Psychological Safety and Courage: Two Sides of the Same (Immensely Valuable) Coin Does psychological safety take away the need for courage? Or does courage take away the need for psychological safety? The answer to both questions is a resounding NO. Both are– and will continue to be needed in a complex and uncertain world.”  –Dr. Amy Edmondson (in her foreword to Courageous Cultures) If you want real psychological safety on your team, you need people to feel safe and encouraged to speak up and share their concerns and ideas. That’s important.  And not enough. You also need to equip t ..read more

Episode 257: In this episode, you’ll learn how to handle a manager who gives lazy, frustrating, and vague feedback. Drawing from the insights in his recent book, David offers practical phrases to navigate various feedback scenarios. Here’s what you can do when you’re faced with vague feedback, ask for specifics. Try saying, “Could you give me an example of what you’re referring to?” If you’re dealing with unfair ratings and feeling frustrated, express your concerns and seek a constructive solution. You might say, “I’m concerned about this rating and would like to understand how I can improve ..read more

Building Resilience: How Mental Strength Shapes Effective Leadership Are you looking for practical ways to implement mental strength, and stay calm under pressure? Don’t miss today’s interview with my friend Scott Mautz. “Hey Karin. I know that strong leaders stay calm under pressure. And I look at leaders who do this incredibly well. And I want to be that guy (or gal). But it’s hard. What advice do you have to stay calm, regulating my emotions, particularly when times are tough? #askingforafriend What does it mean to be a mentally strong leader? “Mental strength is the ability to regulate y ..read more

Episode 256: Do you have a micromanager as a boss—what do you do to combat micromanagement? Tune in to this episode for some go-to phrases you can use to improve the relationship and keep the interactions at work positive. Host, David Dye, gives you a sneak peek at their new book, “Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict.” If your whole team needs a copy, there’s a great deal waiting for you. Plus, David tackles a listener’s tough question about leading a team through supervisor changes. You’ll get solid advice on fostering trust and nailing communication with your manager. Maste ..read more

What to Say Next to De-Stress Family Conflict and Connect With Your Kids (and Yourself) Whenever we do a media interview about our new book,  Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict, the interviewer or audience member inevitably says,”You know. These phrases would work wonders with my kids.” Yes. They sure will. Particularly the G.O.A.T.s. (Greatest of All Time, top 12). I’m a big believer in talking to your kids more like grown-ups. This got me and my friend, Kiersten Lortz, talking about additional Powerful Phrases moms (and dads) can use when the going gets rough with thei ..read more

Episode 255: In this episode, you’ll dive into the challenges of unlocking team potential when leading a team tangled in conflict. Imagine having a handbook of exactly what to say to calm the storm—that’s what the book, “Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict,” offers you. You’ll hear why it’s crucial to tackle these conflicts head-on, transforming them into opportunities for growth and improved team dynamics. Picture yourself mastering the art of dealing with vents, misunderstandings, and even toxic situations using targeted phrases and strategies. Host, David Dye, also reminds ..read more

Avoiding workplace conflict makes for stagnant organizations where problems fester No one needs destructive, anger-fueled conflict at work. It’s corrosive and makes work miserable. But there’s another kind of workplace conflict that’s not only vital for a vibrant culture, but this kind of productive workplace conflict is also  the fuel for innovation, quality of life, and the better workplace today’s teams crave. Who Wants More Conflict at Work? In our World Workplace Conflict and Collaboration Survey we asked over 5000 people in 45+ countries about their experiences with workplace confli ..read more

Episode 254: In this episode, host David Dye delves into the pervasive challenge of addressing unclear expectations in the workplace. David unpacks how such ambiguity can be the root of workplace conflict and offers precise language to help you articulate concerns and seek mutual understanding. For instance, in situations like deciding if turning on the camera during virtual meetings is necessary, phrases like “It appears we have different perspectives on this” can pave the way for open dialogue. David also highlights the importance of establishing decision-making processes within teams, wheth ..read more

Strategies For Leading Through Change with Confidence “Hey Karin, I need some help leading through change. My team LOVES doing things the WAY THEY’VE ALWAYS DONE THEM. And I’m trying to get them to embrace some new technology. To do things just a little bit differently. But they are comfortable where they are. What should I do? #AskingforaFriend Embracing Curiosity as a Catalyst for Change Your Curiosity Powerful Phrases are a great start here. You can’t go wrong with your curiosity G.O.A.T.s. You can download a FREE G.O.A.T. Job Aid at our Conflict and Collaboration Resource Center. “I’m cu ..read more

The Communication Channel You Choose Matters: It’s What You Say AND How You Say It If you’re managing a team, you know how crucial your choice of communication can be. Let’s start with a timeless piece of advice from Marshall McLuhan, the renowned communication researcher. He famously said, “The medium is the message.” What does this mean for you as a manager? It means that how you communicate with your team can be just as important, if not more so, than what you are communicating. It’s vital to chose the right communication channel for your message. Think about this: if you decide to inform ..read more