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Peers can really make work a waaaaayyyyyyyy better experience.

From someone we can laugh with when that customer shows us with the worst breath again to someone we can say “hey I know that we went over the instructions like a hundred times, but can you show me again how do to this?”

And that is a lot easier than going to our manager to do so.

Peers can be a bigger source of support, information, and friendship than our manager or other organizational employees.

Research also shows that we tend to be more innovative when engaging with our peers and generate more creative ideas.

But…what about when the relationship we share with our peers or A peer isn’t quite as strong…or is downright contentious?

In this episode of the communicative leader, we are going to important role that our peer relationships play in our workplace experience – from the benefits, the potential challenges, and how to end a peer relationship if the need arises.

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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader. 

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Teams can be hard work.

As we've talked about before, a lot of time teams just don't work - and that is under the best of circumstances.

On this episode of The Communicative Leader, we talk with Karen Cashin and learn about how she leads a team where members rotate on and off -- generally every 6 to 12 months.

Let's make this even messier. Those who join the team are not communication experts or even communication novices, but rather subject matter experts in other areas.

Karen is a unicorn. Well, she's a lovely woman, but she's such a phenomenal, communicative leader, I think of her as a unicorn. Legendary to near mythical status.

We chat about onboarding employees, team culture, investing in members, and the importance of self-care.

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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader. 

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Many of us have grown up on a diet of teams that has led to an almost reverence for them.

But I think it is a whole lot easier to pull up examples of bad team experiences we've had, than the good ones.

Now there's the rub, my friends.

If teams are supposed to be this magical vehicle for innovation and productivity, why do so many offer to work individually when (in theory) a team-based approach would lighten their load?

This episode of The Communicative Leader reviews 6 common mistakes managers make when assembling teams. Of course, we don't leave you there, my friends. We address these mistakes but we also leave with you specific, communication-rooted solutions for sidestepping them.
 
 Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)

Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to [email protected]. 

A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader. 

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Leadership can be pretty easy when we are working with those we have strong interpersonal relationships. We appreciate them as colleagues and we like them as people. 

But what happens when we are having trouble connecting with a team member? What happens when we outright don't get along with a peer? 

it is difficult to relate to people when we differ in various ways, such as politics, family obligations, work ethics, and other personal differences. This episode offers practical suggestions for communicating and connecting with people we struggle to get along with.

Remember, leadership = communication.

We can use our verbal and non-verbal behaviors to connect across differences while creating a work environment that we're happy to be a part of.

Communication Focus
Strategic language can help you to foster inclusion and establish a shared team identity. 

Yeah, all of those literary devices your English prof told you about are legit ;) We'll consider how to integrate these into your toolbox so you can help make your workplace what you want it to be.

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Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)

Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to [email protected]. 

A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader. 

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Leaders are Made. Not Born. They Learn to Communicate Well.

Yup, I said. Again.

Among other things, leaders are excellent communicators.

This helps to remind us that leadership is a communication-based skill that can be learned. Remember, my friends, skills can be practiced. They can be honed. They can be mastered.

One path to leadership development we often gloss over is the one from the inside out. In this episode, we will talk about seven steps to enhancing your leadership and learning more about yourself in the process.

Communication Challenge -- Your Leadership Life Story
We're going deep this week my friends! But if we don't take the time to think about where we've been, how the heck can we have an idea of where we're headed?

Take out a sheet of paper.
Draw a horizontal line.
Make note of your successes, your failures, and your pivotal moments.
Do your greatest achievements come after setbacks? Or are you more of a step-by-step kinda person?

This week's episode will likely give you a name for your leadership life story.

Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.

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Hi Leaders,

Yes, you are a leader.

What? You're not in a formal authority position? Not a manager, a director, a supervisor?

Guess what? You're still a leader. You're still in a position of influence -- for yourself and for others.

In this episode of The Communicative Leader, we're going to look at the ins and outs of leadership. What makes one a leader? And of course, what makes one a good leader?

Good leaders create an intentional, supportive environment. 

How?

1. Use positive strategies to help develop desired behaviors.
2. Focus on changing the environment in ways that support positive behavior and discourage negative behavior.
3. Recognize that if we want our people to meet certain expectations, we must take deliberate steps to teach them how.
4. Have a system for responding immediately and consistently to inappropriate behavior while recognizing the importance of reinforcing positive behavior.

