Author Archives: Melissa A. Walker, Ph.D.

Resiliency, Buzz Word or Bad Word?

A common reference today in many circles of education, industry, and politics is the use (and overuse) of the word “resilience.”  On its own, this is not a bad word.  It is powerful, invigorating, and inspiring.  How it is used is where it becomes problematic.  According to Richards (2020):  Resilience is a dynamic process ofContinue reading “Resiliency, Buzz Word or Bad Word?”

Self-Deprecation: Why Women use it as a Business Strategy

Successful women are caught in a catch-22: to overcome traditional negative stereotypes they are encouraged to adopt more stereotypical male behaviors, yet if they choose to do so, they are very likely to be penalized for violating the expected behaviors of women.

Top 5 Don’ts in Resolving Conflict

Handling the resolution process is a delicate enterprise that often requires a certain amount of experience and emotional intelligence. It is important to remember that in a conversation between two parties, there is only one person you can control… yourself. With that in mind, there is a greater possibility to create an environment in which both parties feel comfortable with a resolution.

How Implicit Bias Affects Your Communication Skills

Your communication is carried forward not only verbally, but also non-verbally. Your reaction to a subject or speaker may easily be conveyed through your tone, body language, facial expression, whether you are actually listening, and even your posture. Your partner in the conversation may be unsure of your reaction and make negative assumptions about your attitude towards the topic, or even themselves. All the while, you are unaware that you have conveyed this communication because you are unconscious of your response and possibly unaware that there is a bias.

Why is Microlearning More than Just a Trend?

The challenge to microlearning is the mindset transition from traditional face to face interventions that are the primary tool used in workforce education today. Blended, online, and social learning is more applicable to the younger and incoming workforce; why not tailor instruction to a medium in which they are proficient?

Divergent Teams and Decision Making

Mr/s. Groupthink is confidently smiling and leading you to a well-traveled, paved, landscaped, and previously milestoned path. It has signs for the lottery and car dealerships; it’s so well used. Groupthink promises that at the end is a large predictable metropolis that appears comfortable and stable.