Why We Refuse To Listen When We’re Stressed Out

Perspective rendering of a playing card with an illustration of a man in a black suit holding his hand up to stop a woman in a purple shirt from talking.

“You just don’t get it!”  “I’m not looking for your opinion…” Have you ever encountered these responses when you’re (just) trying to give helpful feedback? Defensiveness is an almost universal way in which we respond to stress. But here’s the tricky part—while we’re often quick to notice it in others, it’s even harder to notice […]

You’re Blushing! How To Stay Cool When You’re Red In The Face

Rendering of a playing card with an illustration of a young man with a blue shirt and brown hair who is blushing and scratching the back of his head.

We all blush. It’s not noticeable for some lucky individuals, but for others, redness in the face can make us feel even more self-conscious when it’s the last thing that we need.   So why does it happen, and what can we do about it?  Blushing is the body’s way of responding to unwanted attention, but […]

Are You (Really) A Good Listener?

Being-a-good-listener

Do you want to know something shocking? At least, it was shocking to me. I recently analyzed the data for my Sphere of Influence research on how people use the twelve different interaction styles, and the results were a landslide. Of 6861 people surveyed, guess what the least used style was? You guessed it: Listen. […]

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