Publications

One of the benefits of speaking and training in the field of customer relations is having the opportunity to sit down and listen to those who on a day in/day out basis serve on the front lines of interaction with customers be it by phone, internet, or in the “trenches” environment of face-to-face dealings. People are truly fascinating, and I learned long ago not to expect that one size fits all or what is important to one person is also important to another. It's just amazing the things one … [Read more...] about Shoulders To The Wheels

America's homespun philosopher, Will Rogers, once said, “never miss a good chance to shut up”, the English poet Thomas Carlyle wrote, “silence is golden”, and Dr. Jordan Peterson concisely counsels, “you can be pretty smart if you can just shut up”. The good book of James evens instructs, “be quick to listen, slow to speak…”, and lays it out with this stinger, “those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongue deceive themselves, and their religion is … [Read more...] about Risky Business

For those interested in either establishing or honing their conflict management and communication skills I'll suggest a few fundamental resources which have proven to be great foundations upon which to build. And regardless of where we find ourselves on this road of life getting along with others proves to be a repetitive and worthwhile challenge. Interpersonal interactions inevitably result in differences of opinion, tension, conflict and “friction” with friction being anything that impedes … [Read more...] about Job One

I am deeply indebted and very grateful for having been inspired and challenged by many great teachers and mentors throughout my life. A short list must include the names of Glenn French, Dr. Bill McDonald, the inimitable Mildred Yates, Dr. Harold Clifton, and pastor and professor Jim Seratt. Of Mildred Yates it's been written, “A teacher who never had a discouraging word, but who rather would stand on the sidelines and cheer me on to enter into a journey of my own self-discovery—education in … [Read more...] about Beginnings

For many of us life's “big wheel” has not only kept on turning but seems to be spinning with a dynamo hum much faster than we ever expected or imagined And with the seventh decade of my life quickly approaching one of the issues occupying my attention is “how do I share my life experiences with the generations coming after me?” knowing there is truth to Will Rogers' famous quote, “good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment” Adding to the mix is not wanting … [Read more...] about On Your Mark

Frequently and often multiple times in a single day we engage in negotiating in one form or another be it discussing where we join a friend for lunch or making a major purchase, and “working things out” with someone is just part of life as we know it. But it can be stressful and become a source of tension and conflict. When our needs and wants appear to be stymied or challenged by those of others we often resort to using only a couple of tools in our inventory: a hammer or a shovel, attacking … [Read more...] about But Is It Really A Win?