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Do “ISMS” help or hinder our ability to communicate with others?I think that ISMs can do both – A well crafted definition can serves a bridge and can help facilitate understanding and conn…

Do “ISMS” help o…

Do “ISMS” help or hinder our ability to communicate with others?I think that ISMs can do both – A well crafted definition can serves a bridge and can help facilitate understanding and connection. Alternatively it can shut listening quicker than stranded vehicle in rush hour traffic. On many occasion, I’ve witnessed two people having a reasonable conversation only to see one of the participant’s face change as soon as a “ism” was introduced. The term created a wall and “shut down” the listener’s ability to give the other their full attention.Because I am always t…

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…

A couple of weeks ag…

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 I used was located is a circa 1950’s design, a massive, multi-tiered, labyrinth of a self-parking lot that is located next to the entrance to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.This place is so huge that they actually have an attendant who flags your car down so he can inform you of potential parking space si…

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 us…

Have you encountered…

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 any other skill it requires practice Saying no is like a muscle – if it remains inert too long, our ability to use it becomes diminished. So, saying “no” is an important Exercise and should not be avoided because it is challenging.As I thought about the act of saying “no,” I reflected on the pe…

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 …

George Washington of…

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 company” “Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected” “Worry is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble” “It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one” “The Constitution is the guide which I nev…

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. …

One Valentine’s Da…

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 enforced on a daily basis, they did not require us to give everyone in our class a Valentine’s Day card. As a result, we came away from this annual activity with some good data regarding where we stood with our fellow students.That year when I reviewed my collection of card, I…

“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 y…

“I thought that yo…

“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 different from what you had envisioned? What you’re experiencing is a bad case of “assumptions.” This is a common issue in our communication with others. We often assume that the other person attaches the same meaning and value to our words. When things don’t go as …

“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 pu…

“WHAT ARE WE GOING…

“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 discussing what to bake for a welcome gift.I had heard my mother explain that my parents, my brother and I had left their Park Slope, Brooklyn neighborhood because the area “had changed.” Real Estate agents had come through the area, and had warned everyone that bad…

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 capabl…

Ah, the modern condi…

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 a state of perpetual interruption. Pings, dings, and the ever-looming specter of unread notifications pull us from one half-baked thought to another, leaving us in a swirling vortex of half-written emails, half-watched shows, and half-listened-to…

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 tha…

We live in an age wh…

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 Relationships—whether it’s with friends, family, partners, or colleagues. But here’s the kicker: just because we’re “connected” on social media doesn’t mean we’re actually connected in real life.Think about the last time you had a deep, face-…

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 t…

Hey, it’s Julienne…

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 are being mentally filed for future action. But let’s get real—our assumptions are just about as reliable as a New York street vendor’s promise that you’re buying a designer handbag.The Communication Assumption TrapHere’s the deal: we assume that be…

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 Po…

A terrific Broadway …

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 song would make a great thinking prompt during this post-holiday “What’s next?” period.Recognizing and realizing our possibilities involves several key aspects:  Self-awareness: Understanding our strengths, weaknesses, values, and passions allows us to …

What if we did these simple things in 2025? Think about all the great things that could happen in your relationships at work and at home. Think about how these activities will help you shorten your…

What if we did these…

What if we did these simple things in 2025? Think about all the great things that could happen in your relationships at work and at home. Think about how these activities will help you shorten your meetings and eleviate a lot of Stress.What if you started to do this today?Text Less, Talk More: Resolve to have actual conversations instead of relying on emoji-filled texts—bonus points for face-to-face chats!Master the Art of Listening: Make a New Year’s resolution to listen more than you talk, and maybe even nod enthusiastically at appropriate moments.Use Humor in Conv…

Have you considered telling your story in a new way?Jerome Deroy and I have conducted over 100 + podcast interviews since we embarked on this endeavor during the COVID-19 lockdown. Every time we …

Have you considered …

Have you considered telling your story in a new way?Jerome Deroy and I have conducted over 100 + podcast interviews since we embarked on this endeavor during the COVID-19 lockdown. Every time we log on to Zoom for our session, I look at the bookshelves and think, “I wonder what’s in those boxes?” So I finally had the opportunity to use that question as a podcast theme and put my “ask one more question” practice to good use. This is what I learned in the process.In a world where leadership often prioritizes bottom lines and efficiency, I believe that the art of storytelling p…

Have you experienced this issue?You’re having a conversation with someone and then you encounter an onslaught of hashtag#buzzwords, hashtag#jargon and cryptic abbreviations?Did you find yo…

Have you experienced…

Have you experienced this issue?You’re having a conversation with someone and then you encounter an onslaught of hashtag#buzzwords, hashtag#jargon and cryptic abbreviations?Did you find yourself thinking:You’re thinking “That term sounds familiar … I know that I know it … but what the heck it is it? or“Why doesn’t this meeting have subtitles? !!!!”Did you then find yourself Hiding your phone under the conference table so you could Google the abbreviations and terminology?Americans are a jargon happy people. I once worked at one company that dist…

Is saying “Thank You” a daily ritual?Simple rituals matter. Saying “Thank you” is one of those activities.Who has influenced your work and championed your capabilities?Who has hel…

Is saying “Thank Y…

Is saying “Thank You” a daily ritual?Simple rituals matter. Saying “Thank you” is one of those activities.Who has influenced your work and championed your capabilities?Who has helped you to succeed at work?Have you taken the time to circle back to them to say “Thank you?”Here’s a few articles that outline why it matters and how it will make a difference in your life:5 reasons why saying thank you is so important for everyoneGratitude is more than just saying thank you.Expressing gratitude is a lot more than saying thank you.Gratitude and appr…

The neighborhood rooster didn’t get the memo about Daylight Savings Time last week.It’s bad enough that he usually commences crowing 5 am on the dot everyday with out fail.However, when we…

The neighborhood roo…

The neighborhood rooster didn’t get the memo about Daylight Savings Time last week.It’s bad enough that he usually commences crowing 5 am on the dot everyday with out fail.However, when we turned our clocks back for Daylight Savings Time last week, 4 am became his new “go time.”My Sleep was interrupted. Mr. Rooster also roused my husband, who reacted with a few Crumlin-Dublin expressions. Then, because he is a MAN, he could turn his brain off and fall asleep in two minutes. Not me. I lay there contemplating my go-to mantra, “ I will use this experience for something.…

Our stories can reveal a lot about ourselves and what shaped our perspectives and listening. Here’s one that shaped my listening.Growing up in Queens, New York, I always visited my local library…

Our stories can reve…

Our stories can reveal a lot about ourselves and what shaped our perspectives and listening. Here’s one that shaped my listening.Growing up in Queens, New York, I always visited my local library. When I was in the 6th grade, I brought home a science fiction book that was an adventure story about a young boy and his friends.The friends loved learning about space in school; somehow, their science teacher discovered a way to Travel through it. The group didn’t use rockets to travel; they only used their minds and bodies. Together, they could leave Earth and transport their bodies thro…

Rolling Stones can teach us a few lessons about what it means to be “engaged at work.”Last week, I attended a Rolling Stones concert with my husband at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and…

Rolling Stones can t…

Rolling Stones can teach us a few lessons about what it means to be “engaged at work.”Last week, I attended a Rolling Stones concert with my husband at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and the experience left a lasting impression. Watching Mick Jagger’s constant, non – stop energy on stage made me reflect on what it truly means to be engaged at work. Here are a few takeaways from their performance:1. Mastering Their Craft: The Stones’ showmanship and musical skills have been honed over decades since their first concert in 1962.2. Strong Sense of Identity: They exude …