Communication

a man presenting in a meeting

Leadership Lessons: How Listening Changes Your Responses

By Sylvia Lafair | April 17, 2017 | Comments Off on Leadership Lessons: How Listening Changes Your Responses

Hearing and listening are related. Similar yet very different. We hear loud sounds, the wind, someone laughing or yelling. And then what? We just get on with our day. Listening, ah, another story entirely. Were you ever told to “listen up†when you were a kid? Did someone ever say “Hey, will you just shut…

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Guess Who’s Coming To Breakfast, Lunch and Maybe Even Dinner

By Sylvia Lafair | March 31, 2017 | Comments Off on Guess Who’s Coming To Breakfast, Lunch and Maybe Even Dinner

Is your company going through a growth spurt? Need more good people to participate in your exciting endeavors? Want to fill the shoes of those who have moved up with those ready to move up? Warning: Don’t overlook those seated before you. Lately I’ve been watching my colleagues combing through resumes looking for the “just…

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The Colors of Gender Thanks to Modern Marketing and Ancient Ancestors

By Sylvia Lafair | March 7, 2017 | Comments Off on The Colors of Gender Thanks to Modern Marketing and Ancient Ancestors

From the day you were born, even before conception, there are beliefs and stereotypes that are attached to gender. Let’s consider the color continuum for gender. Pink is for girls and blue is for boys. Right? Where did this begin? Who decided which colors belong to which gender? Here is a brief trip through history.…

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a prince and a princess looking at each other

Spotting The Big Difference Between Charming and Sincere

By Sylvia Lafair | October 2, 2016 | Comments Off on Spotting The Big Difference Between Charming and Sincere

We live in a time of sizzle and dazzle, quips and giggles. It’s not a time to do deep dives into any subject. How do I know? I’ve fool-hardheartedly been following the Presidential election soaps on television and twitter. I’ve been wondering why and when we turned from substance to slander and superficiality. I want…

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How Todays Trinity of Extremes Affects Us All

By Sylvia Lafair | September 26, 2016 | Comments Off on How Todays Trinity of Extremes Affects Us All

Yes, we live in a fast paced world. Yes, we are often at tipping points of stress. Yes, we can do better. “We are all in it together and no one wins unless we all do.†This mantra sounds good, however, for most of us it sounds naïve. Sometimes the world seems to be spinning…

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Magic Moments Best When Unexpected

By Sylvia Lafair | August 30, 2016 | Comments Off on Magic Moments Best When Unexpected

Got on the bus. Waited. Got on another bus. Waited even longer. Had a bad feeling this paid in advance tour was going to disappoint. And it did. Almost. Tours to that revered site in Rome, the Vatican are expensive and seemingly necessary. Otherwise the lines can be hours long. The Vatican is a must…

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The Downside Of Growing Your Organizational Culture

By Sylvia Lafair | May 12, 2016 | Comments Off on The Downside Of Growing Your Organizational Culture

I was sitting having a quick dinner in Manhattan with some colleagues. The place was packed and the noise level high. Just a typical 6:30 p.m. time of workplace decompressing, after one of those typical rush and get it done days. At the table to the left we heard “No one should be forced to…

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Leadership Lessons How To Raise Healthy Kids To Be Excellent Leaders

By Sylvia Lafair | January 22, 2016 | Comments Off on Leadership Lessons How To Raise Healthy Kids To Be Excellent Leaders

We know all the basics: lots of fresh air, sleep, fruits and vegetables, friendships, and loving parents. There is one extra area that works like a charm. It is kids teaching kids. You see, too much adult supervision and youngsters stop listening. All they hear is blah, blah, blah. And more than that, there is…

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Happy Holidays, Happy YOU

By Sylvia Lafair | December 21, 2015 | Comments Off on Happy Holidays, Happy YOU

I just came home from shopping for the last minute gifts for my family. Was it fun? Well, some of it was and some of it was rather annoying. I took time to observe my reactions to the good moments and the sour ones. Then I found some research that aligned with my feelings and…

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Honoring Our Veterans: Each In Our Own Way

By Sylvia Lafair | November 10, 2015 | Comments Off on Honoring Our Veterans: Each In Our Own Way

I sat in silence listening to the stories of battered trucks driving down dirt roads and blowing up just a hairs breath from soldiers on duty. I heard about the pain, angst and often guilt that is part of physically fighting someone into submission or fear being killed. The vets all said, in their own…

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