Full disclosure, there’s no new tip this week. I simply didn’t get ‘er done. And instead of trying to shoe-horn one in, delivering something sub-par that comes with a lot of stress as its price tag, I’m choosing a little reprieve for me and my team. Because if there’s one thing we all need less of right now, it’s added stress of any kind.

This week’s tip showcases a retailer that we should all aspire to emulate, regardless of industry or subject matter expertise. Why? Because of the way it lives by the five words that define what it truly means to be a trusted advisor.

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.

Three weeks ago I published a list of three essential trust-building practices for challenging times (cringing now at the wildly overused phraseology). I followed it by lists of “Ninja tips” for the first two—personal reach-outs and generous offers—and today the spotlight is on the last essential practice, which is serious S-management.

Two weeks ago I published a list of three essential trust-building practices for challenging times, followed by a list of seven “Ninja tips” for the first one (personal reach-outs). The spotlight now turns to the second essential practice, which is generous offers. By coincidence, I came up with seven tips for these as well.