Kids and Swearing: How to get the little ones to stop talking sh*t
Ahh the power of words: to inspire, teach and offend. Nothing beats the precision of a well-placed profanity, but swearing is like hot sauce—a little goes a long way. I hate …
reflection
Personal Anecdotes: 6 Pro Tips
I was the wittiest teacher in town until that day. Mid-joke, I suddenly realized that my students laugh because I control their grades. Damn. I shut my mouth and got serious about …
Conversation Skills: Are you sharing or monopolizing?
Sitting in a coffee shop listening to two women talk over each other, I am reminded of that apt analogy of two TVs, both turned on and facing each other. …
Teenagers: 15 Tips for Peaceful Communication
Sometimes it seems that all teens do is communicate—text, social media, facetime. But when adults try to talk to teens, both sides often end up frustrated, annoyed or bewildered. How …
Self-Control: The secret to successful speaking & listening
Technology allows us to communicate faster, more frequently, and to a wider audience. But who’s listening? The more we communicate, the harder it is to listen well—to focus on one …
Complaining: Committed vs Uncommitted
Committed complaining: have you heard of it? The idea is that we complain in two ways: committed or uncommitted to fixing the problem. Sometimes we’re just grousing: I’m cold, my …
Shame Waves: Surfing to Success
You just gave the best performance ever. You were calm, confident and engaging. The audience loved you! But then you sit down. Flooded with adrenaline, your brain works quickly, evaluating …
The Power of Words
My heart broke as I watched a young dad yelling at his crying two-year-old. I wanted to swoop in, rescue the kid, and teach the dad how big and scary …
Public Speaking Basics: Building confidence and competence
Most of us fear public speaking more than we fear death. Which is ironic because it’s an easy-to-learn skill that can greatly improve your life. Strong speaking skills will enhance …
18 Words At A Time: How to talk so kids will listen (and possibly do what you ask)
This post will help you talk clearly and kindly to the kids in your life. You’ll learn how to stay calm and retain authority while having wonderful relationships with magical …
You Might Like To…
A famous teacher and community leader (Thich Nhat Hanh) gives instructions framed as “You might like to…” What a transformative concept. Saying “You might like to” instead of “You must” is …
WAIT What? 4 Wrong Reasons to Speak (& 4 good ones)
There’s a great acronym that makes me look smart and wise. It’s WAIT, and stands for Why Am I Talking? What a brilliant question to ask yourself. You might decide …
Beyond No! Communicating with Toddlers
Communicating with two-year-olds can be frustrating. They’re passionate, stubborn and likely to bite. But it doesn’t have to be this way—spending time with toddlers can be fun! Yes, really. Toddlers …
7 Swift Steps To Better Communication
Identify your goal—what exactly do you want your audience to know or do? Identify your audience—who are they, what do they need to know, what do they already know, what’s …
Are You an Interrupting Cow? How to be a better listener, and more popular too
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Interrupting Cow. Interrupting Cow wh– Moo! Are you an interrupting cow? How often do you allow a pause after someone’s finished speaking? Be honest, how often do you …
Change Your Words, Change Your Worldview
Cleaning some research files, I stumble across this evocative statement: The Social model of disability …the general term disability is applied not because of an inability to function but rather because …
Developing Confidence: Swimming Upstream
“I’m not scared of public speaking, it’s doing it in front of people that terrifies me.” (One of my students) I teach public speaking and coach people on developing confidence. …
Gratitude Walk
When I was young, getting old just seemed sad. My grandmother however, didn’t seem to mind. She was active and always glad to have her health. Awash in self-congratulatory youth, …
Abundance is like beach glass
Imagine you’re at the beach, enjoying a beautiful day. Something sparkles in the sand. You stoop to pick it up; it’s beach glass. Turning it over in your palm, admiring …