Constant Chatter
Sitting at a Diamondbacks baseball game a couple of nights ago I remembered something that I needed to ask my pal Doug in D.C. so naturally, I texted him…and he immediately texted me back with the answer. Realizing how pathetic it was to be texting work messages from a ballgame at 7 o’clock on a Friday night and him answering at 10 his time, it struck me that nobody near me was actually watching the game or talking to people they were with. Just constant, frantic cell and text chatter all around me. People in their own ‘social’ worlds, mostly ignoring the world they were in. We don’t yet know the consequences of email, Facebook, Twitter, etc., but here are some things to think about.
http://www.spring.org.uk/2010/09/emails-dark-side-10-psychology-studies.php
http://www.spring.org.uk/2010/08/six-causes-of-online-disinhibition.php
Bird by Bird
I’ve been hearing from people asking what-the-heck happened to this newsletter — nice to hear – I’ve been swamped the past few weeks and running behind with this. It’s been a good but incredibly busy summer and, like you I suspect, I find myself some mornings just trying to figure out where to start. But I now have a new mantra – I just take it bird by bird.
http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2010/09/a-practical-plan-for-when-you-1.html
First Impressions
You’ve heard, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” It doesn’t just apply with new people but, I think, with every new situation that you’re in, like a speech or even kicking off your weekly staff meeting. And speaking of speeches, here’s some tips for yours. And if you’ve never seen or read Steve Jobs 2005 Stanford commencement address, now’s your chance, click on it.
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/08/effective_communciation_begins.html
Dilbert is an Active Listener?
You probably know that Scott Adams is the creator of the Dilbert comic strip and you’re probably convinced that Adams works in your organization because your boss is just as pointy-headed. But you may not know that Adams has a blog and a pretty good take on active listening.
http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/active_listening/
Not a pleasant subject
I prefer to keep these mailers generally light but with recent events, and clients asking for help with their planning, I’m offering the following from Wall Street Journal as a story you should read and pass on to your management if you can’t do something with the enclosed tips. Somebody in your organization needs to.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704164904575421560153438240.html?mod=dist_sm artbrief
Working with and through Public Anger and Outrage
I’m teaching the 2-day IAP2 Emotion and Outrage course, crafted with Dr. Peter Sandman, in Chicago at the Sears Tower (now named as the Willis Tower, although Chicagoans refuse to call it that) on October 27 and 28. It’s a great time to be in Chicago and I really hope you’ll join us. You can download PDF flyer for the class or send me an email and I’ll send you the information. [email protected]