For a leader to speak with an authentic voice adds to their credibility and ability to influence. So how do you learn to speak more authentically? I’ve been leading clients through a method that has worked with each of them for years. It works, and a lot more effectively than someone telling you principles to follow. Nothing works like experience. Most people’s fear of saying something they’ll regret inhibits them[…] Keep reading →
A couple weeks ago I wrote a post, “Why do people always associate empathy with feeling down?” on a topic I’ve explored before—that people associate empathy with feelings people don’t like. I find that association counterproductive and missing many feelings people can share. A reader wrote about how the post reminded her of her childhood. What she wrote echoed something I hear at my seminars when I talk about others[…] Keep reading →
You have opinions about race, sex, homosexuality, class, politics, and other controversial topics. You probably only talk about them with people closest to you. Most of us won’t touch them with a ten-foot pole, knowing how one public statement can destroy a life. We believe we don’t have that freedom. If you don’t believe you have it, you can’t do it. How about talking about them to the media for[…] Keep reading →
A reader who decided to take on a month of cold showers updated me half way through. Note how the benefits endure for a long time and affect many parts of her life while the discomfort lasts only a few minutes. That’s a great trade if you ask me. Here’s what she wrote: So far, so good. I’m not sure I had any specific expectations regarding the experience to start. […] Keep reading →
[This post is part of a series on Cold Showers. If you don’t see a Table of Contents to the left, click here to view that series, where you’ll get more value than reading just this post.] I got this email from a reader this morning: This caught my eye this morning. Watched the video. I’m accepting the 30 day challenge which will conveniently end the day before my 46th[…] Keep reading →
[This post is part of a series on Cold Showers. If you don’t see a Table of Contents to the left, click here to view that series, where you’ll get more value than reading just this post.] I don’t remember posting about cold showers in a while. I’m still taking them, now every fourth day, which I call a sidcha, even though not daily. I consider it regular enough. Today’s[…] Keep reading →
A reader suggested an answer that made sense for why people like my fast articles—“Why do readers like the posts I write the fastest so much?“—that they may result from my Voice Your Self-Talk exercise. I love that exercise, though it’s one of my harder social skill exercises. Clients who try it take a long time to get it and I don’t think you can if you don’t do the[…] Keep reading →