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”
Tag Archives: communication
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”
Feeling the pain: Employers respond to the soft skills deficit
The soft skills deficit Five years ago, while teaching full-time as an English instructor at a community college, I became painfully aware of my students’ lack of soft skills. When I walked into class, I greeted my students. Many times, only a few would respond. The rest stared blankly at their smartphones. When I passedContinue reading “Feeling the pain: Employers respond to the soft skills deficit”
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”
Dealing with grief in the workplace
Last week, I was called out of class while teaching as an adjunct faculty member. A coworker informed me that my grandmother had been rushed to the hospital. If I wanted to see her, I needed to leave class immediately. I was glad I left after informing my students that I had to tend toContinue reading “Dealing with grief in the workplace”
How to improve your soft skills
Whether you just graduated from college—congratulations!—or have accumulated years of work experience, you are just like the rest of us—you can always improve your soft skills. While soft skills are certainly a combination of talent and ability, you can always improve upon the ability portion of the soft skills you possess—that’s the good news. InContinue reading “How to improve your soft skills”
Bethany Wallace Communications & Consulting 