My wireless connection to the internet had suddenly stopped working. At first I was frustrated — I had been in the middle of browsing some books on Amazon. But I quickly took it as a blessing. I had an article to write and the Amazon browsing was a … [Read more...]
How to Avoid Becoming a Person You Hate
November 15, 2011 By 8 Comments
I was so angry my whole body was shaking. I stared at Günther* with hate, my left hand in a fist and my right hand gripping a tennis racket as a weapon. I was ready to kill him. Was this really me? I had returned to Ann Bradney's extraordinary … [Read more...]
One Thing I’ve Learned From The Wall Street Protests
November 1, 2011 By 4 Comments
During a bleak, cold winter in New York City, a park is occupied by thousands who stand there day and night for weeks. Nobody knows precisely what these occupiers represent, but people are mesmerized by them. Not just the city, but the country and … [Read more...]
How to Really Listen
October 19, 2011 By 3 Comments
One morning, my wife Eleanor woke up, turned over, and said, "I am not looking forward to this day." I asked her why. What came out is that we were at the start of the Jewish high holy day season, which means colder weather and three weeks of big … [Read more...]
Getting Past a Communication Impasse
May 26, 2011 By
What do you do when you have a communication impasse with someone you care about? Jim* is a friend and colleague whom I hadn't seen for a year. It's been a hard year for Jim and I called him frequently as he navigated his business through tough … [Read more...]
A Simple Communication Mistake to Avoid
April 8, 2011 By
Eleanor and I were fast asleep at my parents' house in upstate New York when my five-year-old daughter Sophia came running in. "Look out the window!" she screamed, as she pulled on our shades. I looked at my watch: 6 a.m. Not bad. Sophia … [Read more...]
Don’t Be Nice; Be Helpful
March 16, 2011 By
Ron* was up next. As a senior analyst in this investment firm — and a good one — he knew a lot about the company he was about to pitch to the management committee. He paused for a minute as he sorted through the pages of numbers in front … [Read more...]
The Right Way to Respond to Failure
March 10, 2011 By
My wife Eleanor and I were visiting some friends on a Saturday when their nine-year-old daughter, Dana*, came home. She was close to tears, barely holding it together. "Oh sweetie," her mom said. "What happened at the swim … [Read more...]
