What is your experience with the phrase "We need to talk"? For many of us it has served as a red-flag, used just before a love interest ends a relationship or an employer delivers the pink slip. It's a signal there's a problem that requires focused discussion and immediate resolution. It's also a great illustration of why the sound of the hu...

Last month I agreed to help a colleague book meetings with SaaS (software as a service) companies, primarily in California. This is work I enjoy and I'm able (usually) to deliver excellent results.  Also "working the phone" allows me to identify new communications trends and behaviours. While I can't attach the word "success" to this projec...

I'm writing this on a chilly Sunday morning. I've just returned from our neighbourhood mailbox (a major construction project prevents us from gathering our mail daily). After sorting out the flyers, I chose to open an envelope from the Nova Scotia Health Authority. As I read the enclosed letter, I am filled with a deep sense of sadness and c...

Recently stuck in Halifax traffic, I was able to give my full attention to a radio interview. What I heard was a clear reminder of two words that, when put together, clearly announce our bias and can sound extremely confrontational. What are these two words and what might we say instead? The focus of the news item was Canada's upcoming l...