Relationships and Communication

“Fine.” If you’ve ever used that word to end a conversation, then you have enough experience dealing with difficult people to know it isn’t enjoyable. Top-ranked psychiatrist and communication expert Mark Goulston shares dozens of strategies he has developed from decades working with clients including CEOs, presidents, founders, entrepreneurs, and employees in this blog post.

Negative coworkers can make your work life annoying at best and unbearable at worst. Imagine if you could draw your line in the sand at their complaining and griping without feeling like a total jerk. In this featured excerpt from Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Difficult People, author Renee Evenson shares 12 different ways of successfully confronting a negative coworker. 

If you want to practice your listening skills so you can build strong relationships at work and at home, take note of these crucial do’s and don’ts of great listening from Listen Up or Lose Out by Robert Bolton.

The news of Kate Spade’s suicide in 2018 made one thing crystal clear to author and podcaster Elayne Fluker: working women need strong support systems. Fluker believes more women should be taught how to build their own support systems. Learn 5 ways to ask for support in this article.

It's finally time to figure out how to deal with a bad boss. When ignoring the problem inevitably ceases to work, these rules developed by a seasoned small business consultant and author will. Learn how to deal with a narcissistic boss, controlling boss, and an incompetent boss.

In order to effectively communicate after a crisis, you’ll need to start by debriefing your response to the crisis through a process called a “Look Back,” also known as an After Action Review (AAR).

When it comes to dealing with difficult employees, most managers choose the path of least resistance: avoidance. HR author Paul Falcone says managing difficult employees requires a very specific leadership technique.

Humor is an incredibly powerful tool. The moment the audience laughs with you, they connect with you. Discover where, when, and how to use humor in a speech or presentation at work.

In these times, it's very important for employees to recognize a traumatized coworker so the organization can give the person the support they need. 

Preparation is one of the most important things an introvert can do to gain confidence when networking. No matter what type of conversation you're having, this script will help you share your talents, skills, and services/products without the needless jitters.

Some managers may wonder what they should motivate your team to do.  Brian Tracy suggests that quality work is the primary goal of motivating employees. 

Saying thank you can take time and effort, and we’ve all probably had lapses in expressing gratitude. Sometimes we might even question whether a “thank you” is really necessary. Occasionally, it’s hard to know just what response is appropriate. Here are a few ways to practice gratitude in the office.