Articles

Fatherly (Career) Advice

I was at a beautiful coming-of-age celebration this past weekend where one of the most memorable moments was when the father of the woman-to-be shared his words of hope and wisdom for her with the party guests. As I listened to his inspiring advice, I found his message to his daughter to be resonant and…

Read article
How…and When…to Take a Stand

Right now, this minute ask yourself: What do I stand for? What matters most to me that would give me the moral courage to speak up? Sometimes, it’s easier to answer with the opposite in mind. Fill out the blanks below: Without ________________ life would suck. Without ________________ life would suck. Without ________________ life would…

Read article
START EMPATHIZING…and remind people that they’re not alone

As we enter this harried, crazed — but also wonderfully sweet season — a reminder to raise our awareness of others and increase our ability to connect and empathize. A short segment from my upcoming book: Connector #8: EMPATHIZING Acknowledges the other person’s emotion Offers compassion Communicates with sensitivity and respect There is a fundamental…

Read article
How to Offer a Sincere Statement

What do you do — what’s the right thing to do — when you’ve messed up so badly and fallen from grace? In the wake of continuing news about people in positions of trust and authority taking advantage of their position of power to harass and humiliate, I want to share a simple and sincere…

Read article
Double Negative: Meeting Ignorance with Impatience

I’m not the first to say that there is a lot of tension in conversations these days. Whether on social media, at the Thanksgiving dinner table, in office discussions, in political discourse and beyond. I’ve been listening to this dis-course: Listening to the dis-comfort, the dis-ease and to the general dis-content as well-intentioned people enter…

Read article
BETWEEN GRATITUDE AND GUILT

Thursday, July 27, 2017. My day is bookended by lucky luxury and painful perspective. I started the day with a skip in my step; entering a Starbucks in Bel Air, I order my usual – A tall Americano with a little room for my non-fat milk – low calorie, high price. Waiting for the barista to…

Read article
Repairing Relationships: Seven Starters

Hello business world. I haven’t written in a while because I’ve been working with serious clients on some tough issues. I leave intense conference rooms with immense gratitude that I get to play a part in helping partners and teams rebuild, reconcile and repair. It’s also emotionally exhausting. I was describing the experience to a…

Read article
Falling Forward

I took a pretty bad fall on Friday walking to a meeting in Venice, California. Broke the skin on my knees, sprained my arm, shattered the glass on my phone — but actually bolstered my belief in myself and in how the world works. Rewind three hours. Driving my teen to the school bus in…

Read article
Talking Politics at Work

Meeting with my coaching clients over the last week involved a number of conversations about the recent presidential election. “I don’t talk to anyone at work about it,” “I’m avoiding people in the hallway,” and “I only talk to people who voted the way I did,” are some of the statements my clients voiced in…

Read article
Ace the Interview

You want that job – there’s a lot of competition – you’re qualified and experienced – how do you make sure the hiring manager knows that? There aren’t any tricks, and preparation is the name of the game, but once the interview has started, there are certain communication tools to bring with you, along with…

Read article
How the Medium Changes Your Message

In an age of digital distraction and information overload, two questions should be front of mind if our goal is to get our message across. 1. Where does communication break down? 2. How can we communicate more effectively? Researchers Ray and Myers from Stanford wrote that “in practice, communication is the most complex of all…

Read article
Change Behavior with Five Simple Steps

Many of us want to cultivate change and growth, but think the process is too lengthy and arduous. Not necessarily. I’d like to introduce you to an effective tool I’ve been using with professionals in coaching sessions and with teams in strategy meetings. If you want to change your individual and/or organizational behavior — not…

Read article
Yesterday I was your peer, today I’m your supervisor…now what?

