When it comes to gravitas, many of us think that you either have it, or you don't. We tend to look at people who exude confidence under stress, act decisively, speak their minds, bounce back from stress, and are regarded by others as being important, with wonder and awe: Were they just born that way? Maybe, but the
We all feel challenged at one time or another by colleagues, managers, clients, or customers. When we don't take into account differences in expectations, communication styles, and priorities, we can set our relationships up to be plagued by hurt feelings and chronic frustration. In her book, Make Difficult People Disappear: How to Deal with Stressful Behavior and Eliminate
Nobody likes giving negative feedback or delivering potentially disappointing news to a direct report. And while many individual contributors know that they actually need negative feedback to get better at their jobs, they typically don't relish the idea of finding out that they're falling short of expectations. Nevertheless, negative feedback-- when delivered carefully and thoughtfully-- can help individuals and teams course correct,
You've spent hours, days, and weeks making sure that you have all of the data, facts and statistics exactly right for your big presentation to the boss, and two minutes into your remarks, she says, "Let's skip to the end. What's the bottom line here?" You're in a meeting where your colleague is animatedly sharing his bold new approach
"I can't believe I'm feeling anxious for my team meeting, and for no good reason!" "My heart is pounding thinking about this sales call. When will I get a grip?" "I always freak out during presentations. I'm such a wimp!" Do any of these sound familiar? If you struggle with anxiety at work, chances are, you're
For many people, making presentations is fraught with a fear of being judged (which, let's face it, you are), concerns about being caught unprepared, and the risk of ruining your reputation. As British judge Sir George Jessel once remarked, "The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops...until you stand up to
