When you think about it, October really is the start of the holiday season — at least in the workplace. November and December are booked solid with end-of-year corporate events and personal trips, making scheduling a beast and team productivity rare. We’re expected to meet not only our social obligations, but also our billable hours. … Read more
I used to be a corporate litigator, so I’ve experienced my fair share of uncomfortable situations. As I’ve continued to navigate my career, though, I’ve realized that discomfort is an unavoidable part of every new step I take or goal I set. The good news is, I’ve also discovered a great way to move past … Read more
After studying civility and workplace communication in the legal profession with the NALP Foundation for over a year, it is time to start putting our finding to work! Check out our article, “An Exploration of Civility within the Legal Industry,” in this month’s issue of the PD Quarterly. To learn more about how we are … Read more
Next time you disagree with a co-worker, a neighbor, or your mother-in-law, pat yourself on the back. You’re doing your part to help save humanity. That’s because the delicate push-pull involved in resolving a challenge — i.e., engaging in productive conflict — is what moves our society forward. That’s right. Our human capacity for multilayered … Read more
Yes, it’s 2019. We ping. We snap. We tweet. We deliver knockout client presentations over video chat and then high-five each other on Slack with dancing emoticons, impressed with our 21st-century prowess. But let’s face it: Email is still a necessary tool for communicating for work. And even though it barely qualifies as actual communication, … Read more
“We see the world, not as it is, but as we are — or as we are conditioned to see it.” This timeless quote by businessman and author Steven Covey reminds me that, as humans, we cannot help but interpret the world through our own, inevitably biased understanding. Objectivity is an illusion. Our perception is … Read more
Here at Fringe PD, we frequently use humor as a teaching method. But with today’s message, I couldn’t be more serious. Incivility in our workplaces needs to be addressed—and soon. So, I’m pleased to announce today that Fringe PD and the NALP Foundation are doing something about it. To be clear: This issue isn’t just … Read more
Avoid those awkward moments by getting to know people faster! During a recent podcast discussing human interactions that often trip us up, psychologist Adam Grant recently made a point that rings oh-so-true in my line of work: People don’t come with user manuals. To which my first thought was, “But couldn’t they?!” Every day, I … Read more
“You don’t know what you don’t know.” This quippy phrase may seem self-evident to some skeptics, but its popularity points to how common it is for people to experience blind spots in their thinking–sometimes to their great peril. Perhaps one of the most dangerous places to have blind spots is in the workplace. You count … Read more
Feedback is challenging – this is not a revelation to most of you. Research has shown that people avoid providing feedback like it is the plague. For those on the receiving end, the desire to get feedback is clear but once we get it, the ensuing internal debate on the “worthiness” of the feedback begins … Read more