Author Archives: Kathleen Kelley Reardon

Unwanted Repetitive Episodes — Breaking loose at Choice Points

Unwanted repetitive episodes (URPs or UREPs for short) are the patterns we develop with people at work, at home, in friendships and even with acquaintances.  They’re unwanted because they’re dysfunctional.  I’ve written about them in my books on politics at … Continue reading

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Speaking Like a Woman at Work

A few words on speaking like the “duck” at work — and the latitude to make mistakes on route to your own effective ways of communicating conviction and competence.   KathleenReardon – click here for video excerpt I mention in … Continue reading

Posted in Comebacks, Influence, Tutorials for Women | Leave a comment

Was There Media Sleight of Hand in the Hillary Clinton Email Fiasco?

During the last U.S. presidential campaign period we saw how an attribute usually valued in a candidate was turned into a weakness.  That characteristic was experience.  Hillary Clinton had the experience, Barack Obama offered hope and change.  Experience lost.  In … Continue reading

Posted in Gotcha!, Influence, Politics | 1 Comment

One Lean In Tip Women/Graduates Should Reconsider

There is no such thing as a negotiation or conflict strategy good for all occasions.  To the extent that people can work collaboratively, there are several benefits.  Among them is the tendency for people to stick to a solution that … Continue reading

Posted in "Leaning in" -- Asserting yourself, Confrontation, Influence, Negotiation, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“Is There Another Way To Say That?”

This is one of my favorite phrases, as my children will attest, for letting someone know that the way they’ve said something could be interpreted to their disadvantage.  Perhaps the person is in an irritable mood.  He or she snaps … Continue reading

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Resisting Persuasion Is More Important By The Day

On Big Think today I posted a blog about resisting social media and online persuasion. Since much of my career has focused on persuasion, including my first book, Persuasion in Practice, I’ve always been more than intrigued by the novel … Continue reading

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Shaking Off The Idea That Politics Is Always Negative

That’s the main thought in a blog posted on Big Think yesterday.  One of the most substantial obstacles to developing political skill is the commonly held belief that politics in the workplace is mostly negative. In actuality, politics runs along … Continue reading

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Can You Bury Your Head in the Sand When it Comes to Politics at Work?

At HBR today this question is answered. Much as many, if not most of us, would prefer to ignore politics at work, whether for profit or not, wherever people come together with different views and in competition, politics exists.  When … Continue reading

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Changing Politics At Work Before It’s Too Late

It takes courage to confront the political landscape of any group, family or organization — moreso when that landscape is what Pope Francis recently described as “ailing.” Identifying 15 “ailments,” he took a huge step toward potential change.  But knowing … Continue reading

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Can’t Get A Word in Edgewise This Holiday Season?

Social interaction increases at this time of year at work and at holiday activities.  It’s a good time to assess whether people listen to what you have to say.  Or, whether you might be monopolizing conversations. On Big Think today, … Continue reading

Posted in Comebacks, Holiday Conflicts, Unwanted Repetitive Episodes | 1 Comment