Changing dynamics at work add to already challenging situations. It’s not uncommon that individuals get promoted, and overnight go from being their co-workers’ peer to supervising them. When roles and goals change, the management and leadership style must follow; but tensions and triggers show up that accompany the change and often lead to confusion and…

Read article
SURENESS: Developing a Confident Mindset to Live Life Fully

Sureness (noun) : A state of mind in which one is free from doubt. Synonyms: certainty, confidence, conviction, positiveness, satisfaction Related words: decisiveness, determination, firmness, purposefulness, resoluteness On a recent trip to Hawaii, I walked by a statue of a Burmese standing Buddha. The resort I stayed at was filled with spiritual sculptures and ancient artifacts, but this…

Read article
Communication Cheat Sheet Part 2: Nonverbal Cues

A couple weeks ago I posted an article about the power of listening-–http://bit.ly/1TMLKYt — and stated that the second most significant skill on my communication cheat sheet is the power of nonverbal communication. Of all the intentional tools to master, how we convey our emotions with the use of our voice, facial expression and body language, will…

Read article
Communication Cheat Sheet – Part 1: Listening

I was interviewed by an organizational development consultant last week who asked me to boil down all of my communication expertise and advice into what I’d include on a cheat sheet. Great question. And to my surprise, the answer occurred to me immediately: Improve your listening and nonverbal communication skills. With every team I train…

Read article
[Healthy] High Achievers Manage Stress

Achieving a “stress-free life” has become a modern mecca. Access to books, apps, training and courses designed to help us reduce stress is unprecedented, and for good reasons—stress can literally kill us. Yet stress is a natural and important physiological barometer, an evolutionary necessity that has kept us safe for millennia. We all experience stress,…

Read article
Five Ways to Flourish with the 3:1 Positivity Ratio

We can’t be happy and upbeat all the time, though we know our thoughts and emotions affect our relationships, work, health and life. Trying to focus on the silver lining in cloudy situations is not always easy, and research in affective science and positive psychology reveals that this inauthentic approach also fails to serve us. Luckily,…

Read article
High Achievers Practice Empathy

As a high achiever, you make sure to stay on top of your game in every way. You keep up with new developments in your industry. You increase your knowledge with advanced coursework, and improve your skills with executive coaching and training. You increase efficiency through improved processes and systems. You continually hone your expertise.…

Read article
Develop Healthy Boundaries: The Problem with Over-Sharing in Organizations

Many well-intentioned professionals have been striving to create more collegial relationships at work, with a focus on positive interactions they hope will boost morale, loyalty and also the bottom line. Unfortunately, opening up is often connoted with over-sharing while friendliness is sometimes mistaken for divulging personal information inappropriately. Where do we draw the line to meaningfully…

Read article
Closing the Gap Through Mentoring, Education & Service

The Anne Douglas Center at the Los Angeles Mission Presents… A Women’s Collaborative Conference to bring agencies together to assist women experiencing homelessness. When: January 11, 2016 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Add to Calendar Where The California Endowment Center for Healthy Communities 1000 N. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 RSVP HERE

Read article
Facing Change and Challenge in a Client-Driven Market

The market has changed to what is now, more than ever, a buyer’s market – with clients in the driver’s seat. This reality calls for organizations to develop and adopt innovative strategies in order to deliver high quality and responsive services, and thrive. At this program, attendees will learn how to meet challenges head-on by…

Read article
Prepare Your Emotional Strategy for Negotiating

Negotiating is an interpersonal process. Making deals involves individual interests that conflict, oftentimes giving rise to anger and anxiety. Most people prepare a legal and business strategy going into a negotiation that focuses on talking points, offers and counteroffers. Rarely do people plan out their emotional strategy for what is essentially an emotionally charged conversation.…

Read article
Not Guilty: What I Learned From My Day in Court

I spent my Tuesday morning at the Santa Monica Superior Court. Current Judge and Former Mayor James K. Hahn was presiding over the traffic trials that day. With my June 28 cell phone usage details printout neatly tucked away in a business folder, I was professionally attired and ready to demonstrate that I wasn’t texting…

Read article
Mind Over Media: Beware of Message Manipulation

The tragic terrorist attacks in Paris last week have rightfully consumed the news media, the social media and inevitably, our minds. Discussions in various outlets and circles have been a melange of diplomatic, direct, distracting, disruptive and dramatic messages leading to a general feeling of malaise and melancholy. Three powerful forces are at play, that…

Read article
N.I.S.E. GUYS FINISH FIRST

Contrary to professional belief, you don’t have to be ruthless to be successful. Evidence and examples from the management and leadership worlds prove, again and again, that people who can connect and collaborate develop loyal and fruitful relationships with their colleagues and clients. I walk into dozens of firms and organizations stripped of empathy and…

