This week, I discussed a peer-to-peer situation with a workshop participant, and it reminded me of a general communication principle that applies to conversations with all people. The general principle for effective problem solving with other people is to get on their side of the table.

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• In Search of Positive
• Stay Positive, Avoid Negative

This week, I’ll share a simple and powerful concept that will significantly improve the clarity of your communication efforts. It applies to both spoken and written communication. The idea is this: use affirmative statements.

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• In Search of Positive
• Stay Positive, Avoid Negative

Most people avoid difficult conversations because, well, they are difficult. Very few people enjoy confronting difficult situations, and it is the job of the leader to do so. In this episode, I’ll look at why you need to have the difficult conversation and how to do it without being a jerk.

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• Three Questions You Can Use for Coaching Conversations
• The Seven Deadly Sins of Conflict Resolution

Leadership communication is as much mindset as it is skillset. This week, I’m recommending six books you can read to improve both.

• Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute
• Beyond Reason: Using Emotions as You Negotiate by Roger Fisher and Daniel Shapiro
• Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant
• Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Joseph Grenny
• Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen
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• Make Leadership Communication a Habit

Two episodes ago, I discussed four things you can do to Sell a Change You Don’t Like. In this episode, I’m expanding and elaborating on those ideas.

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• Championing Change
• Speaking of Change

As we enter a new year, the idea of reflecting on the past year and thinking about changes for the new one are on many people's minds. Two weeks with grandchildren has given me a refreshed perspective on leadership communication that leads to three communication resolutions for the new year. In this episode, I'm inviting you to join me in making and keeping these resolutions.

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Eventually, you will have to sell a change you did not initiate and you do not like. In this episode, I’m sharing four things you can do to more successfully navigate this leadership challenge.

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• Championing Change
• Speaking of Change

This week, I’m sharing a life lesson that comes from reflecting on years of leadership decisions about problem solving, conflict resolution, and performance coaching. It’s the power of NOT doing any of those things while angry.

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• Three Ways to Deal with an Angry Person
• Five Ways to Deescalate Conflict

Written communication can both speed things up and slow things down. Used well, email and instant messaging can make our communication better and faster. Used poorly, they can create problems that take hours or days to correct. In this episode, I’m looking at some of the challenging parts of electronic, written communication and offering tips for how to avoid the pitfalls.

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• Three Things to Consider in Written Communication

One way to improve your communication effectiveness is to be aware of and sensitive to the things you do that hurt it. We call those areas of interaction “blind spots”. In this episode, I’ll share two ways of identifying your blind spots so that you can take action to stay out of them and to minimize their impact.

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• Communication Blindspots Intensified by Remote Work