A couple of weeks ago I was invited to present a workshop at a nonprofit that was in the Battery Park area in lower Manhattan last week. I drove into “The City” since I was attending a QCP (Queens Centers for Progress) event in the Terrace on the Park in Queens that evening. The garage […]
Have you encountered a situation that does not align with your values? You do not like the way someone is treating you or someone you know. And at a certain point in time, you realize that you must use your voice and voice start saying “no.” Now saying no is not always easy and like […]
George Washington offers us great lessons in communications and leadership. The sculpture at the top of the page is called “Point of View” by the artist Jim West. This sculpture depicts George Washington and Seneca leader Guyasuta in 1770. “Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism” “It is better to be alone than in bad […]
One Valentine’s Day in a faraway place called the 7th Grade, I learned a few important lessons about providing feedback. My classmates and I gave Valentine’s Day cards out in class every year. We had nuns in school and they were very keen on preparing us for life’s challenges. So despite all the rules they […]
“I thought that you understood what I needed and why.” “I thought that we were on the same page.” “I thought that things were going to get better (or as I say it, ‘bettah’).” Have you ever found yourself thinking these words, only to discover that your experience with the person (or people) was completely […]
“WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?” I was nine years old and living in Jamaica, Queens. I was standing behind my mother and listening to our neighbors discussing the African American family who had purchased the brown shingled ranch house on the corner. “What are we going to do?” I understood that they were not […]
Ah, the modern condition. We carry the entire world in our pockets and yet, somehow, we can’t remember why we just walked into the kitchen. It’s a marvel, really. Our attention spans—once capable of long, uninterrupted conversations, deep thoughts, and the occasional completion of a book—now rival that of a caffeinated goldfish. We exist in […]
We live in an age where our thumbs are constantly scrolling, our eyes are glued to screens, and our conversations are reduced to emojis and one-word responses. We’ve got more ways to communicate than ever before, yet somehow, we’re connecting less. Let’s fix that. Are We Really Connecting? We all love the idea of meaningful […]
Hey, it’s Julienne Ryan here! Let’s talk about a little thing I like to call the grand illusion of communication. You know, that pesky assumption we all make—that people are actually listening to us! We waltz into conversations thinking our words are sinking in, that our emails are being read, and that our brilliant insights […]
A terrific Broadway legend and one of my favorite actresses is serving as my blogging muse today. When I heard about Linda Lavin’s passing, my media source shared her rendition of “You’ve Got Possibilities” from the Broadway musical ” It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s Superman.”When I heard the lyrics, I thought that this […]