Read article
Bosses Behaving Badly

Is it the pressure? The power? The profit-motive? One thing’s for sure — supervisors who mistreat their subordinates are not focused on the people. When has it become acceptable for bosses to behave so badly? A position of power over the decisions and direction in an organization is a responsibility and a reward that must…

Read article
Talk-Sick Work Environments Harm Business Health: How to Detox Your Workplace

Gossiping. Lashing out. Undermining. Triangulating. Shooting down. Judging. Criticizing. Chastising. Trivializing. Harassing. Misleading. Deceiving. Lying. Shaming. Blaming. Complaining. Stonewalling. Sadly, the number of ways we create a talk-sick (read: toxic) environment at work is countless. It’s common knowledge these days that putting toxins into our bodies (cigarettes, drugs, refined sugar, alcohol, saturated fats, pesticides, mold,…

Read article
Ask for the Feedback that Fuels Your Work

It’s incredible how important it is for us to feel like we’re heard, seen, acknowledged and appreciated. As much as we might try to tell ourselves and others that we’re above the need for credit and recognition–that doing a great job is fulfillment enough–we secretly yearn for a sincere thank you, an authentic acknowledgement, and…

Read article
LOL: Let Others Lead

My friend and Everest Summiter/Keynote Speaker, Gary Guller, says that to be great you have to make those around you great. One of the surest ways to accomplish this is by letting others – in your personal and professional spheres – lead, and by following their lead with trust and respect. Several notable and desirable…

Read article
From Awareness to Action: 3 Points of Personal Change

I’ve had some deep and difficult coaching conversations recently. Many have centered on the challenge of personal change. Three points in the change process bring completely different moods/emotions/energies and require varying skills and tools to experience and navigate. Point 1: Unconscious and Unaware This might be termed ignorance, bliss, oblivion, innocence or naiveté. Others tell…

Read article
Increase Your Influence…Instantly!

Disclaimer: When I teach persuasion, the inevitable manipulation question is brought up: Isn’t it manipulative to influence the behavior or emotions of others? Well, if it’s for one’s own selfish purposes, then yes. If the intention is to create a benefit or greater good, then no. If your intention is to influence others in order to…

Read article
From Success to Significance

I’d like to offer a paradigm shift for the way we conduct ourselves professionally. Rather than thinking about how to make ourselves and our teams the most successful in the business, let’s go for how to make a positive impact for our clients, colleagues and team culture. Focusing on significance, rather than success, oftentimes takes…

Read article
Play a Winning Game: Collaborate

Competition is a powerful driving force. Much of the game of life, as we’ve set it up, is based on win-lose scenarios fueled by competitive mindsets and behaviors. Nothing wrong with this — only problem is if we don’t evolve past this level. To play a bigger game — a winning game — requires strategic…

Read article
A Recipe for Deep Listening

Serves 2 2 Ears 2 Eyes 1 Open Mind 1 Open Heart Strong Desire to Connect There are different types and levels of listening, and not all are created equal. There’s shallow or disconnected listening, where we hear what the other is saying, but only as it’s associated with our own opinions and agendas. Deep…

Read article
What Your Resting Face Says About You

I was recently leading a training on the power of nonverbal communication – a third of which is made up of facial expression – and the subject of “the resting face” came up. While we hope that most of communication is conscious and intentional, we know that much of what is said – and unsaid…

Read article
From Screwed to Shrewd

There is such a thing as being too NICE – that is, Nonresistant, Insecure, Compliant and Enduring…in other words, passive. Being kind is very different. That’s more about compassion, empathy and connection to others. But I’m not writing about kindness here. Many of us have felt taken advantage of, been passed up for promotions and…

Read article
Link the Silos

I call it my “high-heels culture test.” I can walk into a firm or office and gauge — in the short distance walk between the elevator and the receptionist’s desk — whether the culture of the place is collaborative or competitive. If I’m self-consciously hyper aware of the deafening thumping sound of my heels on the…

Read article
Be a 30% Talker but a 100% Communicator

I heard a helpful saying the other day: We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak. If only that was true! Most of us speak far too much and listen far too little — to our own detriments. In an effort to improve our interpersonal communication…

Read article
Hocus Focus

It’s the most powerful tool we have to achieve our goals: FOCUS. And yes, it works like magic. I’ve recently meandered down several professional paths and in the spirit of being open-minded and opportunity-oriented, I’ve met many interesting, passionate and successful people. Some of the conversations I had and meetings I attended were energizing and…

