Four Simple Steps to Improve Your Business Writing

I often work with clients who aim to improve communication within their organizations. Many of them naturally focus their concerns on the verbal communication issues within their company but fail to evaluate the impact that their written communication may have.  Here are four simple steps to help improve your written communication:  Consider your audience. When preparing to draft written communication, whether it’s an email, marketing materials, or a business report, consider your audience. How you address a customer may be very different from how you would address an employee. How you present information on your company’s fourth-quarter earnings and goals

4 Exercises to Enhance Your Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts

I sat down to watch The Social Dilemma with my husband this past weekend. OH.MY. Netflix describes the show as a “documentary-drama hybrid [that] explores the dangerous human impact of social networking, with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations.”  Besides the realization that our every move and word, maybe even our every thought at some point, is being tracked by our smartphones and computers for the purpose of benefiting a profit machine, I was most fascinated by the premise that social media is one of the key factors polarizing us as a people and growing divides in

A Look Back at 3 Things Leaders Don’t Do in Times of Crisis

As we continue to plan out this new year, we thought we would take a look back at the #1 post from 2020. You see, with this pandemic and political turmoil, we could all use a reminder of how to behave as leaders. Here are 3 Things Leaders Don’t Do  In Times of Crisis: We are still in the midst of an unprecedented time in our country and world, with so many unknowns related to COVID-19 and its impact on quite literally everything. Last week, I wrote about 4 things leaders do in times of crisis based on my observations

4 Reasons for the Gap in Women Leaders and 4 Things to do to Address It

“You mean there has never been a girl President?” my almost ten-year-old son asks.    “No.”  I say.  “And there has never been a girl Vice President?” he inquires.  “Until now?”  “Yes.”  I say. “Well, Paigey could be either one day.”   And he turns his attention to something else. His matter-of-fact way of stating that his sister- or any girl for that matter- could be President or Vice President of the United States just makes sense to him.  In his frame of reference, there never having been one is what doesn’t.   But the realization that something just doesn’t make good sense,

3 Things Business Leaders Can (and Should) Do to Help Marginalized People

This year, I have the opportunity to take part in Leadership Greater Hunstville. This program focuses on educating and equipping business leaders to also be community leaders through intense exposure to all facets of the community.  “Human Services Day” took place this week.  It focuses on understanding the needs of the community and the not-for-profits that help meet these needs, many of which focus on helping marginalized people. The day began with a poverty simulation (CAPS), and we spent most of the afternoon hearing from a variety of not-for-profit entities in the community.  One of the not-for-profit leaders participating said