Listening is such a neglected communication skill! One thing I’ve discovered is people in today’s world often don’t feel like anyone is listening to them everyone is broadcasting: blogs videos YouTube crazy people on the news. Everyone’s talking, and so few people are listening. Most of us feel like our perspective is never heard or
By Tasha M. Troy The world today seems a much scarier place than it did 15 or 20 years ago. The culture in the US has shifted in ways that create isolation and frustration to dangerous levels, and we see the results in tragedies over and over again. And I haven’t had to look at
I was recently asked how someone could deal with a person who dominated a conversation, never pausing long enough to let anyone else “get a word in edgewise.” She had recently been at a dinner party where this had happened, and she had been quite at a loss as how to address the problem We
By Tasha M. Troy The holiday season is a magical time of the year that can bring people together who might not otherwise make the time. For many, this is a wonderful time to bond with friends and family over shared traditions and values. For many others, it is a stressful and contentious time because
By Tasha M. Troy Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe it’s been 20 years since I first started teaching. I can tell you that my career hasn’t gone where I expected it to! I remember my first year of teaching like it was yesterday. It was an incredibly challenging year! Boy, have I grown
By Tasha M. Troy Recently I was asked what would help someone become more persuasive. The answer I gave may have seemed simplistic or counter intuitive, but I’ve found it to be essential for myself in having influence without position and persuasion without pressure, particularly in the cross-cultural settings I usually find myself in. If
By Tasha M. Troy In 2001, I made one of the biggest, most impactful changes of my life; I moved to South Korea and stayed there for just over eight years. While in Korea, I grew in so many ways: I discovered my niche student population. I learned how to connect with my students, drawing
By Tasha M. Troy It is difficult to describe what I do in just a sentence or two: Do I provide professional communication skills training? Do I coach people in cross-cultural situations and environments? Do I develop leaders? The answer to each of these questions is “YES!” Modern leadership of any sort is becoming more
By Tasha M. Troy In early November 2016, I went in to work as usual and encountered a coworker who was quite distressed. She was very concerned about what it might mean if Donald Trump actually won the US presidency in the quickly approaching election; I had concerns of my own about the election. As
By Tasha M. Troy A few years ago, I experienced a misunderstanding and miscommunication with a student. I worked with her for a few months but couldn’t understand why she was resistant to my instruction and feedback—seeming even uncooperative. It wasn’t until I saw the mid-term student evaluation of instructors that I realized my own