When I taught college full-time, I noticed a shift in student behavior in 2015. Most traditional-aged college students spent much more time with their faces in their phones than they did making eye contact, interacting with their peers, or paying attention to me. The entire classroom dynamic changed. I spent more time than I desiredContinue reading “Soft skills & Gen Z: Helping today’s college students & entry-level employees”
Category Archives: communication
Prevention versus damage control: Invest in what produces change
Here are some sobering stats related to conflict in the workplace. 10% of employees reported missed project deadlines due to conflict in the workplace. 20-40% of most managers spend their work time resolving conflict. In 2018, there were more than 76,000 workplace discrimination charges in the United States, resulting in more than $50 million inContinue reading “Prevention versus damage control: Invest in what produces change”
Putting down our anvils: Mindful communication as pathway to cultural sensitivity & inclusion
There are four common barriers to competent cross-cultural communication. Making decisions based on faulty assumptions Fear and ego Deep-seated biases and prejudice Miscommunication or misunderstanding Experiencing racism and prejudice Since age 10, I have lived in rural Arkansas. In case you’re unaware, let me fill you in on a secret about the rural South. InContinue reading “Putting down our anvils: Mindful communication as pathway to cultural sensitivity & inclusion”
Social media engagement: A gift?
One way I help fulfill fulfill nonprofit organizations’ missions is by building brand awareness via social media. I’m no newbie to social media management.
The bravest thing a leader can do
What is the bravest thing any small business owner, leader, or manager can do? What is the boldest question a leader can ask? I propose that it’s this: “What’s my part of the problem?” If the video isn’t playing properly click here. Recently, a lifelong friend and small business owner contacted me for help withContinue reading “The bravest thing a leader can do”
Learning from everyone in the workplace
I once joined a professional organization with a diverse membership. We met weekly and discussed industry-related research. Every member sought to grow professionally; most attended at least one yearly conference hosted by the organization so the members grew pretty close. But one of the members drove me nuts, honestly (isn’t that always the case?) SheContinue reading “Learning from everyone in the workplace”
Scary interview moments
Let’s face it—interviews can be downright scary. Many of us, no matter how much work experience or charisma we possess, feel intimidated when we’re being analyzed and assessed by recruiters and hiring managers during interviews. Even basic communication with human resources professionals can feel daunting. We don’t want to use too many exclamation points, butContinue reading “Scary interview moments”
Why manners matter
Have you ever met someone who made a terrible first impression? Chances are, this person practiced manners poorly and lacked communication skills. He may not have had a firm handshake. Maybe he avoided eye contact with you (or worse yet, ignored you while interacting with others). Perhaps the person was attempting to sell you somethingContinue reading “Why manners matter”
Helping, not hovering: Career assistance advice for parents of Gen Z students & recent grads
Do you cringe when hearing the term “helicopter parents?” Nobody wants to be that parent—hovering over her child, offering unsolicited advice, attempting to thwart minor failures or skinned knees, and purchasing countless expensive gadgets and devices (because saying no is really hard!). But let’s face it. We’re all guilty of this occasionally–hovering, enabling, and causingContinue reading “Helping, not hovering: Career assistance advice for parents of Gen Z students & recent grads”
Why you need to prepare an elevator pitch
It’s virtually impossible to separate networking and branding. We work our whole lives to build a reputation (our brand), and we spend our whole lives building and maintaining relationships with others (our network). We do these things simultaneously. We can’t build a reputation without an audience—our network—and we can’t build relationships without proving to thoseContinue reading “Why you need to prepare an elevator pitch”
Bethany Wallace Communications & Consulting 