Hey Reader - There’s good news and bad news about AI. The right prompt is a force multiplier, helping anyone instantly kick out dozens of videos, hundreds of social media blurbs, or a stack of contracts. But the downside is that AI-enabled productivity overdrive just leveled the playing field. The new differentiator is how you partner. But the secret sauce for healthy alliances may surprise you. It isn’t single-minded thinking. Instead, it’s the capacity for conflict resolution. So, in the...
7 days ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader - A friend of mine has become the Queen of the Keep it Real Club. She’s such an astute communicator that she instantly sees flaws in AI-generated pitches. What hits the slush pile? Phrases repeated from her LinkedIn bio. Bland descriptions about her industry. And a final ask to partner that’s meant to be personal but is clearly cut and pasted from someone else’s email. AI may draft quickly, but no one ever promised it would enhance your professional standing. That’s because...
21 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader - Are you frustrated because AI has sped up, not slowed, the pace at the office? Are you still waiting for all those high-profile, satisfying focus time projects? You’re not alone. UC Berkley’s Haas School placed researchers at a tech company two days a week from April to December 2025. Unfortunately, the results revealed considerable AI-related tension. On the one hand, AI had shifted the type of tasks performed. But the flip side was that intensity skyrocketed. For instance,...
28 days ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader - Pop quiz: If someone offered a cash bonus for elevator pitching your latest accomplishment, could you do it? No judgment if your answer is, “Uh, well, um”! In “The Hottest Job in Tech: Writing Words,” Business Insider described how communication is rising to the top of in-demand job skills. What’s the root of the problem? AI. OpenAI founder Sam Altman recently mentioned how an “AI accent” is creeping into conversations. And Communications Consultant Gab Ferree summed up the...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader - Have you been flying under the radar, quietly mumbling with skepticism about AI? Well, it’s time to come out, come out from wherever you are, because you’re in good company. In a recent poll, 46% of respondents reported viewing AI negatively. And to make that statistic even crazier, even the US Immigration and Enforcement team had a slightly better standing. But here’s the thing: AI is a fact of working life. So, the answer isn’t as simple as ignoring it and trying to turn back...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader - Celebrity stylist Erin Walsh has a non-negotiable for clients: Get rid of clothes from your old life. Sometimes your old life is keeping the suit you wore when you aced a job interview. Other times, it’s hanging on to potential, where the shoes you spent too much money on hide out on the highest shelf. But the twist is that the best wardrobe isn’t built on stuff—it hinges on confidence. So, whether a client is longing for the future or hung up in nostalgia, she pushes them to...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader - My friend Harry had a bumpy Spring Break. After a year of being remarried, he decided it was time for a family project. Harry opened the garage door one morning and enthusiastically announced, “Everything goes on the driveway, and nothing goes back in unless it has a home!” That’s a great spring cleaning task—on paper. But then reality kicked in. The eye rolls from his teenage stepkids started immediately. His wife tried to be optimistic, hoping four people working together could...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader - Have you ever known someone who seemed indispensable, but suddenly fell from grace? That's what happened to Kelsey. Kelsey was a real stand-out. She had all the elements: A killer resume, competence, and tenure. There was only one problem: Her advice usually packed a punch. In a way, she wasn't at fault. Her company had a long practice of trying to spur healthy competition, and Kelsey was all in. But the “anything you can do, I can do better” mindset meant conversations quickly...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader - Spring cleaning is out in full force on my For You Page. From dust mites to subscriptions, everything's getting a refresh! But don't limit sorting and decluttering to your closet. Instead, also include intangibles like skilling on your list. It's tempting to overhaul everything at once, but that just leads to overwhelm. Instead, simply release anything that will block your Future Self. That's what we'll talk about in the April series, Spring Clean Your People Skills. By the end...
2 months ago • 2 min read