As Arizonans enjoy 75+ degree days, I thought it’d be fun to start off the New Year on a nice, negative note so I’m bringing you some thoughts on the loud, obnoxious, angry people that helped build my career.
Chris Christie is graciously giving the SNL writers a lot to work with these days, so I also thought it’d be helpful to revisit the art of apology; take a look at the language that we all use and some other stuff.
Stay warm!
Godec
You’re Going to Hate Me for Getting Mad Again
As the number of Independent voters goes up, the number of people who self-identify as either Republican or Democrat continues to fall. Extremists get louder, but mostly inside their own “ache chambers” where they spend their days yelling at each other.
We work on tough projects with passionate people from all sides of the issues. Our success is predicated on understanding these issues and working to achieve effective, measured solutions. Conversely, passionate extremists invariably believe that they will succeed just because of their passion – the theory that whoever hollers loudest wins. The problem is that the only people who pay attention to extremists are usually other extremists.
The lesson here is, if you want credibility, don’t get sucked into your own echo chamber:
And, don’t you just hate people who hate stuff?
Anyone who still picks up a newspaper or regularly checks Web news sites will find plenty to complain about, right? But you also know people who manage to find the black lining in every non-media cloud…the ones who can suck the joy out of Santa and your baby’s first birthday party. It appears there’s a gene for that.
Words Matter
Impeccable is not just an adjective meaning “without pec.” It’s also used to describe how best to use words. Six things to consider before you open your mouth or start writing:
We see it on almost every project we work on…corporate jargon and government-speak stop communication, consensus and getting things done:
How Best to Screw Up an Apology
In the past, we’ve talked quite a bit about apologizing. However, the tactful need to do so continues to present itself in the public arena with everything from the Obama Care website train wreck and New Jersey vs. the George Washington Bridge to the latest Hoboken Mayor debacles. It’s a tough pill to swallow for the perpetrator; however, not doing so when it’s the only way to move on is quite simply nuts:
This second article is one that I’ve been saving for just such a Chris Christie moment. Technically, it’s just about YouTube apologies. However, it really makes the generic case for learning how to apologize the right way and the monumental importance of the non-verbal aspects associated with being sorry. Truly, nothing is more important when you need to right a wrong…
This last one gives props to Christie’s efforts. Now, whether or not he’s still really presidential material is your decision:
It’s Not All About You
This is one of the better and simpler things I’ve run across about establishing rapport with people. You’ll use this…
Communication from Your Handshake Forward
The nuances and analysis of body language sometimes seems over the top and I’d never before run across this level of detail regarding a simple handshake. See what you think:
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