Having an audience is a privilege. There are some common myths about making presentations that are very easy to fall into and that don’t serve your listeners well. Dip into my latest blog post and tell me if you have a myth or two to add to my list.

Debate, chatting, discussion–there are many different ways to communicate and they all have their place. Find out how dialogue fits into your communication mix.

Sometimes listening too much can make you question your beliefs and values. You’ve spent years developing a certain mindset. Does it make sense to turn that all around? You obviously have good reasons for feeling and believing what you do. I know I’m right about most things at this point in life. I don’t need the existential angst that comes with changing my mind. The best tactic in this scenario is to plan your rebuttal while the other person is talking. Wasting mental energy listening takes time from thinking of the next thing you want to say.

For how long are you comfortable with silence in a conversation? Bet it’s a lot shorter than you think. In my latest blog post I discuss the reasons silence is valuable in our lives and why public engagement professionals should cultivate it.

There’s an appealing logic to the belief that if we could just stick to the facts, discussions would be straightforward. The truth is that we humans aren’t wired that way. We project our values and feelings onto the facts that confront us to make meaning and understand the world around us.

You're sick of it. I'm sick of it. Can we talk about something other than the pandemic over the holidays?

We all deserve a break, but it can be tough to steer the conversation away from the one topic that's dominated our lives for what seems like forever. This post offers a how-to for setting boundaries and five types of conversation starters to put you on the path of more meaningful connections with family, friends, and acquaintances.