I’m opting for short and sweet this week for two reasons: (1) this tip neither needs a lot of preamble nor interpretation (2) I honestly find myself really low on steam right now. (That second part is curious since I haven’t sprinted through an airport or “done much” since late February. But I digress.) Today I feature the brilliance of a colleague who has found a creative, informative, and humorous way to manage her own clients’ and colleagues’ expectations during a most unusual time.

A little over four years ago I wrote a Weekly Tip called, “Why it’s a problem that you know stuff.” I stumbled across it the other day and realized now is a really good time for a reprise, especially as we all struggle with massive amounts of uncertainty in our lives.

There’s a lot of empathy going around these days, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, a lot of it is mediocre empathy, which is a bad thing—especially if you’re striving to be a trusted advisor who listens masterfully and makes meaningful and lasting connections with others. Here are two words in particular to remove from your repertoire.

There’s a lot of empathy going around these days, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, a lot of it is mediocre empathy, which is a bad thing—especially if you’re striving to be a trusted advisor who listens masterfully and makes meaningful and lasting connections with others. Here are two words in particular to remove from your repertoire.