How to Have a Crappy Conversation

Posted on February 6, 2017February 6, 2017 by Deirdre Maloney

This week brought an interesting theme. Two of my colleagues – and me - all found ourselves in a universally dreaded situation. We had to have crappy conversations. And they Stressed. Us. Out. (Nooooo sleeping here.) Colleague #1? He had to tell his somewhat-non-performing staff member who really loved working from home…that he would no longer be...

The Boomerang Effect

Posted on August 29, 2016September 13, 2017 by Deirdre Maloney

A recent work trip found me networking with two women I hadn’t met before. It didn’t take long before I noticed a pattern pop up. Let’s see if you catch it. Woman #1: Whew, it’s so great to be here because I thought I might not make it. My daughter just had her wisdom teeth out and it turns out they were all impacted… Woman #2: I know what you mean! My ...

Digging Out of the Talking-Trap

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Deirdre Maloney

I fell into a trap recently. A talking-trap. A guy-who-wouldn’t-stop-talking-to-me-no-matter-what-I-did trap. It happened while Hubbie and I were vacationing in a rented RV up in the wine country. It turns out the small-ish living space inside the RV had nothing on the teensy space outside of it. Case and point? Here’s a photo of our RV. Right next to ...

How to Kill a Conversation

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Deirdre Maloney

Conversations drive our lives. They mean everything. Yet we all face the temptation to do something every day - sometimes several times each day - to mess them up. I dare you to tell me the following hasn’t happened to you. You’re in the midst of a conversation and someone else is speaking and – BAM! – you are hit with a brilliant point. But the other pe...