Dear Steve, What do you do when respect is violated time and time again? I have revisited mutual purpose with a peer, but we always end up in the same loop: I feel disrespected and dialogue comes to “a screeching halt.” Because of the disrespect, I go to silence and […]
Author: Steve Willlis
How to Set Boundaries for a Friendship
August 26, 2020Dear Steve, My wife and I have this friend who avoids crucial conversations. It got to a point where so much bad stuff had built up and festered that this individual “put her foot down” and told us “we are changing our friendship,” and “this is how it has to […]
An Inside-Out Look at GTD
August 12, 2020Most people consider Getting Things Done® (GTD®) a personal development experience. The name itself portends a boost in personal productivity. And yet Getting Things Done is not simply about getting more things done—although it does deliver on that promise. It’s about getting more of the right things done by changing […]
Outside the Classroom: Navigating a National Crisis Using VitalSmarts Skills
August 5, 2020Q. I am not actively training due to COVID-19 restructuring, but I still want to use the VitalSmarts skills I value and love to help my co-workers, company leaders, community and family members navigate the tumultuous changes we are experiencing. Can you offer some tips to help me get started? […]
The Memo-Fication of Responsibility
June 16, 2020It took a global pandemic to help me see something that’s been going on for years: the slow and steady memo-fication of responsibility. This pattern really became evident as I was introduced to a local company’s “back to work” plan. Their leadership team understands that times have changed and that […]
How to Keep Your Distance and Your Friends
April 22, 2020Dear Steve, In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m trying to be safe by following the health practices outlined by the CDC, WHO, and other officials. I don’t consider myself stringent, nor lax. I feel I am somewhere in between. But apparently that’s not how others see me. My requests […]
How to Talk with Your Manager About a Promotion
October 16, 2019Dear Steve, What do you say to your manager in order to move from a level two to a level three? How do you talk about career advancement and convince them you are ready for the next step? Signed, Moving On Up Dear Moving, Oh, yes. The “level-up” conversation. You […]
How To Help Your Loved One Face a Bully
September 18, 2019Dear Steve, My husband is being bullied at work by a manager and feels he has only two choices: put up with the bullying until he retires or report it and go through a long process that will result in emotional exhaustion and potentially worse bullying. We have seen other […]