about techniques for creating better content? Here are three quick tips for developing email messages for today's audience. Get over yourself. "I was promoted to VIP because of the detailed and complex email … Continue reading 3 Tips for Great Email Content