Over the past two weeks, many of the peaceful protests regarding the horrifying death of George Floyd have grown violent. I am not an expert in racial injustice. When it comes to the issues facing our country right now, I’m a student, not a teacher. I’m reading and watching and listening and learning. And, like …
The Great Experiment of 2020 Since 2020 began, we’ve been the subjects of a massive social experiment: working from home. We are in the early stages of a social shift on a scale that seldom happens in history and we are only just beginning to see the wider impact. Our latest research illuminates how work from home is …
Dear Joseph, Where I live, concern about COVID-19 seems lax. I’m often surrounded by people who have already thrown social distancing and mask-wearing out the window. Just the other day, while in line at the grocery store, the man behind me blatantly ignored the big sticker on the floor telling him where to stand and …
Dear Joseph, A couple of months ago, my father stopped answering phone calls and texts from my siblings and me. He hasn’t been home when we’ve attempted to visit him. He doesn’t have voicemail. We’ve reached out to his wife who says she doesn’t want to get in the middle of it. He did answer …
Dear Steve, In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m trying to be safe by following the health practices outlined by the CDC, WHO, and other officials. I don’t consider myself stringent, nor lax. I feel I am somewhere in between. But apparently that’s not how others see me. My requests for distance have offended others. …
Dear Scott, What is the difference between a crucial conversation and a crucial accountability conversation? I believe all accountability conversations are crucial, but are all crucial conversations about accountability? Sincerely, Confused Manager Dear Confused Manager, Many have wondered about the difference between Crucial Conversations and Crucial Accountability. It can often be difficult to know where …
As the coronavirus sends more of us home, business casual dress goes from slacks to jeans to sweats to pajamas. Before the coronavirus, a lot of companies were hesitant to let people work from home. “Working from home” rhymes too closely with “Shirking from home.” It includes surfing, posting, grazing, running errands, crushing Candy Crush, …
When I went to bed a few nights ago, life was strange enough already. Offices and businesses were shuttered. Friends and family were cloistered many more hours each day in our homes. A general unease had us listening to recycled news for hours on end. But I got to sleep. My plan was to hit …
Dear Justin, In the past week, our entire workforce has been sent home. I manage a small team and I’m feeling a bit at a loss on how to manage a remote team and keep them afloat, positive, and accountable given the new normal. Our team is used to working face-to-face and seems our success …
Dear Joseph, How do you best help a friend that has only days to live? I assume being a good listener is important, but is there anything helpful that I should say? Signed, Hoping to Help Dear Hoping, For purposes of my response, I’m going to assume this is a close friend, not simply an …
