Plan for tricky language, or prepare to be misunderstood

A university is a wonderful place to work if you like the energy of young people and smart coworkers. The excitement that the combination creates sometimes also creates misunderstandings of intent, centered on the use of language. Complicating the situation, colleges and universities are often at the forefront of trends […]

tricky language

Learning how to talk about difficult topics

Too often, the things we need most to talk about go unsaid, like the way we look and differences in our cultures. Usually, we settle into our customs and prejudices and leave it to someone else to question orthodoxy. The good thing about working at a university is that the […]


You can beat writer’s block (Yes, you can)

I have not published a blog for four weeks – four weeks! A farce, a failure — an injustice to my many fans! This is despite my belief that regular communication through blogging is essential for all who wish to be known as thought leaders in their fields. The act […]


Want to be interviewed by the media? Learn from these writers’ gripes

Twitter was alive last week with crabby writers complaining about people they wanted to interview. This information can be valuable to those who want to build good relationships with reporters and therefore get publicity for themselves or their businesses. It turns out that what sounds reasonable and time-saving to you […]


The Beach Boys: A business strategy fronted by Mike Love

The first time I saw The Beach Boys was in a sports coliseum with 20,000 other people. That evening, most of the band came on stage and started with a song to warm up the crowd. Before the next song, Brian Wilson, wearing a muumuu and with his guitar slung […]


What great customer service looks like when your life depends on it

Excellent customer service can be practiced by anyone, but I would argue that in some situations it is a little more important than in others. Dr. Robert Cooper is retiring after 37 years of treating cancer patients in private practice and at Western Connecticut Health Network, and the horror and […]


Five reasons I write on LinkedIn (and a Call to Action)

I’ve been reading about both the purpose of content marketing and the best ways to engage people on LinkedIn. Following are goals that might apply to you, and examples from my own work as illustration. 1. State clearly Why You Do What You Do. This is from Marc W. Halpert, […]


Happy Fourth of July. We’re doomed.

Now that the barbecues and fireworks are done, I would like to spend a few minutes talking about the U.S. Constitution. So as not to be a complete wet blanket, I interviewed Dr. Kevin R. C. Gutzman, a historian who believes the country has gone to hell, constitutionally speaking. “Iran […]