Dianna Booher's Blog, page 40

Why Is Everyone Publishing a Book These Days?

If you haven’t noticed that the “publish-or-perish” phenomenon has moved from academia to the general population, you haven’t been paying attention.

My chiropractor is writing a book on nutrition. So is Don, a former HP sales consultant, just booted out the door of his organization. His topic: cloud computing. My friend Rexanne is writing a romance novel during her off-duty hours as a nurse. Bev, a former social marketing assistant, is writing a book on gardening. Steve, an engineer and in...

How to End Circular Conversations

Quick quiz here to see whether you need to read further:

––Are you becoming a “counselor” to a friend or coworker who has problems bigger than you feel qualified to handle?

––Do you feel drained or depressed after talking with this coworker or friend?

––Are you really helping the person who seems to be going in circles—or simply delaying their getting to the real source and resolution for the problem?

Some people have been having the same conversations for a lifetime. They tell you what a...

Stop Communicating 24/7; Rejuvenate With Solitude

“It’s been a crazy-busy summer.”

“We’ve been playing catch-up all quarter.”

“I’m meeting myself coming and going. I was texting my boss last night at midnight.”

“All I’ve been doing is sitting in meetings. My email box is overflowing. I owe everybody something.”

“I saw your Facebook post. Did you read my comment?”

Such is our typical hyper-connected world where we’re plugged in 24/7—often to people we’ve never met face to face, serving customers products that we’ve never seen from start to...

4 Ways to Be a Witty Conversationalist

My husband’s Granny Jordan lived to be ninety without a broken bone. But that’s not to say she didn’t fall often. Whether she had an equilibrium problem or was just clumsy, the family never decided. Suffice it to say, she never hurt herself badly enough to decide to see a doctor for testing. And she never owned up to being clumsy.

It became a family joke when her teenagers left for school in the morning, “Now, Mama, don’t go out to get the mail until we get home. We don’t want you to fall...

How Smart Leaders Arrive at Dumb Decisions

Ever find yourself in an organization or on a team that’s struggling because of a leader’s poor decision? You sit back and reflect on the leader personally and wonder why a savvy, experienced, and ordinarily capable person could make such a dumb decision—one that wrecks a project or destroys the morale of so many people.

The leader himself or herself may actually be scratching their head wondering the same thing: Where did I go wrong? Where did I miss the signs that this decision would sin...

The Payoff for Apologies—And the Penalties for Their Absence

The father with his kids in tow yelled a couple of obscenities at the gate agent. “Why won’t you just open that door and let us on that plane! It’s sitting right there. I can see it!”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not? The other agent on your late plane said they’d call ahead. We ran as fast as we could. We left at 6:00 this morning. We’ve been traveling all day. Open that G——- door!”

“I can’t do that. You need to go to Customer Service between Gate 25-26 and let them re-book.”

“You …” the dad t...

Are Your Emails Ruining Your Reputation?

World War II veterans heard the warning “Loose lips sink ships.” Today’s corollary is that loose lips and lengthy clips may limit risks with the SEC regarding disclosures about finances. But wordy emails will drive your coworkers nuts.

Wordy emails, reports, and proposals say many things about the author—most unflattering:

Timid: The inexperienced repeat themselves several times in different ways just to make sure they’ve made their point. You may have noticed this same habit with beginnin...

Communication Cures for People Who Avoid Conflict at All Costs

––“Are you okay with this?”

––“Anybody have a problem with that?”

––“Somebody has probably already said this, but …”

––“Somebody tell me if I’m off-base here, but …”

––Silence.

If you’re a leader asking such questions or making such comments, others often translate them to mean: “You’re concerned with your ability to facilitate a discussion when everyone is not in full agreement and where the culture values harmony above clear communication. People do not feel free to speak their mind, so...

5 Ways to Get Your Point Across Persuasively

Need someone to “get it”? And if they “get it,” do you expect them to follow through? Then that takes thoughtful communication.

1. Narrow the field. The research disputes conventional wisdom. Although people say they want choices, having too many choices paralyzes them. The decision dilemma causes them to delay.

Adding to the already growing body of studies, I chalked up another personal experience this morning. In the midst of a house renovation due to a water leak, a builder brought over...

Money to Grow On—When to Save Seriously and Spend Lavishly

One of the biggest decisions small businesses face is how to spend profits wisely to grow, and how to stay profitable when the economy slows and clients cling to their cash. For businesses of almost any size, consider these 10 key guidelines in deciding where to cut corners and save and when to invest to grow your business.

Will the investment improve the quality of your product, service, or client experience? Before I sold my training company a few years ago, I felt as though I faced R&D...