The Leadership Caffeine Blog

Explore by Category:

When Proposing Change, Try Reducing the Threat Level First

When Proposing Change, Try Reducing the Threat Level First

Good managers work hard at pushing fear out of the workplace. Yet, even in the healthiest of organizations, fear’s close cousin, anxiety, worms its way into our consciousness and governs how we process and react to the idea of change and each other. Skilled change leaders in the workplace understand this human reaction to new and different ideas and work hard to reduce the threat level when proposing something new.

read more
The Communication Advice that Made My Career

The Communication Advice that Made My Career

We all receive advice during our career journeys. In my case, one piece of advice I received early in my career stuck with me and served as a constant reminder to the key to success. Here’s that advice along with my add-on based on over three decades of putting the guidance to great use.

read more
Stop Talking and Start Drawing to Create Communication Clarity at Work

Stop Talking and Start Drawing to Create Communication Clarity at Work

When you’re struggling to create clarity on an important topic or navigating a heated group discussion, it pays to stop talking and start drawing. This sudden shift in medium takes the negative energy out of discussion and focuses your audience on designing a way forward. Here are 7 tips to help you get to the whiteboard in pursuit of communication clarity:

read more
Getting the Fear Out of Challenging Conversations—Free Webinar

Getting the Fear Out of Challenging Conversations—Free Webinar

The most critical issues in our workplaces tend to be the ones we’re not talking about! Challenging conversations offer a gateway to progress, yet too many of us dodge or deflect these discussions, in part, because we’ve not been trained on the tools and approaches essential for navigating these important situations.

read more
Surviving and Thriving When Presenting to Executives

Surviving and Thriving When Presenting to Executives

The invitation to present to your organization’s senior executives is a pivotal career moment for many young professionals. Crush it (in a good way), and you make a name for yourself and show up on the radar screen as someone on the rise and worth watching. Stumble, and you make an impression as well, just not the one you wanted to make. This article outlines ten tips to help you crush it with this great career opportunity.

read more
Using Your Communication Superpowers to Overcome Workplace Blockers

Using Your Communication Superpowers to Overcome Workplace Blockers

Great workplace communicators are tuned-in to the power of their communication superpowers and they deliberately deploy them in pursuit of individual, team, and organizational success. In this article, I share four powerful communication tactics you can use to melt the resistance of workplace blockers and gain support for your initiatives.

read more
Three Communication Styles That Can Derail Your Career Progress

Three Communication Styles That Can Derail Your Career Progress

In any given workplace, there are a wide variety of communication styles on display. While the variation creates a rich environment for engaging and sharing ideas, there are a few styles and behaviors that get in the way of your communication and career success. If you or someone you know resemble one of the three styles: watchmaker, interruptor, or arguer, it’s time to get help and adapt your communication style.

read more