Strategic Communication

communication mistakes

8 Common Communication Mistakes Leaders Make

By Melissa Eisler |

There are dozens of communication mistakes leaders make, particularly when they need to communicate something tricky like behavioral feedback or ideas for improvement. Let’s take a look at the most common mistakes leaders make in communication, so that we can learn from them and avoid the common pitfalls.

Read More

Dear People Pleasers, Stop Sugarcoating Feedback

By Melissa Eisler |

Sugarcoating feedback is when you bury the lead underneath a pile of niceties – so much so that the main message is not actually delivered, received, or understood. Find out why leaders sugarcoat their feedback and learn about the associated risks.

Read More

The Collaborative Feedback Framework

By Melissa Eisler |

There are dozens of frameworks and tools about how to deliver effective feedback conversations. The collaborative feedback framework focuses on collaboration, positioning feedback as a two-way dialogue and partnership, rather than a one-way conversation. Start here if you want to prepare for a feedback conversation that stays productive.

Read More
curiosity

The 4 Elements of Curiosity: Leadership’s Superpower

By Melissa Eisler |

Curiosity is complicated and multidimensional, which is why the benefits are so broad. It is not simply that you are curious or not; there are different flavors of curiosity that come in handy in different situations and environments. Let’s take a look at the four elements of curiosity.

Read More
Both/And Leadership Mindset

6 Ways to Embrace a Both/And Leadership Mindset and Communication Approach

By Melissa Eisler |

A both/and leadership mindset can lead you to more informed decisions, more collaborative teams, and stronger relationships and results. Keep reading to learn six tips on how to embrace this productive and collaborative mindset as a leader.

Read More
Right Wrong Trap

Escape the Right/Wrong Thinking Trap in Leadership

By Melissa Eisler |

The right/wrong thinking trap is more dangerous than you think. Find out the risks of holding onto your idea of “right” too tightly, and what kind of leadership mindset to embrace, instead.

Read More

4 Frameworks for Feedback Conversations Leaders Can Use

By Melissa Eisler |

You know you have to give someone feedback, but the idea of giving constructive feedback has you in knots. What’s the best way to say what you need to say so it is productive for everyone? Learn four frameworks for feedback conversations you can use to deliver feedback in a candid, compassionate, and productive way.

Read More
Feedback as a gift

Feedback as a Gift: Reframing Difficult Conversations

By Melissa Eisler |

If you can learn to see feedback as a gift, you will increase your capacity to have difficult conversations, which will improve your relationships at work, your team’s performance, and the culture of your organization.

Read More
getting honest feedback

11 Steps to Getting Honest Feedback as the Boss

By Melissa Eisler |

The higher up you climb in an organization, the more valuable feedback tends to be. The problem is, the more power you have, the more difficult it is to get honest feedback. This presents a huge dilemma to leaders who want the honest truth about where they need to grow. Find out what you can do as the leader to encourage honest, direct feedback from your team.

Read More
Strategic boundaries

How to Create Healthy and Strategic Boundaries

By Melissa Eisler |

We all have the same 24 hours in each day. You must use your time wisely – in a way that meets your strategic initiatives at work and your personal goals simultaneously. Creating and communicating strategic boundaries is the best way to focus your time and resources on high-impact, mission-critical efforts and activities.

Read More

9 Elements of an Effective Request

By Melissa Eisler |

Most leaders don’t get what they really want or need from their teams because they don’t know how to ask for it. Here are nine things to consider to ensure your next request is a productive one.

Read More
compassion and candor

The Intersection of Compassion and Candor in Workplace Communication

By Melissa Eisler |

We must cleanse our organizations of the negative stigma of direct communication, and replace it with the sense of generosity. Saying something that needs to be said is a gift that strengthens people, teams, and organizations if done with care. Here is how to balance compassion and candor in your communication.

Read More
active-listening

Active Listening: 12 Levels to Enhance Your Listening Skills

By Melissa Eisler |

When most people are listening, their minds are elsewhere. By contrast, active listening is when you place all of your focus on the speaker – paying attention at 12 distinct levels. Find out what they are and how to practice them – to establish trust in your relationships, build psychological safety on your teams, and deepen your connections both personally and professionally.

Read More

5 Exercises to Improve Your Conscious Listening

By Melissa Eisler |

The simple act of listening – real, conscious, active listening without judgment or advice-giving – can be life changing. Yet most people only retain 25% of what they hear. Learn how to practice conscious listening to connect better with those around you.

Read More

Respond Vs. React: How to Keep Your Cool in Times of Stress

By Melissa Eisler |

Would you rather be the type of person who creates ease or stress around you? Follow this trick to help you respond vs. react in stressful situations and in moments where you’re triggered – so you can invite a healthier outcome for everyone involved.

Read More

Video: The 3 Components of Building Trust

By Melissa Eisler |

When trust is broken – internally in the workplace, with customers, or in relationships – it is far more difficult to get results and build deeper connections. You end up in an ineffective loop that leads nowhere. And sometimes – you don’t even know why trust was broken in the…

Read More

Video: How Does Your Body Language Shape You?

By Melissa Eisler |

In this Ted Talk, Amy Cuddy reveals that simple changes to body language can not only change how other people think and feel about us, but also how we feel about ourselves. Find out how to gain confidence and lower stress with just two minutes in a power pose.

Read More

Join the monthly newsletter!

If you’re an executive, leader, or entrepreneur, you’ll love our monthly newsletters.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Melissa is the founder and principal executive coach at Wide Lens Leadership. As an ICF Certified Executive Coach with a Master's degree in organizational leadership, Melissa has coached hundreds of leaders ranging from C-suite to entrepreneur, from Fortune 500 companies to startups, and across diverse industries. She is passionate about supporting leaders and teams on their growth journeys toward greater impact, more collaborative teams, and stronger results.

Join my monthly newsletter!

If you’re an executive, leader, or entrepreneur, you’ll love the monthly newsletters — featuring tips and reflections on leadership development and stress management in the modern world. Join the 5,000+ leaders who have it delivered straight to their inbox each month.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.