Those who know me know I readily admit to being grossly (and unapologetically) ignorant when it comes to just about anything sports related. Only every once-in-a-while a news story will catch my eye, as was the case the other day with American basketball superstar LeBron James. LeBron had an important message for his critics, and it’s one we can all learn from.

Some of my favorite Weekly Tips from the past are the ones that provide unconventional approaches to conventional communications. This week I offer you a compilation of “go-to” resources for three common situations.

I’m not the only one who struggles to manage email. Recall the McKinsey study revealing that the average “interaction worker” spends 28% of work week managing email. (I’m not sure what an “interaction worker” is, but I’m pretty sure I am one.) This equates to nearly three hours per day, on average. Add meetings on top of that, along with the actual work we’re expected to get done, and we’ve got a reliability crisis on our hands.

This just in from a former workshop participant, and reprinted with permission. It’s a really great reminder that sometimes the reason we don’t hear back from clients has everything to do with them, and not you.

 

I’ve been on the receiving end of a collection of reach-outs recently: a voice mail, a series of emails, and a bunch of LinkedIn invitations. Each and every one has bugged me a little; the collection has put me over the top. So it’s time for a plea to all these well-meaning people—the ones you are more like than you might realize.

Back by popular demand, here’s another collection of trust lessons from my own most humbling moments.A few weeks ago I shared about the time I was guilty of three bad business development habits for which I passionately admonish others, the time I wasn’t asked back to speak at a big conference, and the time I managed my own reactiveness to a colleague really poorly.

At the turn of the new year, my own personal picks for maxims to focus on from the Get Real Manifesto were “Mistakes are inevitable; how you handle them reveals your true character” and “You get what you give.” We’re a few weeks in and I’m bringing “Humor and levity do more than break the ice” to the forefront as well.

During the recent holidays I was once again struck by the amount of generic and/or undifferentiated holiday cards, ecards, emails and more in circulation. Now’s a good time to plan more distinctive approaches in the new year. Hint: Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Here are four tips for client reach-outs that pack a punch.

 

A recent customer service experience reminded me why real empathy is so much more effective than rote empathy, and why we should all choose our words mindfully when we’re attempting it. The lessons in this case stretch far beyond the help desk to anyone in a services role.