communication Archives

To Tell The Truth: The Problem with “Positioning”

by Karin Hurt | Jan 9, 2013 | By Karin Hurt, Communication | 15 comments

Framing. Positioning. WIFM (them). Spin. If you are a leader, you have sat in one of these meetings. How do we explain this to them… in a way they can hear, understand, and feel good about? How you position a change matters. A lot. And yet, If you find yourself...

On Anger: Techniques for Managing Emotions at Work

by Karin Hurt | Aug 28, 2012 | By Karin Hurt, Communication | 13 comments

I run, I do yoga, I reflect, I write and sometimes I get angry. As leaders, how we manage our anger and other emotions is vital. Everyone is watching, and if we don’t handle our anger well we can make a tough situation even more difficult. “Anyone can be angry,...

Stupid Feedback: When Stupid Smarts and What to Do About It

by Karin Hurt | Aug 27, 2012 | Authenticity & Transparency, By Karin Hurt | 2 comments

We’ve all been on the receiving end of stupid feedback from time to time. It’s mean. It hurts. And it isn’t useful or is it? Feedback is stupid when it’s alarming but not specific when we leave the conversation not understanding what to learn,...

Team Trouble? How to Build a Team One Person at a Time

by Karin Hurt | Aug 24, 2012 | Authenticity & Transparency, By Karin Hurt, Communication | 3 comments

My phone rang again this week. It was a front-line leader I have known for years having team trouble. “I can’t get them motivated. They just don’t seem to care like I do. I am not sure what to do, I’ve tried everything.” I have received...

Happy Talk: Energizing Results Through Positive Words

by Karin Hurt | Jul 30, 2012 | By Karin Hurt, Communication | 1 comment

At times, leaders must be tough. Very tough. We must set high expectations, we must hold people accountable, we must ensure everyone is always striving for more. That works. And there is also the need for “happy talk,” timed well. One thing that I found as...