Read article
Stop Interrogating, Start Understanding

What’s the difference between asking and interrogating? When we ask someone a question, or a series of questions, we come from a place of curiosity. When we interrogate someone, we approach them from a place of judgment. The difference is in the intention and the outcomes of the two interactions are polar opposites. When a…

Read article
Stop Judging and Start Appreciating

Why do bad conversations take place between good people? Too many unfortunate times, it’s because we judge rather than appreciate each other. We analyze, categorize and evaluate other people’s actions as good or bad, right or wrong, smart or foolish. A colleague, a friend or a family member will tell us they’re stressed and overwhelmed…

Read article
It’s Not Smart to Make Others Feel Stupid

I sometimes hear about “brilliant rain-makers” who “don’t suffer fools.” These are smart lawyers and executives who behave intellectually superior and are intolerant of others’ “stupidity.” They finish other people’s sentences, know what others are trying to do and say, hate to be bothered and don’t like their time wasted. What their colleagues or clients might…

Read article
Do You Elevate or Escalate?

The unfortunate has happened: Your client is angry, your boss is disappointed, your colleagues are uncooperative, your kid’s teacher sends you an irate email, your spouse is annoyed with you, and your mother guilt-trips you. Hopefully not all at the same time. But on any given day, situations happen and conflict shows up. What do…

Read article
Un-Divide Your Attention

Muti-tasking is thankfully becoming a negative term in enlightened, evolved leadership circles. Unfortunately, these circles make up a mere 20% of workplaces. The majority of organizations still revere the so-called multi-tasking “skill,” falsely believing it leads to accomplishment and efficiency. You can’t be a detail-oriented multi-tasker. You’ve observed and participated in this environment many times…

Read article
Ditch the Problem-Solving Approach

It’s a familiar scenario. Your client, your colleague, your boss, your spouse, your kid — comes to you with a perceived problem. An issue keeps coming up that needs resolution, something’s troubling them, they can’t seem to break a problematic pattern. What do you do? If you’re like most well-intentioned, time-stressed people, you’ll try to…

Read article
Defend Yourself Against Bad Year-End Decisions

Year-end and holiday activities are making everyone in the office a tad bit crazy. The pressure cooker environment and the increasingly complex daily life demands we find ourselves dealing with lead us to erroneous actions and wrongheaded decisions. Cognitive overload and an accelerating pace deprive us of the calm conditions we crave to make calculated…

Read article
Trick Time & Boost Your Productivity

In all my years of teaching time and memory management to lawyers and executives, I discovered a simple truth: It’s not so much about time as it is about FOCUS and DISCIPLINE. We all want to get more out of our weeks and days. There’s a constant feeling that we’re behind and that there aren’t…

Read article
Communication is not a Competition

One of the most common ways we block communication is by comparing, topping or one-upping. Ever tried to tell someone how busy, overwhelmed and stressed out you are only to have them tell you how much more work and pressure they have?Not only does that not resolve your problem, now you feel like your issues…

Read article
Master Your Mountain

Two years ago I boarded a United flight to NYC. After take-off from L.A., the pilot greeted the passengers and said he expected the smooth flight to reach its destination in 4 hours and 44 minutes. I immediately told the gentlemen seated to my left and right that this would be an incredibly fabulous flight!…

Read article
Law Firm Coaching and Consulting

Organic Communication specializes in providing coaching and consulting services to attorneys, law firm executives and law firms. Lee K. Broekman is an expert in teaching communication and management skills and works with individuals and teams in the legal community to: Develop business and build relationships Manage profitable practices and positive personnel Manage time and stress…

Read article
Bigger Impact, Starting Now

Organic Communication is expanding its efforts beyond the confines of its website. Be prepared to receive thoughts, published articles and weekly/monthly news on the happenings. As well, we will provide insight to help you make a bigger impact in your personal endeavors and professional careers.

Read article
Past News and Events

Communication Cafe A casual, bistro-style dialogue experience. Here’s a taste of our upcoming group coaching selections and workshop offerings: If they only knew… Bringing your authentic self to work What’s cool about you? The power of acknowledgement What’s your story? Personal narratives and sharing experience Being Right? Or Being Kind? Compassionate communication that works Creating…

Read article