How to communicate more clearly

Dear WW: I’m tired of having to tell the people at work what to do over and over. How can I get people to hear what I’m saying the first time? HOARSE
Dear HOARSE,
Your email reminded me of the Vice-Presidential debate when Dick Cheney encourage viewers to go to factcheck.com for an “unbiased” view. Unfortunately what [...]

How to get people to hear what you are saying

Dear WW: I’m tired of having to tell the people at work what to do over and over. How can I get people to hear what I’m saying the first time? HOARSE
Dear HOARSE,
Your email reminded me of the Vice-Presidential debate when Dick Cheney encourage viewers to go to factcheck.com for an “unbiased” view. Unfortunately what [...]

How to listen better at work

Dear WW: Recently I was criticized for not being a good listener. I was shocked. But I do want to learn how to listen better, can you tell me how? PARDON ME
Dear PARDON,
Ever heard of “‘Scuse me while I kiss this guy”? It’s an entire book full of misheard song lyrics. For example, there is [...]

How to know when NOT to do something via email

Dear WW: As a manager, I rely a lot on email; especially with two telecommuters on my staff. After seeing how emails have come back to haunt so many executives in court, I’m wondering what should one avoid emailing? SAY WHAT?
Dear SAY,
I just read about a big Hollywood star who decided that he was going [...]

How to overcome your fears when giving a presentation

Dear WW: I’m one of those people who would rather die than give a speech. But suddenly I’ve got a bunch of presentations coming up. HELP I’M SPEECHLESS
Dear SPEECHLESS,
Whenever I think about the fear of giving a speech, I think of my Uncle Fred. Fred spent World War II on PT boats in the Pacific. [...]

How to practice good netiquette

Dear WW: My inbox is full of junk. Not spam, all of it has been sent to me by my “friends.” Doesn’t anyone know how to use email anymore? E-FRIED
Dear FRIED,
When it comes to dumb criminals, Albert Dowdy is in a league of his own. The Oregonian broke into a home by smashing a paint [...]

How to get people to pay attention to your voice mail messages

Dear WW: Given everyone’s use of email, leaving voice mail messages almost seems like a lost art. Any suggestions on how I can make mine generate callbacks? PHONE HOME
Dear PHONE,
Like many of us today, Nathan McKay doesn’t feel that he’s getting adequate medical coverage. That’s probably where his similarity to you and me stops. See, [...]