Okay, so is this easier said than done, you ask.

Focus on being respectful, responsible, and safe in your thinking, your planning, and your decision-making. Let respect, responsibility, and safety color your word choices and guide your behaviors.

Challenge!
I want to challenge you to think about this – not just at work, but in your personal life too. Do you stop and recycle that plastic pop bottle you walk by in the parking lot or is that not your responsibility? Are you quick to chastise a child for a poor choice, rather than providing them options or an opportunity to learn from the error? How do you communicate with yourself? Do you respect your wealth of experiences and knowledge and YOUness, or do you disrespect yourself…calling names, or using putdowns?

Looking for more tips?
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.

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Leaders. Managers. Same, right?

Nope. Sorry, my friends. These are not synonyms.

Enter two constants: Complexity and Change.

Managers cope with complexity in organizations and leaders cope with change.

Is it really that simple? What has ever been simple when it comes to organizations?

In this episode of The Communicative Leader, we consider the unique and essential functions of both managers and leaders.

But wait! Aren't leaders better?

Nope. Not the case.

If organizations value their successes and wish to remain relevant then they need to hire for and celebrate both leaders and managers.

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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkham, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.

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Miscommunication, misunderstandings, disagreements, and hurt feelings happen. This is just part of life, including organizational life. What is important, however, is that we take the time to do the repair work and ensure that the workplace is one that is healthy and built on a foundation of respect. In this episode of the Communicative Leader, we’re going to look at common issues that hamper internal communication. But we’re not going to stop there, we’re going to give you some small communication tips that will help you to avoid these common stumbling blocks and more importantly, in doing so create a healthy work environment. 

Although communication is anything but a one-size-fits-all endeavor, the thoughtful and tailored use of communication can solve or improve just about any work-related issue. From considering how to best onboard and assimilate new employees to create individual relationships with each member, pitch new ideas, and resolve interpersonal conflict, communication is more than a tool. Instead, it shapes the way employees experience and navigate work.

Historically, organizations have spent most of their time and financial and human resources on their communications to external stakeholders. Of course, this makes good sense as they need clients' and the community’s interest and trust to remain in business. However, this view may be a bit short-sighted as it overlooks the importance of communicating with and connecting with employees.

In this episode, we address four common organizational obstacles and leave you with communication-rooted stepping stones to avoid these pitfalls.

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Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v

Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to [email protected]. 

A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.

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As a leadership communication expert, I am so often asked what the best style or approach to leadership is.

This is a really hard question to receive because 1) there is no universal, one-size-fits-all approach, and 2) it shows me how invested everyone is in bettering their leadership abilities.

And what can be the most frustrating but truly only fitting response (but we'll explore why it's also a freeing response): It depends. 

It depends on the context, it depends on the audience, and it depends on a lot of factors. There are quite a few perspectives on this, but much of the research points to what are called Contingency Theories. Simply put, leadership communication is contingent upon multiple organizational factors. Some factors that have been identified are the task that’s being completed, the makeup of the workgroup, and even the leader’s personality, because it just wouldn’t make sense for a leader to behave in a way that isn’t authentic to themselves.

As my guest, Dr. Jen Ptacek so aptly points out "I think we’ve all said something in a moment and then went back and thought 'there was definitely a better way to say that' or maybe if I would have said 'this' instead, the conversation could have ended differently, and that’s what we’re getting at here. "

Let's dive into Reading the Room and Why Context Matters.

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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.

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So we’ve been telling you that communication is key to your leadership ability. We’ve talked about the fact that others, including your own manager and your employees, use your communication ability as a barometer for assessing your success as a leader. Certainly, we’ve discussed some communication specifics in terms of specific actions to help make your work life what you want it to be, but today we’re going all in. We’re talking about communication channels, timing, messaging, and responding on the Communicative Leader. 

We’ve all been in meetings that should have been emails. And we’re not talking just one or two, right? Ugh, it can be so frustrating when you’ve taken time to get together with a group – virtually or face to face – and realize that the individual leading the meeting is essentially just reading a series of bullet points to you. Nooooo good for anyone. 

By taking time to discuss the importance of tailoring your communication and walking through the various elements that go into making decisions for your communication encounters, you’re simultaneously growing your leadership and communication abilities. Bingo, a two-for-one kinda thing. Yaaaaasssss!

Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v

Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to [email protected]. 

A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.

Support the show

Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/