Dear Crucial Skills, How do you respond to work colleagues who complain that management never asks our opinion? I agree it’s good to get insight from management on how and why things are the way they are. But my coworkers seem to forget there are some things administration just can’t get everyone’s viewpoint on—because a …
We’re excited to announce that Emily Hoffman, a Senior Master Trainer as well as VitalSmarts’ VP of Development & Delivery, will become a regular contributor to the Crucial Skills Newsletter. Dear Crucial Skills, A friend of mine works in a small office. She has a new coworker who sits on the other side of her …
The U.S. Women’s Ski Jump team made their Olympic debut in the 2014 Socchi Games. While they did not medal (the three members of the team placed 10th, 15th, and 21st), they had thousands of fans cheering them on, including the youngest member of the U.S. Women’s Ski team—twelve-year-old Zia Terry. Two years ago at …
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Emily Hoffman is a Master Trainer and Senior Director of Client Training and Employee Development at VitalSmarts. READ MORE How do you hold a crucial conversation via e-mail? A crucial conversation is best handled face-to-face. No exceptions. The best among us use e-mail and voice mail to schedule and follow up on …
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Emily Hoffman is a Master Trainer and Senior Director of Client Training and Employee Development at VitalSmarts. READ MORE In the Style Under Stress assessment, question 32: “I find myself in situations where people get their feelings hurt because they thought they would have more of a say in final decisions than …
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Emily Hoffman is a Master Trainer and Senior Director of Client Training and Employee Development at VitalSmarts. READ MORE Aren’t Crucial Conversations skills just good negotiation tactics packaged in a slightly different way? Good question. I think the answer depends on how you are thinking about negotiating. If by negotiating you mean …
Dear Crucial Skills, I often run into a brick wall when trying to have a crucial conversation with workaholics. It seems as if they will work with you only if it increases their power or they can exercise control over you. What can I do to get some cooperation? Signed, Frustrated coworker Dear Frustrated, Thank …
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Emily Moss is a Master Trainer and Senior Director of Client Training and Employee Development at VitalSmarts. READ MORE Dear Crucial Skills, I recently got a call from the head of another department. He asked me, “Why are the analysts afraid to ask you for a work product?” I tried to build …
Dear Crucial Skills, I am a nursing supervisor in a nursing home. Most of our patients are white and most of our staff is non-white. Our staff is frequently subjected to vile, racist treatment and remarks by our patients. Naturally, this creates a very difficult working situation. Our staff provides quality care day after day …
