by Steve Adubato, PhD
I was listening to Harvey Mackay, author of “Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive,” at a recent J.H. Cohn / Star-Ledger Executive Business Forum. Mackay, a master of customer service, was talking about how to stay connected with your customers, employees and other stakeholders when they are being bombarded with information at this most hectic time of year. One of the things that Mackay said that really struck me was that Christmas cards were basically “a waste.” What? Christmas Cards? Aren’t we supposed to send them? Don’t they communicate that we care? Well, according to Mackay, the vast majority of Christmas cards wind up getting lost or tossed simply because of how many are being received. His suggestion? Send a Thanksgiving card instead. No one sends them. You will stand out. (I know it is too late for this year, but not for next.)
by Steve Adubato, PhD
Presidential candidates aren't the only ones debating these days. Debating skills are critical to any professional who seeks to persuade workplace colleagues on important projects or initiatives. With this in mind, consider some tools that will help you in meetings, boardrooms or any professional situation where debating skills are needed.
by Steve Adubato, PhD
The recent CBS News public fiasco over “memogate” offers a variety of lessons for any organization that faces a public problem over some organizational error or screw up. This column will not focus on issues of journalist ethics but rather on how organizations and leaders should and shouldn’t respond when things go wrong so quickly. The following are some of the mistakes made by CBS main anchor Dan Rather, who has spent over 40 years in the communication business and one might think he would have known better.
by Steve Adubato, PhD
The workplace is filled with employees that are unhappy and have complaints. Sometimes, you are not sure where these complaints are coming from or what the employee's real motivation is. Yet, regardless of their origin, the feelings of team members matter a great deal. With this in mind, consider some tips and tools for managers dealing with employee gripes:
by Steve Adubato, PhD
All of us who have projects and deadlines at work have been frustrated by procrastinating peers and colleagues. These are the people that "yes" you to death but just don't get important work done on time. Very often they are nice, pleasant and you wouldn't mind hanging out with them after work, but boy are they frustrating when it comes to business matters.
by Steve Adubato, PhD
Saying "no" or rejecting someone's idea, proposal or advice seems simple enough, but for many on both a professional and personal level, effectively communicating what seems to be a simple "no" can be complicated. With this in mind, consider the following tips on being clear on saying "no" while minimizing the fallout.
By Steve Adubato, PhD
It has been said that facts mean nothing unless they have been rightly understood, rightly related, and rightly interpreted. This column has often explored the many reasons miscommunication occurs. We've discussed the impact of culture, race, gender and age when it comes to people not being on the same communication page.