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Speaking to Influence Blog

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Have You Been Ghosted at Work?

Years ago, I overheard my boss tell a colleague that she handled her email inbox by simply deleting everything more ...
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What the Sigma?! Why No One’s Saying Yes (And What to Do About It)

For the last year or so my 9-year-old son's favorite expression has alternated between “what the sigma?” and “what the ...
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“He Just Doesn’t Communicate Very Well…”: Why That’s Not a Diagnosis (and What to Do Instead)

One of the most ironic conversations I have from time to time is with senior executives who want me to ...
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How to Talk About Conflict Without Adding Fuel to the Fire

Let’s face it: nobody likes conflict. Some people avoid it like the plague, others seem to poke the bear on ...
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How to Give Meaningful Feedback: 5 Simple Rules Every Leader Should Know

“Come on, what are you trying to prove?!” This was Mr. Kaye’s favorite line to scrawl across my essays for ...
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Do Your Words and Actions Match?

There’s no medicine that tastes worse than a spoonful of my own, so to speak. Every week in our team’s ...
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What to do when You Face Massive Change, High Stakes—and a 70% Failure Rate

When (ret. Lt. Col.) Richard Santiago stepped into the role of CFO at the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command ...
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Your Leadership Style in One Word—What Is It

DISC. Strength finders. Enneagram. We’ve all taken leadership assessments of one sort of other, and gotten our defining labels. But ...
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How to Create the Perfect Sound Bite

Years ago, when I was still a student, I attended the grand opening of a gourmet cheese and charcuterie shop ...
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What to Say When there are No Words

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Thursday will mark the 24th anniversary of the day my cousin Matt was ...
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