Communication

Business Communication, Communication

Wake Me When “Woke” is Over

You’ve heard, no doubt, that Florida is “where Woke goes to die.” Governor Ron DeSantis is all wrapped up in opposition to “wokeism” He declared victory in his fight with Disney World, calling Disney “a woke corporation.” And of course, he’s championed the Stop WOKE Act, to limit teaching about racism and some other history in Florida schools. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders touched on the topic in her response to President Biden’s State of the Union speech. He’s surrendered his presidency to a woke mob, she said, and later accused him of pursuing “woke fantasies.” And Indiana Congressman Jim Banks has created what he calls the Anti-Woke Caucus. He’s demanding “a recorded vote on an amendment to defund wokeness” on any bill that spends money on what he calls “leftist activities.” Turns out the mission is to remove “diversity, equity, and inclusion” from federal agencies.

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Communication, Mindset

How’s Your Social Fitness?

How's your social fitness: Mine is right there in black and white: “There’s room for you to develop some good social fitness habits that will keep your relationships strong.” Let’s just say I didn’t get an A+ on the Friendship Quiz from the New York Times. Their Well newsletter writers concede that I do have “the outline of a healthy social network.” But, they tell me, “You could go a step further.” Are you wondering why I’d take a Friendship Quiz? Or why a paper like the NYT would run one? They’re not Cosmo, after all. The quiz is step one in Well’s week-long “Happiness Challenge” based on the idea that happiness helps us stay healthy, and robust relationships are among the things that make us happy. In fact, they may be the main thing that makes us happy.

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photo of two young girls talking on a tin can telephone
Business Communication, Communication

The Power of Your Voice

The question is whether you’re using the power of your voice. More and more, it seems, many of us aren’t.
A text is so easy, or an email. And often, in our haste to get a message across, we go for the quick and easy instead of a conversation that might take time and energy. And yet, we can make so much more impact when we talk to someone.

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photo of two people in conversation
Communication

I’m Thrilled For You. Really.

You know how it is. A friend gets an exciting new job. Lands a big client. Or meets a promising potential romantic partner. You say, “How wonderful!” “That’s fabulous news!” “You must be so happy! And I’m happy for you.” And—deep inside, in your heart of hearts—you’re struggling to keep that smile on your face. Thinking about your own situation. And wishing it were you with a new job, a big client, or a budding romantic relationship. Well. It turns out, if we can find a way to be genuinely happy for a friend who shares good news, we will be happier in general.

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photo of young woman smiling
Business Communication, Communication

When To Say When

Maybe I should just quit. Maybe you should, too. Quitting still has a bad name in our culture, even after a worldwide pandemic persuaded a bunch of us that maybe it was time to move on from unsatisfying jobs. Meanwhile, millions of us hang on to a job we hate, a relationship that stopped being satisfying years ago, or a hobby that’s lost its luster. Our bias against quitting shows up in less consequential matters, too.

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