All posts with the ‘ communication ’ Tag

One of the great things about making art is the opportunity to collaborate with other creators. You get to borrow each other’s brains, see stories through one another’s eyes, and create things together that neither of you could have created on your own.

There’s just one little thing: it can be really hard to collaborate with other people.… Read More

“I’ve got to negotiate with someone in 30 minutes. What should I do?”

My usual response to this question is, “stall.” Postpone the meeting, call in sick, delay at all costs. … Read More

Last week at HOW Design Live I was lucky enough to see Dr.Brené Brown speak.

This was A Big Deal for me.

I’ve been fangirling over Dr. Brown’s work since I discovered it about a year and a half ago. I was so excited to see her speak I forgot to tell friends I was going to the conference because I was speaking.

I … Read More

If I’ve learned one thing in the last year it’s how much freelancers love administrative tasks.

The joy and satisfaction they get from organizing meetings, filing paperwork, and dealing with contracts! Watching their faces light up at the opportunity to pay quarterly taxes, again, can just about break your heart.

And if there is one task that stands out from all the rest as the … Read More

I’ve spent the last week cajoling a five year-old to put her face in the water at swim lessons.

She thinks I’m absolutely, 100% insane crazy.

It will hurt her eyes. She’ll get water in her ears. How will she breathe? What if the other kids laugh at her? It’s scary!

I can tell her a bazillion times that it will be OK, but … Read More

As a lawyer who makes a living reading, writing and revising contracts it’s in my best interest to tell you that contracts are incredibly important and if you don’t have a contract your clients will get away with murder.

And that’s true.

But also not.… Read More

You’re in the middle of a weird coding issue that is jamming up the launch of a client’s new site when your phone rings.

It’s one of your other clients, Jane, who always seems to have “unique” problems.

Against your better judgement you answer.

She’s calling to complain about your most recent invoice. She doesn’t think it should have taken you half as long as … Read More

It’s not enough to say that women need to “lean in” and ask for what they want.

It’s not enough to say that people react negatively when women “lean in” and ask for what they want.

Neither approach actually helps someone accomplish anything. It just encourages, or discourages, behavior.

Women can negotiate just as well as men, but no one negotiates well if they don’t … Read More